7 Days Uganda Chimpanzee, Wildlife, and Gorilla Trekking Tour

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you’ll be warmly welcomed by a professional 7 Days Uganda Tour representative from Deks Safaris and Tours Ltd. Depending on your flight schedule, this day is meant for relaxation and recovering from your journey. Entebbe, located on the shores of Lake Victoria, is a peaceful town with a cool breeze and scenic views. You’ll be transferred to a carefully selected hotel that offers comfort, tranquility, and warm hospitality. This is a perfect time to refresh, reflect, and prepare for the exciting days ahead.

Driving to the Hotel from Entebbe Airport

The drive from the airport to your hotel is a preview of Uganda’s lush scenery, featuring green hills, flowering gardens, and a lively local culture. Should time allow, optional short excursions can be arranged — such as a visit to the Entebbe Botanical Gardens, where monkeys swing from tropical trees, or a relaxing boat ride on Lake Victoria. You might also choose to explore local craft shops or enjoy a sunset meal by the lakeside. In the evening, a safari briefing will be conducted by your guide to go over the 7 Days Uganda Tour itinerary, health precautions, and any questions you may have.

Dinner is served at your hotel, prepared with both local and continental cuisine. As the sun sets behind the horizon, casting golden hues over Lake Victoria, you’ll drift off to sleep with excitement for the chimpanzee tracking adventure awaiting you tomorrow. Uganda welcomes you with open arms, and your journey into the wild begins with a touch of luxury and anticipation.

Important to Note

• Accommodation: Best Western Garden Hotel Entebbe
• Meals: Lunch, Dinner, and Drinking Water

After an early breakfast at your hotel in Entebbe, you’ll embark on a scenic road transfer to Kibale Forest National Park — a journey of approximately 5 to 6 hours. The drive is as beautiful as it is insightful, offering a tapestry of Uganda’s countryside life. Rolling tea plantations, vibrant roadside markets, crater lakes, and traditional homesteads unfold along the way, painting a vivid picture of rural Uganda. Your 7 Days Uganda Tour guide will offer narration on various cultural and ecological aspects of the areas you pass, making the road trip part of your adventure.

Arrival in Kibale Forest National Park

You’ll arrive in Fort Portal around lunchtime, nestled in the shadow of the mystical Rwenzori Mountains, also known as the Mountains of the Moon. This charming town is known for its fertile landscapes and cultural richness. After lunch, you will proceed to your lodge near Kibale Forest, where you can check in and unwind.

Kibale Forest National Park is often referred to as the “Primate Capital of the World,” and rightly so — it harbors 13 species of primates, including the iconic chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, black-and-white colobus, L’Hoest’s monkeys, and olive baboons. The surrounding area also teems with butterflies, forest elephants, and over 375 species of birds.

Your lodge will be nestled at the edge of the forest, offering an enchanting blend of nature and luxury. Spend the afternoon relaxing with forest views, listening to the distant calls of primates echoing through the trees. A hearty dinner awaits, and your guide will provide a briefing in preparation for the chimpanzee trekking experience the following morning.

Important to Note

• Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Drinking Water

Rise early to the melodic songs of forest birds and enjoy a delicious breakfast before heading into Kibale Forest for one of the highlights of your 7 Days Uganda Tour — chimpanzee trekking. The forest trek begins at the Kanyanchu Visitor Centre, where you’ll be assigned to a small group led by experienced UWA rangers and researchers. The trek may take between 1 to 4 hours depending on the movements of the chimpanzee families.

Kibale’s dense tropical forest, with its towering trees and thick undergrowth, provides the perfect environment for over 1,500 chimpanzees. As you make your way through the forest trails, the anticipation builds. Eventually, you’ll come face-to-face with a group of wild chimpanzees — watching them groom, play, and interact with each other in their natural habitat. The experience is both humbling and exhilarating, offering a rare insight into the behavior and intelligence of our closest relatives.

After Chimpanzee Tracking, Go for Bigodi Swamp Walk

After the trek, return to your lodge for lunch and some rest. In the afternoon, you’ll venture to the nearby Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community-based conservation project located at the edge of the forest. The swamp walk offers a peaceful contrast to the morning’s adventure and showcases an entirely different ecosystem. Bigodi is rich in biodiversity, hosting hundreds of bird species like the Great Blue Turaco, and is a haven for monkeys and other small mammals.

This experience also introduces you to local community efforts in conservation and ecotourism, adding cultural and educational value to your 7 Days Uganda Tour journey. Return to the lodge for dinner, exchanging stories by the fireplace under a sky filled with stars.

Important to Note

• Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Drinking Water

Start your day with an early breakfast before departing for Queen Elizabeth National Park—Uganda’s most popular and diverse savannah park. The 7 Days Uganda Tour journey takes approximately 3 hours and offers panoramic views of the Rwenzori Mountains, local farmlands, and crater lakes. Upon arrival, you’ll dive straight into a thrilling game drive across the Kasenyi plains, where wildlife roams freely.

