7-Day Uganda Primate Safari with Gorilla and Chimp Trekking

We will pick you up on arrival, either from your hotel or from the airport. Your driver-guide for the tour will be an English-speaking professional, and from there you will begin the journey to Murchison Falls National Park.

The best things about this park are the loud rapids of Murchison Falls and the wide open fields of Uganda's biggest national park. Along the way, you may see lions, giraffes, hartebeest, buffalo, elephants, and other animals. There will be a lunch break during the journey.

If time allows, you can go on a late afternoon to evening game drive or safari. Please note: if you are staying at the hotel or if you leave the airport early, you can take a slight detour to visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and spend an hour tracking rhinos. This is optional and costs an additional $50 per person. If not, you will continue straight to Murchison.

After breakfast, go on a morning drive through the wide fields of Uganda's biggest national park and keep your eyes open for animals such as lions and leopards, although leopards may be difficult to spot. Bird lovers will also have the chance to see many different kinds of birds during the drive.

Return to your accommodation to relax and have lunch. In the afternoon, you will take a boat trip to the bottom of Murchison Falls. During the cruise, you will see more animals, including hippos, crocodiles, and water birds.

If you wish, you can hike to the top of the falls, but this comes at an extra cost. The hike can be tough, but the feeling of reaching the summit is something you will never forget. Afterwards, return to your accommodation and relax.

Wake up early and drive to Budongo Forest Reserve, which is about 1 hour and 15 minutes away. You will arrive in time for the 8:00 am meeting.

After the briefing, head into the forest to look for the closest relatives of humans in their natural habitat. Enjoy a supervised walk through the beautiful tropical forest in search of a friendly group of chimpanzees. Along the way, your guide will tell you more about the animals and plants you encounter on the journey.

After the trek, relax and have lunch at Budongo Eco Lodge. Later, continue on a short drive to Hoima City, where you will stay overnight at your reserved accommodation.

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast at your accommodation and then drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will arrive in time for lunch, take a short break, and then head out for game viewing.

During the game drive, keep an eye out for wild animals such as reedbuck, bushbuck, kob, warthogs, elephants, lions, and buffaloes, among others. Alternatively, you may choose the stunning drive through the explosion crater area. This route offers a great opportunity to enjoy beautiful sights and stunning scenery in and around Queen Elizabeth National Park.

You may also see animals along this drive, with Cape buffaloes and elephants being the most common. Afterwards, return to your accommodation to relax, have dinner, and stay overnight.

Wake up early and go on a morning drive in the Kasenyi Plains. Keep your eyes open for Cape buffaloes, groups of elephants, lions, and leopards, although leopards may be difficult to see.

After the drive, return to the lodge and check out. Then continue to the Ishasha sector to look for the famous tree-climbing lions. You have a good chance of seeing them, at about 70%, although they can sometimes be difficult to spot, especially when they are down in the grassland searching for food. If you do see them, it is a beautiful sight and one you will remember.

After leaving Ishasha, continue to your accommodation near Bwindi National Park in the Ruhija sector. You will arrive in the evening at around 6:00 pm.

After breakfast, go to the ranger station, where you will receive important instructions from a ranger guide about what you should and should not do while trekking. After the briefing, head into Bwindi Forest for this exciting experience.

This rainforest is truly beautiful, with steep and densely forested terrain filled with many animal trails for visitors to explore. The time it takes to find the gorillas and the type of terrain you cover can vary depending on where the gorillas have moved.

Once you find a gorilla group, you will spend one hour with them. Watching these gentle giants, which are sadly at risk of extinction, is an unforgettable and exciting experience. Afterwards, return to your accommodation, check out, and continue to Lake Mburo National Park for the night.

Have breakfast and then go for a morning walk in Lake Mburo National Park. You will be accompanied by an armed ranger from the Uganda Wildlife Authority. During this walk, you will have the chance to see zebras, giraffes, eland, topi, other antelope, and Cape buffaloes up close.

Continue on the trail to the highest point of the hills and take in views of Lake Mburo and beyond. From here, you can see 9 of the 12 lakes around Lake Mburo National Park.

Afterwards, return to your accommodation, check out, and begin your journey back to Entebbe.