Small Group • Uganda
🌍 8-Day Chimps, Gorillas & Wildlife Safari in Uganda 🦍
Chimpanzees, mountain gorillas, and the wide plains of Queen Elizabeth
Overview
About this journey
- Region
- Western Uganda
- Duration
- 8 days
- Departures
- Fixed dates
- Party size
- Up to 8
Experience the very best of the Pearl of Africa on this unforgettable 8-day Uganda safari, combining thrilling wildlife encounters, chimpanzee tracking, gorilla trekking, cultural experiences, and scenic landscapes. Explore Uganda's top safari destinations, including Lake Mburo National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Kibale Forest National Park. Enjoy exciting game drives, boat safaris, community visits, and incredible opportunities to spot some of Africa's most iconic wildlife.
Uganda gorilla trekking safari, chimpanzee tracking Uganda, Bwindi gorilla tour, Kibale Forest safari, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo safari, Uganda wildlife safari, Big Five Uganda, Kazinga Channel boat cruise, Lake Bunyonyi tour, Uganda birdwatching safari, Batwa cultural experience.
Highlights
What you'll experience
Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest
Kibale holds one of the highest densities of chimpanzees on the continent. Walking beneath fig trees with your guide Francis Bwambale, you track by sound first — a drumming on a buttress root, a chorus of pant-hoots — before the canopy parts and you are simply among them.
Crater Lake Game Drive & Boat Cruise
Queen Elizabeth's Kazinga Channel carries hippos shoulder to shoulder at dusk, and African fish eagles call from the papyrus edges. The afternoon boat cruise puts you level with the water, close enough to count the wrinkles on a hippo's ear.
Mountain Gorilla Trek in Bwindi
A permit tracker leads your group through stinging nettles and steep red mud until movement in the undergrowth resolves into a family of mountain gorillas — infants tumbling, the silverback watching from ten metres. The hour you spend with them resets something in your sense of scale.
Big-Game Savanna in Queen Elizabeth
Uganda kob hold their ground in the early morning light while elephants move across the Ishasha sector's fig trees. The southern circuit delivers tree-climbing lions in the ficus branches — a behaviour found almost nowhere else.
Birding the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
Guided by a local Bigodi community birder, you walk the raised boardwalk at dawn while great blue turacos tear through the canopy and papyrus gonoleks sing from the reeds below. Over 200 species have been recorded here inside two kilometres.
Crater Rim Sundowners
From the rim above the explosion craters, the light turns the crater lakes bronze at dusk. A cold Nile Special in hand, the valley below absolutely still — this is the pause between two long days of forest that makes both of them sharper in memory.
Why choose us
Why choose a Small Group Journey?
We have been running primates-and-wildlife circuits in Uganda since the park gates were barely signposted. Here is what that experience actually means for you on the ground.
Permits Secured, Never Promised
Gorilla and chimpanzee permits are booked months ahead and confirmed before your deposit is taken. We never sell a primate itinerary without permits in hand — no awkward day-of substitutions, no disappointments.
Guides Who Know These Forests
Our Uganda guides — including Enock Mudde, who has been tracking in Kibale since 2011 — know the ranger teams, the families, and the forest seasonality. That local knowledge is the difference between a good sighting and an extraordinary one.
Small Groups, Genuine Access
Eight guests maximum means your vehicle is never waiting for three others to finish photographing. Game drives move at the group's pace, trackers can speak in normal voices, and no one is left at the back of a twenty-person crowd.
Itinerary
Your day-by-day journey
Day 1
✈️ Arrival in Entebbe – Transfer to Kampala
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by an Arrive Africa Safaris representative and transferred to your hotel in Entebbe or Kampala. Depending on your arrival time, you may choose to enjoy an optional Kampala city tour, exploring historical and cultural landmarks such as the Kasubi Tombs, the Bahá’í Temple, local markets, and vibrant city neighborhoods.
🏨 Accommodation: Airport Link Guesthouse or similar
🍽️ Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast
Meals · Lunch, Dinner
Day 2
Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park
After breakfast, depart for Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda's smallest savannah national park. En route, visit the Royal Drum Makers and stop at the Uganda Equator for memorable photographs and an opportunity to stand in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres at the same time. Continue to Lake Mburo National Park and enjoy a short evening game drive en route to your lodge.
Optional cultural activities include visiting a traditional Ankole cattle kraal, participating in milking sessions, and learning how local communities produce ghee.
🏨 Accommodation: Mpogo Safari Lodge or similar
🍽️ Meal Plan: Full Board
Meals · Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3
Morning Game Drive & Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Begin the day with an early morning game drive in search of zebras, impalas, elands, topis, giraffes, and other savannah wildlife. Lake Mburo National Park is also a paradise for bird enthusiasts, with species such as the African finfoot and papyrus gonolek. After lunch, continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via the scenic Lake Bunyonyi region, often referred to as the "Switzerland of Africa."
Admire the breathtaking terraced hills and enjoy an optional canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi, famous for its 29 islands and exceptional birdlife.
