Uganda’s Gorillas & Chimps

Overview

To give an insight into the types of luxury travel experiences we create, please view the sample itinerary below. It can either be treated as a standalone program, incorporated into a longer itinerary, or modified to match your particular interests and budget. Alternatively, you may wish for us to start with a blank canvas, to handcraft a personalised itinerary based on what you want and nothing more. Prices will fluctuate based on the time of year, length of stay, accommodation choices, number of participants and inclusions.

We pride ourselves in our ability to plan and execute every trip to perfection.

Itinerary

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, meet your Travulous representative and transfer to your accommodation for check-in.
Spend the rest of your day at leisure enjoying some of Entebbe’s sites or relaxing at your accommodation.
Meals: All meals at own arrangement.
Overnight: Speak to us or browse the accommodation section below for inspiration. Your custom itinerary will contain full descriptions of your chosen properties.
Activities: Let's plan your safari! Contact us to learn about available activities.
After breakfast, meet your Travulous guide and depart for Kibale National Park, one of Africa's greatest rainforest reserves, famous for its variety of primates and bird populations. Travel through a breath-taking landscape that forms the Albertine Western Rift Valley.
Kibale National Park contains one of the most varied tracts of tropical forest in Uganda. Forest cover, interspersed with patches of grassland and swamp, dominates the northern and central parts of the park on an elevated plateau.
Spend the remainder of the afternoon at leisure enjoying your accommodation’s facilities. Alternatively, enjoy a visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, keeping a lookout for primates, birds and butterflies.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Speak to us or browse the accommodation section below for inspiration. Your custom itinerary will contain full descriptions of your chosen properties.
Activities: Let's plan your safari! Contact us to learn about available activities.
After an early breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for chimpanzee tracking.
Home to thirteen primate species, Kibale Forest contains one of Africa's largest concentrations of primates, including chimpanzees, colobus and vervet monkeys, and over 320 species of birds.
Kibale’s most popular activity is the Kanyanchu Primate Walk, where 13 species of primates can be found. Kanyanchu’s chimps have been tracked since 1993 and the chances of locating them are excellent. Guided walks start at 8am and 2pm and typically last an average of 3 hours. You will spend up to an hour with the chimpanzees.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Speak to us or browse the accommodation section below for inspiration. Your custom itinerary will contain full descriptions of your chosen properties.
Activities: Let's plan your safari! Contact us to learn about available activities.
Today you transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, one of UNESCO’s world heritage sites. The national park is also home to one of Uganda's oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests, protecting roughly half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas, including several habituated groups for tourists to visit. The park offers some of the finest montane forest birding in Africa.
Spend the rest of the day at leisure enjoying your accommodation's facilities or choose to go for an optional forest walk to see the spectacular falls, followed by dinner in the evening.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Speak to us or browse the accommodation section below for inspiration. Your custom itinerary will contain full descriptions of your chosen properties.
Activities: Let's plan your safari! Contact us to learn about available activities.
After an early breakfast, depart for mountain gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
The activity starts with a briefing at 8am at the park headquarters. After the briefing you depart with the guide and rangers to find the mountain gorillas. The time spent tracking gorillas in Uganda depends and varies from half an hour to eight hours depending on the gorilla movements.
Although the hike can be physically demanding, the beauty of the forest and its inhabitants is a fascinating and very rewarding experience. Once the gorilla families have been found, your visit with these great apes lasts for one magical hour.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Speak to us or browse the accommodation section below for inspiration. Your custom itinerary will contain full descriptions of your chosen properties.
Activities: Let's plan your safari! Contact us to learn about available activities.
After breakfast, transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. The park is home to a multitude of wildlife including zebra, impala, buffalo, leopard, hyena, jackal, hippos, crocodiles and a variety of birds, including papyrus gonoleks, warblers and the blue-headed coucal.
Check into your accommodation and enjoy a late afternoon game drive, returning to your accommodation for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Speak to us or browse the accommodation section below for inspiration. Your custom itinerary will contain full descriptions of your chosen properties.
Activities: Let's plan your safari! Contact us to learn about available activities.
After breakfast and an early morning game drive, transfer to Entebbe International Airport and your homebound flight.
Alternatively, consider extending this trip by adding one of our Extension Ideas (see below) to this program.
Meals: Breakfast included, lunch and dinner at own arrangement.

