5-Day Uganda Gorillas, Chimpanzees and Wildlife Safari
5 DaysSafari Overview
This 5-day Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth, and Lake Mburo tour brings travelers face-to-face with mountain gorillas in Bwindi and a rich variety of wildlife in Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo National Parks. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is home to nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s second-largest of ten national parks, ranks among the most visited safari destinations in the country — thanks to its famous tree-climbing lions and its status as home to the big four mammals.
On this day, you will be met by our company driver-guide at Entebbe International Airport and depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park, with lunch en route. This scenic road trip takes you through African villages, rolling green hills, tea and banana plantations, and traditional homesteads. You will arrive at the lodge in the late evening, with an optional evening game drive if time allows.
After an early breakfast, head out for a morning chimpanzee trek in Kalinzu Forest. You will be briefed on the dos and don'ts of chimpanzee trekking before setting off on the forest hike, where you'll have the chance to see chimpanzees in their natural habitat. In the afternoon, enjoy a launch cruise along the Kazinga Channel, where you'll spot large numbers of elephants, hippos, buffaloes, and crocodiles, along with numerous bird species — including the rare shoebill.
You'll transfer through the Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park on the way to Bwindi an area famous for its tree-climbing lions. In Ishasha, you'll set off across this vast, adventurous savannah, home to topis and African elephants, with a good chance of spotting lions resting high in the fig tree branches. You'll have lunch in Ishasha before continuing the transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where the landscape gradually shifts from flat savannah, through cultivated hills, to jungle-covered mountains.
Have an early morning breakfast and proceed to the briefing point. Enjoy the highlight of your trip, gorilla trekking, which may last anywhere from 2 to 6 hours, depending on the gorilla family you are assigned to visit. You will trek through rainforest and bamboo-covered slopes, accompanied by a Uganda Wildlife Authority guide and trackers, in search of a mountain gorilla family. The walk can sometimes be tough and long, but the moment you catch a glimpse of the magnificent silverback, any discomfort will be quickly forgotten. Due to the nature of the activity, you will have a packed lunch. Afterward, you will drive through terraced hills to the savannah conservation area of Lake Mburo National Park.
After an early breakfast, head out for a morning game drive in Lake Mburo National Park, famous for zebras, impalas, giraffes, elands, Cape buffalos, and many tropical bird species. Check out of the park and transfer toward Entebbe, with lunch en route. Along the way, you'll make a stopover at the Equator line for an authentic experience of standing at Latitude 0°. From there, you'll proceed to Kampala or Entebbe and be dropped off at your point of call.
Includes.
- Park fees (For non-residents)
- Gorilla permits (One per person, non-resident)
- Chimp permits (One per person, non-resident)
- All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
- All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
- A professional driver/guide
- All transportation
- All Taxes/VAT
- Roundtrip airport transfer
- Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
- Drinking water (On all days)
Excludes
- International flights (From/to home)
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
- Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees