7 Days Uganda Safari Tour – Gorilla Trekking On Bwindi & Chimpanzee Tracking In Kibale National Park, Wildlife Viewing In Queen Elizabeth

7 Days Uganda Safari Tour – DETAILED SAFARI ITINERARY

Day 1: Transfer to Kibale, visit the Amabere g’Nyinamwiru caves & the tea estates

The journey to Kibale is an awesome adventure which is filled with lots of fascinating road sightings during this 5-6 hour journey covering about 300km. You will wake up very early in the morning for breakfast before you kick start this 300km journey.

Along this adventurous journey, expect to have several stops such as one at the Mityana local market and this gives you an opportunity to take your taste buds on a culinary journey as you taste some Uganda’s purely organic tropical fruits that will tantalize your taste buds due to their absolute sweetness.

Other things that may come your way is Uganda’s very own KFC version of chicken and this will be a roasted chicken skewered on sticks and if you aren’t a fussy feeder, this is your moment to have a taste of this fire-grilled finger lingering goodness.

You will arrive in Mpanga tea estates in the mid-morning and then embark on a cycling experience. The green tea plantation is spread over a beautiful undulating landscape with endless scenic views which makes it ideal to encounter on your mountain bikes.

As you cycle here, you will encounter the estate staff plucking tea and you are free to participate in the exercise to gain the exact touch. Retreat from the activity and continue to Fort Portal town where you will settle for lunch after which you will connect to Fort Portal Crater Lake Area. Upon arrival, you are welcomed by the local inhabitants of the place with deep understanding and history of the place.

You visit the Amabere g’ Nnyinamwiru caves – the breast like features believed to have belonged to Nyinamwiru the daughter of Bukuku who was a self-enthroned King of the Bachwezi. She was denied the opportunity to breastfeed her baby Ndahura as the father had been alerted that the child will take over his throne.

The milk continues to flow out of Nyinamwiru’s breasts. Retreat from this encounter and embark on the hike to the Fort Portal Crater Lake field where you traverse the challenging slopes of Kyeganywa hill surrounded by a range of crater lakes and crater hollows presenting one of the beautiful scenic sites in Uganda.

The top of Kyeganywa hill offers the views of Rwenzori Mountains on a clear day. Retreat from the activity and transfer to Kibale National Park 26km from Fort Portal town for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

The highlight of the day: Enjoy the scenic drive through Uganda’s countryside

Accommodation: –

• Top-notch / Exclusive: Kyaninga Lodge/ Ndali Lodge

• Luxury/ Upmarket: Crater Safari Lodge/ Primate Lodge Kibale
• Mid-range/ Moderate: Chimpanzee Forest Guest House- Cottages
• Budget/ Basic: Chimpanzee Forest Guest House-Main House/ Kibale Forest Camp – Tents

Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner

Drive Distance & time: Approx. 300km or 6-7 hours

Activities & Services: –

• Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
• Visit the Amabere ga nyina mwiru caves in Fort portal
• Cycling in Mpanga tea  estate

Optional activities: –

• Nocturnal walk in Kibale National Park which enables you to encounter some of the nocturnal creatures such as Bushbabies, Nightjars, Tree hyrax, Ginet & Mongoose

Day 2: Do Chimpanzee Trekking in the morning & afternoon Bigodi wetland walk

The morning of this day kicks off with an amazing breakfast that is aimed at energizing for the thrilling chimpanzee trek that’s ahead of you. You will be transferred by your guide to the park centre in Kanyanchu where you get to go through a short briefing about the entire chimpanzee trekking experience.

From here in a company of park ranger, embark on jungle walk as you search for these great humans of the wild the chimpanzees and the highlight of the day will be when you get to meet these exciting creatures you will be wowed by how much in common we do have with these great apes as they laugh, hug and kiss just like humans do and also look after the young ones.

Besides the chimpanzees, you should also not miss out on the sightings of several other primates that call this forest their home and these include the black and white colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, Grey monkeys. After the chimpanzee encounter which lasts an hour of pure enjoyment return to the park centre where your trekking efforts are rewarded with a trekking certificate.

From here, have a lunch break then transfer to Bigodi community where you get to engage in a community encounter with the locals and see how they live their daily lives, watch them or even engage in some of their days to day activities such coffee picking, local brew making and as you undertake this community thriller, you will take part in the coffee-making process right from planting process, harvesting red ripe coffee berries, sun drying process, then coffee pounding and finally making your own cup of coffee that is freshly brewed from the coffee that’s grown by these locals.

