5 Days Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trekking Uganda Safari
Safari Summary
This Gorilla and Chimpanzee Safari in Uganda brings you an encounter with the world endangered Mountain Gorillas and our close cousins the Chimpanzees in the forests of Bwindi and Kibale.
Bwindi Impenetrable National park is home to half of the remaining mountain Gorillas in the World today and that’s why it is a popular Tourist destination in the World today.
Kibale forest National Park is also called the home of Chimpanzees tracking in Africa.
However, there are also many other primates (12 more species) such as; Coppery-tailed money, Blue monkey, Vervet monkey, Black and White colobus monkey, Red tailed monkey, Red colobus monkey, Olive Baboon, Thick-tailed bushbaby, Lesser Galago, to mention but a few also forest Elephants on a lucky day.
For Bird watching enthusiast, this is one of the best tour there is in the world. The two forests of Kibale and Bwindi are blessed with multitude of bird species (over 500) that you can’t find anywhere else.
With a good scenic landscape, large Tea and Banana plantations, beautiful explosion crater lakes and top of the world view makes this Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking tour spectacular and adventurous.
- Note:
- Best time to go for a Gorilla and Chimpanzee Safari in Uganda is usually in the dry seasons: December-January and June-August.
- The price of Gorilla trekking permit in Uganda is USD700 and Chimp tracking permit is USD200
tours@gorillaandadventuresafaris.com
Safari highlights of our Gorilla and Chimpanzee Safari
- Day 1: Journey to Kibale National park and Swamp walk in the evening for primate tracking
- Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking
- Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park
- Day 4: Gorilla trekking day
- Day 5: Travel back to Kampala/ Entebbbe
- Primate tracking including; Coppery-tailed money, Blue monkey, Vervet monkey, Black and White colobus monkey, Red tailed monkey, Red colobus monkey, Olive Baboon, etcRed Colobus Monkey
L’Hoest Monkey - Bird watching in Bigodi swamp and Bwindi; great blue turaco, Black and White casqued hornbill, White browed coucal, Ross’s turaco etc
- Game viewing through queen Elizabeth national park
You can Checkout our 4 days Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking tour
Note: Apart from Gorilla and Chimpanzee, Other activities are involved
The Safari is an ultimate Primate and Birding Safari, the best there is and it is suitable for those with limited time but want to have a Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking experience in Uganda.
FULL ITINERARY
Day 1: Drive to Kibale Forest National Park
You meet our driver guide in the morning at your hotel/residence to kickstart our Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking safari.
The journey takes an average 5 hour journey to Kibale forest national park passing through major towns of Mityana, Mubende and Kyenjojo before being welcomed to fort portal by green cover of large Tea plantations.
Women and men picking tea presents a good photography opportunity.
We continue to the Lodge for lunch and in the afternoon we go for a Swamp walk at Bigodi wetland sanctuary, an adventurous nature walk for wildlife and community interaction.
Here 4 primate species are available at this sanctuary and over 280 bird species including; the great blue turaco, Black and White casqued hornbill, White browed coucal, Ross’s turaco, grew backed fiscal, African paradise flycatcher, to mention but a few. Return to the lodge for dinner.
activities
- Drive to Kibale
- Bigodi Swamp walk for bird watching and Primate hunting
- Community interaction
Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking
After an early breakfast, you drive to Kanyanchu briefing centre for registration, briefing, grouping and getting a ranger guide who will lead a group of a maximum of 6 people into the forest for Chimpanzee Tracking.
The length of this activity depends on the availability of fruits and food for the Chimpanzee but an average of 4 hours. Spend an hour with our close cousins before getting out of the forest for lunch, and a restful evening. With options of a village walk or a crater lake exploration walk.
Activities
- Chimpanzee tracking
- Village walk
- Crater lake exploration
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi Forest through Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, we drive to Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park. You see people attending to their farms and garden, passing through big plantation of banana, cotton, maize and sunflowers when they are in season.
The drive takes you through big industrialized town of Hima for Cement and Kasese for Copper before crossing to the southern hemisphere. A welcome sign to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Passing through Queen Elizabeth en-route toBwindi is a Game drive its self.
A lot of game can be seen, such as; Elephants, Buffalos, Uganda kob, among others.
We reach at the lodge in or near Bwindi forest in the afternoon, we have lunch, with option of doing a community walk in the evening.
