8 Day Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari
8 Days – 7 Nights
8 Day Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari
Overview
This 8 Day Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to encounter Uganda’s most iconic primates and explore its diverse wildlife landscapes. From the rare golden monkeys of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to the majestic mountain gorillas in Bwindi and the playful chimpanzees in Kibale Forest, this immersive tour brings you up close with nature’s wonders. You’ll also enjoy classic African game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park, home to the famous Big Four (lion, leopard, buffalo, and elephant), as well as a scenic boat cruise on the wildlife-rich Kazinga Channel.
This all-inclusive safari starts and ends in Kampala or Entebbe, with all transportation and airport transfers included.
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8 Days/ 7 Nights
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Uganda
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Guided, Private Safari
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Airport TransfersCar hireServices of an English-speaking guideRefreshments like waterAll accommodation & MealsAll activitiesAll Taxes /VATA professional driver /guideFuelGorilla permitChimpanzee permitGolden Monkey permitDrinking water
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Tips and gratuitiesAll items of personal natureInternational flightsAlcoholic drinks
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick-up and Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Your adventure begins as you’re picked up from Entebbe International Airport or your hotel in Kampala/Entebbe by your professional safari guide. Settle into the journey as you head southwest to the scenic highlands near the Virunga Volcanoes. Along the way, you’ll stop at the Equator for photos and a quick demonstration of the hemisphere effect, and later pause for a delicious local lunch.
Continue through lush landscapes and traditional communities to reach Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Tucked in the shadows of the towering Virunga Mountains, this small but ecologically rich park is home to the rare golden monkeys and a family of mountain gorillas.
Accommodation: Lake Chahafi Resort / Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge
Drive Time: Approximately 8–9 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Golden Monkey Tracking in Mgahinga & Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
After breakfast, head to the park headquarters for a briefing before embarking on your golden monkey tracking experience. These playful and brightly colored monkeys are endemic to the Virunga region and are a joy to watch as they leap through the bamboo forest.
Golden monkey tracking can take anywhere from 1 to 4 hours depending on their movement, and you’ll spend up to one magical hour observing them in their natural habitat. Afterward, return to the lodge for lunch and continue your scenic drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park — home to half the world’s remaining mountain gorillas.
Accommodation: Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge / Buhoma Community Rest Camp
Drive Time: 1–2 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Rise early for breakfast before heading to the park headquarters for a detailed gorilla trekking briefing. Once assigned a gorilla family, you’ll set off into the dense forest led by expert rangers and trackers.
Tracking can take several hours depending on the gorillas’ location, but the experience is deeply rewarding. Once you find the family, you’ll be allowed one precious hour to observe, photograph, and marvel at these gentle giants as they go about their daily lives. It’s an unforgettable wildlife encounter that often stirs deep emotion.
After the trek, return to your lodge to rest and celebrate your successful trek with a certificate of participation.
Accommodation: Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge / Buhoma Community Rest Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Today, enjoy a leisurely breakfast before setting off for Queen Elizabeth National Park — Uganda’s most diverse savannah park, famous for its mix of wildlife habitats and rich biodiversity. Drive through rolling hills, local villages, and scenic countryside with photo stops along the way.
Arrive in the afternoon and check in to your lodge. Later, head out for an evening game drive to catch a glimpse of wildlife as they become active in the cooler hours — expect sightings of elephants, antelopes, and possibly lions or leopards.
Accommodation: Elephant Hab Lodge / Pumba Safari Lodge
Drive Time: 4–5 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Game Drive in Kasenyi Plains & Boat Cruise on the Kazinga Channel
After breakfast, head out for a morning game drive across the Kasenyi Plains, known for its large populations of Uganda kobs, buffalo, elephants, and frequent predator sightings. With luck, you might spot lions hunting in the golden grasslands.
In the afternoon, enjoy a relaxing boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel — one of the best wildlife-viewing experiences in Uganda. Watch hippos wallow, elephants cool off by the water’s edge, crocodiles bask in the sun, and a variety of bird species such as African fish eagles, pelicans, and kingfishers.
Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodation: Elephant Hab Lodge / Pumba Safari Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Visit Katwe Salt Lakes & Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After a morning game drive or a cultural visit to the Katwe Salt Lake — a historic site where salt mining is still practiced traditionally — you’ll proceed to Kibale Forest National Park. Enjoy lunch along the way and arrive in the afternoon.
Before heading to your lodge, take a guided nature walk through Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community-run project that’s home to a variety of primates and bird species including the great blue turaco and black-and-white colobus monkeys.
Accommodation: Chimpanzee Guest House / Mountains of the Moon Hotel / Primate Lodge Kibale
Drive Time: 4–5 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest
Start your day with an early breakfast and then report to the Kanyanchu Visitor Centre for a briefing before heading into the forest to track chimpanzees. Kibale is renowned for its high success rate of chimp sightings and is often referred to as the “primate capital of the world.”
During your trek, you’ll also encounter other primates like red-tailed monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, and olive baboons, along with a chorus of tropical birds. Once you locate the chimps, spend up to one hour watching them forage, play, and communicate in their social groups.
Spend the afternoon relaxing at the lodge or exploring more of the nearby forest trails.
Accommodation: Chimpanzee Guest House / Mountains of the Moon Hotel / Primate Lodge Kibale
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: Return to Kampala or Entebbe – End of Tour
After breakfast, begin the scenic drive back to Kampala or Entebbe, passing through tea plantations and lively rural towns. Depending on your flight schedule, you may stop for lunch and last-minute souvenir shopping before being dropped off at your hotel or the airport.
Drive Time: 5–6 hours
Meals: Breakfast
End of Safari
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