Best of Uganda: Gorillas, Chimpanzees & Safari - 8 Days

On arrival at Entebbe International Airport you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Set on the shores of Lake Victoria, Entebbe is a small town that is easy to explore on foot or local boda bodas (motorbike taxis). Explore the markets, hunt for souvenirs or crafts, meander through the Botanical Gardens or relax with a boat cruise on Lake Victoria. You’ll find a wide variety of restaurants, bars and clubs where you can sample the local beer, catch a game of football and meet the friendly locals.

In the morning a light aircraft flight of just over 1 hour will take you to Kihihi airstrip. From there transfer through local villages and along mountain roads to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a World Heritage site approximately 90 minutes away.

Considered the most diverse forest in Uganda, Bwindi is one of the richest ecosystems in East Africa and home to over 120 mammals, 345 species of birds, 200 species of butterflies and 160 species of trees. The park contains an estimated half of the world’s population of the endangered Mountain Gorilla.

Nestled at the gateway to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Buhoma Lodge is your home for the next 2 nights. The lodge warm and welcoming lodge consists of 10 eco-friendly chalets and is one of only two lodges set within the national park itself.

Depart Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in the morning and travel to Ishasha in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park (a 2-3 hour drive), with a brief stop en route at a community project near Ishasha Village.

Located in the western arm of the Great Rift Valley, the park is home to a wide variety of wildlife including elephants, leopard, lions, hippos, buffalo, Uganda kob, baboon, and many species of birds. With both a riverine and savannah habitat, the southern Ishasha area includes the massive Maramagambo, one of the largest surviving natural forests in Uganda, and is home to the tree climbing lions typically found in the area.

You will enjoy an afternoon and a full day of game drives in the Ishasha area, looking for the huge herds of buffalo, elephant, Uganda kob and of course the famous tree-climbing lions. Your two night stay is rounded off with scenic bush sundowners including drinks and snacks.

Ishasha Wilderness Camp is a low impact, eco-sensitive, idyllic retreat for people who truly enjoy the wilderness, coupled with superb accommodation and exceptional service. Each of the ten spacious framed canvas rooms are privately nestled along the riverbank. Resident troops of Black-and-White Colobus and Vervet monkeys abound and if you are lucky you’ll spot Henry, the lone hippo, wallowing lazily below our viewing deck. Game roams freely through camp, with elephant making frequent guest appearances.

From Ishasha you head north toward the ‘Mweya’ sector of the park which is rich with wildlife and where you will find vast numbers of Uganda’s unique and strange Euphorbia, or “candelabra” tree. The many nearby crater lakes and mountain ranges provide a beautiful backdrop for your journey.

In the afternoon, enjoy a leisurely boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, a 32-kilometre long natural channel linking Lake Edward and Lake George. Kazinga’s shores are dotted with herds of lazy buffalo, pods of hippos wallowing without a care, and countless bird species. Drift past local fishing villages, enjoy spectacular views of the beautiful Mweya Peninsula and soak up the peaceful tranquillity of this beautiful African day. 

You will spend 2 nights at eco-friendly Elephant Plains Lodge, a small, luxury lodge located on a stunning view point in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Nestled next to beautiful Lake Kikorongo, the lodge has 6 spacious cottages and 2 family units with large private verandas and huge glass windows overlooking Lake Kikorongo, where large elephant herds come to drink.

On your full day, you will enjoy chimp trekking in Kyambura Gorge. Chimpanzees can be quite active and may move quickly through the forest canopy ... or, if you are lucky, you may find them resting or eating near the forest floors. It’s an exhilarating walk, in beautiful scenery. As with gorilla trekking, sightings cannot be guaranteed.

You will then complete your time in this special part of the world with more game drives in the magnificent Queen Elizabeth National Park.

In the morning you depart to the nearby Mweya airstrip for your return flight to Entebbe.

Please check the exact timing of your flight with us before booking your international departure flight.