After this really exciting cultural mash-up, you will have had, you will embark on a 157km drive to Queen Elizabeth Park where you will have dinner and an overnight stay.

The highlight of the day: An encounter with the Chimpanzees will fascinate you on this day.

Accommodation: –

• Top-notch / Exclusive: Kyaninga Lodge/ Ndali Lodge

• Luxury/ Upmarket: Crater Safari Lodge/ Primate Lodge Kibale
• Mid-range/ Moderate: Chimpanzee Forest Guest House- Cottages
• Budget/ Basic: Chimpanzee Forest Guest House-Main House/ Kibale Forest Camp- Tents

Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

• Chimpanzee trekking
• Cultural experience as you visit the Bigodi wetland community

Optional activities: –

• Afternoon birding session in the park
• Nocturnal walk in the forest

Day 3: Drive to Queen Elizabeth Park via Ruboni Community Centre 

Day 3 of this 7 days Uganda safari tour commences with a laid back morning breakfast after which is served at 8:00 am before you embark on the transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park which covers about 157km taking about 2 – 3 hours’ drive while enjoying the scenic views of the Rwenzori Mountains.

The highlight of this day will be a detour to the Ruboni village in Kasese on the foothills of Mount Rwenzori where you will have a chance to explore the cultural traditions of the Bakonzo people that have lived on the foothills of Mount Rwenzori for centuries past.

This cultural visit enables you to have an insight into the way of life of these people as you get to be taken through their daily lives and if you so wish you can join them as they engage in these activities such as food preparing. Have a one on one chat with the eagerly awaiting local Bakonzo elders who will take you on a literature journey as they narrate to you stories about their dramatic ancient past and how their culture has evolved up to where it is today.

This community walk will not disappoint because on a clear day, just look out for the elegant and proudly standing Baker and Portal peaks above the horizon and the various birds and tree species on your way through the community. You can also take advantage of this community tour to buy some souvenirs for yourself from the art and craft centre that is managed by local Bakonzo women and this would be a great way to support these ladies who earn from the sales of these crafts.

You retreat from the encounter and continue on the drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park for an afternoon game drive exploring the impressive landscapes of Queen with the beautiful views of the savannah at the sunset after which you retire for relaxation dinner and overnight

The highlight of the day: An encounter with the Bakonzo people in Kasese

Accommodation: –

• Luxury/ Upmarket: Mweya Safari Lodge / Katara Safari Lodge / Mazike Valley Safari Lodge
• Mid-range/ Moderate: Enganzi Game Lodge/ Marafiki Safari Lodge
• Budget/ Basic: Pumba Safari Lodge / Bush Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive distance & time: Approx. 157km or 2-3 hours

Activities & Services: –

• Transfer to Queen Elizabeth Park
• Visiting the Ruboni community

Other optional activities you can choose to do on this day include: –

• Night game drive experience in Queen Elizabeth Park
• Bush Dinner
• Birding
• Cultural encounters

Day 4: Engage in a morning game drive & a boat cruise along the Kazinga channel

The 4^th day starts quite early as you have an early morning breakfast at 6:00 am after which you get to engage in a morning game drive experience as you explore of more the Kasenyi sector of this park which is filled with a wide variety of animals such as 4 out of the 5 big five mammals which include lions, leopards, cape buffaloes, large herds of African bush elephants, Topis and many other antelope species.

Retreat from the encounter which tends to take 2 – 5 hours, settle for lunch after which you transfer to Mweya jetty for an afternoon Kazinga Channel boat cruise which is the highlight of the day as it is considered the best boat cruise experience on the African savanna plains. During this boat cruise, you have the opportunity to sail on the tranquil but turbid waters of the Kazinga channel a 40 km long channel that connects Lake George to Lake Edward.

This cruise offers you an opportunity to see at close range the highest concentration of water submerged Hippos which is close to 5000 individuals and Nile crocodiles that are seen basking along the shores of the channel.

If you are interested in birding then this boat cruise in a good place for you to be because it offers you the chance to several of the waterbird species that constitute a big part of the 600 bird species that are found in this park alone. The cruise offers an excellent platform for photography, bird watching, and game viewing. You retreat from the boat cruise and engage in an evening game drive along the Channel track to explore more wild game in their evening moments. Continue to the lodge for overnight.

