7 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari, Chimpanzee, Scenery & Wildlife Tour – Overview

The 7 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari, Chimpanzee, Scenery & Wildlife Tour is designed to enable you explore the gorillas of Uganda thriving in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, the good scenery of Sempaya hot Springs in Semuliki National Park, the Fort Portal Crater Lake area, the Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru caves, the Rwenzoris, Kigezi Highlands and Lake Bunyonyi.

The safari also offers rewarding wild game viewing on Queen Elizabeth National Park including the four of the big five such as leopard, lion, buffaloes and elephants.

The drive through Lake Mburo National Park offers you chances of spotting the Burchell’s Zebra, Impala, Topis, buffaloes and elands.

7 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari, Chimpanzee, Scenery & Wildlife Tour – Highlights

Day 1: Transfer to Fort Portal, visit the Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru caves & hike the Fort Portal Crater Lake Area

Day 2: Do morning Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park & afternoon Bigodi Wetland Walk in the afternoon

Day 3: Visit the Sempaya Hot springs, Batwa of Ntandi & transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Visit the Rwenzori Art Foundation – the only bronze casting center in Africa en route

Day 4: Do Morning game drive & afternoon launch cruise along the Hippos Paradise

Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Do a game drive in Ishasha en route in search of tree climbing lions

Day 6: Do gorilla trekking & transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for an evening boat cruise & relaxation

Day 7: Transfer to Kampala. Traditional lunch at Igongo Cultural Center, Game drive in Lake Mburo National Park & Uganda Equator stop en route

7 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari, Chimpanzee, Scenery & Wildlife Tour – Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Transfer to Fort Portal, Visit The Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru Caves & Hike The Fort Portal Crater Lake Area

After your jolly breakfast, embark on transfer drive of about 5 hours to cover 300km to Fort Portal town – one of the most beautiful towns in Uganda.

The drive will take you through the majestic country side landscapes dotted with rural setting and beautiful local populations.

Arrive in Fort Portal town for lunch after which you will advance to do the Fort Portal Crater Lake Hike to gain magnificent views of the Fort Portal explosion crater.

You will also visit the Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru caves with a magical Nyakasura River falling over them forming wonderful water fall.

The unique caves have breast like features which the locals attach a great cultural connotation and are thought to date back to the Chwezi era. Retreat from the activity and get to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Primate Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse (Mid-range/Standard) or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (Budget/Basic).

Day 2: Do Morning Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale National Park & Afternoon Bigodi Wetland Walk in The Afternoon

After an early morning breakfast, embark on the highly rewarding Chimpanzee trekking encounter in the primate Capital of the world – the Kibale Forest National Park.

The Park is proud of 13 primate species including the world endangered species of the Chimpanzees which have been fully habituated and opened to be visited by tourists.

The chimp trekking encounter in the primates Capital starts at Kanyanchu tourism center at 8:00am local time in the morning and the professional UWA Park ranger will lead you throughout the whole fascinating processes of trekking the Chimps in their natural Habitat.

The trek exposes you to stunning flora, other primate species including black and white colobus monkey and birds before meeting face to face with the chimps.

The Chimpanzees will seduce you in a state of stupefaction as they swing through the branches, make pant hooting calls, play with each other, and imitate your body language along with other features that will make your one full hour with them a life time experience of its own.

Retreat from the activity which tends to take 2 – 5 hours to embark on the transfer to Bigodi wetland. The Bigodi wetland, lies in close distance to the park thus connecting there is less hectic.

The Bigodi wetland walk exposes you to typical Eco –tourism encounter in Uganda. The impressive flora and fauna existing along with the local community is indeed rewarding to encounter.

The sights of great blue turaco and the Sitatnga may not be missed. Retreat from the activity back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Ndali Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse (Mid-range/Standard) or Rwenzori View Guesthouse (Budget/Basic).

Day 3: Visit the Sempaya Hot springs, Batwa of Ntandi & Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

After breakfast, drive for 78km from Kibale National Park to Semuliki National Park passing through Fort Portal town.

You will be welcomed by the views of the Rwenzori Mountain and the Bundibugyo scenery. Upon reaching the Headquarters at Sempaya, you will undertake a nature walk down to the hot springs both female and male with boiling geyser that rises up to 2m high with temperatures above 100 degrees Celsius.

You would have carried your plantains or eggs to boil in the natural geyser which gets ready in few minutes allowing you to have picnic bites.

