Overview
14 Days Chimpanzees, Gorillas & Wildlife Safari; This trip starts from Kampala and then continues to Murchison Falls National Park, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Kibale Forest National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Lake Bunyonyi, Kampala and then ends at Entebbe International Airport. The adventure activities on this safari include; gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, rhino tracking, game drives, boat cruise, community visits, Volcanic hikes, golden monkey tracking, etc.
Trip Summary of your 14 Days Chimpanzees, Gorillas & Wildlife Safari
- Day 1: Arrive in Uganda
- Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park and stop over at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
- Day 3: Explore Murchison Falls National Park
- Day 4: Sport Fishing and Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
- Day 5: Chimpanzee Tracking and Visit to Bigodi community
- Day 6: Bigodi Swamp Nature Walks, Crater Lake Visit and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Day 7: Explore Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Day 8: Ishasha Sector Visit and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Day 9: Gorilla trekking, Batwa trail and transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
- Day 10: Hiking Mount Sabinyo
- Day 11: Golden Monkey tracking and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
- Day 12: Explore Lake Bunyonyi
- Day 13: Transfer to Kampala
- Day 14: Kampala city tour and fly back home
Detailed Itinerary for your 14 Days Chimpanzees, Gorillas & Wildlife Safari
Day 1: Arrive in Uganda
Upon reaching Entebbe International Airport, an Early Trails Expedition Uganda driver guide will be ready to pick you up and transfer you to your hotel in Kampala, where you will rest until the next day to start your journey. Your driver will also brief you about your trip before you have dinner and overnight at your hotel.
Accommodation (Luxury): Speke Resort Munyonyo
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park and stop over at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
You will board your safari vehicle this morning to drive to Murchison Falls National Park. Along the way, you will stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to track the only rhinos in their natural sanctuary in Uganda. This sanctuary is located in Nakasongola, two hours from Kampala along the Kampala-Gulu road. Many encounters accompany rhino tracking, including watching several bird and antelope species. The track can last for about 2 hours, and after the track with lunch en-route, you will continue to Murchison Falls National Park. Reaching the park, you will drive to the top of the falls and watch how the thunderous waters force through a narrow gorge. Then, you will check in at your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Luxury: Nile Safari Camp
Day 3: Explore Murchison Falls National Park
Today after a well and generously served breakfast, we will take a sunny morning game drive in the Northern section of Murchison Falls National Park. The Murchison game drive is among Uganda’s adventure rewards, filled with many treasures. On a good day, you may watch both leopards and lions around the Pakuba tracks; elephants and buffalos. Expect other animals like giraffes, Jackson hartebeests, Uganda Kobs, Hippos, bushbucks, waterbucks, duikers and many more species; many bird species can also be encountered at the Delta Point.
After about 3 hours of driving through the park, you must return, refresh with lunch, and wait for the afternoon Boat cruise. The Victoria Nile boat cruise leads to the bottom of Murchison Falls. It’s arguably considered to be the world’s most powerful waterfall. Imagine large volumes of water gushing through a narrow gorge of 7m and pouring 45m below to form a thunderous roar. The drive is terrific, with many sights, including a cliff, various vegetation, and several animals seen at the bank of the river, among others. The boat cruise lasts about three hours. Afterwards, you will return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation (luxury): Nile Safari Lodge
Day 4: Sport Fishing and Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After a fresh and delicious breakfast, you will have a memorable ride with your fishing tools on the Victoria Nile. The fishing adventure is one of the special activities in Murchison Falls and will be an excellent highlight for your 14 Days Chimpanzees, Gorillas & Wildlife Safari. The sport fishing adventure lasts about 2 to 3 hours, and the main catch is usually Tilapia fish. It is important to note that this is a capture-and-release activity. After the fishing adventure, we will transfer to Kibale Forest National Park with lunch en route. We will reach the park during evening hours and check in at your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation (luxury): Chimpundu Lodge
Day 5: Chimpanzee Tracking and Visit to Bigodi Community
After getting ready for the day, you will drive to the Kanyanchu Centre for a briefing about chimpanzee tracking etiquette. Get in groups of eight people to track a single habituated chimpanzee community, then with an armed ranger guide, roll out into the forest to start a search for the remarkable creatures. The track can last 30 minutes to 3 hours to find the chimpanzee community. Seeing the apes, you will have only one hour in their presence. This moment is like nowhere in the jungle, to find yourself amid humans’ closest relatives. After an hour in their company, you will walk back to the starting point, find your driver and drive back to your lodge to relax and refresh.
In the late afternoon, you will visit the Bigodi community and find out how people around the forest benefit from the chimpanzee tracking initiatives. While there, you will find a variety of souvenirs on sale, among which you can also buy to support the natives. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation (Luxury): Chimpundu Lodge
Day 6: Bigodi Swamp Nature Walks and Crater Lake Visit and Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
This morning, you will embark on a nature walk at Bigodi Wetland. The Bigodi nature walk is sometimes referred to as the primate walk. This Bigodi sanctuary accommodates about 13 primate species, including blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, and L’Hoest Monkeys. This nature walking trail is also a bird-watching trail; other wild animals, like bushbucks, can be encountered. After, you will drive to Fort Portal and visit the Amabere caves; these cultural sites display a strong history of the Bachwezi dynasty.
