Uganda Primate Safari Tour | 9 Days

From $3849
2pax: per person sharing
Visiting: Kibale Forest, Semliki Forest, Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi Impenetrable National park, Mgahinga Gorilla NP.
What to Expect
- Feel natural power of hot-springs.
- Amazing boat cruise on Kazinga channel
- wildlife Safari searching for tree lions
- Overwhelming 13 species of monkeys
- Walk to meet chimps in the wild.
- Reconnect with local people.
- Spectacular Virunga Volcanoes.
- Trek to see Gorillas face to face – 2 times – Double Trekking
Route Map
Uganda Primate Safari Tour – 9 Days
This Uganda Primate Safari takes you to experience shoebill, Uganda’s most admired bird. Like all birds, shoebills are a descendant of dinosaurs whose beak is broad shaped like a shoe. Visit Semliki forest to experience natural power of Hotsprings. Come face to face with Chimpanzees in Kibale forest, impressive 13 primate’s species. Re connect with locals in a community swamp walk viewing Rwenzori Mountains. Check off amazing birds, animals on a boat cruise across the rift valley on Kazinga channel. Go further south, look up to find Ishasha’s lions climbing in big fig trees. Complete your Uganda journey to the Bwindi impenetrable forest and Mgahinga gorilla national park, with magical hour with mountain gorillas. Uganda is much more than gorillas; enjoy optional insightful community.
This tour has an option of taking a local flight back – one way to Entebbe airport to avoid 8 to 9 hours of driving to Entebbe on the last day.
Summary:
- Day 0: Arrive at Entebbe airport.
- Day 1: Drive to Kibale Forest National Park
- Day 2: Today go tracking chimpanzees and observing their behaviors.
- Day 3: Drive to Semliki national park, Forest walk to experience Hotsprings.
- Day 4: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park and explore it during afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga channel and evening game drive for viewing animals.
- Day 5: In Queen Elizabeth – South Section – Ishasha, for tree climbing lions
- Day 6: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Day 7: First Gorilla Trekking,
- Day 8: Drive to Mgahinga National Park
- Day 9: Opt for Second gorilla trekking or Golden Monkey trek, view Virunga volcanoes.
- Day 10: Take Local flight from Kisoro airstrip to Entebbe airport for International flight.
Cancellation policy:
If you need to change your travel plans, we offer free date changes or tour deposit paid (20%) will be transferred to future tour or refunded on early cancellation.
No cancellation fee is charged on ground trip cost until 28 days before trip departure.
- 27 – 15 days to trip departure, 20% cancellation fee is charged
- 14 – 0 days to trip departure, 100% cancellation fee is charged
**Gorilla permits and Chimpanzee permits are 100% non-refundable.
Please check our booking policy and conditions
Uganda Primate Safari Tour – 9 Days
Day 0: Arrival at Entebbe Airport
Arrival meet and great our representative & transfer to your hotel in Entebbe City.
- Accommodation: Own Arrangement.
Day 1: Entebbe – Mabamba Bay Shoebill Experience to Kibale Forest National Park.
7 am, meet your private guide at your hotel. Transfer by private car to Lake Victoria. At 2424hectares, Mabamba swamp is one of the few remaining on Lake Victoria. Mabamba swamp is characterized by small channels of marsh-filled water and lagoons and is a habitat to the shoe-bill. The shoebill’s feet and claws look very similar to many dinosaur fossils, including two that it is believed these birds came from.
Pass by townships and local suburbs on mixed surfaced and dirty roads, arriving at Mabamba bay landing site on Lake Victoria. Located at least 57kms from Kampala city. It takes one and half hours from Kampala City and /or an hour’s drive from Entebbe city to Mabamba bay – a massive papyrus swamp.
Canoe ride: You will board wooden boats with engine and there after traditional peddle canoeing in search of mainly the Shoebill which usually hides in the mash to looking for fish.
Recent sightings indicate Mabamba boasts of 9-15 shoebills and is a must-visit place for bird watchers who come to Uganda. Duration: 3 hours.
After transfer to Kibale forest national park. The is a very beautiful journey with stunning diverse landscapes. The hills and mountains you will drive through will become greener and greener until you come to the tea plantations of Fort Portal!
- Drive distance and time: 340 Km, 5.5 hrs
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Day 2: Kibale Forest National Park
Today morning at 7.30 am, we transfer to Kanyanchu gate to meet Chimpanzees. Kibale National park is an extension of the great rainforests of central Africa. It is inhabited by three large “communities” of chimps, with over 120 individuals.
In Kibale, here you will find one of the largest populations of chimpanzees in Africa – about 1450 individuals. Today you will do Chimpanzee ‘tracking’.
Chimp walking time: 2 to 3 hours.
What to carry: Remember to carry bottled drinking water, rain gear, in your backpack and walking/hiking shoes.
It will be perfect opportunity to listen to the chimps as the grumble and feed. Only one community is allowed to be visited by tourists. Chimpanzees live in communities. Each community has a complicated social structure. The big adult males dominate the group and defend the community territory against other male intruders; the females usually wander in small family groups. Rangers locate the chimps by listening for their pant-hooting calls, following their eating trails.
There are chances of seeing other primates namely; the Guereza colobus monkey, red-tailed monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, and olive baboons as well as the Red colobus monkey considered endangered and the rare L’Hoest’s monkey that is considered Vulnerable and…plentiful of forest bird life.
Today afternoon at 3pm, you will be to explore Bigodi swamp & community in a village walk (3 hours). Search for other primates including: I’hoestes, red colobus, blues, red tailed and gray – cheeked mangabey, bird species like the Great blue Turaco, bees’ eaters and many more. Experience how primates and birds live with the community, amazing farm life & community life experiences like basket weaving, learning how to roast coffee beans, and taste coffee prepared by yourself in a traditional coffee brewing tour. You could also learn how to process banana beer & banana gin the local African way. Later head back to your lodge. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included.
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included.
Day 3: To Semuliki National Park
Your guide will drive you to Semlinki Forest. It is the only true lowland forest in East Africa that has survived the last ice age.
You will head out on 2 hours forest walk to view Sempaya hot springs. Expect to see both Male and Female hot springs boiling at over 100C. Your guide will demonstrate by boiling eggs and plantain to check hotness of the springs. After you will transfer to Fort portal City for overnight.
- Drive distance and time: 100 Km, 2 hrs
Day 4: To Queen Elizabeth National Park – Boat cruise on Kazinga channel
Today early morning you will transfer by road 2 hours to Queen Elisabeth NP. Enjoy magnificent views of Rwenzori Mountains. Check in at the lodge in Queen Elizabeth NP. At 2pm you will go for a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel (2 hours approx.) Look out for the hippos, great herds of Bufallos, and lots of water birds by the channel side. Later we drive out for evening game drive up to 7pm. look out for the lions, buffalos, elephants, and large numbers of Uganda Kobs and other antelopes. Finally check into your lodge.
- Drive distance and time: 120 Km, 2.5 hrs
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included.
Day 5: In Queen Elizabeth South Section- Ishasha for tree climbing lions
You will drive to Ishasha (2 ½ hours approx.) Ishasha is famous for tree climbing lions. There are chances of finding lions in the trees by the roadside. Please note that there is no guarantee but our guide will maximize all regular hot spots to increase chances of sighting. You will stay a night to get more chance of seeing tree lions.
Day 6: In Queen Elizabeth National Park – Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Today morning you will transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National park, after picnic lunch you will continue to Bwindi Impenetrable national park.
Depending on the park gate of gorilla permits available at time of booking, we will proceed to one of the following three sectors: Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija and Kisoro/Mgahinga gorilla gate.
Drive distance and time: 5 hrs
Driving time to Bwindi: 3 to 6 hours (160 to 300 Kms) depending on location/gate of gorilla permit reserved at time of booking.
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included.
*Please note the choice of lodging today will be determined by location of Gorilla permits available at time of booking!
Day 7: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Gorilla Trekking
Breakfast and take a short transfer to Bwindi NP office, where you will meet up with excellent local rangers and trackers, who will give a talk on the etiquette of gorilla trekking. Thereafter, hike into the forest with your packed lunch. After this exciting experience, it’s time to relax at the lodge and view your photos.
