7-Day Uganda Safari: Kibale Chimpanzees, Bwindi Gorillas & Lake Mburo
7 Days / 6 Nights Days
Entebbe International Airport, Uganda → Entebbe International Airport, Uganda
Why Choose This Safari?
This week covers western Uganda’s best-known wildlife encounters in a single loop. You track chimpanzees in the afternoon at Kibale National Park on the day you arrive, so you see wildlife straight away instead of spending the day on the road. You then cruise the hippo-lined Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park, start the next day with an early game drive, and travel on through the Ishasha sector, where tree-climbing lions are often found resting in the fig trees. Two nights at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park give you a full gorilla trekking day without feeling rushed, plus a village walk in Buhoma. The route then ends in the open savannah of Lake Mburo National Park, where you can drive among zebra, impala and eland before the final run back to Entebbe. It’s a good fit for travellers who want chimpanzees, gorillas and classic plains game in one week, with every night in a named lodge.
Safari Highlights
- Afternoon chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park, home to 13 primate species, on the day you arrive
- A launch cruise on the Kazinga Channel, believed to hold one of Africa’s largest concentrations of hippos, with more than 550 bird species recorded
- An early game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park, then a drive through the Ishasha sector, famous for its tree-climbing lions
- An unforgettable hour with a mountain gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in a group of no more than eight visitors
- A village walk through Buhoma to meet the people around Bwindi and support the local community
- Evening and early morning game drives in Lake Mburo National Park, known for its zebra, impala, eland, topi and recently introduced giraffes
- A stop at the Uganda Equator for photographs and craft shopping on the way to Entebbe
Destinations to Travel
Kampala · Kibale National Park · Queen Elizabeth National Park (Kazinga Channel, Ishasha) · Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Buhoma) · Lake Mburo National Park · Uganda Equator · Entebbe
Itinerary
Day 1 — Arrival at Entebbe Airport
When you land at Entebbe Airport, your guide is waiting to give you a warm welcome and take you to your hotel in Kampala for the night. The transfer takes between 45 minutes and 1 hour, so you can check in, rest and get ready for the journey west.
Day 2 — Kampala to Kibale National Park, Afternoon Chimpanzee Tracking
After an early breakfast at 6:30am you set off for Kibale National Park, with lunch served on arrival at your lodge. Kibale is a large protected block of rainforest with the highest number of primates in Africa, including chimpanzees, grey-cheeked mangabeys, red-tailed monkeys and red colobus. At 1:10pm you head out for chimpanzee tracking, with a briefing at 1:30pm and tracking starting at 2:00pm, and a chance of seeing a variety of other primates, birds and forest vegetation along the way. The park holds one of the loveliest and most varied tracts of tropical forest in Uganda, with forest cover interspersed with patches of grassland and swamp on an elevated plateau. It is home to 70 mammal species, most famously 13 primate species including the chimpanzee. Dinner and overnight at Turaco Tree Tops Luxury Cottages.
Day 3 — Kibale to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Evening Boat Cruise
After breakfast you drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, stopping en route to view a number of the volcanic crater lakes in the region. Lunch is served at your lodge. At 2:30pm you board a launch for a cruise on the Kazinga Channel, which connects Lake Edward to Lake George. It is believed to hold one of Africa’s largest concentrations of hippos, and the banks are lined with buffalo, elephants and other wildlife coming down to drink, which makes the cruise an excellent platform for photography. More than 550 bird species have been recorded here, including great white and pink-backed pelicans, great and long-tailed cormorants, open-billed storks, African jacana and malachite and pied kingfishers. Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge.
Day 4 — Queen Elizabeth Game Drive, Ishasha Sector and Bwindi
At 6:00am you set out on an early game drive with high hopes of seeing lion, hippo, buffalo, leopard, spotted hyena, elephant, antelope and the elusive giant forest hog. You return to your lodge for breakfast, then continue towards Bwindi through the Ishasha sector in the south of the park, famous for its tree-climbing lions. Lions rarely climb trees, so finding them resting in the branches is a special sight, though it can’t be guaranteed on any given day. Lunch is at one of the lodges along the way, and you arrive at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for your overnight stay. Bwindi is where you have the best chance of seeing a mountain gorilla family going about its day. Beyond the gorillas there are numerous forest walks and 346 bird species to track down, many of them amazingly colorful. In the evening you relax at the lodge to prepare for tomorrow’s tracking.