The highlight of the day: An encounter with the Chimpanzees.

Accommodation: –

• Luxury/ Upmarket: Mweya Safari Lodge / Katara Safari Lodge / Mazike Valley Safari Lodge
• Mid-range/ Moderate: Enganzi Game Lodge/ Marafiki Safari Lodge
• Budget/ Basic: Pumba Safari Lodge / Bush Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

• Chimpanzee trekking
• Cultural experience as you visit the Bigodi wetland community
• Transfer to Queen Elizabeth Park

Optional activities: –

• Afternoon birding session in the park
• Nocturnal walk in the forest

Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi National park and enjoy a game drive en route in Ishasha

You will wake up early in the morning at 6:30 am for breakfast then get comfortable into our 4x4safari car and begin your 2-3 hours journey towards the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth Park. On arrival here, you will engage in a stunning game drive in this sector while you search for the tree-climbing lions that have made this park and particularly this sector a must-visit place for numerous Africa safari adventurers who are interested in having encounters with these rather unique lions as they usually find them taking a mid-morning rest while lodging their bodies in between tree branches.

After your game drive which lasts between 3-4 hours, transfer to a convenient lodge in this park sector for your lunch break which also helps you stretch your body for a while before you then embark on the remaining part of your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park arriving in the evening for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.

A sighting of the tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector logged in between tree branches is the highlight of the day

Accommodation: –

• Top-Notch / Exclusive: Gorilla Forest Camp/ Buhoma Lodge
• Luxury/ Upmarket: Haven Lodge Buhoma
• Mid-range/ Moderate: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
• Budget/ Basic: Trekkers Tavern Ruhija

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive distance &time: Approx. 140- 240 or 6-8 hours

Activities & Services: –

• Transfer to Bwindi
• Game drive in Ishasha

Day 6: Do Mountain Gorilla Trekking & transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for a canoe boat ride

On this day, you will have an early morning breakfast served at 6:30 am comprising of a wide assortment of bites ranging from truly delicious tropical organic fruits to freshly baked confectionaries aimed at giving you an energy boost for the gorilla trekking in Bwindi experience ahead of you where you get to meet one of the gorilla families in this park for a full hour.

Depart from the lodge with your packed lunch and gather at the park centre where you will be welcomed by the park sector warden who will take you through the history of gorilla conservation in this particular park sector and Bwindi park in general. While here still you get to have a miniature cultural performance from the local Batwa people who will showcase their musical skills to you.

With armed rangers in the lead, embark on a trek, searching for your allocated gorilla family. Along the way keep your eyes and ears on the lookout for several of the 350 bird species that are found in this park that might come your way, you will also be in a position to see some of the other primates here such as the Black and white colobus monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, different species of lizards such as the 3 horned chameleon and many more.

On seeing the gorillas, you will be granted a full hour with these magical beings to watch them as they go about their daily lives and if you’re lucky you might get to see the young gorillas break the 7-meter rule as they get closure to you to have you incorporated in their games. After the full hour contact with these gorillas, you will transfer back to the park centre where you get awarded a Gorilla tracking certificate for your tracking efforts.

From Bwindi, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi where you get to relax from the rather a bit tedious gorilla trekking experience. On arrival to this beautiful tropical gem of the Kigezi highland, you will be fascinated by the tranquil waters of this lake and the numerous islands that are dotted all over this lake hence leading to its famous name The Lake of a Thousand Islands.

Take a relaxing boat cruise on the waters of this lake as you are taken through the history behind several of these islands such as the Akampene island which is also known as the Punishment island where young girls who had got pregnant were thrown and left to die alone, the upside-down island which legend has it that it was cursed by an old lady when the young people who lived on that island refused to give her beer, she cursed it and it turned upside down hence having them all drowned.

From this boat cruise, transfer to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Spending a full hour with the Gorillas and experiential boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi are the highlights of the day.

Accommodation: –

• Luxury/ Upmarket: Birds nest @ Bunyonyi
• Mid-range/ Moderate: Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
• Budget/ Basic: Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive distance & time: Approx. 55-85 km or 1-3 hours

Activities & Services: –

• Enjoy a relaxing boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi
• Gorilla trekking

Optional Activities

• Nature walks in Bwindi
• Batwa community walks
• Birding

Day 7: Hike to the top of the world and drive to back to Kampala.

