This 8 Days Uganda Primates and Wildlife Safari takes you to the 3 Uganda primates destinations – Kibale national park for the chimpanzees, Bwindi impenetrable national park for the mountain gorillas and Mgahinga national park for the Golden monkeys. However, you will visit Uganda’s best savannah national park – Queen Elizabeth National Park for game viewing experience and an amazing boat ride on the Kazinga channel. The Ishasha sector where you will see the tree-climbing lions.
Safari Highlights
Day 1: Transfer to Kibale National Park – Bigodi swamp walk
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 3: Kasenyi morning Game drive and Boat cruise along the Kazinga channel
Day 4: Lion tracking – Ishasha game drive
Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park – Kisoro
Day 6: Gorilla trekking experience
Day 7: Golden monkey tracking – Mgahinga national park
Day 8: Transfer back to Kampala/Entebbe – Departure
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Kibale National Park – Bigodi swamp walk
Upon arrival in Entebbe airport with a morning flight/ Depending on your location in Kampala/Entebbe, you will meet our company presentative/driver to transfer to Kibale national park- the best safari destinations in Africa for chimpanzee tracking. Arrive early afternoon for lunch in Fort portal town. Proceed to the park and first connect for a nature walk in Bigodi swamp for a birding and primates experience, looking out for some birds and primates. Thereafter, proceed to your booked lodge for check-in your lodge. Dinner and overnight stay at Chimpanzee Guesthouse for mid-range/Isunga lodge for budget/Primates Lodge for luxury
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
After breakfast, you will go for chimpanzee trekking with your tracking gears. Meet your guide at the head office then enter the rainforest to start searching for the chimpanzee, this will take 2-5 hours to find the chimpanzees. On seeing them, you will spend 1 hour with the chimpanzees while taking pictures. Have your lunch.
Thereafter, transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park. This is a 3 hours’ drive with en-route Ndali-Kesenyi crater lakes visit. Upon arrival, connect to your booked lodge for check-in, relaxation, dinner and overnight at Bush Lodge for budget/Elephant Hub Lodge for mid-range/Elephant Plains Lodge for luxury
Day 3: Kasenyi morning Game drive and Boat cruise along the Kazinga channel
On the 3rd day of your 8 Days Uganda Primates and Wildlife Safari, After breakfast, meet your driver for an early morning game drive in the Kasenyi sector – a known mating ground for kobs and a hunting ground for lions. While on the game drive, expect to see some of the big four game on a lucky day including Lions, Leopards, Hyenas on a lucky day, the Elephants, Buffaloes, also different species of antelopes, and warthogs just to mention a few. You will then return to the lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, report to the starting point for a boat cruise along the Kazinga channel. It’s about 2-3 hours’ experience. The cruise is one of the best activities to do in this park. You will encounter different animals and birds such as the elephants and buffalos, hippos and crocodiles at the lake shores. Drive to check-in your lodge, dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 4: Lion tracking – Ishasha game drive
After breakfast, connect for a lion tracking experience – this activity is only done in Queen Elizabeth national park and it allows you to have a thrilling experience of the lions which are quite difficult to locate while in Queen Elizabeth national park. Lion tracking guarantees your opportunity to see the lions because they are monitored by tracks. Thereafter, drive to Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national, which is a home of the tree-climbing lions. You will have lunch at your booked lodge then take an afternoon game drive in the Ishasha sector for chances of spotting the tree climbing lions and other animals. Drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Topi Lodge for budget/Ishasha Jungle Lodge for mid-range/Ishasha Wilderness Camp for luxury
Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park – Kisoro
On the 5th day of your 8 Days Uganda Primates and Wildlife Safari, After breakfast, checkout and embark on your journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park – Kigezi region. It’s a 6-7 hours’ drive with en-route lunch. Proceed to Kisoro with great views of the rolling hills of Kigezi and the Volcano Mountains. Connect to your booked lodge for check-in, dinner and overnight stay at Rushaga Haven Lodge for budget/Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge for mid-range/Four Gorilla Lodge for luxury
Day 6: Gorilla trekking experience
Have an early morning breakfast and head to the park headquarters for briefing by the ranger guides before embarking on your gorilla trek. Head into the forest and trek until you find the gorillas. Gorilla trekking can take 2 to 8 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. After finding the gorillas in Bwindi, you will be allowed only 1 hour with them while taking videos and pictures. Because, this is a once in a lifetime experience, you will be rewarded a certificate for trekking. Meet your driver and connect to your other accommodation in Kisoro. Check-in for dinner and overnight stay at Travelers’ Rest Camp for budget/Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge for mid-range/Lake Mutanda Resort for luxury
Day 7: Golden monkey tracking – Mgahinga national park
On the 7th day of your 8 Days Uganda Primates and Wildlife Safari, After early morning breakfast, drive back to the park headquarters for briefing about the endangered golden monkeys and be allocated a group. Connect to the tracking starting point and enter the forest to search for the rare golden monkey. This activity can take about 1-5 hours and is done at closer view of the other primates in the park like the red tailed monkeys, Vervet monkeys among other. After viewing the rare golden monkeys for an hour while taking pictures and studying their behaviours, return to the base and drive back to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay
Day 8: Transfer back to Kampala/Entebbe – Departure
Option 1: Drive to Entebbe (9-10 hours’ drive) – You will enjoy early morning breakfast and transfer back to Kampala/Entebbe with a stopover in Mbarara town for lunch. Proceed to Kampala/Entebbe arriving late afternoon. Drop off at your hotel in Kampala,/Entebbe or Entebbe airport for your onward flight back home.
Option 2: Fly back to Entebbe – Have breakfast, check-out and the driver will drop you off at Kisoro airstrip to take a flight to Entebbe airport. There is only 1 scheduled domestic flight from Kisoro to Entebbe departing at 8:25 am and arriving Entebbe at 11:25 am. Marking the end of your 8 Days safari