8-Day Uganda Gorillas, Chimps & Game Safari
- Pickup : Entebbe Airport
- Drop-off : Entebbe / Kigali Airport
Tour Overview
This 8-Day Uganda Gorillas, Chimps & Game Safari takes you deep into three of Uganda’s most rewarding wilderness areas in a single week. You’ll walk quietly through Bwindi’s ancient forest until a family of mountain gorillas comes into view, follow the calls of chimpanzees through Kibale’s tangled canopy, and spend long golden afternoons watching lions, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes and antelope move across the open plains of Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Parks. Every day looks completely different from the last, yet the whole trip flows together smoothly from the thundering falls in the north to the misty hills in the south. Travel budget, mid-range or luxury — Iconic Africa Safaris handles every logistic so you can just focus on the animals in front of you.
- Transportation (Car, Fuel, Driver Guide)
- Meals & Accommodation as mentioned
- Gorilla Trekking Permit
- Chimpanzee Trekking Permit
- Chimpanzee Trekking Permit
- Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
- Government Taxes
Cost Includes
- International Flights
- Accommodation Before and After your Trip
- Optional Batwa Cultural Experience
- Bigodi Sanctuary Nature Walk
- Sourvenirs
- Tips & Porter Hiring
Cost Excludes
Travel Plan
Day 1: Entebbe to Murchison Falls via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Your guide picks you up from Entebbe International Airport or your hotel and gets you settled into a comfortable 4×4 Land Cruiser for the drive north. Expect around six to seven hours on the road, broken up nicely by a stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary — the only place in Uganda where you can still walk on foot alongside wild rhinos. You’ll reach your lodge by evening, in time to check in, have dinner, and get some proper rest before the bigger day ahead.
Accommodation: Hornbill Bush Lodge (Budget) | Tilenga Safari Lodge (Mid-Range) | Nile Safari Lodge (Luxury)
Meals: Half Board
Day 2:Game Drive, Nile Boat Cruise & Optional Hike to the Falls
You will be up early for a 6:00 AM game drive across Murchison’s open plains, home to Uganda’s celebrated Big Four — elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, and the rhinos you met yesterday to make Big Five — plus giraffes, waterbucks, topis and kob scattered across the grassland. After lunch, a boat cruise carries you along the Nile to the base of the falls, past yawning hippos, sunbathing crocodiles and a steady stream of colourful birdlife. If you’ve still got energy left, the optional 1.5-hour hike to the top of the falls is worth every step, especially at sunset.
- Accommodation: Hornbill Bush Lodge (Budget) | Tilenga Safari Lodge (Mid-Range) | Nile Safari Lodge (Luxury)
- Meals: Full Board
Day 3: Drive to Kibale Forest National Park
This is a travel day, and a scenic one — 5 to 6 hours south through rolling hills, tea plantations and small towns going about everyday Ugandan life. You’ll arrive at your lodge in the afternoon with time to settle in and unwind before tomorrow’s forest adventure begins.
- Accommodation: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge (Budget) | Turaco Treetops (Mid-Range) | Chimpundu Lodge (Luxury)
- Meals: Full Board
Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking & Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Birdsong wakes you around 5:30 AM. After breakfast and a strong cup of Ugandan coffee, it’s a short drive to Kanyanchu Visitor Centre for the 7:30 AM ranger briefing. Groups stay small to protect the chimps, and once you’re in the forest, you’ll usually hear them calling before you spot them swinging and grooming overhead. The trek runs two to five hours through one of the richest chimp habitats on earth, home to more than 1,500 individuals. You’ll head back to the lodge full of stories, then transfer south to Queen Elizabeth National Park that afternoon.
- Accommodation: Kazinga Wilderness Camp (Budget) | Buffalo Safari Lodge( Mid-Range Cottages) | Buffalo Safari Lodge (Luxury Cottages)
- Meals: Full Board
Day 5: Kasenyi Plains Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
Another 6:00 AM start, this time across the Kasenyi Plains, where elephants, buffaloes, lions and the occasional leopard share the grassland with kob, warthogs, waterbuck and impala. Late afternoon brings one of Africa’s finest boat cruises, along the Kazinga Channel, where elephants wade in to drink, hippos bob at the surface, crocodiles line the banks and pelicans, fish eagles, kingfishers and storks crowd the shoreline by the hundreds. Keep your camera close all day.
- Accommodation: Kazinga Wilderness Camp (Budget) | Buffalo Safari Lodge (Mid-Range Cottages) | Buffalo Safari Lodge (Luxury Cottages)
- Meals: Full Board
Day 6: Ishasha Game Drive & Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
You’ll head into Ishasha’s southern sector at 6:00 AM, famous for its tree-climbing lions draped lazily across fig tree branches while kob and topi graze below — a sight found almost nowhere else on earth. After about two hours in the field, it’s on to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, arriving mid-afternoon with time to rest and mentally prepare for the centrepiece of the whole trip.
- Accommodation: Gorilla Valley Lodge (Budget) |Ichumbi Safari Lodge (Mid-Range) | Gorilla Safari Lodge (Luxury)
- Meals: Full Board
Day 7: Mountain Gorilla Trekking & Optional Batwa Cultural Experience
You’ll wake between 5:30 and 6:00 AM for a hearty breakfast, then head to park headquarters for the 7:30 AM ranger briefing — stay 10 metres back, keep your voice down, no flash photography, no touching. By 8:00 AM, groups of eight enter the forest with armed rangers, guided by live radio updates from scouts already tracking the gorilla families. The hike can take anywhere from 30 minutes to seven hours depending on where the family has wandered. Once you find them, you get a full, awe-struck hour watching silverbacks, playful infants and the rest of the family go about their day. Afterwards you’ll collect your trekking certificate, then spend the afternoon resting, browsing crafts, or joining the optional Batwa Cultural Experience for songs, dances and stories from one of Uganda’s oldest forest communities.
