8 Days Uganda primates and wildlife safari
The 8 days Uganda primates and wildlife safari is an exciting primate and wildlife safari that will take you to the most visited destinations in Uganda including Queen Elizabeth national park and Lake Mburo national park where you will be able to spot variety of wildlife including lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, zebras, impalas among others during the game drives, boat cruise and walking safari.
The safari will also take you to Kibale forest national park and Bwindi impenetrable national park where you will be able to spend time with the endangered mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in their habitat.
Highlights of the 8 days Uganda primates and wildlife safari
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Kibale forest national park
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 4: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 6: Gorilla trekking experience
Day 7: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park-walking safari
Day 8: Morning game drive and departure to Kampala
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Kibale forest national park
Depending on your arrival time at Entebbe international airport on the first day of the safari, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then start the journey to Kibale forest national park in western Uganda. You will have en-route lunch on the way and great views of the landscape, Rwenzori peaks, tea plantations among others. Upon arrival, check into your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
After an early breakfast on the second day of the safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to transfer to Kanyachu visitor’s center for Chimpanzee trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest with an experienced park guide which takes about 2 to 5 hours.
During chimpanzee trekking, you will be able to view different bird species, other primates like black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, grey checked mangabey among others. Once the chimpanzees are located, you will be able to spend one hour with them which helps you to learn more about their behaviors, habits, watch them feed, breastfeed, play, take photos and record videos.
After chimpanzee trekking, you will return to the lodge for lunch where after you will go for an interesting nature walk in Bigodi swamp. During the nature walk, you will be able to spot different primates, birds, visit the traditional homesteads, farmlands, craft centers among others. After the Bigodi swamp walk, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
On the third day of the safari, you will have breakfast at leisure, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park which is the second largest national park in Uganda. The journey takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive and upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for lunch and relaxation. Later go for an evening game drive in the park where you will be able to spot animals like elephants, Uganda kobs, buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs, lions, leopards, bushbucks among others. After the game drive, you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
After an early breakfast on the fourth day of the safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive in the park where you will look out for animals like buffaloes, elephants, bushbucks, warthogs, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, predators like lions, leopards, hyenas among others.
After the game ride, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch where after you will go for an amazing boat cruise on Kazinga channel, a water body that connects Lake Edward and Lake George. During the boat cruise which starts at around 2:00pm, you will enjoy views of hippos in water, elephants, buffaloes, warthogs along the shores, Nile crocodiles basking on the water banks, spot aquatic bird species like kingfishes, bee-eater, cormorants, fish eagles, hornbills among others. After the boat cruise, you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park via Ishasha sector
On the fifth day of the safari, you will have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park. On the way, you will have a stopover in Ishasha sector where you will be able to view the tree climbing lions lying in acacia tree branches and other animals like buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, topi, elephants during the game drive.
You will have another stopover for en-route lunch and then proceed to Bwindi impenetrable national park arriving early evening and upon arrival, you will connect to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Gorilla trekking experience
After an early breakfast, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge with your lunch box to transfer to the park headquarters for gorilla trekking briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations to follow during trekking. After the briefing, you will be subdivided into groups of 8 people where each group will be allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek and an experienced park guide.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi national park takes about 2 to 7 hours depending on where the mountain gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to view other wildlife species and once the gorillas are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them which gives you an opportunity to watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, grooming young ones, breastfeeding, playing, resting, take photos and record the breathtaking moments.
After the one hour with the gentle giants, you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park-walking safari
On the seventh day of the safari, you will have an early breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Lake Mburo national park. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for lunch where after you will go for a walking safari in the park with an experienced park guide and armed park ranger.
During the nature walk, you will get up-close and personal with wild animals like giraffes, zebras, spot and listen to sweet sounds of bird species, take beautiful pictures, relax your mind in a quiet and peaceful environment among others. Later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Morning game drive and departure to Kampala/Entebbe
After an early breakfast on the last day of the safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to go for a morning game drive in the park where you will be rewarded with views of animals like buffaloes, impalas, waterbucks, warthogs, elands, giraffes, zebras, Uganda kobs, topi, oribi among others. After the game ride, you will drive out of the park and start the journey back to Kampala/Entebbe with en-route lunch on the way and a stopover at the Equator in Kayabwe where you will buy souvenirs and take photos.
You will later proceed to Kampala arriving early evening and upon arrival, your driver guide will drop you off at Entebbe international airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of advise. End of 8 days Uganda primates and wildlife safari.
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permit @ $800pp
- Chimpanzee trekking permit @ $250pp
- Bigodi swamp walk
- Park entrance fees
- Boat cruise
- Walking safari
- Full board Accommodation as indicated in the itinerary
- Meals at the lodge and en-route (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Fulltime English speaking driver guide
- Pick up and drop off in Kampala/ Entebbe
- 4WD safari Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water during the safari
Tour excludes
- All Air flight tickets
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses like buying soft and alcoholic drinks, souvenirs, crafts, telephone calls, laundry services, hiring a porter among others.
- Tipping and gratuities
