The 7-Day Uganda gorilla safari offers a golden opportunity to encounter mountain gorillas in their natural habitat in Bwindi impenetrable national park. The tour also includes other experiences like game viewing, chimpanzee tracking, boat cruise and optional cultural tours. This trip can as well be customised according to your interests, budget, and available time.
National parks to visit on this tour include Bwindi impenetrable national park for a gorilla trekking experience, Kibale national park for chimpanzee tracking, Lake Mburo national park and Queen Elizabeth national park for game viewing, chimpanzee tracking and boat cruise experiences.
Trip highlights:
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrabele national parks
- Game drives in Queen Elizabeth national park & Lake Mburo national park
- Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale national park
- Nature walks in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
- Boat cruise
- Optional cultural tour
Trip summary
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe and transfer to Lake Mburo national park
Day 2: Game drive and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 3: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park & afternoon boat cruise
Day 5: Game drive and chimpanzee tracking in Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale national park & chimpanzee tracking/Bigodi Wetland walk
Day 7: Transfer back to Entebbe/Kampala
Detailed itinerary – 7-Day Uganda gorilla safari
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe and transfer to Lake Mburo national park
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, meet your driver guide and transfer to Lake Mburo national park (4-5 hours). Enjoy a scenic drive along the way including a stopover at the Equator for photography.
Arrive and check into your lodge and relax a bit before the afternoon game drive in the park. Drive through the park with your guide watching the amazing game species including zebras, giraffes, impalals, elands, buffaloes and numerous bird species. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Morning game drive and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Have breakfast at the lodge and embark on a morning game drive through the park and encounter more game including hyenas and leopards. Exit the park and head to Bwindi impenetrable national park (5-7 hours). Enjoy a scenic drive going through stunning landscapes, plantations, and local villages. Arrive at Bwindi in the evening and check into your lodge and get ready for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Have an early breakfast at the lodge and head to the park headquarters to attend a briefing on gorilla trekking. You will be grouped together with other trekkers and assigned one of the gorilla groups to visit. Head into the forest searching for the gorillas led by experienced rangers and guides. This trek can last anywhere between 1-6 hours depending on the location and movement of the gorillas.
Once you find the gorillas, spend one full hour in their presence observing how they feed, play and rest while photographing them. The experience before gorillas is truly breathtaking and humbling! Return to park headquarters and receive your gorilla trekking certificate and head back to your lodge to relax and refresh. In the late afternoon, you can opt for a cultural tour by visiting the Batwa pygmy community who will entertain you and teach you their culture and traditions. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park & afternoon boat cruise
Take your breakfast and embark on a scenic drive to Queen Elizabeth national park (3-4 hours). Amazing views along the way include the mighty Rwenzori mountains, rolling hills, and local communities. Enter the park and drive through Ishasha famous for its tree-climbing lions that you may encounter on your drive.
Check into your lodge, have lunch and relax. In the afternoon, enjoy a relaxing and rewarding boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel that connects Lake George to Lake Edward. The channel is a haven to a variety of wildlife including hippos, crocs, elephants, buffaloes, and numerous bird species. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Game drive in Queen Elizabeth national park & chimpanzee tracking at Kalinzu or Kyambura
Early breakfast and embark on a morning game drive in the Kasenyi plains of the park. Look out for big cats like lions and leopards as well as buffaloes, elephants, Ugnda kobs, warthogs, and more. Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation.
In the afternoon, head to Kalinzu Forest Reserve or Kyambura Gorge for chimpanzee tracking. Meet these active primates on your guided walk through the forest as well other primates species and birds. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Transfer to Kibale national park & chimpanzee tracking/Bigodi Wetland walk
Enjoy your breakfast and transfer to Kibale national park, known as the “Primate Capital of the World” (3-4 hours). In the afternoon, you can opt to go for a second chimpanzee tracking experience in the park or visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. The Bigodi nature walk offers an opportunity for birdwatching and encountering other primates such as colobus monkeys, baboons, and red-tailed monkeys. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Return to Entebbe for departure
Enjoy a relaxed breakfast and begin your drive bark to Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight (6-7 hours). You can have a stopover at the Equator for lunch and photography as well as souvenir shopping.
Important considerations for the 7-Day Uganda gorilla safari
Gorilla permit and chimpanzee permit should be booked at least 6 months before the travel date through a trustworthy tour operator. A gorilla permit in Uganda is sold at $800 per person while a chimpanzee permit at $250 per person to foreign nonresidents. The best time to go for gorilla trekking in Uganda is during the dry seasons, from June to September and December to February. During this time the trails are less slippery, gorillas are easily found and hiking conditions are better.
The packing list for gorilla trekking include hiking boots, long-sleeved shirt, pair of gloves, pair of khaki trousers or jeans and a camera. A relative level of fitness is required to enable you trek through the dense montane forest without much difficulty. Accommodation, transport and guiding services are arranged by your tour operator and are included in the quoted fees. The minimum age for gorilla tracking in Uganda is 15 years