Itinerary
The 8-Day Gorilla Trek, Wildlife Safari, and Chimp Habituation Experience offered by Bamboo Ecotours takes you to the most stunning tourist attractions in southwestern Uganda. The major highlights are game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park, chimpanzee habituation experience (full day) at Kibale National Park, and gorilla trekking at Bwindi National Park.
Day 1: Transfer from Entebbe/Kampala to Kibale Forest National Park
Our representative will pick you up in Entebbe or Kampala and drive to Kibale National Park. The drive to Kibale National Park will go through amazing landscapes of western Uganda. You will arrive at Kibale National Park in the afternoon, ready to start dinner and relaxed night.
Day 2: Chimpanzee habituation experience (full day) at Kibale Forest National Park
You will head to the Kibale forest immediately after breakfast to experience the habituation of the chimpanzees. If you are lucky on the trek, you might encounter other different species of monkeys in the Kibale forest. These include the colobus monkey, olive baboon, and red-tailed monkey.
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Fort Portal Crater Lakes
We will drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park via Fort Portal crater lakes. Enjoy the amazing views of western Uganda tea farmlands and tea plantations. If the weather is good, you will get a chance to spot the Rwenzori mountain escarpment in the distance.
Day 4: Kasenyi plains game drive and Kazinga channel boat trip, Queen Elizabeth National Park
You will start the day with early morning breakfast at the lodge. Afterward, we proceed to the famed Kasenyi plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park to spot various species of wild animals. Kasenyi plains dwell in the vast savannahs of the Albertine rift in Queen Elizabeth National Park. It will be a morning full of adventure! Expect to encounter lions, herds of buffalos, elephants, Uganda kobs, topi, and bushbucks. While spotting the “Big Five” in the park is not guaranteed, on a lucky day, you may site leopards to make it the “Big Four.”
Ishasha sector for tree climbing lions
On the way to Bwindi National Park, we will drive through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, popularly known for the tree-climbing lions. Unlike their counterparts at the Kasenyi plains, the lions at Ishasha have found a way to climb the fig trees in to enjoy the warm temperatures available in the park. While the sighting of the tree-climbing lions is not 100% guaranteed, a stopover at Ishasha is worth a visit!
Day 5: Transfer to Ishasha for tree-climbing lions and transfer to Bwindi National Park
You will head to the Bwindi national park gate immediately after breakfast to get a briefing about the gorilla trek. The briefing will be conducted by the national park guide and will cover the basics of what to expect during the trek. It is at this point that you will be told which gorilla family to trek. Other visitors will likely join you. The gorilla trek can take from a few to many hours, depending on how far the gorillas are inside the forest.
Day 6: Gorilla trekking at Bwindi National Park
You will head to the Bwindi national park gate immediately after breakfast to get a briefing about the gorilla trek. The briefing will be conducted by the national park guide and will cover the basics of what to expect during the trek. It is at this point that you will be told which gorilla family to trek. Other visitors will likely join you. The gorilla trek can take from a few to many hours, depending on how far the gorillas are inside the forest.
Day 7: Spend the day exploring Lake Bunyonyi (canoeing, bird watching, and more)
Make the most of your afternoon at Lake Bunyonyi, considered one of the deepest and most beautiful inland water bodies lakes in Africa that offers refreshing experiences ranging from dug-out canoeing, swimming, and bird watching by choosing another optional activity.
Day 8: Transfer from Lake Bunyonyi to Kampala/Entebbe
This will be the last day of the 8-Day Gorilla Trek, Wildlife Safari, and Chimp Habituation Experience. We will travel from Lake Bunyonyi to Entebbe. There will be a stopover at the Igongo cultural center for lunch and another stop at the Equator line crossing to visit handicraft shops and take a coffee cup as needed.