Day 5 — Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi
After an early breakfast you drive to the park headquarters for a briefing from the ranger guides at 7:30am, then begin your gorilla trek at 8:00am through steeply forested, beautiful landscape along several animal trails. Some of the terrain is steep and strenuous, but watching gorillas undisturbed in their natural habitat is a reward that nothing else matches. No more than eight people may visit any gorilla family on any given day, so the encounter is intimate, and once you reach the gorillas you have an unforgettable hour to spend with them. Waterproof ankle shoes or good athletic shoes are recommended, along with thick long pants (not lightweight khakis) to protect your legs from the underbrush, heavy long socks pulled up over the pants to guard against stinging nettles and ants, sturdy gardening gloves and a rain cover for your camera (a plastic bag or shower cap can work). After the trek you return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon you take a village walk to Buhoma, a great chance to meet the people who live around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and a unique way to support the local community. Spend the evening at the lodge, relaxing and trading stories with fellow adventurers.
Day 6 — Bwindi to Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast you leave Bwindi for Lake Mburo National Park, with a game drive as you enter the park and arrival in the early afternoon. Lake Mburo is an extension of the plains of Tanzania, with big herds of zebra, impala and eland and other savannah species, plus recently introduced giraffes. Birders will want to look for the African finfoot and the papyrus gonolek, among others. Lunch is at the lodge, and in the evening you take another game drive in a different section of the park to look for more wildlife. Dinner and overnight at Kigambira Safari Lodge.
Day 7 — Lake Mburo Game Drive and Entebbe Departure
At 6:30am you enjoy an early morning game drive to see the animals at their most active, including zebra, antelope, topi, buffalo and impala. You return to the lodge for breakfast, then head for Entebbe with a short stop at the Uganda Equator to take pictures and shop for crafts from the stalls in the area. Depending on your flight time, you’re dropped at the airport for check-in and your outbound flight.
What's Included
Rate Includes
- Airport meet and greet and transfers in Entebbe/Kampala, including the Day 7 transfer to the airport
- 6 nights’ accommodation (Protea Hotel by Marriott Kampala Skyz, Turaco Tree Tops Luxury Cottages, Mweya Safari Lodge, Mahogany Springs Lodge x2, Kigambira Safari Lodge)
- Meals as specified in the itinerary
- Professional driver-guide and 4x4 safari vehicle
- Park entrance fees
- Chimpanzee tracking permit in Kibale and gorilla permit in Bwindi
- Kazinga Channel launch cruise and Buhoma village walk
Rate Excludes
- International flights
- Visa fees and any airport taxes
- Meals not listed in the itinerary, such as all meals on Day 1 and dinner on Day 7
- Drinks
- Travel and medical insurance
- Tips for guides, drivers and lodge staff
- Craft shopping and personal expenses
Best Time to Go
No travel window was given for this itinerary, so the advice below comes from the route and Uganda’s general seasonality. The drier months, roughly June to September and December to February, are usually the easiest for gorilla and chimpanzee trails and for the long road days on this route, and the grassland game drives at Lake Mburo are also comfortable then. The wetter months of March to May and October to November can leave forest paths muddy and slippery, but they bring fewer visitors, green landscapes and excellent birding on the Kazinga Channel, especially from around November to April when migratory species join the residents. Tracking happens year-round, so you can travel in any season, but for the best overall conditions aim for June to September or December to February. You can read more on the Uganda Wildlife Authority site.
Pricing
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this safari start and end, and how long does it take?
The safari starts and ends at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda and runs for 7 days and 6 nights, with no border crossings. You head west through Kibale, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi, then finish in Lake Mburo before the drive back to Entebbe, so it makes a good fit for a week away.
When does the chimpanzee tracking happen in Kibale?
Chimpanzee tracking takes place on the afternoon of Day 2, shortly after you arrive. The briefing is at 1:30pm and tracking starts at 2:00pm. Kibale National Park has 13 primate species and many birds, so you can see more than the chimpanzees while you search.
What is gorilla tracking in Bwindi like, and what should I wear?
On Day 5, after a ranger briefing at 7:30am, you start trekking at 8:00am through steep, forested terrain. Once you find the gorillas you spend one hour with them, and no more than eight people visit any family each day. Wear waterproof ankle shoes or good athletic shoes, thick long pants and heavy socks pulled over them, and bring sturdy gardening gloves and a rain cover for your camera. You can read more on the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park page.
Will we see the tree-climbing lions in Ishasha?
On Day 4 you drive through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is famous for its tree-climbing lions. Lions rarely climb trees, so it is a special sight, but wildlife sightings can’t be guaranteed on any given day. Your guide will look for them in the fig trees where they tend to rest.
What wildlife can we expect at Lake Mburo?
Lake Mburo National Park has big herds of zebra, impala and eland, plus topi, buffalo and recently introduced giraffes. You take an evening game drive on Day 6 in a different section of the park and an early morning game drive on Day 7, so you see it at two different times of day.
How long are the drives on this safari?
Several days include long road transfers, notably 5 to 6 hours from Kampala to Kibale on Day 2, 5 to 6 hours from Bwindi to Lake Mburo on Day 6 and 5 to 6 hours from Lake Mburo to Entebbe on Day 7. There are stops along the way, including lunch en route and the Uganda Equator on the final day, and game drives break up the journey on several of the days.