This incredible 9 days Uganda safari vacation with double gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, & wildlife tour will give you the perfect Africa Gorilla trekking and wildlife safari memories. The 9-day in uganda safari itinerary is aimed at giving you an opportunity to explore the best of Uganda’s tourist attraction sites and national parks as you will get to visit 4 of Uganda’s tourist hot spot safari destinations namely Bwindi Impenetrable National Park the home of the gorillas where you will enjoy the gorilla expeditions twice.
You will visit Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lake Mburo National Park, which are some of Uganda’s stunning savanna parks, to have a close encounter with a myriad of African savanna mammals as well as a tranquil wild boat ride on the famous Kazinga channel. A visit to Kibale National Park will be a purely blissful encounter with the hilarious Chimpanzees.
This 9 days Uganda safari vacation starts and ends in Entebbe, and we can easily arrange it for you under budget, midrange or luxury accommodation options and can customize it further to suit your safari interests.
Day 1: Entebbe International Airport
Days 2 & 3: Kibale National Park
Day 4: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Days 5, 6& 7: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Days 8 & 9: Lake Mburo National Park
Day 1: Arrive in Uganda via Entebbe International Airport & transfer to the lodge
Day 2: Enjoy a scenic road drive to Kibale National Park with a visit to Amabere caves
Day 3: Encounter the chimpanzees, visit the Bigodi and transfer to Queen Elizabeth Park
Day 4: Enjoy a morning game drive and a thrilling boat cruise on the Kazinga channel
Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi with an en-route game drive in Ishasha sector
Day 6: Do your first Mountain Gorilla trekking adventure & visit the Batwa pygmies
Day 7: Enjoy a second gorilla trek and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for a boat ride
Day 8: Drive to Lake Mburo National Park and upon arrival, do afternoon game drive
Day 9: Ankole community & transfer back to Kampala
Welcome to Uganda! Upon your landing at Entebbe International Airport, you will be received by our company representative, who will help you load your bags and get comfortable in our 4×4 safari car and then lead you on a journey to your already booked hotel. On your way to the hotel, you will drive through some of the scenic landscapes, including the history of Entebbe airport, which was the epicenter of a 90-minute military standoff between 100 Israeli defense commandos and the Ugandan army on July 4, 1976. The Israeli forces had come to Entebbe in a rescue mission code-named Operation Entebbe.
This mission was aimed at rescuing Israeli hostages that had been kept here on orders of the then Ugandan president, Idi Amin. You will have glimpses of Lake Victoria, the second biggest freshwater lake on the planet, as you continue to your hotel in Entebbe. Our company representative will make sure that you have comfortably finished fully settling into your hotel room, where you will get a chance to unwind from the jet lag of your flight to this Pearl of Africa as you get your body, mind, and soul ready to experience the best Uganda has to offer.
The highlight of the day: Sighting the serene waters of the second biggest freshwater lake in the world Lake Victoria
Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast/Half board in a hotel in Entebbe
Drive distance & time: Approx. 3-5km or 10-20 hours
Other activities you can do include:
If your flight arrives early at Entebbe airport, you can opt to engage in any of the following activities:
The journey to Kibale National Park is an awesome adventure that 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. This gives you an opportunity to take your taste buds on a culinary journey as you taste some of Uganda’s purely organic tropical fruits, which will tantalize your taste buds due to their absolute sweetness. You might also encounter Uganda’s unique KFC-style chicken, which consists of roasted chicken skewered on sticks. If you’re not a picky eater, this is your chance to experience the delicious, fire-grilled chicken.
You will drive through the lush green Fort portal tea estates in the mid-morning and if you wish, you can stop here and indulge yourself in an exciting tea exploration in which you will meet the laborers of these tea plantations as they work the fields. You will encounter the estate staff plucking tea and you are free to participate in the exercise to gain the exact touch.
You can visit the green tea plantation, spread over a beautiful undulating landscape with endless scenic views. Retreat from the activity and continue to Fort Portal town, where you will settle for lunch, after which you will connect to the Fort Portal Crater Lake Area. Upon your arrival, the local inhabitants greet you with a deep understanding of the place’s history.
