5 Days Bwindi Gorillas and Kibale Chimpanzee Safari : This is a great opportunity to combine Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (home to half of the world’s endangered mountain gorillas) with Chimpanzee trekking or Habituation experience in Kibale National Park. Kibale National Park has been declared as the best place to view habituated wild Chimpanzees.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
On the first day of the 5-day Bwindi gorillas and Kibale chimpanzee safari, you will enjoy an early breakfast before our driver guide picks you up from the hotel. They will provide a brief overview of the safari, and then the journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park will commence. The journey spans an entire day, featuring a stopover at the Equator in Kayabwe where you can capture photos, purchase souvenirs, and then continue on with a lunch along the way. Following lunch, you will proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where you can enjoy stunning views of the rolling hills, Kigezi hills, traditional homesteads, and the beautiful landscape, among other sights.
Upon arrival in the park, you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Buhoma lodge or Mahogany springs-luxury/ Buhoma haven lodge-midrange or Buhoma community rest camp-budget.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
On the second day of the 5-day Bwindi gorillas and Kibale chimpanzee safari, you will enjoy an early breakfast before carrying a packed lunch. Your driver guide will then pick you up from the lodge to transfer you to the park headquarters, where you will join others for a briefing on the rules and regulations of trekking. After the briefing, you will embark on a trek through the jungle, which can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 7 hours, depending on the location.
While trekking, you will have the chance to see various primates such as l’hoest monkeys and chimpanzees, as well as a variety of bird species and different plants. Once the gorillas are located, you will be permitted to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat, allowing you to observe their behaviors and habits. You can watch them engage in daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, grooming their young, and playing, while also capturing photos and recording these moments.
After the hour spent with the gentle giants, you will make your way back to the starting point, where you will receive a certificate for your participation in gorilla trekking. Afterwards, you will reunite with your driver guide for an optional cultural tour. This experience will allow you to engage with the Batwa, discover their culture and way of life, visit their homesteads, and enjoy their cultural performances, among other activities. After the cultural tour, you will head back to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay as previously mentioned.
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale national park
After breakfast on the third day of the 5-day Bwindi gorillas and Kibale chimpanzee safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet your driver guide for the transfer to Kibale National Park in western Uganda. The journey will lead you through the Ishasha sector in the southern region of Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you will have the opportunity to observe the tree-climbing lions resting on the branches of fig trees. During the game drive, tree climbing lions will be seen alongside other animals such as elephants, buffaloes, and Uganda kobs, among others. After the game drive in the Ishasha sector, you will enjoy lunch before continuing on to Kibale National Park, where you will be treated to breathtaking views of the Rwenzori Mountain ranges, crater lakes, and tea plantations. Upon arrival in the park, you will check into the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay at Chimpundu Lodge for luxury, Chimpanzee Guest House for midrange, or Isunga Lodge for budget accommodations.
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
On the fourth day of the 5-day Bwindi gorillas and Kibale chimpanzee safari, after an early breakfast, your driver guide will collect you from the lodge and take you to the Kanyachu visitors Centre for a briefing on the rules, regulations, and expectations of chimpanzee trekking. After the briefing, you will embark on a trek through the forest, which can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on their location, as they tend to relocate in search of food. While trekking, you will have the opportunity to observe various primates, different bird species, and a variety of plants, among other things. Once the chimpanzees are spotted, you will have the opportunity to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. This experience allows you to learn about their behaviors, take photos, observe them playing, feeding, breastfeeding, fighting, mating, resting, and capturing various moments, among other activities.
After your face-to-face interaction with the chimpanzees, you will make your way back to the park headquarters, where you will reunite with your driver guide for the transfer back to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will embark on an engaging nature walk in Bigodi sanctuary, where you will encounter stunning views of various plants, wonderful butterflies, and bird species such as the great blue turaco. You may also spot primates including l’hoest monkeys, blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and black and white colobus monkeys, among others. After the swamp walk, you will head back to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay as previously mentioned.
Day 5: Departure to Kampala
After a leisurely breakfast on the final day of the 5-day Bwindi gorillas and Kibale chimpanzee safari, you will check out of the lodge and meet your driver guide for the transfer to Kampala. During the journey, you will have lunch along the way, after which you will continue on to Kampala, arriving in the early evening. Upon arrival, your driver guide will either drop you off at Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight or take you to the hotel, depending on your schedule.
End of 5 days Bwindi gorillas and Kibale chimpanzee safari.
