The 8 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari is an interesting adventure that will take you to different national parks including Queen Elizabeth national park which is the second largest national park, Lake Mburo national park and Lake Bunyonyi which is the deepest lake in Uganda. During the 8 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, you will be able to engage in game drives and boat cruise where you will be able to spot different animals like elephants, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, giraffes, zebras, impalas, warthogs, hippos, bushbucks, buffaloes, lions, leopards among others. You will also engage in an adventurous chimpanzee trekking activity where you will get a chance to spend time with the chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
Highlights of the 8 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 2: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu forest/ Kyambura gorge
Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 6: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi-boat ride
Day 7: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park-walking safari
Day 8: Morning game drive and departure to Kampala
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Depending on your location on the first day of the 8 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, you will be welcomed by a company representative from Achieve Global Safaris who will brief you about the safari and then start the journey to Queen Elizabeth national park in western part of Uganda. On the way you will have en-route lunch and enjoy stunning views of the Rwenzori peaks, farmlands, landscape, tea plantations among others. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise
After an early breakfast on the second day of the 8 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive in the park where you will be able to spot animals like lions, leopards, hyenas looking for a morning hunt, view other animals like waterbucks, Uganda kobs, buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, view different bird species among others. After the game drive, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will go for an amazing boat cruise on Kazinga channel a water body that connects Lake Edward and Lake George. During the boat cruise which takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive, you will be able to view large concentrations of hippos in water, view Nile crocodiles basking on the water banks, view buffaloes, elephants, antelopes drinking water along the shores, view aquatic bird species like cormorants, hornbills, kingfishers, bee-eaters among others. After the boat cruise, you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking experience
After an early breakfast on the third day of the 8 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kalinzu forest or Kyambura gorge for chimpanzee trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest with an experienced park guide which takes about 30 minutes to 5 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located. During trekking, you will be able to view different primate species, birds, plant and tree species among others and once the chimpanzees are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with the chimpanzees in their habitat where you will be able to learn about their habits, behaviors, watch them feed, breastfeed, play, rest, build new nests, take photos and record videos.
After the encounter with the chimpanzees, you will return back to the lodge for lunch and later spend the rest of the day at leisure or go for an evening game drive in the park where you will be able to view some of the animals that you might have missed the previous day. After the evening game drive, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
On the fourth day of the 8 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, you will have breakfast at the lodge, check out and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park. On the way, you will enjoy stunning views and also have a stopover in ishasha sector where you will be able to view the tree climbing lions lying on acacia/fig tree branches if you are lucky. After the game drive in Ishasha sector you will have en-route lunch and then proceed to Bwindi impenetrable national park. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi national park
After an early breakfast on the fifth day of the 8 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, you will carry your packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a gorilla trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the jungle in search of the habituated mountain gorillas which takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas are located. During trekking, you will be able to view other primate species, birds, plant and tree species among others. Once the mountain gorillas are found, you will be able to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their behaviors, habits, watch them feed, breastfeed, play, groom young ones, take photos and record amazing videos to show people back home.
After the encounter with the mountain gorillas, you will return to the starting point where you will be issued a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking and then meet up with your driver guide to return back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi-boat ride
On the sixth day of the 8 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, you will have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Lake Bunyonyi which is the deepest freshwater lake in Uganda. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for lunch where after you will go for an interesting boat ride on the lake where you will be able to explore different islands, enjoy great views of the beautiful scenery, landscape, terraced farmlands, spot different bird species, animals among others. After the boat ride, you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park-walking safari
On the seventh day of the 8 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, you will have breakfast at leisure, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. On the way, you will enjoy stunning views and upon arrival, you will check into the lodge and lunch.
After lunch, you will go for a walking safari in the park where you will get up-close and personal with different wildlife species, butterflies, spot and listen to sweet sounds of bird species, enjoy the cool breeze among others. After the walking safari, you will meet up with your driver guide and return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight,
Day 8: Morning game drive and departure to Kampala
On the last day of the 8 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, you will have an early breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to go for a morning game drive in the park where you will be able to spot animals like buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, impalas, oribi, topi, waterbucks, warthogs among others.
After the game drive, you will drive out of the park and start the journey back to Kampala with a stopover at the Equator where you will buy souvenirs, take photos and then have lunch. From the Equator, you will proceed to Kampala arriving early evening and upon arrival, your driver guide will drop you off at Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of advise
End of 8 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari
Tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Park entrance fee/game drives
- Boat cruise
- Lion tracking experience
- Walking safari
- Services of a professional English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up and drop off in Entebbe
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
Tour excludes
- Air flight tickets
- Visas
- Life insurance
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, cigarettes, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
