Tour Overview

The 7-day tour starts and ends in Kampala Uganda, It involves viewing wildlife species as well as tracking the chimpanzees. The main tourist destinations to visit include; Kibale National park is famous for harboring 13 primate species including the chimpanzees, olive monkeys, vervet monkey, white and black colobus monkeys and many more bird species like green breasted pitta, black bee-eater e. t. c.

Uganda tours Queen Elizabeth national park which is famous for variety of wildlife species including the tree climbing lions as well as the Kazinga channel which connects both Lake Edward and Lake George and it has got variety of crocodiles, hippos, birds like plovers, yellow bellied stock, and many other animals like African cape buffaloes.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is famous for mountain gorillas and it contains a total number of 340 individuals with four main gorilla groups to track. The park harbors many other animal species including the chimpanzees, monkeys, elephants and many species of Birds.

Tour highlights

• Day 1: Transfer to Kibale national park for a primate safari
• Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking safari and Bigodi wetland visit
• Day 3: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Day 4: Morning game drive and a boat cruise
• Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi for a gorilla safari
• Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest
• Day 7: Departure

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Transfer to Kibale national park for a primate safari

Early in the morning after breakfast, leave the bustling capital city of Kampala and drive to western Uganda via mubende town and proceed to the tourism city of fort portal. You will have a stopover in the tourism city for a hot lunch at gardens restaurant and after proceed driving towards kibale national park. You will also pass through the traditional villages and you enjoy the vegetation cover here which is ever green. Have a good time and also take some photo.

This forest is 1100 -1600 m above sea level and it contains both montane and lowland forests with 13 primate species including the chimpanzees and monkeys including the red colobus monkeys as well as the rare L’Hoest’s monkeys. The park was gazetted in 1932 and established in 1993 to protect the then increasing number of animals and vegetation.

The other species of animal species found in the park include; 250 tree species, 325 bird species, 13 primate species, 60 mammal species, and 14 wild fields. On your arrival at the park, you will visit the scenic crater lakes region and get chance to check out the terraced tea states. Later on, proceed back to the lodge to relax for the evening and enjoy your dinner.

Accommodation Options Luxury: Ndali Lodge Mid-range: Chimpanzee Forest Guest Budget: Kibale Forest camp

Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking safari and Bigodi wetland visit

Early in the morning after taking breakfast, you will go to the park headquarters where you will be briefed about chimpanzee trekking. By 8:00am, you will be starting your search for the chimpanzees within the park. These primates are the closest relatives to the human being and they share 98% of their DNA with that of the human beings.

There are also many other primate species which will be seen swinging in the tree branches along with the chimpanzees and these include; the L’Hoest’s monkeys, golden monkeys, Black and white colobus monkeys, grey checked Mangabey, red tailed monkeys, the bush babies, and many bird species which include; green breasted pitta, rumped tinker bird, yellow spotted nectar, and the majority of hornbills, this park is one of the great rain forest in Africa and it has the largest community of chimpanzees where by each community has 1 -100 individuals and each community has a complicated social structure.

In the group, the adult males dominate the group and provide protection to the territory against the rest of the males from other territories. The chimps are located by simply listening for their pant hooting calls, and then head to the place from which they replied from. Here you can observe them as they feed, play as well as socializing with each other.

Later in the afternoon, you will visit Bigodi swamp which is also good for watching primates and birds. It’s mainly maintained by the local people and they earn a living from there. You will enjoy many bird species here including; the great blue turaco, and many more, the other primate species to view here include; the baboons, mongoose, otters, bush pigs as well as the bush bucks.

Accommodation Options Luxury: Ndali Lodge Mid-range: Chimpanzee Forest Guest Budget: Kibale Forest camp

Day 3: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Early in the morning after breakfast, you might opt for a nature walk in Kibale forest or decide to drive directly to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive takes 3 hours and you will pass through fort portal and arrive at the park in the lunch hours, on your arrival, check at the lodge and enjoy your lunch as you prepare to enjoy a game drive with in the park, you will view many animal species including the birds, elephants, lions, buffalos, Uganda kobs, antelopes and many more.

Queen Elizabeth is mainly famous for the many wildlife species and the Kazinga channel which connects Lake George and Lake Edward. The park covers an area of 767 sq. miles and it’s a home to many bird species as well as crater lakes. After the game drive, return to your lodge for an overnight and dinner.

Accommodation Options Luxury: Mweya safari lodge Mid-range: Kyambura Gorge Budget: Bush Lodge

 Day 4: Morning game drive and a boat cruise

We shall wake so early in the morning, proceed to the park to engage in an early morning game drive to view the early morning risers in kasenyi plain track, get chance to view many animals including; lions, elephants, solitary buffaloes, kobs, antelopes, mating grounds etc. these animals can be viewed at a close range. Return to the lodge for breakfast and lunch as you prepare to enjoy a boat cruise along the Kazinga channel, were your eyes will be fed with variety of water animals and birds.

The wildlife species include; the crocodiles, hippos, buffaloes, pink backed pelicans, saddle billed stork, the malachite kingfishers. After, return to the lodge for your dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options Luxury: Mweya safari Lodge Mid-range: Kyambura game lodge Budget: Bush Lodge

Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi for a gorilla safari

Early in the morning after breakfast, drive towards the south of the park through the great shinning Savannah vegetation and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national Park via the Ishasha sector which is famous for the tree climbing lions,  enjoy lunch en route and after proceed for a  game drive within the park searching for the tree climbing lions get chance to view many other animal species including; the antelopes, kobs, water buck, topis, warthogs, elephants and many birds like black bishops, after drive to Bwindi national  park reaching late evening check in for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation options Luxury: Buhoma lodge Mid-range: silver back lodge Budge Buhoma community campsite

Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest

Have an early morning breakfast, and after proceed to the park headquarters to have a briefing about the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking in Bwindi. The rangers will then accompany you to the rainforest to start your search for the gentle giants. This walk can sometimes be tough and it needs someone so strong.

Trekkers are always advised to carry their rain coats and boots because the weather there is always unpredictable. There are also some potters who always help with the carrying of the luggage on behalf of the visitors but at a small cost. On sighting the gorillas, the rangers will guide you on handle them, especially by giving them a 6-meter distance as you enjoy them play around. It’s always not easy to predict how long gorilla tracking will take and this also depends on the location of some families since some of them are far from the park headquarters.

However, it always takes 2 to 8 hours to come into contact with them and the rangers will always be there to guide you. Trackers are also advisable to be physically fit before going for tracking. After your trek, return to the lodge for your lunch and in the afternoon, you may opt to visit the Batwa community to enjoy some cultural performances before retiring at your lodge.

Accommodation options Luxury: Buhoma Lodge Mid-range: Silverback Lodge Budget: Buhoma Community Camp ground

Day 7: Departure

Breakfast in the morning and after start your journey back to Kampala, you will have a stopover at the equator for some photos and lunch at Igongo cultural center. You might also opt to visit the museum here and after proceed to Kampala reaching late afternoon.

Tour Inclusions

• Photography and touring
• Chimpanzee & Gorilla trekking permits
• Full board accommodation,
• Full time English speaking professional driver/guide
• All tour activities as detailed in the itinerary
• Bottled water while on safari
• Ground Transportation

Tour Exclusions

• Kampala hotel fees (the night before and the night after the safari)
• Tips
• Laundry services
• Beverages/ drinks
• International flights
• Visas
• Items of a personal nature
• Optional activities