- In Bwindi NP (Uganda), there are 20 habituated gorilla families that can be viewed by tourists.
- In Mgahinga NP (Uganda), there is 1 habituated gorilla family for tourist viewing.
- Each of the families can be visited by a maximum of 8 people daily and the viewing lasts only 1 hour.
The trekking can take from 2 to 9 hours and climb to altitudes in excess of 7,500 feet. After finding gorillas, you will spend a maximum of 1 hour viewing them. The terrain can get tough and at times muddy. Although the hike is physically demanding the beauty of the forest and surrounding scenery make the trekking worthwhile. Once the gorillas are located all fatigue is forgotten, as the experience is often described as being the most profound natural history experience in the world. It can rain at a few minutes’ notice; hence waterproof clothing is a good essential including zip lock bags for cameras. It is important to take plenty of water.
After gorilla trekking our guide will transfer you to Kisoro Town. This is the last stopover town on your way to Mgahinga National Park. You will be viewing the Virunga Volcanoes. Drive time will depend on the location of gorilla permit booked on day 7.
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included.
Day 8: To Mgahinga Gorilla National Park – Second Gorilla trekking encounter
You will drive to Mgahinga national park gate from where you will start another gorilla trekking expedition. Today you will see gorillas from a different gate in Mgahinga national park.
Remember every gorilla encounter is a different experience. After your guide will drive you to your hotel for rest.
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included.
Day 9: Local Flight from Kisoro to Entebbe international Airport & Departure
Today our guide will drive you to Kisoro Airstrip for local flight to Entebbe airport. If your return flight is at night, it is possible to arrange a pick up to a hotel for a day room at extra cost. It is also possible to transfer by road trip to Entebbe airport for 8 to 9 hours.
TIP: We can customize this tour to start any date. If you like you could also choose add any extra day to see Golden monkeys in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
End of Uganda primate Safari tour (9 days)
Price Includes
- Meet and greet on arrival
- Park Entrances, Mabamba bay shoebill
- English Speaking Private driver/guide and rangers in the park
- All transfers
- Transportation in 4WD Toyota Safari Vehicle
- English speaking driver guide.
- Accommodation in en-suite rooms
- Pick up from Entebbe International Airport
- All activities/tours as noted in the itinerary:
- 1 Forest walk to Sempaya Hotsprings
- 1 boat cruise on Kazinga channel
- 2 game drives
- 1 Bigodi swamp & community walk
- 1 Chimpanzee tracking permit per person (Kibale forest)
- Full Board (Dinner, Breakfast, Lunch as on indicated on itinerary)
Price Excludes
- Air ticket.
- Drinks
- Uganda Visa.
- Porters on trekking
- 2 Gorilla permits per person (we arrange it for you)
- -Bwindi Gorilla permit: $700 per person
- -One-way flight ticket Mgahinga gorilla permit: $700 per person
- Kisoro to Entebbe: $353 one way.
- Tips to guides and staffs.
- All optional activities.
- Any meals not indicated on itinerary
- Items of personal nature, entertainment, any other optimal activity,
- The last nights in hotel in Entebbe.
Day | Destination | Comfort | Premium |
0 | Arrival – Entebbe | ||
1 | Kibale Forest NPK | Kibale Forest Camp | Chimpundu Lodge |
2 | Kibale Forest NPK | Kibale Forest Camp | Chimpundu Lodge |
3 | Semliki Forest NPK | Dutchess Guest House | Semliki Safari lodge |
4 | Queen Elizabeth NPK | Bush Lodge | Katara Lodge |
5 | Queen Elizabeth NPK | Embogo lodge | Ishasha Wilderness |
6 & 7 | Bwindi NPK |
|
|
8 | To Mgahinga | Mutanda Lake Resort | Mt Gahinga Lodge |
9 | Mgahinga | Mutanda lake Resort | Mt Gahinga Lodge |
9 | Entebbe – Departure |
Meals-Full Board: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour can be arranged for extra cost!
Lodging mentioned depends on availability of rooms at the time of booking. Reservations will be made after you have confirmed booking with us.
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