8 Day Uganda Great Apes Safari Experience

Upon arrival in Uganda at Entebbe International Airport, located on a peninsula that juts out into Lake Victoria, Africa’s biggest fresh water lake, you will be welcomed and greeted by your driver/guide. He will be standing at the Arrivals Hall holding a placard with your name so you cannot miss him. You will then be transferred to the hotel/ guest house you have chosen and check-in for dinner and overnight stay. Your driver/ guide will brief you about your safari at some stage (either before dinner or first thing after breakfast the next day).

For those that arrive early in the day – there are optional activities around Entebbe especially if you intend to stay active and not rest after long overseas flights. You can visit the Entebbe Botanical Gardens or head out to trawl Mabamba bay for a chance to see the prehistoric and mythical shoebill. Or, your guide will be on hand to take you to the local markets or one of the malls to shop for some essentials.

After a delicious breakfast this morning, you commence the drive right across central Uganda heading west towards the enchanting Kibale Forest National Park. You drive through the central region’s green belt where locals grow green bananas (a major staple), coffee and tea as key cash crops, a lot of tropical fruits and lots of other food crops given the fertile rich soils of the region you traverse this morning. As you continue west, you’ll pass through major towns of Mityana and Mubende, making a delightful stopover in Fort Portal town for a scrumptious lunch.

Optional: For visitors that are active and love a bit of culture and myth, from lunch, you can make a de-tour and visit the Amabere Ganyinamwiru, a cultural site famous for its stunning stalagmites, caves and a picturesque waterfall. The Batoro people who inhabit this area have a strong belief attached to these caves with an interesting story told through the generations about them. From here, visitors can hike Nyakasura hill which will give you views of three different crater lakes as well as panoramic views of the Rwenzori Mountain’s foothills. If you choose not to visit the stalagmite caves, from lunch, you will complete the drive to Kibale Forest National Park, where you arrive – with troops of cheeky olive baboons forming a large welcome party. When you arrive at the lodge you have chosen, check-in and have the rest of the day to yourselves. Later, dinner and overnight stay.

Today you are in for some real monkey business! After breakfast, you head to Kanyachu, the headquarters for Kibale Forest National Park.  Reputed for having the greatest variety and highest concentration of primates in East Africa, Kibale Forest National Park teems with wildlife and is also home to 13 other primate species. After a comprehensive briefing, venture into the forest in search of these fascinating creatures, known for their intelligence and social behaviors. Given the diversity of the place, keep your senses attuned as you might spot the rare L’Hoest monkey or red-tailed colobus monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys and many others. Perhaps you will hear rare bird calls or the playful cries of olive baboons. The guides and rangers will provide detailed explanations, not only on primates, but also on all the forest fauna and flora and will ensure that your walk is both informative and enjoyable. However, what you are roaming the forest for are the chimpanzees. Once you locate the chimpanzees, you will have a full 1-hour in their presence. You watch them go about their day, see the young ones play and the mature ones grooming each other or looking for food. You either find them atop the big fruit trees or on the ground. It is a most exhilarating experience if you are lucky to find them on the ground.  After the mandatory 1-hour is finished, your guides/rangers will lead you back to the trail-head from where you come back to the park HQ. You receive your certificates and can take pictures to capture the moment. From here, return to the lodge for a hot lunch.

Afternoon: After lunch, set out for a guided nature walk through the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary – a community project. The swamp offers visitors a platform to see more primates, swamp and forest birds, all the while supporting local conservation efforts. On your tour, you will likely see several kinds of monkeys including black and white colobus, red colobus etc. Other wetlands mammals include baboons, Sitatunga (an increasingly endangered swamp antelope), bush pigs, civet cats, mongooses, bush bucks and an occasional chimpanzee appearance. The walk is 4.5 kilometres in length and lasts 3 hours and should not be missed by avid birders. Money generated from the activities in Bigodi is used to fund community projects including a school and a clinic. Later, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Optional Activity: Chimpanzee Habituation

You wake up at leisure and enjoy your breakfast. You are not in a hurry and so you will depart Kibale Forest National Park for Queen Elizabeth National Park at leisure. You will transfer through the beautiful crater lakes region where the views and scenery are to die for! After seeing some of the many craters in the region, back on the road, you continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park with the Rwenzori Mountains in the backdrop. On a clear day, you can see the snow-capped Magherita peak of the Rwenzori Mountains. On arrival to your destination, you check-in at lodge you have chosen, enjoy lunch and can relax.

In the late afternoon, head to the Katwe Crater Lake where locals have mined salt through the ages. This lake – situated just north of the impressive Mweya peninsula, is far too salty to support any wildlife. However, since the 16th Century, it has ensured the survival of the Katwe residents, who spend their days under the equatorial sun, harvesting salt from its milky waters. Enjoy the spectacular drive to Katwe as you look out for wildlife including buffaloes and elephants. Once you arrive at the salt mines, marvel at the network of paths and huts that have been built across the lake to support hundreds of workers. The salt is sold to traders from across Uganda, and as far as Congo and Rwanda. This excursion gives visitors a unique insight into the fascinating yet tough process of salt mining and meeting and interacting with the locals. During the tour of the lake you will see community members at work and you get to talk to them. Later, return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Begin your day with the anticipation of thrilling wildlife encounters as you embark on a morning game drive through the picturesque landscapes of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Wake up early to savor a hearty breakfast or opt to take it on the go as you venture into the Kasenyi track, renowned for its rich biodiversity. In this open savannah, keep your eyes peeled for sightings of buffaloes, majestic lions, graceful elephants, and a myriad of avian species that call this park home.

