11 Days Uganda gorilla trekking safari

This 11 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari is an extraordinary adventure which starts and ends in Kampala. The safari will take you to the five most interesting destinations in Uganda including Murchison falls national park, Kibale national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Bwindi impenetrable national park and Lake Mburo national park. During the 11 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari you will enjoy great views of animals, zebras, warthogs, spend time with the endangered mountain gorillas and chimpanzees.

Highlights of the 11 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari

Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Kampala

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls national park

Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise

Day 4: Transfer to Kibale forest national park

Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk

Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

Day 7: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise

Day 8: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park

Day 9: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park

Day 10: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park-Boat cruise

Day 11: Morning game drive and departure to Kampala

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Kampala

Depending on your location on day 1 of the 11 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, our driver guide will pick you up from Entebbe international airport, brief you about the safari and then transfer to a hotel in Kampala for relaxation, then dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls national park

On day 2 of the 11 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge and start the journey to Murchison falls national park in northwestern part of Uganda. The journey takes about 5 to 6 hours drive and on the way you will have a stopover at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to track Rhinos. After rhino tracking you will continue the journey to Masindi town for lunch where after you will proceed to the park for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise

Morning game drive

After an early breakfast on day 3 of the 11 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, you will meet up with your driver guide to go for a morning game drive where you will be able to view animals like buffaloes, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, Jacksons hartebeest, elephants, lions, leopards, giraffes, different bird species among others. After the game drive you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.

Afternoon boat cruise

After lunch you will go for an amazing boat cruise to the bottom of the falls where you will get a chance to view large concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view elephants, warthogs, buffaloes, waterbucks among others drinking water along the shores, view variety of water birds like hornbills, cormorants, bee-eaters, kingfishers among others. After the boat cruise which takes about 2 to 3 hours you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Transfer to Kibale national park

After breakfast on day 4 of the 11 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kibale forest national park which is located in western Uganda. On the way you will haven-route lunch, stopovers to stretch your legs, take picture and enjoy stunning views of the beautiful scenery, landscape, tea plantation, Rwenzori Mountains, views of the crater lakes among others. Upon arrival in Kibale national park, you will continue to check into the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk

Chimpanzee trekking,

After an early breakfast on day 5 of the 11 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to transfer to the Kanyachu park headquarters for a chimpanzee trekking briefing. After the briefing you will be allocated an experienced park guide and start trekking in the forest in search of chimpanzees. Trekking of chimpanzees in Kibale national park takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like to move from one area to another in search of food. During trekking you will be rewarded with views of other primates like l’hoest monkeys, red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, views of different bird species among others. once the chimpanzees are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their environment which helps you to watch them feed, play, fight, hunt, rest, observe their behaviors, take photos and record videos. After the one hour encounter with the chimpanzees you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will meet up with your driver guide and return to the lodge for lunch.

Bigodi swamp walk,

After lunch you will go for an interesting swamp walk in Bigodi sanctuary where you will be able to view variety of bird species like the great blue turaco, black crowned waxbill, black bishop, grey winged robin-chat, yellow billed barbet, view mammals like otters, bush pigs, sitatungas, bushbucks, several primates like blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, vervet monkeys, l’ hoest monkeys among others. After the nature walk you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

On day 6 of the 11 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, you will enjoy a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park which is the second largest national park in Uganda. On the way you will enjoy spectacular views of the scenery, landscape and upon arrival in the park you will check into the lodge for lunch. After lunch you will relax at the lodge and later go for an evening game drive where you will be rewarded with views of animals like elephants, Uganda kobs, buffaloes, waterbucks, bushbucks, warthogs among others which will be going back to their resting areas. After the game drive you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise

Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience

After an early breakfast on day 7 of the 11 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive in Kasenyi plains. During the game drive you will be able to spot different animals like elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, Uganda kobs, waterbucks which will be grazing in open savannah plains, view predators like lions, leopards, hyenas which will be looking for a morning hunt, view bird species among others. After the game drive you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.

Afternoon boat cruise

After lunch you will go for an interesting boat cruise on Kazinga channel a water channel that connect lake Edward and lake George. During the boat cruise which takes about 2 to 3 hours, you will be able to view large herds of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, waterbucks drinking water along the shores, view water birds like hornbills, cormorants, fish eagles, king fisher’s among others. After the boat ride you will return to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park

On day 8 of the 11 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, you will enjoy a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park. On the way you will have a stopover in Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth national park where you will be able to view the famous tree climbing lions which will be lazily lying up in acacia/ fig tree branches. After the game drive in Ishasha sector you will have lunch and then continue the journey to the park with great views of the beautiful landscape, countryside, Kigezi hills, terraced farmlands among others. Upon arrival in Bwindi impenetrable national park you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 9: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park

Gorilla trekking,

After an early breakfast on day 9 of the 11 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, you will carry 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 be allocated a gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is knowledgeable about the mountain gorillas and also conversant with different gorilla trekking trails. Trekking of mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable national park takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to view other primate species, different bird species, plants among others and 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 observe their behaviors, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, playing, breastfeeding, grooming young ones, take photos and record videos. After the one hour encounter with the gentle giants, you will drive back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 10: Transfer to Lake Mburo national park-afternoon boat cruise

After breakfast on day 10 of the 11 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Lake Mburo national park. The journey takes about 4 to 5 hours drive and upon arrival you will check into the lodge for lunch where after you will go for an exciting boat cruise which takes about 2 hours. During the boat cruise you will be able to view animals like buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs which will be drinking water along the shores, view hippos in water, Nile crocodiles basking along the banks, view water birds like the elusive shoebill stork, cormorants, bee-eaters, fish eagles, view fishermen preparing their fishing gears for night fishing among others. After the boat cruise you will drive to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 11: Morning game drive and departure to Kampala

On the last day of the 11 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari, you will enjoy breakfast, check out of the lodge and then meet up with your driver guide to go for a morning game drive where you will be rewarded with great views of animals when they are most active. During the game drive you will be able to view animals like impala, elands, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, waterbucks, topi, warthogs among others. After the game drive you will drive out of the park and start the journey back to Kampala. On the way you will have en-route lunch at the Equator and then continue the journey to Kampala arriving early evening. 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 9 days best of Uganda safari.

Tour includes

Gorilla trekking permit
Chimpanzee trekking permit
Bigodi swamp walk
Rhino tracking fees
Park entrance fees/ game drives
Boat cruise fees
Services of a professional English speaking driver guide
Full board accommodation
Pick up and drop off
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, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.