Primates and big game,from Murchison Fallsto the Bwindi gorillas
Ten days through Uganda's national parks, from Murchison Falls and the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to Kibale's chimpanzees and Bwindi's mountain gorillas, finishing at Lake Mburo before the flight out from Entebbe.
1Country
6Stops
9Nights
Medium to LuxuryService level
01Uganda
The storyThe headline tells the journey in a few lines, one after another.
At a glanceThe figures beneath it are the essential facts of the trip.
The journey
When to go
Gorillas and chimpanzees
Murchison, Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo
Gorillas and chimpanzees
Murchison, Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo Avoid
January Primary window
Dry season: firmer trails on the Bwindi ridges and clearer light for photographs. Dry season. Short grass, animals at the water and the river cruises running in clear light.
Entebbe, Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi and Lake Mburo.
Upon arrival in Uganda, our representative and driver guide will meet you at Entebbe International Airport and transfer you to your accommodation in Entebbe. Your safari guide will tell you how the itinerary will go.
After breakfast, you will depart for the Murchison Falls National Park. On your way, you may have brief stops for photography and to purchase fresh fruits from roadside markets and also beautiful and different vegetation types.
Before you reach the park, you will take a diversion to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, the only home to 32 southern white rhinos. You will have the opportunity to track the rhinos at a close distance.
After breakfast, we will take you to the park for a morning game drive.
In the park, you will see its beautiful landscape and a wide range of animals: elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, Ugandans kobs, lions, and leopards looking for a morning hunt. Also, you will see different bird species, among others.
After lunch, you will take a boat cruise upstream to the bottom of the falls. During the cruise, you will view different bird species like African Jacana, saddle-bellied stork, and open-billed stork Giant kingfisher, among others.
At the bottom of the falls, you will disembark from the boat and take a guided tour to the top where you will enjoy the spectacular view of the falls passing through the narrow paths between rocks. After that, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
After Breakfast, you will depart from the lodge for a transfer to Kibale National Park, which is a popular destination for tourists to track the Chimpanzees in Uganda. The journey will lead you through a distinctive Ugandan countryside with local homesteads and tea plantations. You may stop for landscape photography. You will arrive in Kibale in the evening hours.
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Kanyachu visitor’s center for a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. During the trekking, you will be able to view other primate species, such as black and white colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, l’hoest monkeys, view different tree species, plants, and bird species among others. After discovering the chimpanzee, you'll have an hour to spend with the chimpanzees. You'll watch them feed, drink, hunt, mate, fight, and rest. Learn about their habits and behaviour, and capture spectacular moments on camera.
In the afternoon, we will transfer you to Bigodi wetlands for a swamp walk and birding experience. You may encounter different bird species, including the rare Gonolek that may be spotted.
After Breakfast, you will depart from the lodge for a transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, with a unique selection of wildlife. During the drive, the terrain is endowed with eye-catching undulating hills plus the view of the neighbouring mountains of the moon mountain Rwenzori.
After lunch, you will go for the Kazinga channel boat cruise. The channel links Lake Edward to Lake George, and the track is home to a wide range of animals, and birds, including the world’s largest concentration of hippos (around 2000) and countless Nile Crocodiles. After the boat ride, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
After Breakfast, you will check out of your accommodation to be transferred to the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park for a game drive on your way to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This region is most famous for being home to tree-climbing lions as they are spotted lying on the branches of fig trees and grazing the savannah-filled plains, and the ranger will assist you in searching for them. In the afternoon, you will to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the home of gorillas.
After breakfast at the lodge, the safari guide will guide you to the headquarters for a briefing at 8am. You will move on foot in the thick forest, cross over rivers, and do a little hiking in pursuit of the elusive giants. Lasting for several hours in gorillas’ pursuit, one hour is permitted to all those tracking the giants which is the observing and capturing the priceless moments. You will return to the accommodation to relax.
On this day, we will transfer you to Lake Mburo National Park. You will have a lunch stop in the town of Mbarara on the way there. After, you will proceed to the park for a sunset game drive. Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest National Park in Uganda, known for the Impala, a vast population of zebra, Buffalo, and Hyena among others. This drive allows you to encounter the above animals and also beautiful landscape photography.
On this day, early in the morning, you will go to the park on foot, accompanied by an armed ranger. You will walk through the beautiful vegetation the encounter the hippos coming out of the waters as well as hyenas returning to their dens. And also the view of the birds that the forest accommodates. You will return to the lodge to refresh and have breakfast.
You will later check out and start your journey to Entebbe airport, with lunch en route. Upon arrival at the airport, you will check in for your outbound flight to your next destination.
Choose your route
The eight-day route: Jinja rafting, Kibale and Bwindi · 8 days / 7 nights · lower-cost option · from $6,900 per person sharingThis version swaps the Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth sections for white-water rafting at the source of the Nile at Jinja. It keeps the primate core: chimpanzees in Kibale Forest, two nights at Bwindi for gorilla tracking, and a final night at Lake Mburo with a sunset drive and a morning walk. It is two days shorter and has no Nile cruise or Kazinga Channel cruise. Ask us to build this version around your dates.
