6 Days Gorilla, Chimpanzee & Wildlife Safari in Uganda

This 6-day Uganda safari offers an unforgettable journey through some of Uganda’s most iconic national parks. The adventure combines chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest, wildlife safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park, and mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Travelers will experience Uganda’s incredible biodiversity, scenic landscapes, and vibrant local communities. Highlights include a Kazinga Channel boat safari, a search for the famous tree-climbing lions of Ishasha, and a relaxing visit to the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi.

This safari perfectly blends primate encounters, wildlife viewing, cultural experiences, and breathtaking scenery, making it one of the most rewarding safari adventures in East Africa.

Detailed Itinerary

Your safari begins with a morning pickup from Kampala or Entebbe by your professional driver-guide. You will travel west toward Kibale Forest National Park, passing through Uganda’s beautiful countryside.

Along the way, enjoy scenic stopovers to admire the lush tea plantations and rolling hills of western Uganda before arriving in Fort Portal, one of the country’s most picturesque towns.

After lunch, visit the nearby Bigodi Community, where you will learn about traditional lifestyles, including local gin distillation, banana beer brewing, and coffee processing. This cultural experience offers an authentic insight into rural Ugandan life.

Later in the evening, relax at your lodge near the beautiful crater lakes region bordering Kibale Forest.

Accommodation

Basic: Nkuruba Forest Reserve Campsite
Mid-range: Kibale Forest Camp

Meals: Lunch & Dinner

After an early breakfast, head to the park headquarters for a briefing before beginning your chimpanzee trekking adventure in Kibale Forest.

Kibale is one of the best places in Africa to observe chimpanzees in their natural habitat. With the help of experienced rangers, you will track these fascinating primates through the dense rainforest. If fortunate, you may see them feeding, grooming, and playing just a few meters away.

After the trek, continue your journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of Uganda’s most diverse wildlife reserves.

Optional evening game drive through the crater lakes region or the Kasenyi plains in search of wildlife.

Accommodation

Kasenyi Safari Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Begin the day with an early morning game drive across the Kasenyi plains, one of the best wildlife viewing areas in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

During the drive, look out for lions, elephants, leopards, buffaloes, hyenas, and numerous antelope species.

In the afternoon, enjoy a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, a natural waterway connecting Lake Edward and Lake George. This boat safari offers exceptional opportunities to observe large concentrations of hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and numerous bird species along the shoreline.

The Kazinga Channel is widely regarded as one of the best wildlife boat safaris in Africa.

Accommodation

Kasenyi Safari Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast, travel south through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, famous for its rare tree-climbing lions often seen resting in fig trees.

After spending time searching for these unique predators, continue your journey toward the misty mountains of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas.

Arrive in the evening and relax at your lodge in preparation for the next day’s adventure.

Accommodation

Ride 4 a Woman Lodge or similar

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Today is the highlight of the safari: mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

After a briefing at the park headquarters, you will enter the forest with experienced trackers to locate one of the habituated gorilla families. The trek may take anywhere from one hour to several hours depending on the gorillas’ movements.

Once found, you will spend one unforgettable hour observing these gentle giants in their natural habitat.

After the trek, drive to the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi, often called the Switzerland of Africa because of its terraced hills and scenic islands.

Optional activities include:

Canoeing on Lake Bunyonyi
Visiting the Batwa community
Exploring the lake’s 29 islands

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast, begin the return journey to Entebbe or Kampala.

Along the way, stop at the Uganda Equator for photographs and souvenir shopping. Continue the drive to Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight or drop-off at your hotel.