5 Days Gorillas and Chimpanzee tracking safari
5 Days Gorillas and Chimpanzee tracking safari takes you to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Kibale National Park. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is found in south western Uganda next to the border of Uganda and Congo, where you will encounter with the beasts of the East. You will continue to Kibale National Park for yet another amazing chimpanzee tracking adventure.
Welcome to Uganda and transfer to the Hotel
On arrive at the airport, you will by picked up transfer to your hotel for check in, have lunch and relax. You may go for a city tour of Entebbe town in case you arrive early and visit some places like Entebbe Botanical Gardens, Entebbe Zoo, sandy beaches for relaxation among many others
Accommodation: Via Via Hotel Entebbe
Meal Plan: Dinner.
Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Wake up very early and start on your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park located in south western Uganda. You will go through some major towns like Masaka and Mbarara as you get to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. On arrival, you will check in at the lodge and relax as you enjoy the beautiful views of the forest and environment depending on your location.
Depending on your time of arrival, you may have a short-guided nature/ village walk, then return back to the lodge for dinner and relaxation as you prepare for the Gorilla trekking experience the next day.
Accommodation: Ride for a woman
Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Gorilla tracking and Batwa cultural experience.
This adventurous day will begin very early in the morning (6am) where you wake up on an early morning breakfast. You will then report to Bwindi Park headquarters for a short briefing with the leader tracker/ ranger guide before you start on your day activity. From here you will head into the montane forest for an encounter with the mountain gorillas.
Always watch out for their voices and listen to them grumble and the young as they swing from tree to tree, and marvel at the sheer size of the dominant male; the silverback.
It is an extraordinary feeling sitting in the dense rain forest knowing you are with a few of the last remaining mountain gorillas. The beauty of this rainforest is spectacular and it offers a dramatic steeply forested landscape which is incredibly dense, but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists.
You will look for these endangered species and finding them will depending on the last nesting location of the previous night. The time taken to track the gorillas can be range from 4 to 7 hours or beyond. Once you locate a gorilla group, you will be allowed only one hour in their presence. The thrill of spending time observing these gentle and endangered giants is an awesome, exciting and one in a life experience to be long savoured.
Later, you will have a community visit to the Batwa group that are the first people to live in this forest and still reside there regardless of the many years of civilization. You will be amazed by their traditional dance, homes, dress-code and way of life. You will then return back to the lodge for dinner and rest till the following day.
Accommodation: Ride for a woman
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3. Transfer to Kibale National Park
Wake up early for breakfast and transfer to Kibale Forest National Park via Queen Elizabeth National Park. On your way, expect to see some amazing sceneries like the slopes of mountain Rwenzori. You will have a stop over in fort portal town for lunch and then proceed to your lodge for rest in the evening.
On arrival in the evening at your lodge, relax as you wait for another adventure the following day. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Accommodation: Isunga Lodge or Kibale Forest Camp.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi swamp walk.
Wake up so early as usual, have early morning breakfast and head straight the headquarters for the briefing from the guides as you start on the chimpanzee tracking expedition by 7:00 am. You will head into the forest and look for these intelligent creatures that share over 90% DNA with humans, which makes them very intelligent and behave almost like humans. Meeting these animals will depend on the last nesting location of the previous night. When you reach the chimpanzees, you will be limited to one hour with them and continue with the adventure as you discover more of the secrets of the park. You will also view other primates especially monkeys floating in the trees and several bird species.
Later you will head back to your lodge for lunch as you rest for the afternoon. In the afternoon, you will head to the southern part of Kibale national park for an amazing birding experience.
Bigodi swamp is located just 6km from Kanyanchu visitors center and it is such a fascinating area where you can find over 200 bird species including the famous shoebill which may be seen during guided walks along the boardwalk trail and viewing other various primates. Bigodi Swamp Walk is a 5-km, three-hour tour through this protected forest on the outskirts of Bigodi Trading Center. Later you’ll head back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Isunga Lodge or Kibale Forest Camp.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Transfer back to Kampala.
Wake up to a delicious breakfast at your lodge, check out and embark on your journey back to Kampala. You will drive through different towns like Mubende and others. You will have a short stopover at the tea plantation fields for some picture moments. We shall stopover in Mubende town for lunch, and continue with the journey to Kampala arriving in the evening. We recommend a late evening flight that day, or if you wish, you can book for a flight for the next day.