7 Day Wildlife, Primates, and Gorilla Safari Trip in Uganda
Wildlife Primates and Gorilla Safari in Uganda
The safari will take you to exciting encounters with the different wildlife, primates, and gorillas of Uganda’s national parks like Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale National Park, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You will have a comprehensive and unforgettable experience while on this safari since you will have an opportunity to see various wildlife in their natural habitats like lions, giraffes, warthogs, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, bush bucks, jackals, the gentle giants (mountain gorillas), primates like the black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, red colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, and also the fascinating lush forests which offer stunning rare natural beauty.
Key information
- Starting point and ending point: Entebbe
- Languages spoken: English
- Park fees included
Highlights
- Game viewing as per the itinerary
- Rhino tracking in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
- Chimpanzee trekking and mountain gorilla trekking
- A visit to the Equator land mark
- Batwa community encounter
- Bigodi sanctuary swamp and community safari
- 6 nights accommodation + meals and water
- Return airport transfers
Styles
Accommodation
You will be accommodated at the following:
- Pakuba Safari Lodge or similar
- Isunga Lodge or similar
- Ride 4 a Woman or similar
Program
Day 1: Pick up from Entebbe International Airport or your hotel - drive to Murchison Falls National Park with a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Day 1 of your safari starts with a pick up from Entebbe International Airport or at your hotel. The professional driver guide from Paradise Adventure Vacations will meet and greet you. He will brief you about the entire journey and from there, you will embark on a drive to Murchison Falls National Park with a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary located along Gulu Highway for rhino trekking. However, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is the only place in Uganda where you will get an opportunity to watch these endangered, magnificent creatures in their natural habitat.
Here you will encounter not only the white rhinos but also some antelopes like bush bucks, Uganda kobs, oribis, waterbucks and also bird species like grey-crowned crane, shoebill, African fish eagle, African jacana, marabou stork, red-billed oxpeckers, African grey hornbill, white egret among other bird species. Finally return for a special lunch and later you will drive to Murchison Falls National Park for dinner and an overnight.
- Location: to Murchison Falls National Park
- Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge or similar
- Meals plan: Lunch as well as dinner
- Drinking water and fruits throughout the journey
Day 2: Murchison Falls National park - morning game drive - launch cruise - hike to the top of the falls - optional evening to night game drive
Morning game drive
Wake up for an early morning breakfast, prepare yourself for another exciting encounter. Day 2 of your dafari will start with an early morning game drive through different trails of the park like the Albert trail, the Buligi trail, and the Victoria trail. While here, you will meet eye to eye with different mammal species like buffaloes, elephants, lions, leopards, bush barks, giraffes, warthogs, Jackson’s hartebeest, crocodiles, hippos, Uganda kobs among others. You will then return to your lodge for relaxation and lunch.
Launch cruise
Later in the afternoon, you will embark on an afternoon boat cruise upstream to the bottom of the falls and it will take about 3 hours.
While on the cruise, you will see the Nile crocodiles resting under the shade, herds of hippos while in water, elephants swimming and drinking water at the water banks and also for the bird lovers, be on the lookout for the different bird species like the shoebill, the black bee eater, grey crowned crane, marabou stork, malachite kingfisher, abyssinian ground hornbill, long-tailed nightjar, Senegal thick-knee, black-headed lapwing, long-toed lapwing, black-billed barbet, and many others. You will have a view of the magnificent Murchison Falls as it roars and pours its waters through an 8 m narrow gorge.
Hike to the top of the falls
After the cruise, you will hike to the top of the falls for another breathtaking moment, take as many pictures as possible to keep you connected and give you beautiful memories of the Pearl of Africa. Later you will drive back to your lodge for your dinner and an overnight.
OR you can opt for an evening to night game drive which comes at an extra cost of 100 USD per person. This drive is done with an armed ranger guide and also spotlight torches which will enable you to spot the predators as they hunt like hyenas, leopards, lions, bush babies, hippos among others.
- Location: to Murchison Falls National Park
- Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge or similar
- Meals plan: Breakfast and lunch as well as dinner
- Drinking water and fruits throughout the journey
Day 3: Drive to Kibale National Park - relaxation at your lodge
After your heavy morning breakfast on day 3 of your safari, you will drive to Kibale National Park which is located in the Western region of Uganda in the Kabarole district. This drive will take about 5 hours and it will offer you magnificent scenic views of Uganda’s landscape as you drive to the park. Enroute to your destination, you will have a lunch stopover in Fort Portal Tourism City and you will then proceed to Kibale National Park for relaxation, dinner and an overnight.