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 would 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 most beautiful scenic sites in Uganda. The top of Kyeganywa hill offers views of the 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
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive Distance & time: Approx. 300km or 6-7 hours
Optional activities:
The morning of this day kicks off with a wonderful breakfast at 6:30 am that is aimed at energizing you for the chimpanzee trek that’s ahead of you. You will report to the park center in Kanyanchu, where you get to go through a short briefing about the entire chimpanzee trekking experience. With a park ranger, take a jungle walk to find the chimps. You’ll be amazed at how similar we are to these great apes, who laugh, hug, kiss, and care for the young.
Besides the chimpanzees, you should also not miss out on the sightings of several other primates that call this forest their home; these include the black and white colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, and Grey monkeys. After the chimpanzee encounter, which lasts an hour of pure enjoyment, return to the park center, where your trekking efforts are rewarded with a trekking certificate.
From here, have a lunch break, then transfer to the 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 day-to-day activities, such as coffee picking and local brew making, as you undertake this community thriller.
You will take part in the coffee-making process right from the planting process, harvesting red ripe coffee berries, sun-drying process, and then coffee pounding and finally making your own cup of coffee that is freshly brewed from the coffee that’s grown by these locals. Transfer to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Retreat from the encounter and embark on the transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP, 157 km, about 2–3 hours’ drive with the views of the legendary Rwenzori Mountains in the distance, to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
The highlight of the day: An encounter with the chimpanzees will fascinate you on this day
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: Approx. 157km or 2-3 hours
Optional activities:
You will wake up for an early morning breakfast at 6:30 am, after which you get to engage in a morning game drive as you explore more of the Kasenyi sector of this park, which is filled with a wide variety of animals, such as four out of the five big 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, and settle for lunch, after which you gather at Mweya jetty for an afternoon Kazinga Channel boat cruise departing at 2 pm.
You will have an afternoon, 2-hour boat cruise running along the Kazinga Channel, a 40-kilometer waterway 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, surrounded by over 550 species of migrant and resident birds plus crocodiles drinking and resting at water edges. The cruise offers an excellent platform for photography, bird watching and game viewing.
You retreat from the boat cruise and do an evening game drive along the Channel track to explore more wild game in their evening moments. Continue to the lodge for overnight.
Today’s highlight be will the incredible boat cruise on the Kazinga channel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Other optional activities you can choose to do on this day include:
You will wake up early in the morning at 6:30 am for breakfast, then get comfortable in the safari car and begin your 2-3 hour 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 African 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 and 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 embark on the remaining part of your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Arrive in the evening for relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay.
A sighting of the tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector logged in between tree branches is the highlight of the day
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: Approx. 140-240 or 6-8 hours
This is a great day that will mark your reunion with your long-lost cousins—the mountain gorillas. You will gather at the respective park headquarters for briefing in the morning at 8:00 am, where you are also allocated the respective gorilla families to track. With your armed ranger in the lead, embark on a trek, searching for your allocated gorilla family.
Throughout your journey, be vigilant for the presence of several of the 350 bird species found in this park. 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.
The experience treats you to impressive bird songs and beautiful flowers. The encounter tends to take 2–8 hours, depending on the gorilla movements, and one hour is available for you to have direct contact with the gorillas.
Upon approaching gorillas, their reaction is not predictable, as it can include them giving you a courteous welcome, minding less about you and charging against you. However, due to habituation, Mountain gorillas are always welcoming, with the Silverback demonstrating his strength by beating a small portion of his chest and welcoming you to the group. The young gorillas are very playful and are at times not aware of the 7m rule thus can try to draw closer to even touching your body—save it by taking some steps away to observe the distance.
You can ask as many questions as you want about gorillas and their habitats and take pictures if you have the chance. After your one hour with the gorillas, return to the starting point and connect to the lodge for relaxation. Take part in a Batwa or Bakiga village walk in the evening to get a close-up look at their way of life.
Being in close contact with wild Mountain Gorillas will be the highlight of the day.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After having breakfast, you will embark on the second gorilla trekking experience, where you have the option of tracking a different gorilla family and gaining a different encounter than you had on the previous day. The second gorilla trek offers the opportunity to explore the mountain gorillas in detail, including their behavior and foraging patterns, among others.
After a full hour of contact with these gorillas, you will be transferred back to the park center, where you will be awarded a gorilla tracking certificate for your efforts. From here, transfer to Lake Bunyonyi, where you get to relax after the somewhat tedious gorilla trekking experience. On arrival at this beautiful tropical gem of the Kigezi Highlands, you will be fascinated by the tranquil waters of this lake and the numerous islands that are dotted all over it, hence 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 gotten pregnant were thrown and left to die alone, and the upside-down island, which legend has 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.
