Trip Info
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Suitable for solo travelers and groups
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This tour begins and concludes in Entebbe.
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Pop-up roof 4x4 vehicle, boat & hiking/walking
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Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour can be arranged for an extra cost
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Can start any day
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Mid-range, private tour
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All meals included
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English
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15
Overview
Discover Uganda’s natural wonders on this 7-day Uganda safari featuring Murchison Falls, thrilling chimpanzee encounters, and unforgettable gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
This trip will involve visits to the following destinations: Murchison Falls National Park with the thunderous Murchison Falls, the vast savannah of Uganda’s largest Park teeming with wildlife; trek chimp in Kibale Forest National Park, go gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and end your trip on the beach of Lake Bunyonyi. Which is for relaxation and watching birds before drop off at Entebbe International Airport to board your home flight.
Highlights
- Can start any day
- Private tour
- Mid-range tour
- Can be customized
- Suitable for solo travelers
- Minimum age of 15 years
- A transfer from and back to the airport is included
Itinerary
Ideally, your flight should arrive early (not later than 12 pm) in Uganda. You will be met and greeted by your driver/guide at Entebbe Airport and head to Murchison Falls. Among them are; the scenes of white water rafting through the Murchison, Uganda ‘s largest park, home to the rollings grasslands, lions, giraffes, hartebeests, buffaloes and elephants.
Well, perhaps you will be amazed at the presence of hippos and Nile crocodile that can be found in this area. For bird lovers, Murchison, falls, Uganda has 450 recorded bird species, some of which are the shoebill stork, the dwarf king fisher, the white- thighed hornbill and the goliath heron among others.
En route, make a detour visit to Ziwa Rhino sanctuary. You will have at least one hour of rhino tracking while here. Another break will be in Masindi where you will be served your lunch. Head to the park and your lodge/accommodation of choice in order to spend the night.
Main Destination: Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch
Best Time To Go: June to August and December to February (Dry seasons)
High Season: June to September (Peak time for Uganda)
Accommodation: Parkside Safari Lodge
- This lodge is a mid-range lodge situated close to Murchison Falls National Park.
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Start by having your packed breakfast and then set off early morning for a game drive across the rolling Savannah landscape of Uganda’s largest park. These are the ideals places where you can find lions, giraffes, hartebeests, buffalos and elephants respectively. From any birding point of view, this area will support the Secretary Bird and Black-chested Snake Eagle among others. After this go back to your accommodation to have your lunch. Afterwards, you will go for the boat cruise to the base of the Murchison falls where you’ll be again able to see such animals as hippos, crocodiles and several water birds. You can go on with a hike, if you fancy it, to the top of the falls. The walk, in fact, might be a little tiring but reaching the summit is absolutely exhilarating. Miss it only if you must. You will then go for an evening game drive before proceeding to the lodge. Go back to your lodges and have a comfortable stay in the evening.
Main Destination: Murchison Falls National Park
- The best time to visit is during December, January and February when animal spotting is easier.
High Season: June to September (Peak time for Uganda)
Best Weather: June and July (Less rain and lower temperatures)
Wildlife in Murchison Falls NP: Chimpanzee, Elephant, Giraffe, Lion, Buffalo, Hippo, Leopard, White Rhino, Black Rhino, Cheetah, Zebra, Wildebeest, Wild Dog
Accommodation: Parkside Safari Lodge
- This lodge is a mid-range lodge situated close to Murchison Falls National Park.
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Non-alcoholic drinks
Before the sun gets high, embark on a morning game drive in anticipation of other animals not spotted the previous day. You will then take a drive to Kibale Forest National Park famous for the chimpanzees.
You will clean up then after that you will go for a few rounds of walk around Bigodi Swamp; this area is endowed with so many natural and beautiful attractions as far as species of growth are concerned. This environment is home to over 200 birds and these include Hornbills, Turacos, Parrots, Cranes and Kingfishers and many more swamp endemics. In addition, the sanctuary provides a home to 8 primate species, Black and white Colobus, Red Colobus, Red tailed monkey, Grey cheeked Mangabey, Olive baboon, L’Hoest monkey, Vervet and the blue monkey.