Activities
- Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- community walk
- Game Viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking Bwindi in Forest
This is the long awaited Gorilla trekking day! After an early breakfast, you get the park offices.
This where the Gorilla groups are allocated and after a general briefing, a Uganda wildlife ranger guide with two armed escorts will lead you in to the forest for the Trek.
Equipped with enough drinking water, you are good to go, because the tracking can sometimes be long and tough, however, meeting the calm giants will heal the distance wounds.
Spend an hour with the mountain Gorillas and return after the success of mountain gorilla tracking in the Impenetrable Forests of Bwindi.
Activities
- Gorilla Trekking
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
You can Checkout our 4 days Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking Safari
Day 5: Drive back to Kampala/Entebbe
After breakfast, you will embark on 8-9 hour drive to Kampala or Entebbe, ending our Gorilla and Chimpanzee Safari in Uganda.
We drive through terraced hills and mountains that gives an over whelming feeling toward the local people who are able to cultivate on the steep slopes.
A lunch break in Mbarara “the land of milk” and a sight of the indigenous Ankole long horned cattle, continue to the Equator with the reminder that you are crossing back to the Northern hemisphere.
This is a good place to buy Ugandan Souvenirs and a cup of coffee. Your destination from here is 1-2 hrs away.
Activities
- Journey back to Kampala
- Stop at the Equator
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch
Rates per person
| No People | Price (USD) |
|---|---|
| 1 Person | 2480 |
| 2 People | 1850 |
| 3 People | 1790 |
| 4 People | 1750 |
| 5 People | 1700 |
| 6 or more | 1650 |
Resources
- Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale
- Chimpanzee Habituation in Kibale
- Gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park-> Trip Advisor
Accommodation (Hotels and Lodges around the Tourist Sites)
The accommodation depends on your Budget. Here is a list of Lodges around the Tourist site.
What You need on a Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking Uganda Safari
Just like Rwenzori Mountain Climbing, gorilla trekking also requires these items when tracking the gorillas.
- Water: Gorilla trekking can be very tiresome and you need to refill your tank as the trek goes on. It is advisable to park a few water filtration tablets before you come for the trek.
- Boots: You will need good waterproof comfortable shoes. Some times it rains during the trek, so skid proof shoes can come in handy.
- Rain Jacket: You are advised to carry rain jacket because if rains very often in Bwindi Impenetrable forest
- Snack: You can carry a light snack to give you some energy during the walk in the forest
- Trouser and Shirts Bwindi forest is covered with thick undergrowth, therefore light trousers and long sleeved shirts are advised.
- Socks: You will have to tuck in the trousers into the socks to avoid insects crawling inside.
- Gloves: You will need Gardening gloves because you will be grabbing tree branches, leaves, name it, and some can be thorny.
- Camera: Carry a good camera (no flash for gorillas) to capture this lifetime experience
Gorilla And Chimpanzee Differences
a) Weight
A average grown Chimpanzee weighs between 40kg to 64kg(Male) and 27kg to 50kg(female) While a Mountain gorilla(Male) weighs between 130kg to 219kg and 63kg to 115kg(Female).
b) Height
Chimps stand at a height of 3.3ft to 4.6ft while gorillas stand at a height of 4 to 6 feet.
c) Diet
Chimps eat mostly Fruits especially ripe ones, Leaves, Insects, small animals, birds, eggs, honey.
Gorilla feed mostly on Bamboo shoots, other plant shoots, roots, fruits, tree bark.
d) Mortality
Chimps live to about 27 year and can sometimes reach 60 years, while the average life span of a mountain gorilla is 35 years.
e) Reproduction
Chimps have a gestation period of 8 months and infancy ends at about 4 to 5 years, and also they give birth every 5 to 6 years.
Mountain gorillas have a gestation of 8.5 months, females start producing at age 10 and they give birth between 2 and 6 offsprings their entire life.
[rank_math_rich_snippet]
Related Itineraries
This 3 days Gorilla Trekking Uganda Safari (Can also be 2 days if coming from Kigali) takes you to Bwindi…
The 7 Days Uganda Safari takes takes you for Mountain Gorillas, Chimps, Big Five animals, Wildlife experience and launch cruise…
This is a 10 Days Uganda Safari tour for Wildlife, Primates(Gorilla Trekking, Chimpanzees), Tree Climbing Lions, lake Bunyonyi, lake Mburo…
This is a 1 day gorilla tour in Rwanda in volcanoes national park. This short day trip works best if…