- Accommodation: Gorilla Valley Lodge (Budget) | Ichumbi Safari Lodge (Mid-Range) | Gorilla Safari Lodge (Luxury)
Meals: Full Board
Day 8: Departure
You’ve got two good options for heading home. Driving to Entebbe takes nine to ten hours, with a fun photo stop at the Equator monument in Kayabwe along the way. Or, Kigali is just four to five hours away, giving you time to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, browse local art at Inema or Niyo Art Centres, or pick up fabrics and baskets at Kimironko Market before your flight.
- Accommodation: None — available on request
- Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Answered FAQs
How much does this safari cost, and can it be customized?
This is a private safari, so pricing depends on your choice of accommodation tier and the size of your group. There’s no fixed rate because every booking is built around you — two people traveling budget-style will pay differently than a family going luxury. The good news is that this Uganda Gorillas, Chimps & Game safari is fully flexible: you can swap lodges, add extra trekking days, extend your time at any park, or adjust the route entirely. Simply tell us your preferences, group size, and travel dates, and we ‘ll build a quote that fits.
How physically demanding is the trekking on this itinerary?
Are gorilla and chimpanzee permits included in the price?
Yes — gorilla and chimp permits are built into your quoted price for this Uganda Gorillas, Chimps & Game safari unless you ask to arrange them separately. That means your figure already covers the Uganda Wildlife Authority gorilla permit, the chimp permit, plus accommodation, transport and guiding. Permits are limited daily and book out fast in peak season, so having Iconic Africa Safaris secure them on your behalf takes the pressure off you. If you’d rather handle permits yourself, just say so at booking, and always double-check your permit dates match Day 2 and Day 6.
When's the best time of year for this safari?
Uganda works year-round, but the two dry stretches — roughly June to September and December to February — are easiest for trekking, since trails stay firmer underfoot. That said, this Gorillas, Chimps & Game safari still runs smoothly in wetter months if you don’t mind occasional showers and a muddier trail. Queen Elizabeth’s wildlife viewing stays strong all year, crowds thin out at trekking sites during the rains, and lodge rates often drop. Birdlife also gets noticeably more active when it’s wet, a nice bonus for the Bigodi Nature Walk. Flexible travelers can pick either season comfortably. NOTE: Wet seasons come with discounted lodge rates as well as slashed rates on gorilla and chimp permits in April, May and November.
What should I pack for the treks and game drives?
Layers are your best friend — forest mornings are cool, but it warms up fast. Bring sturdy, broken-in hiking boots, gardening gloves for gripping vegetation, and trousers tucked into socks to keep ants and nettles off your skin. A lightweight rain jacket is essential any time of year, since Uganda’s forests can turn wet with little warning. For game drives, pack neutral clothing, a hat, sunscreen and binoculars. A zoom lens camera pays off with the tree-climbing lions and primates. Round it out with insect repellent, a water bottle, and some cash for tips.
Who is this itinerary suited for?
What's the actual difference between the budget, mid-range, and luxury lodges?
The tiers change your comfort and service level, not your access to wildlife — every option puts you just as close to the trekking and game-viewing areas. Budget lodges like Chimpanzee Forest Lodge cover the essentials cleanly. Mid-range picks such as Turaco Treetops or Ichumbi Safari Lodge add space, better dining, and nicer views. Luxury options like Chimpundu Lodge or Gorilla Safari Lodge bring higher-end finishes and more attentive service, sometimes with private decks or spa touches. You can even mix tiers across the week — many travelers upgrade specifically for gorilla trekking nights.
Is it safe to trek with wild gorillas and chimpanzees at close range?
Yes, provided you follow the ranger rules. Groups stay small, guides carry radios for real-time animal tracking, and armed rangers accompany gorilla treks mainly as protection against other forest wildlife, not the gorillas themselves, who stay calm around habituated groups. You’ll be briefed on the 7–10 metre distance rule, staying quiet, and skipping flash photography, all designed to protect you and the animals. If you’re feeling unwell — even just a cough — tell your guide, since gorillas catch human illnesses easily. Incidents are extremely rare thanks to how strictly these rules are enforced.
Can I combine this trip with a Rwanda extension in Kigali?
Absolutely — Bwindi sits just four to five hours from Kigali, making it a natural add-on after your final trekking day. Many travelers on this Gorillas, Chimps & Game safari choose to fly out of Kigali instead of backtracking to Entebbe, using the extra time to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, browse the Inema or Niyo Art Centres, or shop for baskets and fabric at Kimironko Market. It’s a straightforward border crossing with good roads the whole way. Just mention it when booking so your transfers and departure point get arranged correctly from the start.
How far in advance should I book this safari?
Ideally three to six months ahead, mainly because gorilla and chimp permits sell out fast, especially for July, August, and the December–February dry season. Booking early also gives you first pick of lodges across all three tiers, rather than settling for whatever’s left closer to your dates. If you’re traveling in a group, earlier booking makes it easier to secure rooms together too. Last-minute bookings aren’t impossible, and Iconic Africa Safaris can sometimes find permit availability on short notice, but for the smoothest Gorillas, Chimps & Game safari experience, earlier is always better.
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