5 Days Uganda Flying Gorilla & Chimpanzees trekking safari
5 days Uganda flying gorilla and chimpanzees trekking safari is a combined primate safari offering an encounter with two fascinating primate species that is the endangered mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, 5 days gorilla and chimpanzees trekking safari takes you on a safari visit to Bwindi impenetrable national park and Kibale national park.
Uganda hosts half of the world’s mountain gorillas living in the forested high altitudes of Bwindi Impenetrable national park which is situated in the south western region of Uganda, mountain gorillas live in groups and in Bwindi impenetrable national park there are a number of mountain groups habituated and set aside for mountain gorilla trekking safari. These mountain gorillas include Mubare Gorilla Family, Habinyanja Gorilla Family, Rushegura Gorilla Family, Bitukura Gorilla Family, Oruzogo Gorilla Family, Nkuringo Gorilla Family, Nshongi Gorilla Family, Mishaya Gorilla Family, Kahungye Gorilla Family, Bweza Gorilla Family- Rushaga, Busingye Gorilla Family, Kyaguriro Gorilla Family, Christmas and Katwe and they are found in the four sectors of the park are Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija and Nkuringo.
5 days Uganda flying gorilla and chimpanzees trekking safari also takes you on a visit to Kibale national park for chimpanzee tacking safari, Kibale national park is a heavy forested destination with tracts of rainforest found in western Uganda. This park is a home to 13 primate species including a large population of chimpanzees.
5 days Uganda flying gorilla and chimpanzees trekking safari is a flying safari using domestic flights, domestic flights to Kibale national park are offered by Aero Link from Entebbe international airport to Kasese airstrip. Flights to Bwindi impenetrable national park are also offered from Entebbe International Park to Kihihi airstrip.
Highlights of 5 days gorilla and chimpanzees trekking safari
- Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Kibale national park
- Day 2: chimpanzee tracking
- Day 3: transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
- Day 4: mountain gorilla trekking
- Day 5: transfer back to Kampala and drop off
Detailed itinerary of the safari
Day 1: Arrival and fly to Kibale national park
Upon you arrival at Entebbe international airport you will meet your safari driver who will give you a short briefing about the safari and then get on your domestic flight either at Entebbe international airport itself or at Kajjansi airstrip flying to Kasese airstrip. Upon your landing you will meet a safari driver and embark on your 1 hour’s drive to Kibale national park, when you arrive in the park you will check into your lodge and rest. In the evening you will have dinner and stay overnight at your lodge.
Accommodation is got from
- Budget: Chimpanzee forest guest house
- Midrange: Isunga lodge
- Luxury: Primates lodge
Day 2: chimpanzee tracking
After morning breakfast at your lodge, you will head to Kibale national park headquarters for briefing about chimpanzee tracking safari, a head ranger will inform you about the dos and don’ts to follow on this safari then head into the forests of Kibale in search for the chimpanzees. Kibale forests habit 12 other primate species on top of chimpanzees, these species include olden monkey, L’Hoest monkey, baboons, white and black colobus monkeys, grey checked mangabey, red colobus, blue monkeys and pottos and they are sighted while on your trek through the forests of Kibale.
Chimpanzee tracking takes about 3-6 hours tracking for the chimpanzees and 1 hour of staying the presence of the chimpanzees, in this hour you will enjoy seeing these playful creatures on top of tree branches collecting fruits and many more. After the experience you will head back to the headquarters, meet your safari driver and head to your lodge for lunch, in the afternoon you will go for Bigodi swamp walk of 4.5 kilometers.
On the swamp walk you will enjoy sights of many bird species such as Hornbills, Turacos, Parrots, Cranes, Kingfishers and primates such as Black and White Colobus, Red Colobus, Red Tailed Monkey, Grey Cheeked Mangabey, Olive Baboon, L’hoest Monkey, Vervet Monkey and the Blue Monkey. In the evening you will have dinner and stay overnight at your lodge.
Day 3: fly to Bwindi impenetrable national park
After morning breakfast you will checkout of lodge and drive to Kasese Airstrip for your flight to Bwindi impenetrable national park to Kihihi airstrip, when you arrive at Kihihi airstrip you will meet your safari driver and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park. When you arrive in the park, you will check into your lodge and in the afternoon you will go for a Buhoma community walk where you will encounter local people going on with their daily life, visit schools, local theaters and many more. In the evening you will have dinner and stay overnight at your lodge.
Day 4: mountain gorilla trekking
After early morning breakfast, you will drive to the park’s headquarters for briefing and registering for mountain gorilla trekking, in the briefing session a head ranger will read you the rules and regulations to follow in the presence of mountain gorillas.
You will be assigned a gorilla group, hire a hiking stick and a porter to assist you on this safari and with your packed lunch you will hike into the forests of Bwindi in search for mountain gorillas which takes about 3-6 hours depending on the movement of mountain gorillas. When you find the gorillas, you are allocated only 21 hour to be in the presence of mountain gorillas taking pictures, enjoying sights of mountain gorilla picking leaves, fruits and roots for food. After the experience you will trek back to the park’s headquarters, meet your safari driver then head back to your lodge, have dinner and stay overnight.
Day 5: visit to Batwa community and fly to Kampala and drop off
After early morning breakfast you will checkout of your lodge and head to the Batwa community for a cultural encounter, the Batwa people are indigenous people of the forests and the inhabitants of Bwindi forests before it was declared a national park.
After the gazetting of the forests as a protected area these pygmy people where pushed to the boundaries of the park where they currently reside, on your visit to their community you will enjoy many local activities such as demonstration of hunting skills, visiting the traditional healer, learn how to make fire the traditional way, encounter houses built using local and then be entertained by the Batwa local dances and songs. After the experience you will transfer to kihihi for your departure flight to Entebbe international airport, after you land you will board on your international flight back home.
End of the 5 Days Uganda Flying Gorilla & Chimpanzees trekking safari
Safari inclusions
- Airport Transfers on first and last day
- Gorilla Permit
- Accommodation and meals as per the itinerary
- Chimpanzee trekking permits
- Transport in 4×4 safari vehicle
- Services of an English speaking driver guide
- All park entrance fees
- Fuel for the entire trip
- Drinking water during the trip
Safari exclusions
- Tips and gratuity
- Pre and post tour accommodation
- International airfares
- Uganda Visa
- Items of personal nature such as alcoholic drinks and laundry
- Domestic flights