You will enjoy a soothing boat cruise on the waters of Lake Bunyonyi and her community walk as the highlight of this day.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: Approx. 55-85 or 1-2 hours
Optional activities
You will wake up to the sweet melodies of birds that will be singing their hearts out 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 the interjecting voices of many birds singing together in uniformity as they welcome the day. You will begin the day with a hike to the top of the world point here, which takes you 2200 meters above sea level and if you manage to get to the top your efforts will be rewarded with spectacular views of the entire Bunyonyi lake 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 and an assortment of snacks while you appreciate nature’s work and also re-energize before you slope down. After this hike, you will now embark on the transfer to Lake Mburo National Park.
You will drive through impressive southwestern Uganda landscapes, covering 170km, or 3–4 hours, before stopping at Igongo Cultural Center, 12 km past Mbarara town, the largest in the sub-region, for a thrilling traditional lunch. Following this delectable lunch buffet, you will continue to explore the 1520 AD solar eclipse monument located 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 lovely 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. As you get closer to Lake Mburo Park, you’re exposed to a count of long-horned Ankole cows with their beautiful physical spread, horn patterns, and body color.
Upon your arrival in this park, you will embark on a stunning game drive where you will encounter several wild animals, including the Burchell’s Zebras, unique to this park and the distant Kidepo Valley Park. Sightings of the Elands, which are the biggest antelopes you can ever encounter on the African plains, are imminent. Other animals you encounter include giraffes, hippos, Kobs, and many others.
A highly rewarding evening game drive in Lake Mburo will surely be your day’s highlight
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Optional activities include:
You will wake up at 6 am and connect to the Enyemebwa center to catch up with the herdsmen’s daily routine. You arrive and gather the necessary milking equipment, such as a tying rope and a milking pot, to actively participate in the traditional hand milking of the Ankole long-horned cattle. After milking, you engage in the treatment and care of sick animals, such as brushing their bodies with the locally made fiber brush (Enkuyo), before heading out to graze in the wilderness.
You will be fascinated by the whistling sounds that are made by the herdsmen as they set out to the grazing field and be mesmerized by how the cows know how to align themselves, forming a line headed by those that have the special character of leading others. You retreat and visit the traditional hut, where you find the women churning milk in the churning gourd. From here, the guide can take you on a tour of the crop, including a brief exploration of the extensive banana plantations, where you can learn about various banana types and their respective uses, participate in pruning and weeding using local methods, and then participate in the initial arrangements for a traditional lunch.
From the activity, you will embark on a 240 km journey towards Kampala. This journey comes with fascinating & exciting road stops done at the Equator, where you get to have an equator experience on how to differentiate the Northern from the Southern hemispheres and also have a photo moment. Enjoy a locally inspired lunch buffet at the Equator cafeteria.
Another stop is the Mpambire drum center, where you will have an encounter with local artists as they manufacture a wide variety of local musical instruments, such as drums and African chairs. From here, proceed with the rest of your journey back to Kampala.
A cultural experience with the Banyankole people from the Ankole kingdom will be the highlight of the day
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: Approx. 240km or 4-5 hours
9 Days Uganda Trip, Gorilla Trekking, Chimp Tracking & Wildlife
9 Days Agricultural Tour in Uganda: Best Nine Days Agriculture Safari in Uganda Trip
9 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari: Gorilla Trekking, Chimpanzee Tracking & Wildlife
9 Days Safari in Uganda – Gorillas, Chimpanzee Tracking & Wildlife Viewing & Lake Bunyonyi
9 Days Nile Perch Fishing Safari in Uganda: Sport Fishing Trip in Uganda
9 Days Uganda Primate Safari-Gorilla Trekking, Chimpanzee & Wildlife
9 Days Uganda Tour − Gorilla Trekking, Chimpanzee Tracking, Wildlife & Culture
Cate
Samuel
Situated in the heart of East Africa, Uganda is a land of staggering contrasts. From the snow-capped peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains to the vast, wildlife-rich plains of the Great Rift Valley, the biodiversity here is unmatched.
As you browse our safaris to Uganda and Africa at large, our dedicated team is here to handle every logistical detail—from securing your gorilla tracking permits and arranging comfortable safari lodge accommodations to providing rugged 4x4 transport. Contact our expert planners today to begin designing your 2026 or 2027 East African adventure.