General Info

Tailor-made

Uganda

Duration: 7 days

Lodges/Camps: 4>5*

SUV or Traditional 4x4

Fitness: Demanding

Your money: protected

Travel Notes: see below

Highlights

**GORILLA TRACKING**
Embark on an unforgettable trek in Bwindi, and spend a magical hour with the mountain gorillas

**KIBALE NATIONAL PARK**
Go in search of Kibale National Park’s 13 primate species, including its elusive chimpanzees

**CONSERVATION VISIT**
See and learn about the critically endangered Pangolin at the Pangolin Rescue Center

**LAKE MBURO**
Go in search of Lake Mburo’s leopard, zebra, impala, buffalo, hippos, crocodiles, hyena, jackal and birds

Accommodations

When it comes to choosing accommodations in East Africa, we can suggest a wide range of properties. View a sample of some of our favourite hotels, lodges and camps below:

If you have an alternative property in mind, contact us as we contract with a large variety of accommodation providers.

Map

Extension Ideas

**SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS**

Visit world famous safari highlights including the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and the Gorillas

**BEHIND THE SCENES**

Gain unique insights into Wildlife Conservation, Educational Experiences and History & Traditions

**BEACH DESTINATIONS**

Round-off your safari in East Africa with a great choice of world-class Indian Ocean beach destinations

**WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES**

Visit a wildlife sanctuary and learn about the incredible work they do to safeguard Africa’s wildlife

Your Money

Travulous, a trading name of Travaleur Limited, is a member of Protected Trust Services (PTS). Our PTS membership number is:

5472

All business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) clients of Travulous benefit from its PTS trust account and insurance model.

Regardless of your location, book with confidence knowing all monies are fully protected and safely held in a separate trust account, managed by independent trustees, with the funds only used to pay for each booking.

Travel Notes

UGANDA
Uganda is a year-round destination with temperature fluctuations mainly determined by altitude and the presence of lakes. Rain is commonplace in parts of Uganda. While generally tropical, Uganda is broadly divided into dry and wet seasons. The driest months are typically June to October and December to February. The wettest months tend to be from March to May and October to November.
Rainfall patterns can be unpredictable and localised showers can occur at any time, especially in the high-altitude and forested areas of the country. Although the dry months can be more popular for gorilla trekking, the wetter months offer excellent birding opportunities, calving in national parks and fewer tourists.
UGANDA
Most foreign nationals require a visa for entry to Uganda. Please check with your local Ugandan Embassy or our travel team for further information. Tourist visas can no longer be obtained, on arrival, at any port of entry. The Ugandan government has introduced an online ‘e-vi sa’ application system for obtaining tourist visas in advance of travel. Travellers should carry a printed copy of their visa to present to immigration officials.
UGANDA
English and Kiswahili are the official languages of Uganda. There are over 40 languages spoken throughout Uganda, with Luganda being the most geographically spread language.
UGANDA
The local currency is the Ugandan shilling. US dollars are widely accepted in hotels and at tourist attractions; local currency is required for dining in restaurants, tipping and small purchases. Some vendors will only accept USD dated 2013, or newer. Larger hotels in tourist areas may accept credit cards; however, surcharges are commonplace. The national parks are cash-free and only card payments are accepted. Primate tracking permits must be purchased well in advance from UWA in Kampala. Access to cash machines is available at the airport, in major towns, and exchanging currency can be done in banks and foreign exchange bureaus.
UGANDA
Entebbe International Airport (EBB) is the primary airport serving Uganda.