9 Day Best of Uganda Primates and Wildlife Safari

Price

Duration

9 Days

Language

English

Tour Summary

This 9-day Uganda safari takes you to the country’s best savannah and rainforest parks, offering unforgettable wildlife and primate experiences. You will visit:

Lake Mburo National Park – for game drives and boat cruises

Murchison Falls National Park – for breathtaking waterfalls, wildlife, and Nile river cruises

Queen Elizabeth National Park – for game drives and Kazinga Channel boat cruise

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – home to half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas for gorilla trekking

Kibale National Park – for chimpanzee trekking

This safari offers an extraordinary opportunity to connect with wildlife and nature. Carry your camera—you’ll want to capture every moment.

Day 1: Entebbe/Kampala → Lake Mburo National Park

Your Wild Ape driver-guide picks you up from your hotel or Entebbe International Airport. Stop at the Equator in Kayabwe for some fun photos, then continue to Lake Mburo.

Check in at the lodge for lunch before heading out for a boat cruise and game drive. Spot zebras, eland, buffaloes, hippos, crocodiles, and other wildlife. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation Options

Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner
Drive Time: 5–6 hours

Day 2: Nature Walk & Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast, enjoy a morning guided nature walk to spot giraffes, zebras, and impalas. Continue with an en-route game drive while transferring to Bwindi. Travel through Mbarara and Ntungamo, capturing scenic plantations and hills.

Arrive at the lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation Options

Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner
Drive Time: 5–6 hours

Day 3: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi

After breakfast, meet at the park headquarters for a briefing. Trekking can last 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on your gorilla family’s location.

Enjoy one hour with these gentle giants, observing and photographing their fascinating behaviors. Receive your gorilla trekking certificate, then return to the lodge for relaxation.

Accommodation & Meal Plan: Same as Day 2 (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP → Afternoon Game Drive

After breakfast, depart Bwindi and drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Arrive in time for lunch and check-in. Later, enjoy an afternoon game drive where waterbucks, buffaloes, warthogs, and antelopes roam freely. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation Options

Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch
Drive Time: 4–5 hours

Day 5: Morning Game Drive & Afternoon Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise and Transfer to Kibale National Park

Start with an early morning game drive on the Kasenyi plains — lions and leopards may make a surprise appearance. Return to the lodge for lunch.

In the afternoon, enjoy a relaxing boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, home to hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffalo, and a rich variety of birds. You will later transfer to Kibale National Park for overnight.

Accommodation Options

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Time: 2–3 hours

Day 6: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale and Bigodi Swamp Walk

After breakfast, trek through Kibale Forest with park rangers to find playful chimpanzees. Enjoy one hour with them, then receive your chimpanzee trekking certificate. Return to the lodge for lunch and a relaxing afternoon exploring the forest or lodge surroundings. Dinner and overnight.

Accommodation & Meal Plan: Same as Day 5

Day 7: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

Drive through scenic countryside and villages toward Murchison Falls National Park. Stop for lunch en route and at the top of the falls for spectacular views. Check in at the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation Options

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Time: 6–7 hours

Day 8: Morning Game Drive & Afternoon Boat Cruise to the Bottom of the Falls

Start the day with a game drive in Paraa, spotting giraffes, buffaloes, hippos, antelopes, and possibly lions or leopards. Return to the lodge for lunch.

In the afternoon, take a 2-hour boat cruise to the base of the falls, witnessing the Nile squeezing through a narrow gorge and exploding out in a breathtaking spectacle. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation & Meal Plan: Same as Day 8

Day 9: Murchison Falls → Entebbe via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

After breakfast, check out and travel toward Entebbe. Stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking before continuing to Entebbe/Kampala. Lunch en-route, then drop-off at your hotel or the airport.

Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch
Drive Time: 6–7 hours

Day 1: Pick-up from Entebbe/Kampala and transfer to Lake Mburo National Park for afternoon game drive and boat cruise

Day 2: Morning Nature walk and en route game drive and drive to Bwindi impenetrable national Park

Day 3: Gorilla trekking experience

Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth for afternoon game drive

Day 5: Morning game drive and Afternoon cruise on the Kazinga channel and Transfer to Kibale National Park

Day 6: chimpanzee trekking in Kibale

Day 7: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

Day 8: Morning game drive and Boat cruise

Day 9: Transfer back to Entebbe via Ziwa rhino sanctuary for rhino tracking

Cost Includes
  • Gorilla & chimpanzee permits
  • Airport transfers (arrival & departure)
  • 4×4 safari vehicle + fuel
  • Game drives, boat cruises, nature walks, rhino tracking
  • Accommodation & meals as per itinerary
  • English-speaking driver-guide
  • Park entrance fees
  • Drinking water in the vehicle
Cost Excludes
  • Pre/post-tour accommodation in Entebbe/Kampala
  • International flights
  • Uganda Visa (USD 50 – apply online)
  • Personal items: tips, drinks, laundry

Permits

  • Gorilla Permit:
    • Non-residents: USD 800
    • Foreign residents: USD 700
    • Rest of Africa: USD 500
    • East African Citizens: UGX 300,000
  • Chimpanzee Permit:
    • Foreign non-residents: USD 250
    • Foreign residents: USD 200

Permits include park entry, ranger services, and primate encounters.

Transport

  • Optional flight to Bwindi; road travel recommended for scenic value and cost efficiency.
  • 4×4 safari vehicles with AC and professional driver-guide.

Gorilla Trekking Regions

Bwindi has four sectors: Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, Nkuringo. Lodges selected according to permits.

Activities Covered

  • Gorilla trekking (Bwindi)
  • Chimpanzee trekking & Bigodi Wetland Walk (Kibale)
  • Game drives & boat cruises (Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls)
  • Rhino tracking (Ziwa)
  • Nature walks

Extra Costs

Visas (USD 50), tipping, drinks, and personal expenses.

Best Time to Go

Dry seasons: June–Sept & Dec–Feb.
Permits recommended 2–6 months in advance. Gorilla sightings remain 99% even in rainy season.

What to Pack

  • Gorilla & chimpanzee permits
  • Airport transfers (arrival & departure)
  • 4×4 safari vehicle + fuel
  • Game drives, boat cruises, nature walks, rhino tracking
  • Accommodation & meals as per itinerary
  • English-speaking driver-guide
  • Park entrance fees
  • Drinking water in the vehicle

ack

  • Long trousers & long-sleeved shirts (neutral)
  • Waterproof hiking boots
  • Lightweight rain jacket
  • Gardening gloves
  • Hat, insect repellent, sunscreen
  • Reusable water bottle
  • Camera + extra batteries

Passport & travel documents

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