Main Destination:
Kibale National Park (Chimps)
Seasons of the year to visitUganda: Best visited during January to February and June to July if planning to do chimp trekking.
High Season: June to September (Peak time for Uganda)
Best Weather: January to February and June to July (Least rain)
Wildlife in Kibale NP: Chimpanzee, Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Leopard, Hippo, Giraffe, White Rhino, Black Rhino, Cheetah, Zebra, Wildebeest
Accommodation: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge
- This is a moderate class guest house right outside of Kibale NP which is home to the chimpanzees.
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Non-alcoholic drinks
In the morning, there will be a chimpanzee tracking tour in Kibale Forest. The day will begin with an early morning briefing from our experienced guides who will lead you to find the habituated chimpanzee groups in the forest. When you do, you will have a fun one hour observing and learning about these amazing apes. Subsequently, you will move to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Main Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Best Time To Visit: January to February and June to July (Dry seasons)
High Season: June to September (Peak time for Uganda)
Best Weather: June to July and January to February (Less rainfall)
Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP: Chimpanzee, Elephant, Lion, Buffalo, Hippo, Leopard, Giraffe, White Rhino, Black Rhino, Cheetah, Zebra, Wildebeest, Wild Dog
Accommodation: Elephant Hab Lodge
- Mid range lodge situates it in the outskirts of Kyambura GORE which is within or near Kibale forest NATIONAL PARK
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Our first activity will be a morning game drive in the Queen Elizabeth National park which is host to elephants, lions, leopards, buffaloes, antelopes and many others. Then, you will go for a drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park famously known for the habituation of the world’s endangered mountain gorillas.
Main Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas)
High Season: June to September (there are few permits for gorilla trekking).
Best Weather: June to July and December to February (Less rainfall)
Wildlife in Bwindi Impenetrable NP: Gorilla, Chimpanzee, Elephant, White Rhino, Black Rhino, Lion, Giraffe, Leopard, Cheetah, Buffalo, Zebra, Wildebeest, Hippo
Accommodation: Rushaga Gorilla Lodge
- This mid-range lodge is situated just outside Rushaga within the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Non-alcoholic drinks
On this particular day, you will proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for one of the most incredible experiences of your lifetime, the mountain gorilla trekking. Next, you will move into the forest in small groups accompanied by park rangers in order to track and observe one of the gorilla groups with which the rangers have habituated.
The hike takes different time and is as challenging as much as the location of the gorillas you have booked to trek and once you meet the gorillas, you spend one extraordinary hour with them and for those that love taking pictures, you can take as many shots as you wish. It will feel like watching these amazing animals caught in their natural elements, something which will feel like a privilege to get to do.
Main Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas)
Accommodation: Rushaga Gorilla Lodge
- This mid-range lodge is situated just outside Rushaga within the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Non-alcoholic drinks
Immediately after breakfast, transfer to the airport for your outgoing flight after your exiting tour in Uganda. The distance from Nairobi to Maasai Mara is about 306 kilometers and the drive can take between 8-9 hours especially if it is done in a private vehicle, though we make a stop for lunch in Narok town and to take pictures of animals along the way. Thus, your guide will be with you to make sure that you get to the airport in time for your scheduled flight, which will signify the end of the 7 day Uganda safari.
However, it is important to know that specific accommodation details depend on the availability and the date you plan to travel. When it comes to accommodation, it is advisable to make early bookings and consult with a travel agency or a tour operator for information on the latest one as regard to your 7 Days Uganda Chimps & Gorilla Trekking Safari.
Main Destination: Entebbe International Airport (Entebbe)
Accommodation:
No accommodation (End of tour)
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Non-alcoholic drinks
End of tour
- There are arrangements for accommodating any extra guests for a fee to be agreed upon.
