8 Day Classic Primates and Wildlife Safari
8 Day Classic Primates and Wildlife Safari, Explore Uganda’s renowned safari spots during an 8-Day Classic Primates & Wildlife safari, with gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, game drives across vast savannah plains, and immersion in Ugandan customs.
Departing from Entebbe, traverse the picturesque tourist town of Fort Portal and the Crater Lakes Region en route to Kibale Forest National Park, where you will engage in chimpanzee and primate tracking. Experience the breathtaking vistas of the Rwenzori Mountains en route to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s most renowned park, where you will encounter Africa’s Big Five, including lions, leopards, buffaloes, and elephants, as well as the unique tree-climbing lions.
Proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where you will traverse the ancient jungle in pursuit of the elusive, majestic, and endangered mountain gorillas.
Tour Highlights of 8 Day Classic Primates and Wildlife Safari
- Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe – Shoebill Tracking at Mabamba Swamp
- Day 2: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
- Day 3: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest
- Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Day 5: Full in Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Forest via Ishasha Sector
- Day 7: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Forest
- Day 8: Departure
Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe – Shoebill Observation in Mabamba Swamp
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be cordially greeted by our agent and transported to your accommodation in Entebbe. In the afternoon, you will proceed to Mabamba Swamp to encounter the prehistoric shoebill. Subsequently, return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 2: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Savor a morning meal before commencing a journey to Western Uganda, traversing the picturesque landscapes characterized by expansive cultivated fields, banana plantations, and cattle ranches. Make a brief stopover at Mpambire to observe the creation of traditional and local artifacts, followed by another stop at The Equator for remarkable photographs.
Lunch at Fort Portal, proceed to the park, check in at your lodge, and have a brief break. Later in the day, you will proceed to Bigodi Swamp for a guided tour, where you will observe baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, and several bird species.
Day 3: Chimpanzee Expedition in Kibale Forest
Awaken early and proceed to the park visitor center by 7:30 am for a chimpanzee trekking expedition in Kibale Forest.
Kibale Forest National Park is renowned for its richness and density of primates in Africa. This location is unparalleled for observing chimpanzees in their natural habitat, featuring around 1,500 chimpanzees beneath the park’s rainforest canopy, along with numerous other primate species.
During your expedition to locate the chimpanzees, you will encounter several other primates, including the rare L’Hoest Monkey, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, and grey-cheeked mangabeys.
The walk lasts roughly 2 to 6 hours, contingent upon the location of the habituated chimpanzee populations. Visitors are permitted to spend 1 hour observing them in their natural habitat, witnessing their interactions, grooming behaviors, and capturing remarkable photographs. Return to the park headquarters, meet your guide, and proceed to your lodge for lunch. Conclude the day at your lodge reflecting on the day’s events. Partake in dinner and stay overnight.
Day 4: Journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After a sumptuous breakfast, vacate your lodging and proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Upon arrival at the park, you will commence a game drive, observing a variety of wildlife, including lions, leopards, buffaloes, and Uganda kobs, among others.
Proceed to the lodge for lunch following check-in; in the afternoon, you will embark on a boat trip in Kazinga Channel. Your eyes will behold the remarkable sight of Nile crocodiles and pods of hippos in the channel’s waters, with elephants and buffaloes quenching their thirst along the banks.
Following this remarkable experience, return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 5: Complete in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Devote a whole day to traversing the savannah grasslands of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Following a delectable breakfast, proceed to the Kasenyi Plains in the park, located on the western banks of the picturesque Lake George, near the confluence of the Kazinga Channel with the lake. This area serves as a significant breeding ground for Uganda kobs within the park, due to the availability of prey and the frequent presence of predators such as lions and leopards.
Proceed to the lodge for dinner and overnight accommodation.
Day 6: Journey to Bwindi Forest through the Ishasha Sector
Following breakfast, depart from Queen Elizabeth National Park and proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via the Ishasha Sector, where you may observe the tree-climbing lions resting on the branches of fig trees.
You will eat lunch en route and arrive at the park in the evening. Utilize the remainder of your time at the lodge to ready yourself for today’s extraordinary activities.
Stay overnight at Buhoma Lodge.
Day 7: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Forest
Rise early for breakfast, meet your guide, and proceed to the park’s headquarters for a training on gorilla trekking and appropriate conduct in the presence of the gorillas. You will be organized into groups of eight and allocated a gorilla family to hike. Proceed to the starting site and enter the forests of Bwindi in search of the captivating mountain gorillas.
The expedition lasts between 2 to 6 hours or longer, contingent upon the gorillas’ movements and their previous night’s location. Upon encountering your family group, you will be captivated by their substantial size and fur-covered bodies. You are granted one hour to observe them as they navigate their existence in the forest, under the vigilant scrutiny of a dominant silverback. You may snap an unlimited number of photographs provided your flash is disabled.
Return to the lodge for an evening of relaxation or proceed to the Batwa Community for an immersive cultural experience. In the Batwa village, you will be entertained by traditional dances and drama, engage with the elders, and sample some of the local brew.
Day 8: Departure
Enjoy a relaxed breakfast, then commence your drive back to Kampala, stopping for lunch in Mbarara along the way. Your guide will transport you to Entebbe International Airport to board your flight home, concluding your safari.