6-Day Uganda Gorilla Safari with Chimp Trekking and Lake Bunyonyi

You can be picked up either from your hotel or from Entebbe Airport on arrival. An English-speaking driver-guide will meet you and begin the journey to Lake Mburo National Park. Lake Mburo is a small and convenient park located close to the highway linking Entebbe and Kampala with the parks of western Uganda.

This small savannah park is home to many different birds and animals, including zebras, impalas, buffalo, and hippos. It is also home to the rare leopard. On arrival, you will check in. If time allows, you may head out for a late afternoon to evening game drive. Otherwise, you will settle into your accommodation and spend the evening relaxing at leisure.

After an early breakfast, you will head out for a morning nature walk in Lake Mburo National Park with a ranger-guide from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, who will be armed. During this walk, you may see zebras, giraffes, eland, topi, other antelope, Cape buffaloes, and more wildlife up close. You can also follow the trail up the hills for views of Lake Mburo and the surrounding landscape.

After the walk, you will return to your accommodation to check out and then continue by road to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The plan is to arrive at your lodge in time for lunch. After lunch and a short rest, you will head out for a game drive. During the drive, you may spot herds of buffalo or elephants, a pride of lions, a shy leopard, warthogs, and various types of antelope. Afterwards, you will return to your accommodation and relax.

After breakfast, you will set out to track chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge. This gorge is home to chimpanzees as well as other wildlife such as baboons, monkeys, and birds. You will spend the first part of the day following chimpanzees here.

After the trek, you will return to your accommodation for a break and lunch. Once lunch is finished, you will head out for a 2-hour boat trip on the Kazinga Channel, the waterway that connects Lakes George and Edward. During the cruise, you may see giant hippos, elephants, crocodiles, and other wildlife, along with many different bird species along the shoreline. After the boat ride, you may enjoy a short late afternoon game drive before returning to the lodge.

You will wake up early for a morning safari in the Kasenyi plains. Keep an eye out for Cape buffaloes, herds of elephants, lions, and leopards, although leopards can be difficult to spot, along with other wildlife. After the safari, you will return to the lodge and check out.

You will then travel to the Ishasha sector in search of the famous tree-climbing lions. The chance of seeing them is around 70%, although they can sometimes be hard to find, especially when they are hunting in the tall grass. If you do spot them, it is a beautiful and memorable sight.

After Ishasha, you will continue to your accommodation near Bwindi National Park, specifically in the Ruhija sector. Arrival is expected in the evening, at around 5:00 or 6:00 pm.

Optional (extra cost $120): You may choose to join a lion tracking experience with a member of the predator research team, who will guide you on this expedition.

After breakfast, you will go to the ranger station for a briefing from a ranger-guide on what you should and should not do during the trek. After that, you will enter Bwindi Forest for this exciting experience. The length of the trek and the terrain covered will vary depending on the movements of these great primates.

Once you find a gorilla family, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them. The thrill of having the chance to observe these gentle and endangered giants is an experience you will never forget.

After the trek, you will return, check out, and continue to Lake Bunyonyi. The lake is surrounded by beautiful green hills rising between 2,200 and 2,478 metres. What makes it especially remarkable are its 29 islands, scattered across the water in different shapes and sizes, creating an enchanting landscape that you could admire for hours.

You will enjoy a relaxed breakfast at your accommodation while taking in the stunning views of the Bunyonyi islands right in front of you. Afterwards, you will begin the journey back to Entebbe Airport.

Lunch is expected along the way, with a stop at the Uganda Equator line in Kayabwe. Here, you can take memorable photos and buy artwork if you wish. You will continue the journey and arrive at the airport in the late afternoon or evening.