5 Days Bwindi Gorillas and Kibale Chimpanzee Safari
Detailed itinerary.
Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
On the first day of the 5-day Bwindi gorilla and Kibale chimpanzee safari, after an early breakfast, our driving guide will pick you up from your accommodation, brief you on the safari, and then begin the travel to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It’s a full-day excursion, with a pause near the Equator in Kayabwe to take photographs and buy souvenirs before continuing on with an en-route lunch. After lunch, you will go to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which offers stunning views of the rolling Kigezi hills, traditional homesteads, and lovely landscapes, among other things. Upon arrival in the park, you will check into the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay at Buhoma Lodge or Mahogany Springs (luxury), Buhoma Haven Lodge (midrange) or Buhoma Community Rest Camp (cheap).
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
On the second day of the 5-day Bwindi gorilla and Kibale chimp safari, after an early breakfast, you will bring a packed lunch and your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to transport to the park headquarters to join others for a briefing on trekking laws and regulations. Following the briefing, you will begin hiking through the forest, which will take between 30 minutes and 7 hours depending on their location.
During the trek, you will be able to see other primates such as l’hoest monkeys and chimps, as well as bird species and various plants. Once the gorillas are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat, allowing you to observe their behaviours and habits, as well as watch them carry out their daily activities such as feeding, breastfeeding, grooming young ones, playing, taking photos, and recording the moments.
After an hour with the gentle giants, you will return to the starting point and be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking. You will then meet with your driver guide to go on an optional cultural tour where you will be able to interact with the batwa, learn about their culture and way of life, visit their homesteads, and enjoy their cultural performances, among other things. After the cultural trip, you will return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay, as described above.
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale National Park.
On the third day of your five-day Bwindi gorilla and Kibale chimp safari, after breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and meet your driver guide for the travel to Kibale National Park in western Uganda. The tour will take you through the Ishasha sector in the southern section of Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you will get the opportunity to see tree climbing lions lying up in fig tree branches. During the wildlife drive, you will see tree-climbing lions as well as elephants, buffaloes, and Uganda kobs. After the wildlife drive in the Ishasha sector, you will have lunch before heading to Kibale National Park, which offers breathtaking vistas of the Rwenzori mountain ranges, crater lakes, and tea plantations. Upon arriving in the park, you will check into the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay at Chimpundu Lodge (luxury), Chimpanzee Guest House (midrange) or Isunga Lodge (cheap).
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
After an early breakfast on the fourth day of your 5-day Bwindi gorilla and Kibale chimpanzee safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge and transport you to the Kanyachu Visitors Centre for a lecture on the laws, regulations, and expectations of chimp trekking. Following the briefing, you will begin trekking through the forest, which will take between 30 minutes and 4 hours depending on their position because they prefer to wander from one site to another in search of food. During the journey, you will be able to see various primates, bird species, and flora, among others. Once you’ve located the chimps, you’ll be able to spend an hour with them in their natural environment, where you can learn about their behaviours, take photographs, watch them play, feed, nurse, fight, mate, relax, and film the moments, among other things. After the face-to-face encounter with the chimps, you will return to the park headquarters, where you will meet your driver guide and be transferred back to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will go on an interesting nature walk through the Bigodi sanctuary, where you will see spectacular views of various plants, beautiful butterflies, bird species such as the great blue turaco, primates such as l’hoest monkeys, blue monkeys, grey cheeked magabey, black and white colobus monkeys, and others. After the swamp tour, you will return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay, as described above.
Day 5: Departure to Kampala
On the final day of the 5-day Bwindi gorilla and Kibale chimp safari, after a leisurely breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and meet your driver guide for the journey to Kampala. On the way, you will stop for lunch before continuing on to Kampala, where you will arrive early in the evening. Upon arrival, your driver guide will drop you off at Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight or at the hotel, depending on your itinerary.
End of 5 days Bwindi gorillas and Kibale chimpanzee safari.
Includes
• Gorilla trekking permit @ $800pp
• Chimpanzee trekking permit @ $200pp
• Bigodi swamp walk
• Park entrance fee
• Fulltime English speaking driver guide
• Accommodation as indicated in the itinerary
• All meals at the lodge (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
• Pick up and drop off in Entebbe
• 4WD safari van and fuel
• Bottled drinking water during the trip
Excludes
• Air flight tickets and Visas
• Optional activities not included on the itinerary
• Life insurance
• Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, tips among others.
