Uganda Gorilla Habituation 8-Day Experience

Transfer to Kibale National Park

Your 8-Day Uganda Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari unforgettable journey starts with an early departure from Kampala or Entebbe, heading west through Uganda’s rolling countryside to Kibale National Park. Along the way, you’ll enjoy captivating views of tea plantations, banana farms, and rural homesteads nestled among the hills. Lunch will be served en route in the charming town of Fort Portal, near the shadow of the Rwenzori Mountains, often referred to as the “Mountains of the Moon.”

Upon arrival at your lodge near Kibale, you will check-in, refresh, and prepare for your first up-close experience with Uganda’s rich biodiversity. In the afternoon, you’ll embark on a guided primates’ walk in the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community-run conservation project renowned for its incredible birdlife and abundance of primates. Expect to see red colobus monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, vervet monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, and a variety of other forest dwellers. Your 8-Day Uganda Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari experienced local guide will provide insights into the ecology of this fascinating ecosystem and the efforts to preserve it.

Afternoon Guided Primates’ Walk

This activity is not only an introduction to Uganda’s primates but also a meaningful way to support the local community. As the sun sets, return to your eco-lodge for a delicious dinner and a restful night in preparation for one of the most extraordinary experiences of your life: full-day chimpanzee habituation.

• Overnight at Kibale Forest Lodge
• Meal Plan: Full Board Basis

Chimpanzee Habituation Experience

Today is dedicated to the chimpanzee habituation experience — a unique activity that allows you to spend an entire day with a chimpanzee community undergoing habituation. Unlike regular chimp trekking, where visitors spend just an hour observing chimps, this in-depth experience is conducted alongside researchers and trackers. You’ll join them in the early morning as they follow the chimps from their nests, observing their behavior, feeding patterns, social interactions, and communication until they retire in the evening.

This process is part of a conservation initiative that helps chimpanzees become accustomed to human presence for future ecotourism and research purposes. As you move through the dense tropical forest of Kibale, you may also encounter other primates such as olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, and blue monkeys. Your 8-Day Uganda Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari guide will help interpret complex behaviors, making this a fascinating educational journey.

The forest itself is a paradise for birdwatchers, home to over 370 species, including the endemic green-breasted pitta. There’s also a chance of encountering forest elephants, bush pigs, and butterflies in colorful abundance. After this rewarding and educational day in the forest, you’ll return to your lodge in the evening for dinner and a well-earned rest.

This day offers one of the most profound connections with nature and contributes directly to the protection of Uganda’s primates.

• Overnight at Kibale Forest Lodge
• Meal Plan: Full Board Basis

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, you’ll depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve known for its diverse ecosystems that range from savannah grasslands to wetland and forest habitats. The drive itself is a scenic adventure as you pass through rolling hills, crater lakes, and tea plantations with the Rwenzori Mountains providing a dramatic backdrop.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of Uganda’s most visited parks and boasts over 95 species of mammals and more than 600 species of birds. This includes iconic African wildlife such as elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, hippos, crocodiles, and a vast array of antelopes. You will arrive in time for a leisurely lunch at your lodge with views overlooking the park or the Kazinga Channel.

Later in the afternoon, enjoy a short game drive through the Kasenyi plains, a popular wildlife area known for lion sightings, large herds of Uganda kob, and other grazers. You may also spot warthogs, hyenas, and several savannah bird species. As the sun sets, retreat to your lodge for a relaxing evening under the stars, surrounded by the sounds of the African wilderness.

• Overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge
• Meal Plan: Full Board Basis

Activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Begin the day with an early morning lion tracking experience — a special activity not available to every visitor. Accompanied by a professional researcher and ranger from the Uganda Carnivore Program, you will track a pride of lions that have been fitted with radio collars. This is one of the best ways to get up-close views of these magnificent predators while learning about their conservation status, social structure, and behavioral ecology.

After the lion tracking, continue with a game drive across the Kasenyi plains, where you may see elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, and possibly leopards and hyenas. Your 8-Day Uganda Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari guide will interpret every aspect of the landscape, giving you deep insights into the park’s ecosystem and conservation efforts.

In the afternoon, head to Kazinga Channel for a boat safari that showcases a spectacular gathering of wildlife along the water’s edge. Watch hippos in their hundreds, crocodiles lounging in the sun, and elephants coming to drink. The birdlife is exceptional — including fish eagles, pelicans, kingfishers, and the rare shoebill stork.

Return to your lodge in the evening, filled with memories of one of Africa’s most iconic national parks.

• Overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge
• Meal Plan: Full Board Basis

Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Following a leisurely breakfast, you’ll transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via the Ishasha sector, famous for its rare population of tree-climbing lions. These elusive big cats can often be seen lounging in the branches of large fig trees, especially during the hot midday hours. You’ll stop here for a game drive in search of these unique lions as well as topi, buffaloes, and elephants.

