A 5-day gorilla and wildlife safari is one of the best expeditions most visitors like that involves a visit to the best of Uganda’s national parks with excellent attractions like the Kibale national Park which is famous for sheltering the highest number of chimpanzees and other 12 primates more than any other national park in the country. Explore the lush Bigodi swamp where you will see over 20 species of birds and a home to 8 of 13 primates that survive within Kibale Forest National Park.
You will also spot the endangered mountain gorillas which are the closest relatives of man inhabiting impenetrable forests of Bwindi national park. After you will have a chance to visit the Batwa community and lastly a city tour in Kampala before driving to Entebbe international airport for a drop off.
Detailed itinerary.
Day 1: Arrival at the airport and transfer to Kibale national Park
Being a first day of your safari, start it with a well-served breakfast at a city hotel in Kampala and later drive to the primate capital of the world, Kibale which is 5 to 6 hours’ drive from Kampala. While on your drive to this park, have a stopover in Mubende where you will buy some drinks, snacks and then continue with the journey up to a booked lodge where you will be dropped to stretch up, relax, take dinner and rest.
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp.
To catch up with time, wake up early in the morning and have breakfast at the lodge and later drive to Kibale National Park Headquarters in Kanyanchu where you will be briefed about rules and regulations of chimpanzee trekking. Drive later to the starting point and meet an armed game ranger who will give you a short briefing on how trekking will be conducted.
Chimpanzee trekking is an activity of getting close to a habituated troop of chimps and learning their way of life. This adventure usually takes 1-4 hours but this entirely depends on their movements.
Upon sighting them, you will be allowed up to one hour in their presence to take photos and videos. Drive back to your lodge for lunch and in the evening, head to Bigodi swamp for a nature walk and community visit.
This conservation area is one of the best places to include on your safari plan. The place is known for sheltering 8 out of 13 primates and hundreds of bird species including the endemic bird species, green breasted pitta, the great blue turacos, Ross’s turacos, black and white casquet hornbills and many more.
Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national Park and relax.
Wake up early in the morning, have breakfast at the lodge and drive heading to Southwestern part of Uganda in Bwindi impenetrable national Park via Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national Park to Buhoma. This journey takes between 4-6 hours’ drive.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is known for being home to over 19 gorilla families with four main sectors known for gorilla trekking; these are Buhoma, Nkuringo, Rushaga and Ruhija. Relax and wait for your dinner and night stay.
Day 4: Gorilla trekking and Batwa cultural experience.
This is the day you have been waiting for. Be served with morning breakfast at your lodge and drive to the park headquarters where you will meet other fellow trekkers and then drive to a starting point where you will meet the ranger guide to take you through a quick briefing exercise about this trekking adventure.
The activity normally takes 4-8 hours depending on daily movements of these animals. Gorillas prefer to move high in the mountains while searching for food and hence the name mountain gorillas. Therefore, visitors are advised to come with strong hiking boots and pack enough drinking water and snacks to keep you rejuvenated through the entire trek. Immediately after reaching them, you will be allowed up to one hour in their presence as you ask questions, take photos and videos. Drive back to the headquarters after one hour, to pick a gorilla trekking certificate.
In the evening, head to neighboring villages of Batwa where a Twa guide will lead into a short briefing and then take you for a Twa cultural experience. Enjoy their way of life ranging from energetic dances, drama and art. You will buy some of the crafts and souvenirs to remember about this amazing safari. Drive back to your lodge for dinner and night stay.
Day 5: Transfer to Kampala, stopover at the equator and short city tour.
On this last day of a 5 days gorilla trek and wildlife safari, you will wake up early in the morning and be served with delicious breakfast. Exit and drive heading to Kampala which is a capital city of Uganda. Upon arrival in Kampala, you may have a tour to explore various attractions in the city including Namugongo martyrs’ shrine where over 20 Ugandan Christians were burnt under the orders of fallen Buganda king, Kabaka Mwanga.
You have an option of visiting Nakasero central market which is the city’s oldest market and one of the largest urban markets in Uganda. Here you can buy some locally-made crafts, capes, hand Bangles and some fresh fruits. After the city tour, drive to Entebbe international airport and fly back to next destination.