Queen Elizabeth National Park stands out for its lush greenery, even during the dry season, a testament to its unique landscape shaped by ancient volcanic activity. Traverse through this remarkable terrain, marveling at the vast crater lakes, sprawling grasslands, and dense woodlands that dot the park.

After the guided morning game drive, return to your lodge for a hot lunch. After, you will embark on a boat cruise along the Kazinga channel – a major highlight of the safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The channel is a natural waterway, linking lakes Edward and George. It boasts one of Africa’s highest concentrations of hippos (there are 1,500 hippos found along the channel), providing a mesmerizing spectacle of these aquatic giants. Glide along the tranquil waters, accompanied by the symphony of birdcalls and the occasional splash of a crocodile, as you soak in the serene beauty of the surroundings. On the boat cruise, hippos frolic and yawn wide, elephants and buffalo drink their fill at the channel’s banks. The boat trip is a front-row seat to nature’s spectacle. The boat cruise promises to be a highlight of your journey, offering unparalleled opportunities for wildlife viewing and birdwatching. From the boat cruise, if time allows continue on an evening game drive culminating into a return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Optional Activity: Lion Experiential tracking

This drive to Bwindi via the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park will also serve as a game drive. As you journey through Ishasha – the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, bring out binoculars and keep your gaze trained on the horizon as you search for the iconic tree-climbing lions that inhabit this unique region. If you are lucky to find them, marvel at the sight of these majestic predators perched atop ancient sycamore fig trees or acacia trees, surveying their kingdom with regal poise.

There are about four prides of lions in the area numbering more than 40 in total. Look out for the males with their black mane, which is a notable attribute. Also, there are about 1000+ elephants present in the area and you normally see large herds. There are Topi (savannah relatives of the world-famous Wildebeest) and Uganda Kob antelopes in large numbers. The drive is a fantastic opportunity to take pictures. You continue to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a realm of mist-shrouded mountains and dense vegetation. Along the way, feast your eyes on the scenic beauty of the landscape, from vast banana plantations to lush valleys and towering forests. As the day draws to a close, arrive at the lodge you have chosen in Bwindi, where you can unwind amidst the tranquil surroundings and prepare for the extraordinary adventure that awaits tomorrow.

After breakfast, with your packed lunch, lots of water in your rucksack, your guide will take you to the park HQ before 8:00am for registration and briefing by Uganda Wildlife Authority staff. Once the formalities of what to do and not to do while tracking the gentle giants are communicated, you will head to the trail-head of the gorilla family you have been allocated. At the trail-head, you will commence the trek, pushing your way through the undergrowth, to track the gorillas. (the trek can last from half an hour to 8 hours – a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as a sturdy pair of walking shoes). When you finally locate the family that you are tracking, take in everything as you watch the gorillas go about their day – feeding on the green leaves, bamboo shoots, wild celery, stinging nettle and wild fruit. If there are juvenile gorillas, enjoy them play about and take it all in. Take lots of pictures (and a selfie if you happen to have a gorilla in your selfie frame) and video as the one-hour will be over before you know it. It is an extraordinary feeling being in the presence of these majestic apes, sitting/standing in the dense rainforest with the knowledge that you are in the presence of the few remaining wild mountain gorillas. After the mandatory one hour is up, the rangers will lead you back to the starting point/trail-head where you will find your driver/guide. Once back at the trail-head, your driver/guide will be waiting to take you back to the park HQ where you receive your tracking certificates (evidence of your contribution to the conservation of the majestic gorillas). From here, you will commence the short drive to the picturesque Lake Bunyonyi. On arrival in Lake Bunyonyi, check-in at the resort you have chosen for a hot lunch. After lunch, relax and can use the time to look back on your awe-inspiring encounter with the gorillas through the lens of your camera. Later, dinner and overnight at the resort.

What to bring for gorilla tracking/trekking: light but sturdy hiking shoes, light rain jacket, daypack, 2 litres of water, gardening gloves, long trousers either jeans/khakis, long-sleeved shirt/blouse, wide-brimmed hat, sun glasses, insect repellent and an energy bar.

Alternatively: Gorilla Habituation, boat trip at Lake Bunyonyi

After breakfast, check-out and commence the 7-hour drive to Entebbe. You will make two stops including one for an early lunch. After lunch, continue with a stop at the Equator point. Here, you can purchase some crafts and souvenirs from your Uganda safari and take fun photos at the Equator monument. You should arrive in Entebbe in the late afternoon/ early evening where you are dropped-off at the airport for you to check-in for your onward flight home. If your flight is much later, you can use the facilities at one of our partner Guest Houses to freshen up ahead of check-in. At the appropriate time, you will be dropped off at the airport in time for you to check-in for your onward flight to bring to an end what we believe will have been an awe-inspiring Uganda safari whose memories will stay with you for a long time.