8 Days Uganda Gorilla And Wildlife Safari Tour

8 days Uganda safari reflects Uganda’s most diverse wildlife habitats. You will visit 4 national parks and a rhino sanctuary which offer amazing wildlife viewing while you stay in luxury/mid-range or budget lodges depending on what you like.

The safari starts by tracking southern white rhinos at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary along with sightings of elephants, lions, Rothschild’s giraffe, and herds of Uganda kobs in Uganda’s largest conservation area Murchison Falls bisected by the Nile.

Then enjoy the drive through rift valley escarpments near oil-rich Albertine graben to Kibale forest where you track chimpanzees along with 12 primate species and spot tree-climbing lions in the grasslands plains of Ishasha Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Lastly, your safari ends after seeing gorillas in Bwindi a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After this trip, you will have had so much of Uganda’s wildlife including gorillas, the big five, birds, and reptiles. Do remember to bring your binoculars if you love birds.

Highlights of The Trip

Track the mountain gorillas in the Bwindi rainforest
Go on Rhino tracking on foot at Ziwa rhino sanctuary
Spot big mammals on game drives and boat cruises in Murchison Falls River Nile and in
Queen Elizabeth National Park Kazinga channel.
Chimpanzee tracking/habituation Kibale forest national park

Safari Includes

Transfers with guide/driver to all parks and to Entebbe airport or Kampala
All meals, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided for 7 nights.
Entrance fees to all parks

Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Travel to Murchison Falls National Park

You will meet with your guide early morning in Kampala and transfer to your lodge in Murchison Falls (5-7 hours drive).

A stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary en route allows you to track rhinos on foot and have lunch. Afternoon, you will hike to the top of Murchison Falls and later cross Karuma Bridge to your lodge.

Accommodation Options: Pakuba Safari Lodge/Murchison River Lodge/Paraa Safari Lodge

Day 2: Game Drive and Boat Launch on River Nile

Early morning, you will do a game drive safari through Buligi game tracks along the Albert-Nile delta often allows close viewing of elephants, buffaloes, lions, Rothschild’s giraffe, Uganda kob, and hyenas. There are many leopards but often hiding. After lunch, you will go for the afternoon boat trip on the River Nile looking for hippos, Nile crocodiles, and water birds, and the icing on the cake of this experience will be the viewing of the devil’s cauldron.

The boat ride takes around 2 hours and it will end early evening where you will return to your lodge for dinner and night’s stay.

Accommodation Options: Pakuba Safari Lodge/Murchison River Lodge/Paraa Safari Lodge

Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park

After breakfast, you will transfer to Kibale Forest National Park, home to 13 species of primates including chimpanzees. You will make a stopover in Hoime to have lunch and then proceed your journey till you reach Fort Portal where you have a short evening drive around the city. Afterward, you will go to your lodge for dinner and a night’s rest.

Accommodation Options: Kibale Forest Camp, Chimpanzee Guest House, Turaco Tree, Crater Safari Lodge, Papaya Lake Lodge

Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Breakfast early morning, you will head to the Kanyanchu visitor center to meet the park ranger for a briefing about chimpanzee tracking.

You will then begin your trek through the Kibale forest with the Uganda Wildlife Authority park ranger to access the homes of the chimpanzees. When you find the chimpanzees, you will spend 1 hour with them.

An interaction with the chimpanzee is such an absorbing experience because of the shrewd and playful antics they exhibit. After watching the chimpanzees in the wild, you will return to your lodge for lunch.

Later in the afternoon, you will transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park arriving at your lodge late evening.
Accommodation Options: Twins Lake Safari Lodge/Parkview Lodge/Mweya Safari Lodge/Enjojo Lodge/Ishasha Jungle Lodge

Day 5: Queen Elizabeth N.P Morning Game Drive and Afternoon Boat Cruise

You will have an early morning game drive to catch up with the early risers such as lions, elephants, buffaloes, kobs, and many more. The game drive will take the whole of your morning since Kasenyi is such a huge area to cover. At noon, you will get back to your lodge for lunch and refresh to get ready for the boat ride experience.

Mid-afternoon, you will drive to Mweya dock to catch up with the 2:00 p.m. boat ride at Kazinga channel. You will sail through this eye-catching waterway sighting different water creatures such as crocodiles, hippos, and birds, and also the elephants and buffaloes are seen on the banks quenching their thirst as the sun settles down.

The boat ride ends after 3 hours at around 5 o’clock in the evening and you will return to your lodge for supper and night’s rest.

Accommodation Options: Twins Lake Safari Lodge/Parkview Lodge/Mweya Safari Lodge/Enjojo Lodge/Ishasha Jungle Lodge

Day 6: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

After breakfast, you will transfer further southwestern Uganda to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park via Ishasha sector for a chance to spot tree-climbing lions.

En route, you will make a stopover in Kihihi Town for lunch. Then you will continue with your journey till you reach your lodge in the Bwindi Area in the evening.

Accommodation: Mahogany Springs/Bwindi Lodge/Agaandi Lodge/Gorilla Safari Lodge/Icumbi Lodge

Day 7: Bwindi Gorilla Tracking & Community Walk

After breakfast around 07:00 am, you will head to the gorilla center for briefing about gorilla tracking experience. You will then lead to the starting point to trek through the forest in a group of 8 people searching for gorillas. The trek will take you 3-6 hours depending on where you find them. Once you find the gorillas, you will be allowed to spend 1-hour taking photos and learning some of their social behaviour.

You will return to the lodge for lunch. in the afternoon you may relax or take a walk around the local communities, meet the villagers learn how their traditional lifestyles such as farming, and in the evening have dinner and overnight at your lodge.