5 Day Chimpanzee and Gorilla Trekking in Kibale Forest and Bwindi Forest
Chimpanzee and Gorilla Tour Uganda
The 5-day self-drive primates tracking safari in Uganda offers the best of Uganda’s primates with a visit to Kibale Forest National Park for chimpanzee tracking and also other 12 different primates species found in this forest. In addition to chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest, this primates safari also offers a visit to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park the home to the rare and endangered mountain gorillas.
Day 1: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
On this day after picking your safari vehicle from the car rental agency offices the previous evening, you will wake up early in the morning for breakfast at your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe and then start a 5-6 hours drive to Kibale Forest National Park found in the western part of the country and home to over 70 species of mammals and the park is mostly known for being home to 13 different species of primates including chimpanzees. The journey takes you through excellent sceneries of pine tree and tea plantations and homesteads, you will reach Fort Portal the district that is found in the middle of the great mountains of the moon by lunchtime. Have lunch in Fort Portal Town and then continue to the park for relaxation at the lodge. If the evening is free, you can take a nature walk or trip to the crater lakes regions; you will be entertained in some of the cultural dances of the regions. and then you will get to the lodge dinner and overnight.
Accommodation options here
- Ndali Safari Lodge
- Rwenzori View Guesthouse
- Crater Safari Lodge
- Lodge Bella Vista
- Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse
Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest
Chimpanzee in Kibale Forest National Park
Have breakfast and drive to Kanyanchu Tourist Center for a short briefing about chimpanzee tracking. Kibale Forest National Park is home to over 13 different species of primates including chimpanzees, 350 species of birds and butterflies. Along the trek in search of chimpanzees, you will get a chance to spot different primates like the colobus, grey-cheeked Mangabeys, olive monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, the L’hoest’s, bush baby, vervet monkeys, giant forest hogs, and excellent bird watching viewing. The Guide will give you information on both flora and fauna, thus making the trek enjoyable and informative.
after finding the chimpanzee you will be given a maximum of one hour in presence of them as you take photos, observe them as they do their daily activities as ask the ranger guide all the questions you will have.
After the tracking, you will return to the lodge to the lodge; unwind as we wait for lunch. In the evening, you can go for a nature stroll in the Bigodi swamps adjacent to Kibale Forest. The walk rewards you with about 200 species of bird, 8 primates, and several antelopes. On the other hand, take a cultural walk to the nearby local community and later you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer From Kibale via Ishasha to Bwindi Forest National Park
On this day, you will have breakfast at the lodge then embark on a 6 hours drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Southwestern rim, the Ishasha Sector which is known for being home to the tree-climbing lions, and other big games like buffaloes, elephants, leopards, antelopes, among others, arrive at the park by early evening for lunch at the lodge.
Bwindi Forest National Park is mostly known for being home to the large population of the rare and mountain gorillas (half of the world’s total population) plus other primate species like mangabeys, golden monkeys, colobus, red-tailed monkeys, L’hoest’s monkeys among others, mammals in the park include, forest elephants and also the park is believed to host over 300 species of bird.
If the evening is free, you can opt for a community walk to the neighboring Batwa people where you will be entertained by cultural dance by the Batwa people. Later you will have dinner and overnight at the lodge of your choice.
Accommodation options here
- Gorilla Resort
- Buhoma Homestead
- Gorilla Safari Lodge
- Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
- Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge
- Trackers Safari Lodge
- Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
- Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge
- Mutanda Lake Resort
- Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Forest National Park
Gorilla Family in Bwindi Forest National Park
On this day of this self-drive chimpanzee and gorilla trekking safari, you will wake up very early in the morning and prepare for today’s incredible experience, have breakfast then have your packed lunch, bottled drinking water and then drive to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park headquarters where you will be briefed by the ranger guide on the best way to act while with the mountain gorillas in the jungle.
After the briefing, you will be grouped in groups of 8 people and each group of 8 will have to trek a different gorilla family, then, you will get back to your vehicle and drive to the starting point of the gorilla trekking. with the accompany of the ranger guide and an armed guard, you will enter the jungle and start the gorilla tracking process. The time you will take while tracking mountain gorillas is unpredictable and can go between 3-9 hours depending on the movement of mountain gorillas in their search for food and shelter. The tracking goes through steep rocks, climbing and down through slippery and muddy jungle grounds, hence making it tiresome. However, the amazing experience to encounter these amazing primates in their natural habitat erases the poor memories you experienced in trying to find them. You will stay with them for 1 hour for observation and photography as you ask the ranger guide all kinds of questions that will come to your mind. later you will decent back to your lodge for an evening retreat.
If the evening is free, you may go for a cultural walk in the nearby community of Batwa (Pygmies) where you will be entertained in some of the cultural dances of the community. later you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Depart back to Kampala
Have breakfast at the lodge, pack your bags, and hit the road back to Kampala. It is a 6-8 hours drive and rewards you with lovely scenic views and wild game, stop at the equator for photographs and enjoy being in two hemispheres in the meantime. continue with your journey and you will arrive at Kampala by late afternoon, do last-minute shopping, and continue to Entebbe International Airport for a flight back home where you will meet the agent from the Safari Car Rental Ltd and pick the car and take it back to the agency.