Continue to Bwindi for dinner and overnight.
🏨 Accommodation: Rushaga Haven Lodge or similar
🍽️ Meal Plan: Full Board
Meals · Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4
Gorilla Trekking & Optional Cultural Experiences
After an early breakfast, proceed to the Uganda Wildlife Authority headquarters for a briefing on gorilla trekking guidelines. Accompanied by experienced ranger guides, venture into the misty rainforest in search of a habituated mountain gorilla family.
The trek can last between 2 and 6 hours, depending on the gorillas' location. Once found, you'll spend one unforgettable hour observing these magnificent primates in their natural habitat. In the afternoon, relax at your lodge or choose from optional activities such as the Batwa cultural trail, a waterfall hike, or community visits.
🏨 Accommodation: Rushaga Haven Lodge or similar
🍽️ Meal Plan: Full Board
Meals · Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5
Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda's most biodiverse protected area. The park is home to more than 100 mammal species and over 600 bird species, making it a premier destination for wildlife viewing and birdwatching. Enjoy a game drive as you enter the park before continuing to your lodge.
🏨 Accommodation: Bush Lodge or similar
🍽️ Meal Plan: Full Board
Meals · Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6
Game Drive, Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise & Transfer to Kibale Forest
Start your day with an exciting game drive through the park's vast savannahs, wetlands, and crater landscapes. Look out for elephants, buffaloes, lions, antelopes, warthogs, and numerous bird species against the backdrop of the spectacular Rwenzori Mountains. Later, embark on a boat cruise along the famous Kazinga Channel, known for hosting one of the highest concentrations of hippos in Africa. Spot crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes, and abundant birdlife along the shoreline. After the boat safari, transfer to Kibale Forest National Park.
🏨 Accommodation: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse or similar
🍽️ Meal Plan: Full Board
Meals · Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7
Chimpanzee Trekking & Bigodi Wetland Walk
After breakfast, head to Kibale Forest for an exciting chimpanzee tracking experience. Follow forest trails in search of habituated chimpanzee communities while encountering other primates, colorful butterflies, and diverse bird species. In the afternoon, visit the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community-based ecotourism project renowned for its rich biodiversity.
Enjoy a guided nature walk while learning about local conservation initiatives that support sustainable community development.
🏨 Accommodation: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse or similar
🍽️ Meal Plan: Full Board
Meals · Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8
Return to Entebbe & Departure
After breakfast, begin your scenic drive back to Entebbe. Depending on your flight schedule, enjoy lunch en route before arriving at Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight. Depart with unforgettable memories of Uganda's incredible wildlife, landscapes, and cultural heritage.
🌟 Safari Highlights
✅ Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
✅ Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest National Park
✅ Game drives in Lake Mburo and Queen Elizabeth National Parks
✅ Kazinga Channel boat safari
✅ Uganda Equator experience
✅ Optional Batwa cultural encounter
✅ Bigodi Wetland community walk
✅ Lake Bunyonyi scenic stopover
✅ Exceptional birdwatching and wildlife photography opportunities
Meals · Breakfast, Lunch
Inclusions
What is and isn't included
Included
- One chimpanzee tracking permit in Kibale Forest National Park
- One mountain gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- All park entrance and conservation fees throughout
- Seven nights' accommodation (twin-share) as listed in the itinerary
- All meals from lunch on Day 1 to lunch on Day 8
- Kazinga Channel boat cruise (2 hours)
- All game drives in a customised 4WD safari vehicle
- Airport transfers on Day 1 and Day 8 from/to Entebbe
- English-speaking Arrive Africa guide throughout
- Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary community walk with local guide
- Buhoma village walk contribution fee
- Bottled drinking water throughout
- Emergency evacuation insurance (within Uganda)
Not included
- International flights to and from the region
- Entry visas and any transit visas
- Travel and medical insurance, which is mandatory
- Alcoholic drinks and premium beverages
- Laundry, telephone and other items of a personal nature
- Tips and gratuities for your guide, drivers and lodge staff
- Optional activities not listed in the day-by-day itinerary
Pricing
Fixed departures
A shared departure of up to 8 guests. Rates are per person in USD.
Journey Details
Essential information
Minimum Age
15 years for gorilla and chimpanzee trekking (UWA regulation)
Safari Duffel
Soft-sided bags only for vehicle packing; maximum 15 kg per person for internal transfers. Hard-shell suitcases can be stored at your Entebbe hotel.
First Group Event
Arrival transfer briefing and dinner at Kibale Forest House on Day 1
Last Group Event
Entebbe drop-off on Day 8. Flight should be scheduled no earlier than 19:00.
Guaranteed Departures
All listed departures are guaranteed to operate from a minimum of 2 guests. We will confirm your departure status 60 days before your start date.
Alternate Sightseeing
If a gorilla or chimpanzee permit is cancelled due to illness or park closure, we will attempt to reschedule within the same trip. No cash refund is offered for used permits under UWA policy.