8 Day Gorillas, Chimps, and Big Five Safari in Uganda's Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, and Bwindi NPs
Ugandan Safari Holiday
This listing has one of the 10 most popular offers available in Uganda
This is an amazing safari that is tailored to give you a feel of three of Uganda's wild parks. With this, you are assured of viewing a number of animals, including chimpanzees and hippos, and the chance to see the mountain gorillas of Bwindi. You'll also have the chance to see the tree-climbing lions of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Ishasha Sector, and a day in between to relax by Lake Bunyonyi.
Key information
- Private or group safar
- Minimum of two and maximum of 20 participants
- Starts and ends at Entebbe airport
- Services of a German and English-speaking guide
Highlights
- See elephants, buffalos, lions, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, and quite a number of others
- Chimp tracking in Kibale National Park
- Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Bigodi Swamp walk
- Game drives in Kibale NP, Queen Elizabeth NP, and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel and Murchison Falls
- 7 nights accommodation
- All meals included
Styles
Accommodation
- Sapphire Hotel - Mid-range hotel located in or near Entebbe (one night)
- Rweteera Safari Park - Budget lodge located just outside Kibale NP (two nights)
- Irungu Forest Safari Lodge - Mid-range lodge located just outside Queen Elizabeth NP (two nights)
- Back Packers - Mid-range lodge bordering Bwindi NP without fences (one night)
- Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort - Mid-range resort located outside Bwindi NP (one night)
Program
Day 1: Warm welcome to Uganda
You will be picked up from the airport by a staff member of Remnant Tours and Travel, with higher chances of meeting their director on arrival. Depending on your arrival time, you can explore Kampala City (capital city) and thereafter, you will check in at your lodge. A city tour can be organized at an extra cost.
The breathtaking experience at Sapphire Hotel will give you a clear view of the day-to-day African experience and a cool environment. Your room will be furnished in cozy safari style, equipped with a telephone, fan, balcony, and a comfortable bathroom.
Main destination:
- Kampala (city)
Accommodation:
- Sapphire Hotel
- Mid-range hotel located in or near Entebbe
Meals and drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (other drinks not included)
Day 2: Drive to Kibale National Park
Drive early from Kampala City through a scenic tea plantation to Fort Portal (Western part of Uganda), where you will stop for lunch. Kibale is particularly alluring to nature lovers, known for its excellent chimp tracking and birding.
It is also worth noting that the place has the highest concentration of primates in East Africa, with about 13 primates per area. Such include chimps, vervet, red-tailed, L’Hoest, and blue monkeys.
Go for an afternoon primate walk to Kanyanchu River Camp, the most popular walk in the park. It highlights a miscellany of flora and fauna within the forest.
Main destination:
- Kibale National Park (chimps)
- Best time to visit: December to February and June to July
- High season: June to September (peak time for Uganda)
- Best weather: June to July and December to February (least rain)
- Wildlife in Kibale NP
Accommodation:
- Rweteera Safari Park
- Budget lodge located just outside Kibale NP
Meals and drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (other drinks not included)
Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Swamp walk
This day, you will have the opportunity to track chimpanzees on a forest walk that will leave Kanyanchu at 08:00. It is expected to take two to three hours, wherein you will follow chimpanzees, meet up with them as they go about their daily activities, and watch them for an hour.
After lunch, you will do a swamp walk at Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, which is probably better for general monkey viewing and is one of the finest birding trails in the country. Overnight stay will be at your previous lodge.
Main destination:
- Kibale National Park (chimps)
Accommodation:
- Rweteera Safari Park
- Budget lodge located just outside Kibale NP
Meals and drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (other drinks not included)
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Have breakfast at the lodge and relax before driving to Queen Elizabeth National Park. This park, together with Kyambura and Kigezi Wildlife Reserves, forms one of the most diverse ecosystems in Africa.
There is a series of two main lakes, George and Edward, as well as the connecting Kazinga Channel. Thousands of hippos populate these lake shorelines. Open savannah dotted with acacia and euphorbia trees provides habitat for elephants, lions, leopards, Uganda kobs, and big herds of buffalos.
An afternoon game drive is good for hippo and elephant viewing in large numbers, as well as widely looking out for the leopards.
You will stay at Irungu Forest Safari Lodge Marafiki Safari Lodge, which is located on a unique location overlooking Lake George in the Queen Elizabeth National Park. It offers private safari tents on raised wooden floors and canvas walls that can be rolled up to allow you to sit comfortably, watching the savannah plains with breathtaking views across the park and the Rwenzori Mountains..