You will wake up at 7:00 am to the sweet melodies of birds that will be singing their hearts off to the dawn of a new day and this will fairly make you understand why this Lake in called Bunyonyi which means a Lake of many small birds as you will hear interjecting voices of many birds singing together in uniformity as they welcome the day.

You will embark on a hike to the top of the world point here which takes you 2200meters above sea level and if you manage to get to the top your efforts will be rewarded with spectacular views of the entire Lake Bunyonyi which will forever be imprinted in your memory.

While at the top take time off to catch your breath and enjoy a picnic breakfast that comes with a warm cup of coffee & an assortment of snacks while you appreciate nature’s work and also re-energize before you slope down., You will now commence on your transfer to Kampala 420km and Entebbe 470km from Lake Bunyonyi.

During this 470km return journey to Entebbe, you will drive through the rolling hills of Mirama which will fascinate you given how the locals here have managed to tame these wildlands by cultivating along these steep slopes. Along the way back you will encounter many local men carrying farm produce on their bicycles headed towards the nearest local markets.

You will make an en-route stop for lunch at Igongo country hotel and just a few kilometres outside Mbarara town to enjoy a locally inspired lunch buffet and if you wish, you can try out the Ishabwe dish wish is a local delicacy in this region. After having this sumptuous lunch buffet, you will proceed and visit the 1520AD solar eclipse monument which is found in Biharwe village.

If you wish you can hike up the hill on which this monument is set and enjoy spectacular views of the undulating Ankole plains which form a nice background for you to take photos. While here, the guide will take you through the intriguing history behind this solar eclipse and how it managed to greatly change the destiny of three great ancient kingdoms all at once.

From here proceed to the Equator point where another stop will be done to allow enjoy an experience of living in 2 separate halves of the world at the same time as this is the line that divides the earth into2 equal halves! You should take a number of photos of yourself while here to allow have this magical moment captioned for eternity.

You will also undertake a water experience which teaches how to differentiate the northern from the Southern hemisphere hence helping you to always be in the know of which half of the world you’re in anywhere in the world! You will finally continue with the rest of your journey back to Entebbe airport where your safari will come to an end as you catch your departure flight back home.

Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch

Drive distance & time: Approx. 450km or 7-8 hours

Activities & services: –

• Hiking experience to the top of the world
• Equator experience
• Transfer to Kampala

End of 7 Days Uganda Safari Tour

7 Days Uganda Safari Tour – SAFARI INCLUSIONS

   Full-time English professional safari driver-guide

   4×4 safari van/ 4×4 Safari land cruiser with pop up roof for game viewing with functional A/C

   Full board accommodation

   Gorilla & chimpanzee trekking permit fees

   Boat cruise fees

   Wi-Fi Internet on board the safari vehicle

   Bottled water

7 Days Uganda Safari Tour – SAFARI EXCLUSIONS

•    International &domestic flight fees
•    Visa fees
•    Laundry services
•    Items of personal nature
•    Gratuities and tips
•    Other beverages/ drinks
•    Other extras not mentioned in the itinerary above

7 Days Uganda Safari Tour – GETTING THERE

7 Days Uganda Safari Tour – PRICE PER PERSON 

Number of people against price per person

2 – $na pp

3 – $na pp

4 – $na pp

5 – $na pp

6 – $na pp

7 Days Uganda Safari Tour – RELATED SAFARI ACCOMMODATION 

RELATED 7 DAYS UGANDA SAFARI TOUR ITINERARIES – Tour Packages

Gorilla Safaris Uganda

• – Gorilla Safari in Uganda 3 days
• – Bwindi Gorilla Safari & Wildlife 4 days
• – Gorillas & Wildlife Uganda Safari Tour 5 days
• – Primate Trekking Uganda Safari 6 days
• – Gorilla trekking Safari Tour 8 days
• – Rwanda Uganda Gorilla trekking Safari 8 days
• – Uganda Safari tour 9 days
• – 9 days Wilderness Camping Gorilla safari in Uganda
• – Gorilla Trekking Safari in Uganda & Chimps 10 days
• – Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Safari 11 Days
• – Uganda & Rwanda Safari 13 days
• – Birding & Gorilla trekking Uganda Safari 14 days