- At the end of the trip, we will take an airport transfer service while dropping you off at the airport.
Includes/Excludes
Cost Includes
- • Park fees (For non-residents)
- • Gorilla permits (One per person, non-resident)
- • Chimp permits (One per person, non-resident)
- • All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
- • All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
- • A professional driver/guide
- • All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
- • All Taxes/VAT
- • Roundtrip airport transfer
- • Meals (as listed in the day-by-day section)
- • Food (As specified in the day-by-day section)
Cost Excludes
- • International flights (From/to home)
- • Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- • Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
- • Personal expenses (Configuration charges like souvenirs, travel insurance, visa costs, etc.)
- • This can be attributed to government imposed increase in taxes and/or park fees.
FAQs
7 Days Murchison Falls, Chimps and Gorilla Trekking is one of the most unique and exhilarating Uganda safari packages for wildlife enthusiasts. Safari starting point and ending point is Entebbe; Rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino Ranch, a wildlife and water fall tour in Murchison Falls National Park, and finally chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park. You will also have a stopover at Queen Elizabeth National Park renowned for its wildlife then proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for the highlight of the trip- gorilla trekking. The tour winds down back to Entebbe allowing for the opportunity to fully explore the beauty of Ugandan terrain and wildlife on an adventurous primate tracking tour.
Trekking trips can be mild or intense depending on the hiker’s preference and physical strength. The trek involved a few hours walking through the forest, making chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National park relatively easier. Nevertheless, gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can be a bit strenuous since trekkers find themselves walking through the forested hills and steep slopes for several hours. Trekking should only be done by people in good health and that are in a good physical health to make the activity a success. These include the wild life of Murchison and Queen Elizabeth National Park where safari vehicles are used to make the exercise less involving.
This tour is a perfect chance to take a glimpse to many types of animals on the farm and in the nearby forests. Some of the viewable wildlife in Murchison Falls National Park includes elephants, giraffes, lions, hippos, crocodiles, and different species of antelopes. Other inhabitants of Kibale National park include; chimpanzees and other primates such as the red colobus monkeys and L’Hoest’s monkeys. Queen Elizabeth National Park provide opportunities of viewing tree-climbing lions, buffaloes and leopards. The park hosts one of the most fascinating animals in the whole world – the mountain gorillas. Each part of the trip is a nature lover and wildlife photographer’s dream.
This kind of tour is very enjoyable any time of the year, but it is better to travel during the short rainy seasons that fall between June and September and December up to February. These months are the best for trekking as the trails in Bwindi and Kibale are less slippery and easy for walking. Wildlife is also easily spotted in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Park especially during the dry season because many of them tend to concentrate around waters sources. The tour can be done throughout the year, though it is recommended to avoid the two rainy seasons that are from March to May and from October to November as the terrains could be very wet and slippery.
Proper packing is crucial when traveling so as to make the trip as enjoyable as can be. Clothing includes good leather shoes for the trekking activities in Kibale and Bwindi, light and comfortable casual wear, and a pair of shoes to be worn at some cultural places which are formal, a rain coat, insect repellent, sun screen lotion and a hat. A good quality camera and binoculars are ideal for scenic and wildlife photography. Due to the physical nature of the hikes required for gorilla and chimpanzee tourism, it is advisable to carry along a small pack with drinking water, energy-giving foods and a walking walking stick available for hire at the park. You therefore need to ensure you have your gorilla and chimp trekking permits and any other traveling documents.
For both gorilla and chimpanzee trekking one needs permits. These are acquired from the Uganda Wildlife Authority and it is advised to secure these in advance since they are very popular. Currently, a permit to trek mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park will set you about $700 while the chimpanzee tracking permit for Kibale National Park will be about $200. The most tour operators offer it in their packages and thus people do not have to organize them on their own. When self-arranging permits can be gotten from the UWA offices or may be given out by tour companies.
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