Main destination:
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Best time to visit: January to February and June to July (dry seasons)
- High season: June to September (peak time for Uganda)
- Best weather: June to July and January to February (less rainfall)
- Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP
Accommodation:
- Irungu Forest Safari Lodge
- Mid-range lodge located just outside Queen Elizabeth NP
Meals and drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (other drinks not included)
Day 5: Game drive and boat safari
Set off on this day with a packed breakfast for an early morning game drive to catch the early risers in the Kasenyi Sector of the park. Expect to see elephants, buffalo, lions, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, and quite a number of others. Return to your lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, head out for a two-hour lunch cruise along the Kazinga Channel, where you will see large concentrations of wildlife along the banks of the river, like hippos, bathing elephants, buffalo, and a large number of bird species. This will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your tour. After the boat safari, you will have an en-route game drive back to the lodge.
Main destination:
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
Accommodation:
- Irungu Forest Safari Lodge
- Mid-range lodge located just outside Queen Elizabeth NP
Meals and drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (other drinks not included)
Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
This day, you will drive for about six hours to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with a stopover for lunch. Proceed to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay. On your way to Bwindi, on a lucky day, you may spot the tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha Sector, which are the dominant residents there.
You may opt to make a stopover at Topi Lodge for lunch and thereafter proceed to Bwindi. Relax as you wait for dinner and an overnight stay.
Main destination:
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (gorillas)
- Best time to visit: June to August and December to February
- High season: June to September (gorilla permits are scarce)
- Best weather: June to July and December to February (less rainfall)
- Wildlife in Bwindi NP
Accommodation:
- Back Packers
- Mid-range lodge bordering Bwindi NP without fences
Meals and drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (other drinks not included)
Day 7: Gorilla tracking and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation
Get up early and report to the park headquarters for a brief talk with the guide. From there, you will hit the montane forest for an encounter with the mountain gorillas. Watch out for their voices and listen to them grumble, and the young as they swing from tree to tree, and marvel at the sheer size of the dominant male, the silverback.
It will be an extraordinary feeling, sitting in the dense rain forest and knowing that you are with a few of the last remaining mountain gorillas.
The time taken to track the gorillas can be as few as two hours to as many as seven hours. The gorillas that you will track belong to one of nine habituated family groups that can tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period every day.
En route to the gorillas, your guide will point out signs of previous gorilla activity, including dung, nests, and chewed bamboo shoots.
Main destination:
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (gorillas)
Accommodation:
- Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
- Mid-range resort located outside Bwindi NP
Meals and drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (other drinks not included)
Day 8: Back to Entebbe or Kampala
After an early breakfast at the lodge, you will drive back to Kampala or Entebbe (airport), stopping at the equator for the requisite snapshot and a bit of souvenir shopping.
Accommodation for this night is not included in the program. If you would like Remnant Tours to book one (or more) nights in Kampala and / or Entebbe, please let them know. Finally, this eight-day Uganda safari has ended.
Main destination:
- Entebbe (city)
Accommodation:
- No accommodation (end of tour)
Meals and drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (other drinks not included)
Location
Uganda is known for its most smiley and hospitable people. The stunning lushness of Uganda’s 10 national parks, combined with spectacular landscapes, creates Africa’s most memorable experiences. This discovery safari will take you to the diverse settings that are now home to an impressive range of wildlife.
Expect to come face to face with chimpanzees, gorillas, lions, and of course, the other Big Game animals in Savanna Park. The safari also includes a boat ride for you to be able to see crocodiles, hippopotamus, etc.
Main destinations:
- Kampala (City)
- Kibale National Park (chimps)
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (gorillas)
Food
All meals and drinking water are included (other drinks not included).
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
Things to do (optional)
Optional activities:
Chimpanzee habituation (Day 3)
For an extra 70 USD per person, you can do the chimpanzee habituation tracking instead of the regular chimp tracking. This will take the whole day, and you will be 100% sure to come face to face with chimps. Book in time because only six persons are allowed to go per day. Your swamp walk can be postponed to the next morning.
Other activities
- Hot air balloon safari (380 USD per person)
- Lion tracking (85 USD per person) - actively participate in monitoring some of the lions at Queen Elizabeth National Park (95% chances to see them)
- Take a guided community walk among the Batwa inhabitants of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (30 USD) - a guided walk on the species and an array of birds
What's included
- 8-day safari
- Driver guide
- Transportation
- Airport transfers
- All meals
- 7 nights accommodation
What's not included
- Air tickets
- Insurance
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Entebbe International Airport
3 km
Transfer included
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 100% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookAllSafaris.com. All major credit cards supported.