Expect to see large herds of Uganda kob, elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, hyenas, and, with luck, the elusive leopard or lion. Your expert 7 Days Uganda Tour guide will interpret animal behavior, track sightings, and help you spot wildlife hidden in the bush. After the game drive, you’ll head to your lodge for a hot lunch and a short rest before your next 7 Days Uganda Tour adventure.

Enjoy Afternoon Boat Cruise on Kazinga Channel

In the afternoon, you’ll enjoy one of the most iconic experiences in Queen Elizabeth National Park—a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, a natural waterway connecting Lake Edward and Lake George. This 2-hour cruise brings you incredibly close to some of the highest concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in Africa. Along the channel’s shores, you may also observe elephants bathing, buffalo lounging, and a dazzling array of water birds, including African fish eagles, pied kingfishers, and saddle-billed storks.

The boat ride offers excellent photography opportunities and a peaceful immersion into Uganda’s aquatic wildlife. Return to the lodge in the evening for dinner, storytelling, and stargazing. Today’s blend of land and water safaris highlights the rich tapestry of life in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Important to Note

• Accommodation: Bush Lodge
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Drinking Water

Rise early and head out for another game drive in the Kasenyi sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, renowned for its predator sightings and dramatic sunrise backdrops. This morning safari increases your chances of seeing lions on the hunt, spotted hyenas returning to their dens, and herds of elephants making their way to the water.

The landscape is a golden blend of acacia woodland, open savannah, and euphorbia cactus, all set against the towering backdrop of the Rwenzori Mountains. After a fulfilling game drive and breakfast at the lodge, you’ll begin the scenic transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park—home of the mountain gorillas.

Morning Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Rushaga Sector)

The drive takes you through the southern Ishasha sector, famous for its rare tree-climbing lions that rest lazily in fig trees. If lucky, you’ll stop for sightings and photographs of this unusual wildlife behavior. Continue your 7 Days Uganda Tour journey through lush countryside, tea plantations, and terraced hills until you arrive at the Rushaga sector of Bwindi in the late afternoon.

After checking in to your lodge, take time to relax and soak in the tranquility of the forest surroundings. Bwindi’s misty canopy hides nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas and is also home to over 350 bird species and 120 mammal species. Your overnight stay here prepares you for one of the most emotional and life-changing wildlife experiences: gorilla trekking. Enjoy dinner and rest well, knowing tomorrow holds an unforgettable encounter with the gentle giants of the jungle.

Important to Note

• Accommodation: Rushaga Gorilla Lodge
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Drinking Water

Today is the highlight of your 7 Days Uganda Tour —the unforgettable gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. After an early breakfast, head to the park headquarters for a detailed briefing on gorilla trekking etiquette, safety precautions, and group allocation. Accompanied by experienced rangers and trackers, you’ll set off into the dense, mountainous rainforest to locate one of the habituated mountain gorilla families.

The trek can take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours, depending on the group’s movements, but the reward is immeasurable. Once you find the gorillas, you’ll spend a magical hour observing them in their natural habitat. Watch as they forage, groom, play, and interact—each moment is a profound window into their social world and an extraordinary conservation success story.

How About Batwa Cultural Experience in the Afternoon?

After the trek, return to the lodge for a hot meal and well-earned rest. In the afternoon, experience a different side of the forest with a visit to the Batwa community. The Batwa, also known as “the forest people,” are the original inhabitants of Bwindi, and their rich cultural heritage is intricately tied to the forest.

During your cultural experience, you’ll learn about their traditional hunting methods, medicinal plants, music, and dances. This visit not only offers insight into a vanishing way of life but also supports community development and conservation awareness. The day ends with dinner and a peaceful night at your lodge, your heart full from a day of unforgettable human and wildlife encounters.

Important to Note

• Accommodation: Rushaga Gorilla Lodge
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Drinking Water

On the final day of your 7 Days Uganda Tour, enjoy a hearty breakfast and begin your journey back to Entebbe International Airport. The road transfer takes approximately 8–9 hours, offering a final chance to soak in Uganda’s breathtaking landscapes. Along the way, you’ll pass through lush valleys, rural villages, cattle grazing fields, and roadside markets.

A memorable stop will be made at the Uganda Equator Crossing in Kayabwe. Here, you can take photos at the equator monument, participate in a fun water experiment demonstrating the Coriolis effect, and shop for souvenirs and crafts from local artisans. The equator stop is a symbolic and enjoyable way to mark the end of your 7 Days Uganda Tour adventure.

Check-in Entebbe Airport and Departure

Arrive in Entebbe in the late afternoon or evening, depending on your flight schedule. Your 7 Days Uganda Tour guide will assist with airport check-in procedures and bid you farewell, concluding your 7 Days Uganda Chimpanzee, Wildlife, and Gorilla Trekking Tour. As you board your flight home, you carry with your vivid memories of primal forests, close-up animal encounters, warm Ugandan hospitality, and transformative experiences that only Africa can offer.

Important to Note

• Accommodation: None
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Drinking Water

End of 7 Days Uganda Tour