This 5-Day Uganda Gorilla & Chimpanzee Trekking Safari Adventure takes you trekking through the enchanting misty jungle of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to more than half the World’s population of 1004 Mountain Gorillas. Gorilla trekking is the most enchanting experience in this forest that will leave you with memories of a lifetime. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest also offers a unique birding opportunity, cultural experience, and a scenic allure of stunning hills and lush vegetation inhabited by a wide variety of other wild primates.
The beautifully planned Gorillas and Chimpanzee Trekking Uganda Safari will also take you to Kibale Forest National Park, the primate capital of the world, and home to the highest concentration of primate species, with 13 species recorded, including the rare Chimpanzee. You will trek the wild but habituated chimpanzees, watch colorful birds, have a walking safari in the Bigodi Swamp, and visit the crater lakes region to see the ancient extinct craters that are now breathtaking landscapes of exclusive scenic beauty.
Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is home to roughly half of the world’s mountain gorillas and is one of the two national parks in Uganda where you can see these magnificent creatures. This is a fast and tiring safari, but worth every second, should you be lucky enough to see the gorillas.
It’s approximately an hour’s drive from Kampala to the park, so leave Kampala after having a heavy breakfast. You will also have en-route lunch in Mbarara, and after, proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. On your arrival at the park, check into your choice of optioned accommodation such as Mahogany Spring Lodge, Gorilla Mist Lodge, Wagtail Eco Safari Camp or Gift of Nature Lodge. Have dinner and overnight here as you wait for tomorrow’s memorable gorilla tracking.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in their Natural Habitat
Wake up early, enjoy breakfast and go for a briefing at the park headquarters. By ranger guide, you will be told about the “dos and don’ts” while on tracking protocol. Thereafter you will be led by an experienced guide through the forest since it is impenetrable. You will be directed to the Gorilla groups of your choice. Enjoy them swinging on the trees, feeding, suckling young ones among others. Here, you will be given a maximum of one-hour taking photographs of these human closest friends since they share over 98%or their DNA with humans plus a display of uncanny human characteristics. dinner and overnight at the lodge as on day one.
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale National Park, home to 13 Primate Species
Breakfast and leave Bwindi for another memorable activity in Kibale National Park known as Chimpanzee tracking. On the way to Kibale, you will have an en-route game drive through the Ishasha sector in Queen Elizabeth National Park; expect to see the tree-climbing lions, herds of Uganda kob, buffalos, and elephants. Then proceed to Kibale with a stopover at the Equator for photographs, lunch en route. On your arrival at Kibale Park, check into one of the optioned lodges of your choice, such as Ndali lodge, Mountains of the Moon hotel, Kyaninga lodge, Ndali lodge Chimp Nest lodge, or Chimpanzee Guesthouse.
Day 4: Memorable Wild Chimpanzee Tracking and Bigodi Swamp Walk
chimpanzee Kibale Forest Breakfast and go for a briefing by the ranger guide about the “dos and don’ts” while with the Chimpanzees. Set off for a walk led by an experienced and fluent English-speaking ranger guide through the forest in search of chimpanzees. This memorable and adventurous walk will enable you to view chimpanzees swinging on the trees, feeding, suckling young ones, among other fun. You will also be given a maximum of one hour chanting and taking photographs of this human’s closest “cousin”. Besides the Chimpanzees, there is simply the fabulous rainforest, the other primates, the trees, the flowers, the abundance of bird species, the sounds of the rainforest, butterflies floating through the air, the place to be, and then there are the chimpanzees grabbing your attention. Retire for lunch and relaxation as we prepare for the visit to the nearby Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary for a nature walk. Bigodi wetland is a bird watcher’s paradise with about 138 species. You will also view other primates like the black-and-white colobus, red-tailed, grey-cheeked mangabey, L’Hoest’s blue monkeys, as well as olive baboons. Bushbucks and mongooses can also be sighted here. Back to your lodge for dinner and overnight, as on day one.
Day 5: Return to Kampala
After breakfast, depart for Kampala with en-route lunch in Mityana town, and thereafter continue with the journey to Kampala or Entebbe International Airport for your flight back home in case your flight is scheduled on that day.