7 Days: Gorillas, Chimpanzees & Queen Elizabeth National park safari
Overview
Uganda is home to a remarkable 13 primate species, Kibale Forest National Park having the highest concentration, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Semliki Wildlife Reserve, Budongo and Kanyiyo Padidi Forest near Murchison Falls National Park. You can also find them on Ngamba Island, also referred to as Chimp Islands. On this island there are mostly orphans who have been rescued for various reasons. This is a different setting than places such Kibale Forest, Kyambura Gorge or Kanyiyo Padidi where they live in the wild. Visiting chimpanzee habitants is one of the greatest experience one keeps with for all his life time. The way the chimpanzee feeds, climb, responds to human presence, mate, baby seat and care for their young ones, is so amazing. A visit in the morning or in the evening allows you to see how they make and unmake their beds. Leaving their nests is announced by drumming of tree buttresses, roots and screams
Monkeys often interbreed in Kibale Forest. You can find red tailed monkeys in Uganda in Kibale Forest, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Semuliki and Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Visit the Mountain gorillas which are highly endangered primates and only survive by increased conservation efforts. Of all the 670 surviving Mountain Gorillas in the world, over half of this population is found in Bwindi impenetrable forest and Mgahinga Gorilla national park making gorilla tracking a predominant activity in these parks. Trekking is a captivating lifetime experience involving guided tours to the habitants of these great apes
Itinerary
Day 1: Kampala city – Kibale national park
Early in the morning you will be picked up from the hotel or guesthouse of your choice in Kampala or Entebbe town and leave for Kibale Forest National park. This park is located in the western side of Uganda fort portal town being the closest town near the park perhaps Uganda’s cleanest town in the western region. In the afternoon you will arrive at Kibale Forest Camp enjoy your rest and prepare for a full Chimpanzee tracking activity, sleeping with in the tropical rain forest will be interesting hearing monkeys and other mammals in the nearby.
Driving time: ± 6,5 hours
Day 1 and 2
Budget Tour: Kibale Forest Camp – camping
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking
After an early breakfast at 08.00am to 15aminutes, you will start with a 4-hour chimpanzee tracking with greater opportunities to watch 10 other primates in the wildness! Chimp tracking can also be done in the afternoon at 2.00 pm depending on availability. Kibale NP is also known for all different butterflies and birds’ species. After lunch in the afternoon you will walk through Bigodi Swamp (home to a community based project). This has been initiated by the locals in promoting local tourism in Kibale district as this has heip in the conservation of the natural environment by engaging the communities in such activities
Day 3: Kibale national park – Queen Elizabeth National park
In the early morning of your third day you will leave for Queen Elizabeth national park. You will be driven and travel through Fort Portal town joining fort portal to Kasese road and enjoying the great plains and un ending valleys of the Rwenzori region and reach Simba tourist camp/ Bush Lodge in Queen Elizabeth national park at mid-day, with a stunningly beautiful view over Kazinga Channel a home of high concentration of wildlife such as Hippos, Buffalos, Antelope among more. You will check in at your accommodation and have lunch, and in the late afternoon (4.00-7.00pm) your guide will be present and waiting to begin his duties in the park for a game drive which you don’t need to miss since wildlife will be coming out from their hidings to graze and hunt for food in the evening.
Driving time: ± 4,5 hours
Day 3 and 4
Budget Tour: Simba camp/The Bush Lodge – camping
Day 4: Full Day safari in Queen Elizabeth national park
Wake up early morning and enjoy having breakfast before a game drive on the plains of Queen Elizabeth national park, with thousands of Ugandan kobs, lions, elephants etc will be at your closest eye point since most of the mammals will still be grazing before leaving to their hide outs that moring and some being nocturnal animals which can rarely be seen during day. Return back at the camp or lodge for breakfast and have a few minutes to relax with memories of the game drive
Also as per the program is a two hours launch trip on the Kazinga channel where you will see most of the mammals on the waterside some resting, drinking lake water and some taking a sun bath. Later In the evening you will join your game truck and leave for a game drive to the mating grounds of the Uganda Kobs in kasenyi. The day ends back at the Bush Lodge, enjoying a great view of the park and what an amazing pearl of Africa this is.
Day 5: Queen Elizabeth – Bwindi Impenetrable national park
After breakfast on the fifth day, you will depart Queen Elizabeth national towards the southern part of Uganda, passing the southern sector of the National Park. This part is Ishasha sector of queen Elizabeth and is famous for its tree climbing lions which makes this section of the park an attraction of its nature visiting the lions climbing in straight and tall trees. Along on your way you will stop to observe some mammals and also stop at Savannah Resort in Kihihi for Lunch. You will continue the journey through Rukugiri District passing villages, cultivated farms, and hills before you reach Bwindi later in the evening. Check in at the accommodation, dinner and overnight at your booked lodge/hotel as will be desided upon on inquiry.
Day 5 and 6
Budget Tour: Gorilla Valley Lodge or Travellers Rest Hotel
Day 6: Full day Gorilla tracking
You will be transported by your safari guide to the starting point of Bwindi Impenetrable national park to meet ranger guides and porters to escort you to the mountain during the trek and first receive briefing for your tracking, receiving various do’s and dont’s during the trek and on finding gorillas at (7.45am) and at 8.30am you will start tracking gorillas. On finding the gorillas, you will be able to spend up to one hour with them, as your guide will be there for you to explaining various factal description of their behavior, which family you have come across and any other relevant information about the gorillas.
You will be expected back to the starting point by 7.00pm at the latest. On your way back to the start point, you still have great opportunities to find other primates which are mountain dwellers; your driver will be waiting to transfer you back to the lodge for and overnight.
Day 7: Bwindi national park – Kampala
Early in the morning after breakfast and prepare your stuff and be joined by a guide who will be travelling you back to Kampala. On the way back to the city you will have lunch in Mbarara town, and after Masaka there will be an opportunity to a stop at the Equator for photo shoots and buying souvenirs and have tea or coffee if in need.
We will then bring you to a guesthouse, campsite or hotel of your choice in Kampala or Entebbe – or, if your continuing your holiday somewhere else or back home, we will bring you directly to Entebbe airport for an onwards flight.
Driving time: ± 9 hours
Return flight or an extra night in the Guesthouse for just $ 85 a double / $75 a single (including BB and airport transfer)
Departure & Prices
7 Days One Amazing African Week
Tour Price p.p
1 persons US$ 3,495 per person
2 persons US$ 2,890 per person
Pricing details – Included/Not included
Gorilla Permit Guarantee
We sell our tours with gorilla permits. If no permits are available for a tour, cancelling is free of charge and any money paid in advance will be refunded.
Included in the price for this trip
Guides
Vehicle
Fuel
English speaking driver
Meals (around US$ 30 per person per day)
Gorilla permit ($700 we organize it for you)
Park entrance
Accommodation
Breakfast
Bottled water
Rangers in the parks
Not included in the price for this trip
Drinks
Tips
Porters
Laundry services
Any other activities in Kisoro
Visa (Uganda)
Any other personal interests
The first and last night in Uganda
Permits
In Uganda: US$ 700
Transport
4WD Toyota Land Cruisers
These are our own cars and drivers. The cars are well maintained and our drivers are experienced and English speaking Ugandans.