- Location: Kibale Forest National Park
- Accommodation: Isunga Lodge or similar
- Meals plan: Breakfast and lunch as well as dinner
- Drinking water and fruits throughout the journey
Day 4: Kibale National Park - chimpanzee tracking - Bigodi Swamp and Community Visit
Wake up early in the morning and start your Day 4 safari with a heavy delicious breakfast and prepare for the famous chimpanzee trekking experience. Wear appropriate clothing for the activity like a long sleeved shirt, a pair of karky or jean trousers, water proof boots, a round cap and a heavy sweater to protect you from the tree branches and also in case of bad weather. Carry in your back packs some snacks and drinking water to help in keeping you hydrated during the trek since it may take about 1 to 5 hours to find these chimpanzees depending on their location.
Chimpanzee tracking
Proceed to Kanyachu visitor center where you will be briefed about the Do’s and the Don’t’s of the park, you will be assigned a chimpanzee group to look out for and also a park ranger to help you during the trek.
During the trek, you will encounter various primates like the black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, L’Hoest’s monkeys, red colobuses, mantled guereza and also various bird species like flycatchers, hornbills, black billed turaco, kingfisher, cuckoos, purple breasted sunbird, crowned eagle, black capped waxbill, and black collard apalis among others. On finding the chimpanzees, you will be allowed to spend 1 hour with them to learn about their behaviors, social life, how they communicate among others. You will then return back to your accommodation for lunch and relaxation.
Bigodi Swamp and Community Visit
Later in the afternoon, you will proceed to the park’s Bigodi wetland for a swamp walk and during this walk you will spot some butterfly species and birds, for example the black-crowned waxbill, white-spotted fluff tail, white-breasted negrofinch, yellow-spotted barbet, black bishop, hairy-breasted barbet, yellow-billed barbet, brown-crowned tchagra, black and white shrike-flycatcher, western nicator, superb sunbird, among others. You will then proceed for a community walk where you will taste the gins brewed from bananas, craft making, coffee processing. Then you will return back to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight.
- Location: Kibale National Park
- Accommodation: Isunga Lodge or similar
- Meals plan: Breakfast and lunch as well as dinner
- Drinking water and fruits throughout the journey
Day 5: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 5 of your safari will start with an early morning heavy breakfast and then you will proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which is a 5 hours’ drive from Kibale National Park. Meanwhile, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the South Western region of Uganda in Kanungu district and it is known for offering the best gorilla experience. Enroute to your destination you will have a lunch stopover in Kihihi and then proceed to the park for dinner and an overnight.
- Location: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
- Accommodation: Ride 4 a Woman or similar
- Meals plan: Breakfast and lunch as well as dinner
- Drinking water and fruits throughout the journey
Day 6: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park - gorilla trekking - Batwa Community Encounter
Upon waking up by the beautiful sounds of the birds singing in the sky, you will start Day 6 of your safari with an early morning breakfast. Wear appropriate clothing for the day like a long sleeved shirt, a pair of karky or jean trousers, a round cap, water proof boots to protect you against the falling tree branches of the Impenetrable forest and also in case of bad weather. Pack some snacks and water to help in keeping you hydrated during the trek.
Gorilla trekking
Proceed to the park’s headquarters for a briefing on the Do’s and the Don’ts while you are with the mountain gorillas, you will also be assigned a park ranger who will guide you during the trek and also a gorilla family to look out for and then start the search for the mountain gorillas which will take about 1 to 5 hours depending on their location.
During your trek, you will encounter various primate species like the black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, grey mangabeys, and blue monkeys and also bird species like handsome francolin, red headed blue bill, regal sunbird, breasted sunbird, African blue cuckoo, Rwenzori turaco, Shelley’s crimson, purple sunbird among other bird species. On finding the gorillas, you will be allowed to spend only one hour with them as you learn about their ways of life, how they feed and take care of their young ones, how they communicate among others. Feel free to ask as many questions as possible about these gorillas and take memorable pictures and then you will return back to your accommodation for lunch.
Batwa Community Encounter
Later you will visit the Batwa community who were the early inhabitants of the ancient Impenetrable forest before it became a national park and also a UNESCO World heritage site in 1992 and learn about their social ways of life, how they hunt for food in their ancient ways, visit a Batwa homestead to watch how they dance and also hear ancient legends and their folk songs and then you will return back to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight.
- Location: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
- Accommodation: Ride 4 a Woman or similar
- Meals plan: Breakfast and lunch as well as dinner
- Drinking water and fruits throughout the journey
Day 7: Drive back to Entebbe International Airport or your hotel with a stopover at the Equator
After a heavy breakfast on your final day of the safari, you will embark on an 8 to 10 hours drive to Entebbe International Airport or your hotel with a delicious lunch stopover in Igongo Cultural Center or Ajip Motel in Mbarara City. You will then proceed with your journey and enroute to your destination, you will have a stopover at the Equator line at Kayabwe where you will have some coffee, participate in the famous water experience, take some memorable pictures and also buy some souvenirs to remind you about “The Pearl of Africa”. Thus the end of the safari.