Then, you will drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park and check in at your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation (luxury): Mweya Safari Lodge
Day 7: Explore Queen Elizabeth National Park
Early this morning, you will drive to the Kasenyi section of Queen Elizabeth National Park for an incredible game drive. Expect a pleasant encounter with various wildlife species, including; elephants, Uganda kobs, bushbucks, buffalos, lions, and warthogs, accompanied by several bird species.
In the afternoon hours, with lunch en route, you will drive to the Mweya peninsular for a boat cruise on the Kazinga channel. The wild boat cruise is an opening to watch more animals. Several animals are seen coming to the channel banks to draw water, and the aquatic life is seen either soaked in water or lousily relaxed at the water banks. After that, you will drive back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation (Luxury): Mweya Safari Lodge
Day 8: Ishasha Sector Visit and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
On this day, you will take a morning drive through the Ishasha sector and track the tree-climbing lions. Ishasha is located in the Southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park and is a famous East African region hosting these fantastic tree-climbing lions. Afterwards, you will embark on your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with lunch en route. We will reach the park in the evening hours and enter the park via the Buhoma gate. Relax, enjoy your dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Accommodation (Luxury): Buhoma Lodge
Day 9: Gorilla Trekking, Batwa Trail and transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Today you will enjoy breakfast and proceed to the Buhoma starting point for the gorilla trekking briefing. Groups of eight trekkers, accompanied by an armed ranger guide, will search for the gentle giants. This adventure is limited to the Virunga Conservation Area and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The trek lasts for about 30 minutes to about 4 hours to find your assigned habituated gorilla family. The tour involves walking through the unmade paths, moist thick jungles and slopes through hills and valleys before finally meeting the gorillas.
You will be given only one hour in the company of the gorillas. Ensure to take some photographs for more lasting memories. After this exciting experience, return to the starting point and then drive back to your lodge for some rest.
In the late afternoon, you will visit the Batwa community around the Buhoma community for a cultural encounter. Lastly, you will drive to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and check in at your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation (luxury): Mount Gahinga Safari Lodge
Day 10: Hiking Mount Sabinyo
This will be a long day for climbing the amazing Mt. Sabinyo. After your energising breakfast, trek with an experienced ranger guide who will lead you. Mount Sabinyo is the most famous trekked volcano in the Virunga Massif. The trek covers 8hrs, taking a distance of about 14kkm, and reaching the peak, you will stand 3669m above sea level. The tour goes through slopes via hills and valleys until reaching the peak. Getting to the mountain, you will realize that you’re standing at the border of Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo—dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Accommodation (luxury): Mount Gahinga Safari Lodge
Day 11: Golden Monkey tracking and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
This morning, you will take on the golden monkeys of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. These primates are endangered species and endemic to the Virunga forests. The golden monkeys are a bit shy but are habituated to ensure a close-up encounter for the community. The track can last for 30 minutes to 2 hours, and finding them, you will have an hour of enjoying their view. Later after the golden monkey adventure, we will drive to Lake Bunyonyi and relax for the night.
Accommodation (Midrange): Acadia Hotel
Day 12: Lake Bunyonyi
Today, you will your day exploring and enjoying the beautiful scenery of Lake Bunyonyi. You will take a boat ride to some of the islands, and the most exciting island is Punishment Island due to its story about being an execution island for girls with early pregnancy. Then, you will enjoy the sweet melodies of many small birds swinging around your lodge as you wait for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation (Midrange): Acadia Hotel
Day 13: Transfer to Kampala
Wake up to a relaxed breakfast and a morning drive back to Kampala with lunch en-route in Mbarara at Igongo cultural centre. Also, consider a stopover at the Equator for photography. You will reach Kampala by evening and then drive to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation (luxury): Speke Resort Munyonyo
Day 14: Kampala city tour and fly back home
Today enjoy a relaxed day in Kampala. After your morning breakfast, take a city walk downtown and crown it with a visit to Mengo Palace and the Bulange building. These are two significant buildings in the history of Buganda. Mengo palace is the official palace of the Kingdom, and Bulange is the administrative block of the Buganda Kingdom. Then your driver will pick you up afterwards and take you for lunch before driving you to Entebbe International Airport for your flight back home.
Our driver guide will say goodbye to you on behalf of Early Trails Expedition Uganda as you prepare to take your flight back to your home. After this trip, you will become our next ambassador in your country. Thank you!
End of your 14 Days Chimpanzees, Gorillas & Wildlife Safari
Trip inclusive;
- 4×4 safari vehicle
- All trip fuel
- All meals and soft drinks
- All Park entrances
- All planned trip activities
- Gorilla permits
- Chimpanzee permits
- Golden monkey permit
- Hiking permit
- Accommodation
- Driver guide
Exclusive;
- Visa and air ticket
- Laundry
- All hard drinks
- Souvenirs
- Tips
- All international flights
