6 Days Budget Chimpanzee Trekking and Gorilla Habituation Safari
A 6-day gorilla habituation and chimpanzee trekking safari in Uganda offers an immersive wildlife experience, combining chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest National Park with gorilla habituation in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This type of safari allows for extended time observing gorillas in their natural habitat and provides a deeper understanding of their behavior. A visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park is an added wildlife safari experience.
Safari Overview
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Kibale National Park – Bigodi nature walk
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking – transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 3: Lion tracking/Game drive and Boat cruise
Day 4: Ishasha game drive – transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 6: Transfer Back to Entebbe (8-9 hours’ drive) – Departure
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Kibale National Park – Bigodi nature walk
Depending on your location in Kampala/Entebbe, your safari driver will pick you up and transfer to Kibale national park. This is the best safari destinations in Africa for chimpanzee tracking, which is about 6-7 hours’ drive with en-route lunch in fort portal town. Proceed to the park and connect to your booked then go for a 2-3 hours’ nature walk in Bigodi wetland before you proceed to your lodge in Kibale. Dinner and overnight stay at Kibale Forest Lodge for budget
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking – transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
After breakfast, you will go for chimpanzee trekking with your packed food and water. Meet your guide at the head office then enter the rainforest to start searching for the chimpanzee, this will take 2-5 hours to find the chimpanzees. On seeing them, you will spend 1 hour with the chimpanzees while taking pictures.
After tracking and your lunch, transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park. This is about 3 hours’ drive with en route visit of the crater lakes. Dinner and overnight at Bush Lodge for budget
Day 3: Lion tracking/Game drive and Boat cruise
Very early morning, meet your guide for the lion tracking experience where you are guaranteed seeing the lions; you will also spot a good number of wildlife including Elephants, Giraffes, Buffaloes and all species of antelopes. You will enjoy a bush breakfast. Return to the lodge and have lunch.
After enjoying your lunch at the lodge, go for your boat trip along the Kazinga channel for yet another wildlife/bird watching experience as you cruise on lake Edward/George. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 4: Ishasha game drive – transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park
After breakfast, check-out of the lodge and connect to Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national park for a game drive to find some of the animals and most specially finding the tree climbing lions. Have en-route lunch, then proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable national park, which is about 4-5 hours’ drive from Ishasha sector. Upon arrival late afternoon, connect to your booked lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Buhoma Community Rest Camp for budget
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Have an early morning breakfast and head to the park headquarters for briefing by the ranger guides before embarking on your gorilla trek. Head into the forest and trek until you find the gorillas. Gorilla trekking can take 2 to 8 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. After finding the gorillas in Bwindi, you will be allowed only 1 hour and then return. Your driver / guide will drive you back to your hotel to relax and spend another night as above
Day 6: Transfer Back to Entebbe (8-9 hours’ drive) – Departure
Enjoy an early morning breakfast and transfer back to Entebbe with en-route stop of lunch and Uganda Equator. Upon arrival, the driver will drop you either at a place you advise or at Entebbe International Airport for your onward flight marking the end of your Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth National Park Safari.
Please note: There are daily domestic flights available from Bwindi national park to Entebbe airport. This can be an option to avoid the long drive.