The 7 Days Wildlife Primate and Gorilla Safari is an incredible tour that offers a unique and unforgettable wildlife experience, with an opportunity to see some of the most amazing primates and other wildlife in their natural habitat. Thank you so much for specifically choosing Paradise Adventure Vacations on 7 Days Wildlife Primate and Gorilla Safari.
- Location: Kampala (Uganda)
- Accommodation: No (end of tour)
- Meals plan: Breakfast and lunch
- Drinking water and fruits throughout the journey
Safari vehicle
All the safari vehicles are Toyota Land-Cruiser 4×4 with pop-up roofs. The vehicles are serviced and maintained to a very high standard before, during, and after every safari. Paradise Adventure Vacations Ltd offering all-wheel drive safari vehicles suitable for off-road driving, which enable travelers to discover the magical areas of East Africa in a pleasant and reliable manner.
The fleet consists of 4×4 Toyota Land Cruisers with a hinged roof and skylights above the front seats. The hinged roof offers two main advantages: it provides shade without restricting the view, so that you can enjoy your safari even in the very sunny hours of the day. It also allows a 360-degree all-round view.
The vehicles are equipped with:
- Adjustable comfortable seats
- Electric refrigerator for drinks
- High-performance shock absorbers
- Tool and first aid kit
- Adapters and battery chargers
Due to the difficult ground and road conditions inside and outside the national parks and wildlife reserves, a four-wheel drive vehicle is not only recommended, but also crucial for an eventful safari.
Location
Murchison Falls National Park
Located in the North Western region of Uganda. It is the largest national park in Uganda covering an area of 3840 sq km. It has a variety of wildlife of about 76 mammal species like lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, uganda kobs, bush bucks, chimpanzees, and also primates like black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, red colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, and various bird species of about 451 like the grey crowned crane, the rare shoe bill, giant kingfisher, giant heron, marabou stork, black headed lapwing, black bellied bustard, nightjars among other bird species.
Kibale National Park
Located in Western Uganda in Kabarole district and it was established in 1993, the park is known for being “The Primate Capital of the World” having various chimpanzees with a population of over 1500 individuals including habituated ones which are about 120 making it the park with the highest primate population. Among the primates include the black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, grey cheeked mangabeys, L’Hoest’s monkey, olive baboons, mantled guereza, potto, vervet monkey, white-eyelid mangabey, galago among others. The park is also home to about 120 mammal species including African golden cats, bush pigs, warthogs, blue and red duiker, rare sitatunga, forest hogs, African elephant, forest cape buffaloes, among others and also more than 300 species of birds including olive long tailed cuckoo, western tinker bird, grey parrot, blue breasted king fisher, blue headed sunbird, red faced woodland, yellow spotted nicator, little greenbul among other bird species.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
One of Uganda’s oldest rainforests with more than 25000 years of age. The park is also a home to almost half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas which gives a great opportunity for gorilla trekking and habituation in the park’s sectors for instance Nkuringo, Buhoma, Ruhija and Rushaga. Furthermore the park harbors 120 mammal species such as elephants, duikers, yellow-backed duiker, buffaloes, golden cats, bush pigs, giant forest hogs, black-fronted duiker, clawless otter, side-striped jackal, civet, numerous bats, rodents and 350 bird species like handsome francolin, purple sunbird, red headed blue bill, African blue cuckoo, regal sunbird, breasted sunbird, Rwenzori turaco, Shelley’s crimson among other bird species.
Food
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Snacks
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
What's included
- Return airport transfers (pick up and drop off)
- Private transport for 7 days in a well-modified safari extended land-cruiser (4WD, air-conditioned and pop-up roof)
- Rhino tracking in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
- Flue for 7 days
- English safari driver guide for 7 days
- Mid-range accommodation for 6 nights on full board (breakfast / lunch / dinner)
- All en-route meals and bottled mineral water throughout your tour
- All park entrance and activities feel and all applicable government taxes
- Bigodi sanctuary swamp and community safari
- 1 chimpanzee trekking permit per person (Kibale National Park)
- 1 mountain gorilla trekking permit per person in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park (Buhoma sector)
- A visit to the Equator land mark
- Batwa Community Encounter
- Drinking water and fruits throughout the journey
What's not included
- Optional evening to night game drive at an extra 100 USD per person
- International and domestic flights
- Country entry visa
- Personal travel insurance
- Items of personal nature / laundry / telephone charges
- Souvenirs and gifts, tips
- Alcoholic and other soft drinks (sodas, special juice order at the lodge and wines)
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Entebbe International Airport
276 km
Transfer included
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 14% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookAllSafaris.com. All major credit cards supported.