The detail
About this trip
This 10-Day Uganda tour focuses on some of Uganda's major national parks: Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale Forest National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park. Among the attractions are the big five mammals, the Gorillas, and Chimpanzees.
What is included
One non-resident Gorilla permit and Chimpanzee tracking permit per person;
Park fees for non-residents;
All activities are mentioned as specified in the meal plans (unless clearly labelled as optional);
All accommodation properties mentioned in the itinerary;
A professional and experienced English-speaking driver/tour guide;
All transportation mentioned, including fuel;
Mineral water and fruits while on the way.
What is not included
International flights from/to the client's home country;
Additional accommodation before and after the end of the tour;
Accommodation upgrades are also not included;
Tips, souvenirs, personal purchases, travel insurance, and visa fees;
Other soft drinks, premium soft drinks, and extra meals are not mentioned in the itinerary.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How do we travel around Uganda on this 10-day route?
The whole route is by road with a driver guide. From Entebbe you drive to Murchison Falls on day 2, stopping at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary on the way. Day 4 goes to Kibale, day 6 to Queen Elizabeth National Park, and day 7 through the Ishasha sector to Bwindi. Day 9 is a drive to Lake Mburo with a lunch stop in Mbarara, and day 10 returns to Entebbe airport.
When is the best time for the Uganda primates and wildlife trip?
January, February, June to August and December score highest, with firmer trails on the Bwindi ridges and clear light for game drives and cruises. July and August are the peak dry months, and permits sell out early. March and September are alternatives. April, May, October and November are the wettest, with slippery slopes and muddy tracks.
What does a typical day on this Uganda safari look like?
Most days start after breakfast with a drive or an activity, such as a morning game drive at Murchison, followed by an afternoon boat cruise. Primate days begin with a ranger briefing, then a trek: chimpanzees at Kibale on day 5 and gorillas at Bwindi on day 8, with a briefing at 8 am and one hour with the gorillas. Evenings are at the lodge.
What can be adjusted on the Uganda itinerary?
Trek lengths depend on where the chimpanzees and gorillas are found, so keep those days open. Day 10 starts with an early guided walk at Lake Mburo with a ranger before the transfer to Entebbe airport, which you can fit around your flight time. Gorilla and chimpanzee dates are tied to permits, so share your dates early.
Can you combine more than one country in a single trip?
Yes. Many of our journeys cross borders, for example Botswana with Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, or Cape Town with a safari and the Falls. Tell us the places you have in mind through the enquiry form and we will plan the route and transfers as one itinerary.
What meals are included on safari?
Meals depend on the camp or lodge and are set out in your itinerary. On safari they are usually taken at camp, with a picnic or packed meal on some days. Tell us about any dietary needs when you enquire.
Do I need vaccinations or medication before an African safari?
Health requirements depend on where you are travelling from and where you are going, and they change. Check your country's official travel health advice or TravelHealthPro (travelhealthpro.org.uk), and see a travel clinic well before you depart. Ask about malaria prevention early.
What should I pack for an African safari?
Lightweight, breathable clothing that covers your arms and legs helps against sun and insects, in neutral colours. Bring comfortable closed shoes (boots if you will walk), a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, binoculars and a camera with spare batteries and memory cards. Your itinerary lists any luggage limits for charter flights.
How do I stay safe on safari?
Your guides brief you on how to behave around wildlife. Follow their instructions, stay in the vehicle or camp area as told, and never approach or disturb animals. Conditions differ by country and change over time, so check your government's current travel advice before you book and again before you travel.
On this trip
Photographs from the route, not stock library scenery.
Book it in this order
Work down the list. Each step depends on the one above it.
Field notes
The practical detail that decides whether a trip runs smoothly.
Rhinos on foot at Ziwa
On the way to Murchison Falls you stop at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to track southern white rhinos at close range.
Murchison's boat and falls
On day three you cruise upstream to the foot of the falls, then walk up beside them. Bring a rain jacket for the spray and a hat for the sun.
Chimpanzees and the Bigodi swamp
Tracking starts with a briefing at Kanyanchu visitor centre. In the afternoon the Bigodi wetlands offer a swamp walk and birding, with a chance of the rare papyrus gonolek.
Tree-climbing lions
The Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth is known for lions that rest in fig trees. Sightings are possible, not guaranteed.
Gorilla tracking kit
Wear waterproof boots, gaiters, long sleeves and gardening gloves. A porter can be hired locally to carry your daypack.
A morning walk at Lake Mburo
On the last morning you walk in the park with an armed ranger, where hippos come out of the water and hyenas return to their dens.
Plan this journey
Make this trip your own
Every journey is planned around your dates and your party. Tell us who is travelling and when, and a specialist will come back with a tailored itinerary and a quote. Payment is by invoice.
