9-Day Uganda Primate Trekking Safari with Gorillas and Chimpanzees

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, a Vibrant Holiday Safari professional tour driver-guide will receive and welcome you to the Pearl of Africa. Thereafter, you will be transferred to the booked accommodation. You will check in and take your rest, recovering from the tiresome journey and adjusting to the time difference.

Optional (extra cost): Just in case you arrive early and are interested in some activity, you may consider:

a) An excursion to the Entebbe Botanical Gardens to sight a few primates and birds.

b) An excursion to Mabamba Wetland in search of the prehistoric shoebill stork.

After an early breakfast, you will drive off to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Once there, you will proceed for an hour of on-foot rhino tracking. From the rhino tracking, head to Masindi, where you will have a lunch stop, after which you will embark on the transfer to Murchison Falls National Park. The highlights of this park include the roaring rapids of the Murchison and the rolling plains of Uganda's largest national park, where you will have the chance of viewing lions, giraffes, hartebeests, buffalo, and elephants. Then surely, the concentration of hippos and Nile crocodiles here will fascinate you.

After breakfast, you will depart for an early morning game drive across the rolling plains of Uganda's largest national park and be on the lookout for wildlife, including lions and leopards, though they are hard to spot, among others. For any birder, there are quite a number of birds to sight too during the drive. Return to the accommodation for some rest time and lunch.

After lunch, you will head out for the boat trip to the base of Murchison Falls, where you will also be able to catch sight of more animals, including hippos, crocodiles, and several water birds.

Optional (extra cost 15$): If interested, continue with a hike to the top of the falls. The hike may be a strenuous one, but the thrill of reaching the top is unforgettable. Return to your accommodation and relax.

After breakfast, we will drive to the top of the falls to truly appreciate the beauty and magnificence of Murchison Falls National Park. From the top, we shall embark on a transfer that will see us overnight at the edge of Kibale Forest National Park. The drive is quite long but amazingly scenic-passing through villages, lush green countryside, and hills dotted with tea plantations that characterize this part of Uganda. The beautiful scenery will amaze you all the way. Upon arrival at the accommodation, check in and just relax.

Optional (extra cost 15$): If interested, you can proceed with the crater lakes excursion. You will enjoy the beauty of the numerous small lakes, surrounded by gentle hills, and stunning views all over. Else, just enjoy your rest at the facility.

Have breakfast and proceed for the Bigodi Wetlands excursion. The Bigodi Wetland boasts an extensive array of biodiversity, among which there are several primate species like the black-and-white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, L'Hoest's monkeys, and baboons. Bigodi is also a paradise for bird watchers. Among the major bird species within the area is the great blue turaco.

From Bigodi, we shall embark on a transfer of about 2 hours to Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will reach Queen early enough to have lunch, rest, and then proceed out for game viewing. During the game drive, look out for wild animals like reedbuck, bushbuck, kob, warthog, elephant, lion, and buffalo, to mention but a few. Alternatively, you could choose to go for Queen's breathtaking explosion crater drive instead. Return to the accommodation and take your rest.

After breakfast, we shall proceed for chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge. The gorge is home to habituated chimpanzees, plus other primates including baboons and monkeys, as well as bird species. Today, you will spend the early part of the day tracking chimpanzees here. Thereafter, return to the accommodation for some rest time and lunch.

After lunch, you will go for a 2-hour boat trip on the Kazinga Channel that connects Lakes George and Edward. During the trip, the sight of wildlife, including giant hippos, elephants, and crocodiles, among others, will fascinate you. You will also see many varieties of birds on the water shores.

After breakfast, you will set off for an early morning game drive in the Kasenyi Plains. Be on the lookout for Cape buffaloes, herds of elephants, lions, leopards, though hard to spot, among others. Return to the lodge and check out, then head to the Ishasha Sector in search of tree-climbing lions. The chance of spotting these lions is about 70%, though sometimes they are hard to spot, most especially when they are down in the grassland looking for prey. Should you get to spot them, the sight is exceptionally memorable.

From Ishasha, we shall continue to your accommodation at the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the Ruhija sector. You'll be arriving in the evening, around 5:00 pm or 6:00 pm.

After breakfast, you will head to the rangers' post, where you will be briefed by a ranger guide on the dos and don'ts during trekking. Thereafter, you will enter Bwindi Forest for your adventure. The time taken and the terrain vary with the movements of these great primates. Once you have located a gorilla group, you will be allowed an hour in their presence. The thrill of spending time observing these gentle but endangered giants is unforgettable.

Return to the accommodation, check out, and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi is framed by lush, green-terraced hills that reach a height of 2,200-2,478 m, but it is the 29 islands of various shapes and sizes scattered across the water that make it most magical. You could admire them all day.

Have a relaxed breakfast at the accommodation with a spectacular view of the little islands of Bunyonyi right in front of you. Thereafter, embark on your return journey to Entebbe Airport. Expect an en route lunch and a stop at the Uganda Equator line mark in Kayabwe for some memorable photos and maybe to buy some art pieces of interest. Proceed with the journey, arriving late in the afternoon or evening for drop-off at the airport to catch your journey back home. The recommended booking is 6:00 pm onwards.