Uganda · Wildlife Safari

13-Day Wildlife Safari in Western Uganda with Gorilla and Chimp Trekking

13 Days Round trip from Entebbe international Air Port Moderate pace

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Track wild white rhinos at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Uganda's proud home of wild white rhinos
02 Enjoy the phenomenal views and thundering sounds of Murchison Falls on a launch cruise on the White Nile
03 Marvel at the blue-breasted kingfisher and red-tailed monkeys near the Sempaya hot springs
04 Go for an exciting gorilla tracking and chimpanzee trekking experience
05 Discover Kibale National Park's large and varied primate population, including chimpanzees, L'Hoest's monkey, and red colobus

Embark on an extended safari through western Uganda to explore the country's wildlife, the Big Five, gorilla tracking, chimpanzee trekking, and a launch cruise on the world's longest river and the 40 km-long Kazinga Channel. Discover Murchison Falls National Park, home to the strongest falls in the world, and visit Kibale National Park, famously known for its large and varied primate population. This journey also takes you to Semuliki National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a rich mix of wildlife, landscapes, and cultural encounters.

In the afternoon at 2:00 pm, undertake a launch cruise on the White Nile, where you will have a phenomenal view of the falls and hear the thundering sounds of the falls.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 13 Days

Tour type Private

Activity level Moderate

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Wheelchair access No

Cities Kampala, Entebbe, Fort Portal, Kibale National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Semuliki National Park, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Arrival in Entebbe

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, our guide will meet you and welcome you to the Pearl of Africa. He will then drive you to your hotel, where you will relax, have dinner, and stay overnight.

Day 02

Transfer to Murchison Falls and Rhino Tracking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

After breakfast, you will start your 6-hour journey to Murchison Falls using Masindi Road. On your way, you will have views of different spectacular landscape features, plantations, local homesteads, and markets.
Have a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Uganda's proud home of wild white rhinos. You will have an opportunity to encounter rhinos in the wild and track the white rhinos in the sanctuary. After stopping for lunch, proceed with the drive to Murchison Falls National Park. Arrive in the evening for check-in at your hotel, then relax, have dinner, and stay overnight.

Day 03

Morning Game Drive and Launch Cruise

After breakfast, embark on a morning game drive to view the big game in the wild. You will see animals like African elephants, antelopes, zebras, and giraffes. After the rewarding game drive, you will return for lunch and relax.
In the afternoon at 2:00 pm, undertake a launch cruise on the White Nile, where you will have a phenomenal view of the falls and hear the thundering sounds of the falls. Expect to see animals like crocodiles basking on the riverbanks, herds of hippos, and water birds.
Later, you will return for dinner and overnight.

Day 04

Top of the Falls Hike and Transfer to Semuliki National Park

After breakfast, hike to the top of the falls, where you will have clear views of the Devil's Cauldron, where water forces itself into a 7 m-wide gorge, cascading 40 m down and forming a thunderous roar.
Return to the lodge, check out from your hotel, and embark on a 7-hour drive to Semuliki National Park, the easternmost tract of the Congo's great Ituri Forest.
You will have lunch en route and arrive in Fort Portal, Uganda's most attractive town. Marvellously varied, the landscape is carpeted by tea plantations and forests and dotted with extinct volcanic craters, many of which are flooded to form delightful lakes. You will check in to your hotel, relax, have dinner, and stay overnight.

Day 05

Sempaya Hot Springs Nature Walk and Batwa Trail

After breakfast, you will go for a guided nature walk in the park in search of primates. Fifteen primate species live within 6 km of the primeval hot springs of Sempaya. The hot springs have a geyser that shoots up from an 8-meter hole, and the water is at a high temperature, making them the largest hot springs in Uganda. Expect to see birds like the blue-breasted kingfisher and various primates like the red-tailed monkeys.
You will return for lunch and relax while preparing for the trail with the Batwa people, where you will learn about their lifestyle, traditional music, dance, and drama.
After the trail, you will return for dinner and overnight.

Day 06

Transfer to Kibale National Park

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Kibale National Park. The park is famous for its large and varied primate population, including the chimpanzee, L'Hoest's monkey, and red colobus.
You will have lunch, then go for a guided nature walk traversing the villages surrounding the forest, like Kikoni, Nyakalongo, and Nyaibanda.
As you go through the villages, you will interact with the cultures and locals, including the Bakiga and the Batoro. You will then return for dinner and overnight.

Day 07

Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale

After breakfast, your guide will transport you to the park offices for a briefing from the ranger about the chimpanzee rules and how to behave when you are with the chimpanzees. After the briefing, you will start trekking. This may take a whole day, as it usually lasts from 1 to 8 hours. You will have lunch in the wild. On sighting the chimpanzees, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them, learning about their way of living and watching them eat, play, feed, howl, and rest in their habitat. You will take photos with your camera flash turned off.
After the trekking, you will return for dinner, relaxation, and enjoy the rest of the night.

Day 08

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, you will embark on a 2-hour journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda's most diverse park. The park contains lakes, rivers, open savannah, acacia woodland, tropical forest, and vast wetlands, collectively supporting an impressive 95 mammal species and over 600 species of birds. You will have lunch upon arrival, check in to your hotel, and have an evening game drive in the park. Expect to see different animals like giraffes, African elephants, zebras, and buffaloes.
After the game drive, you will return for dinner and overnight.

Day 09

Morning Game Drive and Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

After breakfast, you will go on a morning game drive. This is the most rewarding game drive, when you see animals active, and you will look out for lions, warthogs, elands, antelopes, elephants, giraffes, and many more.
Return to the lodge for lunch and prepare for a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel at 2:00 pm. During this meandering drive among spectacular volcanic craters, you will see crocodiles basking on the banks, herds of hippos, and different bird species like hammerkop, African jacana, gull-billed tern, grey crowned crane, among others.
Later, you will return for dinner and overnight.

Day 10

Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

After breakfast, you will embark on a 4-hour journey to Mgahinga National Park. The park has a magnificent setting on the northern slopes of the Virunga volcanoes. It has two rare primates, the gorillas and the golden monkeys.
You will have lunch on arrival, check in, and go for a Batwa trail. You will learn about their ways of living, culture, and traditional music, dance, and drama. You will return for dinner and overnight.

Day 11

Gorilla Tracking Experience

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the park offices for a briefing from the ranger about the gorilla rules and how to behave when you are with the gorillas. You will be divided into groups of 8. On sighting the gorillas, you can spend one hour with them. You will watch them eat, feed, play, and rest in their habitat. The tracking takes from 1 to 8 hours.
After trekking, you will have lunch in the wild and then return for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Day 12

Transfer Back to Kampala

After breakfast, you will embark on your 9-hour journey to Kampala. You will make a stopover at the Equator for photos. You will have lunch en route. You will arrive in the evening in time for dinner and overnight.

Day 13

Departure from Entebbe

After breakfast, you will check out from your hotel and be transferred to the airport for your flight. Enriched with all the safari experiences and unforgettable memories, you will say goodbye to the Pearl of Africa.