Uganda Chimps & Gorilla Trekking 5-Day Safari

Overnight at Kibale Forest Camp

Your Uganda Chimps & Gorilla Trekking 5-Day Safari adventure begins with an early morning pickup from Kampala or Entebbe International Airport, where a professional driver-guide from Deks Safaris & Tours will warmly welcome you. You will embark on a scenic 5–6-hour drive through the picturesque Ugandan countryside, heading west toward Kibale Forest National Park, famously known as the “Primate Capital of the World.” The journey is lined with lush farmlands, tea plantations, and charming rural villages that offer a glimpse into Uganda’s authentic rural life. A brief stop in Fort Portal, nestled in the shadow of the Rwenzori Mountains, offers a chance to stretch, refresh, and enjoy panoramic views of the highlands.

Take a Bigodi Swamp Walk

Upon arrival, you’ll check in at the Kibale Forest Camp, a tranquil mid-range lodge nestled at the edge of the park. After lunch and a short rest, your afternoon is reserved for a guided Bigodi Swamp Walk—a rewarding ecotourism experience managed by the local community. The Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is renowned for its rich biodiversity, especially bird species such as the Great Blue Turaco, and primates like red-tailed monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, and colobus monkeys. Your Uganda Chimps & Gorilla Trekking 5-Day Safari guide will highlight the swamp’s medicinal plants and indigenous trees while explaining the community’s conservation efforts.

This guided walk is not only a nature lover’s delight but also a powerful introduction to community-based tourism and local knowledge. Return to the camp for a relaxing evening with dinner served under the forest canopy and the calls of nocturnal primates echoing in the background.

• Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, & Drinking Water

Overnight at Aardvark Safari Lodge

After a hearty breakfast, you’ll head into the dense tropical rainforest of Kibale Forest for a highly anticipated chimpanzee tracking expedition. Kibale Forest is home to over 1,500 chimpanzees, along with 12 other primate species, making it one of the most diverse primate habitats in Africa. With the guidance of experienced Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) rangers, you will track a habituated chimpanzee community through towering fig trees and dense underbrush. Observing chimps in their natural habitat as they play, forage, and communicate offers a profound sense of connection to our evolutionary cousins.

The Chimpanzee Tracking Experience

The tracking experience can last between 2 to 4 hours depending on the chimps’ location. After successfully finding and spending one unforgettable hour with them, you’ll return to the camp for lunch. In the early afternoon, begin your drive southward to Queen Elizabeth National Park, a scenic 3-hour journey through the craters, banana plantations, and undulating landscapes of the Rwenzori foothills.

Upon arrival at Aardvark Safari Lodge, located near the Kasese sector, check in and refresh before heading out on an evening game drive in the Kasenyi Plains, famous for lion sightings, large herds of Ugandan kob, elephants, and warthogs. As the sun sets over the Rwenzori Mountains, the golden light creates perfect photo opportunities and a truly magical atmosphere.

Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

• Accommodation: Aardvark Safari Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, & Drinking Water

Overnight at Rushaga Gorilla Lodge

After breakfast, you’ll embark on a morning game drive in the Kasenyi sector, a wildlife-rich savanna ecosystem teeming with antelopes, buffaloes, and predator action. This area is particularly known for its tree-climbing lions, best spotted early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Keep your eyes peeled for elephants, hyenas, leopards, and over 600 species of birds including the martial eagle and grey crowned crane. Your Uganda Chimps & Gorilla Trekking 5-Day Safari guide will interpret animal behavior and share insights about the region’s ecology, enhancing your safari experience.

Road Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

By late morning, you will begin your drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, heading into the highland forests of southwestern Uganda. The journey takes approximately 4–5 hours, passing through Ishasha sector (optional for tree-climbing lion sightings if time allows), lush green hills, traditional homesteads, and winding mountainous roads. Arrive at Rushaga Gorilla Lodge, located in one of the most scenic and accessible sectors for gorilla trekking.

After checking in, unwind with views over the Bwindi Forest canopy, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the life-changing adventure of gorilla trekking the following day.

• Accommodation: Rushaga Gorilla Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, & Drinking Water

Overnight at Rushaga Gorilla Lodge

This is the pinnacle of your Uganda Chimps & Gorilla Trekking 5-Day Safari experience: gorilla trekking in the ancient Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to nearly half the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. After an early breakfast, you’ll be transferred to the Rushaga trekking point for a comprehensive briefing by UWA rangers. Groups are formed based on physical ability and assigned to one of the habituated gorilla families in the area.

Gorilla trekking can range from 2 to 8 hours depending on the family’s location, and the terrain is often steep and rugged. Once located, you will be allowed one magical hour with these gentle giants—observing the social behaviors of silverbacks, juveniles, and mothers with infants. The experience is deeply humbling and often emotional, making it a memory that lasts a lifetime.

The Batwa Cultural Experience

After trekking, return to the lodge for lunch and rest. In the afternoon, embark on a Batwa cultural experience, where you’ll meet the forest’s original inhabitants—the Batwa pygmies. Through storytelling, song, traditional hunting demonstrations, and visits to sacred sites, you’ll learn how the Batwa once lived in harmony with the forest. This experience supports their community and preserves their cultural heritage.

Enjoy your final evening surrounded by Bwindi’s misty mountains, reflecting on the day’s incredible wildlife and cultural encounters.

• Accommodation: Rushaga Gorilla Lodge
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, & Drinking Water

End of Uganda Chimps & Gorilla Trekking 5-Day Safari

After breakfast, bid farewell to the forest as you begin your journey back to Kampala or Entebbe, a drive of approximately 8–9 hours. Along the way, enjoy scenic views of Lake Bunyonyi, rolling terraced hills, and rural farmlands.

A lunch stop at Igongo Cultural Centre in Mbarara provides an opportunity to taste traditional Ugandan cuisine and explore the museum of southwestern cultures. As you approach Kayabwe, make a brief stop at the Equator Line, where you can pose for photos and engage in a short demonstration showing the Coriolis effect. Pick up a few souvenirs from the local crafts shops before continuing the drive.

You’ll arrive in Kampala or Entebbe in the late evening. Depending on your flight schedule, optional airport drop-off can be arranged. This marks the end of your Uganda Chimps & Gorilla Trekking 5-Day Safari with Deks Safaris & Tours.

• Accommodation: None
• Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, & Drinking Water

End of Uganda Chimps & Gorilla Trekking 5-Day Safari