Continue your 8-Day Uganda Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari journey to the lush, forested slopes of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth. Bwindi is home to more than half the world’s remaining mountain gorillas and offers a refuge for many other species including forest elephants, duikers, and over 350 species of birds.

Entering Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Arrive at your comfortable eco-lodge nestled on the forest’s edge, where you’ll check-in, enjoy a delicious dinner, and receive a detailed briefing on the next day’s gorilla habituation experience. This is one of the highlights of your 8-Day Uganda Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari and promises an unforgettable encounter with nature’s most majestic primates.

• Overnight at Four Gorillas Lodge
• Meal Plan: Full Board Basis

Gorilla Habituation Experience in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Your sixth day on this unforgettable 8-Day Uganda Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari is truly one of the most extraordinary wildlife experiences on Earth—the Gorilla Habituation Experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This is no ordinary gorilla trek. Unlike standard trekking experiences that limit you to just one hour with these magnificent creatures, the habituation experience offers up to four full hours with a semi-habituated gorilla family—providing you with an intimate, unhurried, and deeply emotional encounter.

Early in the morning, you’ll enjoy a hearty breakfast at your lodge nestled in the forested hills of Bwindi. Afterward, your 8-Day Uganda Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari driver-guide will take you to the park headquarters where you’ll meet the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) ranger guides and a team of researchers. A pre-trek briefing will be held, after which you’ll begin your once-in-a-lifetime journey into the misty jungle.

Tracking the gorillas can take 2 to 6 hours, depending on their location that day. Along the way, you’ll move through thick undergrowth, tangled vines, and steep forest terrain—rewarded by rich sightings of other primates, birds, and unique plant species. Once contact is made, your four hours begin. You’ll observe the gorillas’ behavior—feeding, playing, bonding, or resting—while the researchers explain their social structures, individual traits, and ongoing efforts to fully habituate them to human presence.

How About the Batwa Cultural Experience

This experience is immersive, respectful, and conservation-centered. Your involvement directly contributes to the scientific habituation process, and the fee supports gorilla conservation and local communities. After this magical day, return to the lodge for a warm shower, a delicious dinner, and the chance to reflect on the privilege of encountering Earth’s rarest great apes so closely and ethically.

• Overnight at Four Gorillas Lodge
• Meal Plan: Full Board Basis

Golden Monkey Habituation Experience in Mgahinga

After the marvels of Bwindi, your 8-Day Uganda Gorilla Habituation Experience Safari journey continues to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, home of the endangered golden monkeys. These small, agile, and stunningly beautiful primates live in the bamboo forests on the slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes. What sets today apart is that you will not simply observe them—you will participate in their habituation process, just as you did with the gorillas.

The day begins with an early transfer to Ntebeko Gate in Mgahinga, where you’ll meet ranger guides and conservationists working with the golden monkey groups. After a detailed briefing, you’ll set off into the dense montane forest in search of the semi-habituated troop.

Unlike a short one-hour visit, today’s golden monkey habituation experience allows you up to four hours of continuous observation. As these monkeys are still becoming accustomed to humans, they may be slightly elusive—but this only heightens the authenticity of the experience. You’ll witness playful behavior, grooming rituals, feeding habits, and tree-swinging acrobatics. The setting is cinematic, surrounded by towering bamboo and panoramic views of the volcanic ranges.

Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

Later in the afternoon, you’ll descend from the forested highlands and continue the journey to Lake Bunyonyi, often dubbed “the Switzerland of Africa.” This scenic lake—dotted with over 29 islands and fringed by lush hills—is the perfect place to unwind after your days in the wild. You’ll check in to a lakeside lodge and enjoy a serene evening with stunning lake views, birdsong, and local Ugandan hospitality. If time allows, you might enjoy a canoe ride or a nature walk before dinner.

• Overnight at Bunyonyi Overland Resort
• Meal Plan: Full Board Basis

Return to Kampala or Entebbe

On your final day, you will wake up to the calming beauty of Lake Bunyonyi, enjoy a relaxing breakfast, and begin the journey back to Kampala or Entebbe, marking the end of your incredible 8-day Uganda Gorilla Habituation, Chimps & Monkeys Habituation, and Lion Tracking Safari.

The drive takes you through breathtaking countryside, terraced hillsides, rural villages, and tea plantations, offering final glimpses of Uganda’s spectacular natural beauty. You’ll have stops along the way for lunch, photos, and a memorable equator crossing experience where you can take photos and buy crafts or souvenirs.

Depending on your departure arrangements, you’ll be dropped off at your hotel in Kampala/Entebbe or directly at Entebbe International Airport for your flight home. For those with outbound flights from Rwanda, a transfer to Kigali Airport can also be arranged.

This marks the close of an immersive journey that has taken you through Uganda’s rarest and most treasured wildlife encounters, many of which are not possible elsewhere on the African continent. You haven’t just visited a country—you’ve contributed to conservation, connected with nature at its most raw and beautiful, and returned with stories that few in the world will ever have the chance to tell.

• Meal Plan: Full Board Basis