Overview
Experience a gorilla trekking adventure as you navigate through the thick vegetation of Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks. Mountain gorillas are the most sought-after primates in the country. Uganda happens to be among the few places where you can encounter wild mountain gorillas.
This gorilla trekking circuit will be a gateway to exclusive gorilla adventures coupled with other activities like game drives, chimpanzee treks, and boat cruises. In addition, be amazed by the cultural practices of the Batwa people who live close to the gorilla destinations, and also a walk with the rhinos at Ziwa. Other destinations to look out for include Kibale Forest National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Murchison Falls National Park. Go through the detailed itinerary below and see how your trip will run.
Full itinerary.
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Murchison Falls National Park via Ziwa
Upon touchdown at Entebbe International Airport, our experienced and professional guide will shortly highlight the way your trip will go. Afterwards head for Murchison Falls National Park with a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Enjoy a rhino tracking experience at Ziwa on foot as vehicles are not allowed in the sanctuary. Ziwa boasts of harboring the southern black rhinos which can not be found anywhere in the country.
Explore deep in the sanctuary and spot other species like bushbucks, antelopes, hippos, and leopards to mention but a few as you head out of the sanctuary. Our driver guide will transfer you to Murchison Falls National Park with a lunch en route. By evening, check into the lodge, and after your dinner, rest for the night ahead.
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Game drive and boat cruise
As the day breaks free from the night, eat breakfast at your lodge in the park. Immediately after your breakfast, take on a game drive safari in Murchison Falls National Park. This park is gifted with several wildlife species that are best encountered on a game drive. In the comfort and safety of your safari 4×4 vehicle, get close to the wildlife for amazing views.
After exhausting your wildlife series, drive north to the strongest waterfall in the world, Murchison Falls. These falls are the face of the park and give it significance, adding to the wildlife. The sheer power and will of the Victoria Nile as it plunges over rocks make this waterfall an epic site. Return to the lodge off the showers of the vapor driven from the falls and have lunch. In the afternoon, embark on a boat cruise experience on the Victoria Nile. Witness the aquatic side of the park that hosts species like hippos and crocodiles.
The vast abundance of the Nile attracts other species like elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, and warthogs since it is the main water source of the park. Conclude your boat cruise experience with beautiful views of the sun as it sets, reflecting rays onto the water creating a painting-like scene. The driver guide will transfer you back to the lodge for dinner and rest.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Wake up, have breakfast, and check out of your lodge in the park. Our driver guide will transfer you to Kibale Forest National Park. This amazing journey blesses you with incredible scenes as you blend from the savannah to the tropical rainforest. This is evident as you close in to the park and the landscape differs from where you are from. Have an en route lunch as you proceed with your journey. Check into your booked lodge in Kibale Forest National Park at dusk, dinner, and sleep.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Your first morning in the primate capital of the world will be lighted up by a delicious early breakfast. This will be followed by a transfer to the park briefing center by our driver guide for a short pre-trekking briefing. Start your chimpanzee trekking experience thereafter revising the rules and regulations of trekking chimps. The trekking process will take you about 4-5 hours, depending on where the chimpanzee community trekked is. An hour will be given to you to spend in the chimpanzees’ presence as they go by with their chores. Our driver guide will later pick you up from the offices of the park where you will return after your trekking experience, and drive to the lodge.
Relax as you enjoy a delicious lunch at your residence before checking out. Journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park for about 3-4 hours while experiencing the awe-inspiring views of the landscapes across the way. Check into your booked lodge and be served dinner upon arrival in the evening and rest.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 5: Game drive and travel to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
The wilderness substitutes alarm clocks, to the morning glory birds to wake you up for breakfast and begin your adventures. Head to the savannah for a morning game drive in the Kasenyi plains, where you will meet various game species like buffaloes, elephants, antelopes, waterbucks, warthogs, hyenas, lions, and leopards among others. Game drives are safe since they are done with safari vehicles that allow you to come close to the animals for a great view.
Drive back to the lodge later around noon for lunch and prepare to check out. Start your journey in the afternoon to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Stop briefly at the tea plantations for a tour around the plantations and interact with the farmers, and learn how tea is planted, harvested, taken to the factory for processing. Continue later with your journey to Bwindi and arrive at your lodge at dusk, have dinner, and sleep.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 6: Gorilla trekking and transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Deep under the canopies of the tall tropical trees of Bwindi, the aroma of your delicious breakfast will step you up to the beauty of nature across the window of your lodge. Head to the park offices for a briefing on what will be expected of you while in the presence of the endangered mountain gorillas.
Straight from the briefing and grouping in groups of 8, you will begin your trekking experience. Squeeze through the thickets of the impenetrable forest of Bwindi and slide across the steep terrains before encountering the assigned gorilla family. Each group from the briefing center is given a gorilla family to trek. These primates are social beings who stay in groups called families and each is trekked by 8 people a day. Spend an hour with the endangered mountain gorillas as you watch these gentle giants rest, play, feed, and groom their young.
After your hour trek back to where it all started at the briefing center for a ride back to the lodge for lunch by our driver guide. Thereafter, your lunch in the park, check out, and hit the 3-4 hours road trip to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Reach the lodge in the park in the evening, dinner, and rest.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 7: Golden monkey trekking and Batwa cultural tour
As you draw closer to the end of your trip in the country, take on a golden monkey trekking experience after your breakfast. With this experience, you are allowed to trek these rare primates without being grouped but taken through the rules and regulations first on a briefing session. Not long in the forest, your ranger guide will catch the tracking trail of these primates from their bamboo leftovers.
Upon their discovery, spend an hour with them as they swing from bamboo trees, as they play and feed. Witness the mother golden monkeys as they carry and groom their babies. You will get a chance to get closer to them once they are on the ground since they are habituated and free with humans. Return to your lodge for dinner and rest later at dusk.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 8: Departure
Your final day is scheduled for departure as the journey from your lodge in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to the capital is over 8-9 hours. After breakfast, you check out and begin this long journey to Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight with an en route lunch. By evening you will be reaching and taking your flight.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