Chimpanzee Trekking Safaris In Uganda

• – Chimpanzee Trekking Uganda Safari-Kibale 3 days
• – Uganda Safari Tour-Chimpanzees & Wild Life 5 days
• – Primate Safari in Uganda 6 days
• -Chimps Trekking & Wildlife Safari in Uganda 6 days
• – Gorilla Trekking & Chimps Safari in Uganda 10 days

Wildlife Safaris In Uganda

• – Queen Elizabeth National Park Wildlife Safari in Uganda 3 days
• – Murchison Falls National Park Uganda Safari Tour 3 days
• – Kibale Forest National Park Chimpanzee Trekking Safari in Uganda 3 days
• – Bwindi & Queen Elizabeth Uganda Safari 4 days
• – Game Viewing Safari in Uganda 5 days
• – Murchison Falls & Kibale Uganda safari- 5 days
• – Chimpanzee trekking & Wildlife safari in Uganda 6 days
• – Wildlife Tour in Uganda 8 days
• – Enjoy Agro Safaris in Uganda
• – Mountain Elgon Hiking Uganda Tour -8 days
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• – Wildlife Camping Safari in Uganda 14 days
• – Birding Safari in Uganda 7 days
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Luxury Uganda Safaris

• – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Gorilla Safari Trek in Uganda 3 days
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• – Chimps & Wildlife Safari in Uganda 6 day

Short Safaris in Uganda

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• – Uganda Primate Safari 6 days
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Long Safaris in Uganda

• – Uganda Rwanda Gorilla trekking Safari 8 days
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• – Wilderness Camp Safari 9 days
• – Uganda Safari to Gorillas & Chimpanzee trekking- 10 days
• – Uganda & Rwanda Gorilla safari- 13 days
• – Birding Watching Safari in Uganda- 14 days
• – Uganda Birding Watching Safari -21 days

Day Tours in Uganda

• – Kampala City Tour
• – Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Day Tour
• – Entebbe City Short Tour
• – Jinja Source of the Nile Tour
• – White Water Rafting
• – Uganda Short Safari to Lake Mburo NP
• – Sipi Falls safari in Uganda
• – Mabamba Swamp Birding Excursion

Fishing Safaris In Uganda

• – 1 Days Fishing trip to Lake Victoria in Uganda
• – 1 Day Jinja Fishing Tour in Uganda
• – 3 Days Uganda Fishing & Wildlife Safari
• – 4 Days Luxury Fishing and Wildlife safari in Uganda
• – 5 Days Uganda Fishing Safari to Lake Victoria and Ssese Islands
• – 7 Days Luxury Fishing Safari in Uganda
• – Fishing Safari to Lake Victoria, Ssese Islands & Murchison Falls NP
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Cultural Safaris

• – 3 Days Short Cultural tour in Uganda
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• 8 Days Uganda Cultural Tour
• – 20 Days Grand Cultural Tour in Uganda

7 Days Uganda Safari Tour – GORILLA TREKKING TIPS

•   Mountain gorillas sometimes nest far from the start of your gorilla trek, you should ready yourself for a long walk and drink plenty of water.
•    Eating, drinking and smoking near the gorillas is forbidden – designated time and place will be communicated.
•    Smoking while inside the forest is strictly forbidden
•    Bwindi being a tropical forest, it can rain anytime so we encourage you to carry a rain poncho
•    Waterproof walking shoes or hiking boots are essential.
•    Gardening gloves for protection against stinging plants
•    Long trousers and long-sleeved sweaters or shirts while in the forest to avoid insect stings.
•    Photography is permitted, although you must not use flash
•    Porters are available to help you carry your day pack for a small charge
•    As you prepare to come for your Uganda gorilla adventure, please do some exercises so that you prepare your body for gorilla trekking which can last between 3-8 hours
•    In case you can’t walk for a very long time, you shouldn’t really worry about not being able to do gorilla trekking because there are potters who can carry you throughout at a small extra cost.
•    Carry your sunscreen lotion to keep your skin safe from the tropical heat & sun rays
•    When you get to the gorillas, don’t make noise because this agitates the gorillas
•    For more information about gorilla trekking tips please follow these links to read more about gorilla trekking tips and advice.

At Prime Safaris and Tours Ltd, your safety is our utmost priority. We have thus undertaken the necessary safety measures in compliance with the approved Standard Operating Procedures by the Governments of ALL African countries in which we operate with a goal of protecting our customers while travelling and on their Africa safari. The following guidelines will be applicable for your  Safari in Uganda, Rwanda, Congo and other African Countries.