Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi National Park. The hike was tough, the insects plentiful, but was amazing. We decided to go from Kigali as it was closer to Bwindi than Kampala, which involved a border crossing. Our guide Joseph was excellent guiding us through this, as well as dealing with all accommodation and even showed us around his local town’s (Kisoro) market. The food at the accommodation was excellent.
5-Day Uganda Primates Special Flying Trek via Kigali
Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi NP
Track Golden Monkeys in Mgahinga Park
Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest
Primate safaris in Uganda might not be as well-known as others, but they certainly do not disappoint. Trek all Uganda primates in this special 5-day fly-in tour that includes gorillas, golden monkeys, and chimpanzees in Kibale National Park. The 5-day trek is best for guests visiting Uganda to track all primates. The tour can best be combined with a big game safari in Kenya or Tanzania. The trek starts in Kigali, Rwanda, and ends in Entebbe, Uganda.
Tour Highlights
Visit Kigali Genocide Memorial & Museum
Track mountain gorillas in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bwindi National Park
Track golden monkeys in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Explore community experiences (Batwa Culture or Coffee Tour)
Track chimpanzees through Kibale National Park with expert guides
Click the Tabs to Find out More
Trip Details
Trip Details
Price
Adults (15-80): $3,562
Please inquire for the budget accommodation price, this is our mid-range accommodation tour
2 persons or more: $2,838 per person
3 persons or more: $2,778 per person
4 persons or more: $2,699 per person
Departure Time
Anytime between 7:00 am to 10:00 am Kigali time
Meeting Point
We offer pick-up to the following places for this experience:
- Downtown Kigali
- Kigali International Airport
Availability
Monday to Sunday, year-round
Duration
5 days
Difficulty Level
Moderate – uphill trekking
Group size
1 to 5 persons
Included
- One gorilla trekking permit per person (value of $700)
- One chimpanzee trekking permit per person (value of $200)
- Transport in a 4×4 safari vehicle
- Domestic flights in Uganda
- Accommodation as described in the itinerary
- Meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) as specified in the itinerary
- Drinking water when in the safari vehicle
- Park entrance fees and other costs described in the itinerary
Not Included
- International flights from the country of origin
- Accommodation for days not listed in the itinerary
- Airport transfer only available on the day of the trip
- Soft and alcoholic drinks
- Visas, travel, and medical insurance
- Gifts, gratuities, and tips
- Other costs of personal nature
- Optional activities (see tab 4)
What to Bring
- Hiking boots
- Garden gloves
- Rain jacket or poncho
- Long-sleeved shirt/blouse
- Cameras and extra batteries
- Hat/cap and sunglasses
- Pair of binoculars
- Flashlight (torch)
- Mosquito repellent
- Other items to include: zoom lens for wildlife shots and energy bars/bites
Participation Requirements
- Age restriction: 15-80 years old
- A valid passport is required on the day of travel
- This tour is not wheelchair accessible
- We advise against people with heart problems or other serious medical conditions participating on this tour
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Good to Know
Depending on the availability of gorilla permits, we may propose trekking gorillas at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
What You’ll Do
Our representative will pick you up at Kigali Airport or downtown Kigali and drive you to Bwindi National Park. The 4 to 5-hour scenic drive to Uganda will go through Rwanda’s northern town of Ruhengeri where you will cross over into Uganda via the Cyanika or Katuna border posts. The trip continues through the nearby towns of Kisoro or Kabale and finally into Bwindi National Park. Before driving to Uganda, guests may opt to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial & Museum.
After an early morning breakfast, we will have a short drive to the Bwindi National Park gate to receive a gorilla-trekking briefing. The national park guide will conduct the presentation that covers the basics of what to expect during the gorilla trek and how to act to ensure the safety of both guests and the gorillas. Once you are assigned to a group, our adventure into the rainforest begins! Follow your guide through dense vegetation until you encounter these impressive creatures in their natural habitat. Depending on how far inside the forest the gorillas are, the trek can take from between 3 hours up to 8, but most last between 3 and 6 hours. After the gorilla trek, we will take you back to the lodge to enjoy a well-deserved dinner and an evening of relaxation.
Golden monkey trekking. Trek the Golden Monkeys in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
This trip will take you to trek the golden monkeys, an endemic species of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in southwestern Uganda. You will enter the forest and walk through the bamboo vegetation and various indigenous plants like giant lobelia. Your national park guide will tell you about the national park’s history and the fauna and flora that the park holds during the trip. The golden monkey trek should take about 5 hours. Optional activities in the afternoon include Batwa Cultural experience, Coffee Making Tour, and Canoeing at Lake Mutanda. Dinner and overnight around Lake Mutanda.
We start our action-packed fourth day with a morning flight from Kisoro Airport to Kasese Airport. Our guide/driver will pick you up from Kasese Airport and drive to Kibale National Park. After arriving at Kibale, join the experience of tracking the chimpanzees in the afternoon. On a lucky day during the trek, you might encounter other different species of monkeys in the Kibale forest. These include colobus monkeys, olive baboons, and red-tailed monkeys. Dinner and overnight at Kibale National Park.
After early morning breakfast, our guide will drive to Kasese Airport where you get the flight to Entebbe Airport. The estimated departure from Kasese Airport is 10:20am & arrival at Entebbe is 11:25am. Either spend the night in Entebbe or continue to your next destination.
Accommodation & Meals
- Day 1: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge (opens in a new tab)– Dinner
- Day 2: Mutanda Lake Resort(opens in a new tab) – All meals included
- Day 3: Mutanda Lake Resort – All meals included
- Day 4: Isunga Lodge(opens in a new tab) – All meals included
- Day 5: Breakfast & lunch
Optional Activities on Day 1
- The Batwa Trail Cultural Tour inside Mgahinga Gorilla National Park – $80 USD
- Visit the Batwa Community in the Village – $30 USD
- Canoe Trekking at Lake Mutanda – $30 USD
- Coffee-Making Experience – $30 USD
- Mabungo Community Village Tour in Kisoro – $30 USD
See our Local Experiences(opens in a new tab) page for more information on each activity.
See What Our Previous Guests Have Said...
We instantly felt a bond with Fred. He was a safe driver and very knowledgeable about the parks and the animals. But most importantly, Fred was a real person. He shared with us personal details about his life and lifestyle that gave us a unique perspective and insight into everyday life in Uganda that we otherwise would not have had. Being American, I don’t hug very many other men but when Fred dropped us back at our hotel in Kigali, we both gave him a big heartfelt bear hug knowing that our time with him had come to an end way too soon. As a businessman, my standards for customer service are quite high Bamboo Ecotours met and exceeded them! Edison is an honest and trustworthy businessman. Do not hesitate to book your trip with this company.
Despite the timing, Edison was able to secure a gorilla permit at Mgahinga as well as for chimps at Kibale (both magical of course). Four out of five lodgings were perfect – one can use some work (I understand they had recent management changes and Edison confirmed he will speak with them). The very best part of the experience, however, was the work ethic, knowledge, and overall pleasant nature of my guide, Herbert. He was an utter delight to work with and of the four or five guides I usually spend time with each year, he easily ranks as one of my favorite.