From this activity, you will drive to Ntandi to visit the Bambuti of Ntandi who have got similar features like the Batwa of south western Uganda.

Their heritage is also impressive to encounter and their body height. Retreat from the Semuliki to connects to Fort Portal for lunch after which you will transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

On the drive to Queen Elizabeth which d 135km about 2 – 3 hours’ drive, you will make a stop at Rwenzori Art Foundation – the only bronze casting center in Africa where you will have an opportunity to view a range of sculptures and if willing, can participate in the process of making them.

Continue on the journey arriving in Queen Elizabeth National park in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Enganzi Game Lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget/Basic).

Day 4: Do Morning Game Drive & Afternoon Launch Cruise Along The Hippos Paradise

After breakfast, embark on a thrilling game drive across the rolling Savannah plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park that stretch across the Albertine flats.

The game drive which starts as early as 6am offers you possibilities of encountering a range of wild game including four of the Big five Land Animals including lions, leopard, elephants and buffaloes.

The well placed tracks in Kasenyi traverse a common dwelling for this wild game with additions of side stripped jackals, water buck, Uganda Kobs, among others.

The activity tend to take 3 – 4 hours after which you will return to the lodge for relaxation and lunch after which you will drive to Mweya jetty in the afternoon fir a thrilling boat cruise along the paradise of Hippos – the 45km long Kazinga Channel which adjoins Lake Edward and George with overlooking sights of Democratic Republic of Congo.

The range of birds, Nile crocodiles, Hippos and other wild game drinking on the channel side may not be missed.

Retreat from the 2 hour activity, do a game drive along the channel track as you connect to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Mweya Safari Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Enganzi Game Lodge (Midrange/Standard) or Pumba Safari Cottages (Budget/Basic).

Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Do a Game Drive in Ishasha En-route in Search of Tree Climbing Lions

After breakfast, embark on the transfer to the gorilla trekking haven of Bwindi. You will drive through Ishasha sector in the south of Queen Elizabeth National Park where the famous tree climbing lions are known to thrive.

The drive offers you the possibilities of encountering more game adding to the sights of the upper parts of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Encountering the tree climbing lions lying on the fig tree branches is very rewarding. You will have lunch en route and continue in the drive to arrive in Bwindi in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Chameleon Hill Lodge (Upmarket/Luxury), Gorilla Mist Camp (Midrange/Standard) or Broadbill Forest Camp (Budget/Basic).

Day 6: Do Gorilla Trekking & Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi For an Evening Boat Cruise & Relaxation

Gather at the respective park headquarter in the morning after an early heavy breakfast for briefing about the gorilla trekking encounter by the park rangers at 8am.

After briefing, you will head to the forest for the thrilling gorilla trekking adventure. The hike across the varied landscapes of Bwindi marked with deep valleys, steep hills and dense vegetation cover is very rewarding.

The moment you come across the critically endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat is one those must list moments that you can ever encounter in the life time.

The gorilla trek lasts between 2 – 8 hours and after the one full hour of direct encounter with them; you will return the starting point and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi via the fascinating Kigezi Highlands.

Upon arrival, you will embark on a thrilling boat cruise on the lake of a thousand Islands – Lake Bunyonyi exploring its main Islands gaining remarkable sights. Retreat to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Birdnest @Lake Bunyonyi Resort (Upmarket/Luxury), Lake Bunyonyi Eco-resort (Mid-range/Standard) or Byoona Amagara Island Retreat (Budget/Basic).

Day 7: Transfer to Kampala. Traditional lunch at Igongo Cultural Center, Game Drive in Lake Mburo National Park & Uganda Equator Stop En-route

After a relaxed breakfast after the sun rise, you will embark in the transfer to Kampala 437km about 7 – 8 hours’ drive.

You will drive along impressive countryside landscapes of western Uganda before approaching Mbarara town and Igongo Cultural Center 12km past Mbarara for a traditional lunch after which you will branch off at Sanga to Lake Mburo National Park for a game drive through the park exploring its Savannah landscapes dotted with Zebras, Topis, elands, Impala among others before driving out of it through the Nshara gate.

Continue on the drive to make another stop at Uganda Equator crossing Kayabwe 77km to Kampala for amazing photo shoots and water experiments. You will arrive in Kampala in the late afternoon to mark the end of the safari.

End of The 7 Days Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari, Chimpanzee, Scenery & Wildlife Tour