8 Days Uganda Primates and Game Drives

You can trek all of Uganda’s top primates on this 8-day Uganda Primates and Wildlife Safari, including Golden Monkeys in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi, and Chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park. You’ll also have time to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park for a wildlife safari where you can see all four of the Big Four. This all-inclusive 8-day Uganda Primates and Wildlife Safari includes return airport transfers and begins and ends in Kampala/Entebbe.

Day by day

DAY 01:  Pick up from Kampala/Entebbe and Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

After being collected up from the airport or your Kampala/Entebbe hotel, you will drive south to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. You will first stop at the Equator for a lunch break before continuing on to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

DAY 02: Golden tracking and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast in the morning, gather at the park headquarters so that park rangers may give you a briefing on the proper way to follow golden monkeys. Depending on how these human cousins walk, the unforgettable exercise in the forest could take one to nine hours. After returning from the forest, meet them and spend no more than an hour with them before continuing on to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

DAY 03: Gorilla tracking Experience

After breakfast at the lodge, you will drive to the park headquarters for a briefing from Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger guides who will assign you a gorilla family group to walk. After your group of eight is confirmed, the two ranger guides will accompany you into the deep impenetrable forest to look for endangered Mountain Gorillas. Gorillas are always searched from the previous day’s location. The famous gorillas can only be interacted with for one hour, and you must keep silence. You can capture photos, etc.
Gorilla tracking can be tough depending on the hike, which is usually decided by weather and the gorillas’ movement in the forest, but it is highly organized, so you have a 99% chance of seeing them. Advanced trackers monitor gorilla movements all day in the jungle, so you know where they nested last night and where to look for them. Two ranger guides will conduct you through the walk, clearing and building pathways and imparting mountain gorilla and Bwindi forest information. After the trip, you’ll return to the start to get your mountain gorilla tracking credentials in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

DAY 04: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Following breakfast, you will travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park, getting there in the afternoon. You will make stops for sightseeing along the way. You will receive a warm welcome and be allowed to unwind after checking into the hotel. Later, you will go on an evening game drive to look for late grazers before returning to the lodge for the night.
The most well-known and varied conservation area is Queen Elizabeth National Park, which has a wide range of habitats, including grasslands, acacia woodlands, forests, wetlands, and open water. These habitats support a large number of mammals, including the Big Four, and an impressive number of bird species, which has increased to over 604 species.

DAY 05: Morning Game Drive and Afternoon Boat Cruise on Kazinga Channel

Following breakfast, you will take a morning game drive to the Kasenyi plains in order to look for wildlife and early birds. Elephants, massive herds of buffalo, lions, leopards, kobs, antelopes, bushbucks, and more are among the creatures you will witness.
After a two to three-hour morning game drive, you will drive to the Mweya Peninsula for a hot lunch, unwind, and then take an afternoon boat cruise safari on the Kazinga Channel. This boat ride is well worth the money and is regarded as the highlight of your safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park. You will have the opportunity to see a variety of wildlife as they enjoy the channel’s shores, including hippos swimming and different bird species. Return to the lodge for dinner, rest, and overnight after the cruise.

DAY 06: Morning Drive/Visit Katwe Salt Lakes and Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park

With everything you own in the car, go a morning game drive around the Mweya Peninsula. You continue your journey back to Kigali after the three-hour game drive. If you choose not to go game driving, you can visit the Katwe Salt Lakes after driving to Kibale National Park, stopping along the way for lunch. Upon arrival, you will have the opportunity to take a nature walk in the Bigodi Swamp, where you may witness the local birds and monkeys.
With approximately 335 bird species and 13 primate species, Kibale Forest National Park is a well-liked destination for both birdwatchers and primatologists.

DAY 07: Chimpanzee Tracking

After finishing an early breakfast, you will be led to the Kanyanchu headquarters for a briefing regarding the track you will be running in a few hours. From there, you will begin following chimpanzees, but you will also observe twelve other primate species, including baboons, vervet monkeys, and gray-cheeked mangabeys, among others, today.

DAY 08: Departure back to Kampala/Entebbe

Proceed to Kampala/Entebbe in the early morning hours, following breakfast, in order to bring the tour to a close.

End of your safari