10-Day Uganda Safari: Gorilla Trekking, Wildlife & Cultural Experiences
Uganda 10 Days / 9 Nights 1-6 people
$4,650 per person (02 travelers)
Overview
This 10-day Uganda safari combines primate encounters, wildlife viewing, boat trips, scenic landscapes, and cultural experiences across some of Uganda’s most remarkable destinations.
It involves primate encounters, including gorilla trekking in Bwindi, golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga, and chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park.
The safari includes wildlife viewing, with game drives in Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo, and Murchison Falls National Parks, offering opportunities to see diverse wildlife.
In addition, the safari involves boat trips along the Kazinga Channel and Nile River, offering opportunities to enjoy Uganda’s diverse wildlife and scenic landscapes.
As you travel between destinations, you enjoy diverse landscapes ranging from lush forests and rolling hills to banana plantations and open savannah grasslands.
You also experience the warm hospitality of the Ugandan people along the way, adding a memorable cultural dimension to your journey.
Quick Safari Notes
- The safari starts and ends in Entebbe, with airport pick-up and drop-off provided.
- The safari is fully guided by a professional and experienced tour guide throughout the journey.
- It includes game drives, birdwatching, gorilla trekking, chimpanzee and golden monkey tracking, boat trips, cultural experiences, and sightseeing.
- The safari follows a fixed day-by-day itinerary, with accommodation and selected activities paid for in advance.
- Late or last-minute itinerary changes are subject to availability and may attract additional charges.
- It involves gorilla and golden monkey trekking for approximately 2–5 hours through steep forest terrain, requiring moderate physical fitness.
- The safari suits groups, couples, families, and solo travellers. However, gorilla trekking is restricted to persons aged 16 and above, while chimpanzee and golden monkey tracking require a minimum age of 12.
- Accommodation includes standard and midrange guesthouses, cottages, and tented camps offering clean and comfortable stays.
- Travel between destinations is by 4x4 Toyota HiAce safari van with a pop-up roof for convenient wildlife viewing.
Itinerary
Your designated company guide meets you at the hotel, lodge, or Entebbe Airport, and you embark on the drive to Lake Mburo National Park.
Along the way, you stop at the Equator Monument in Kayabwe for photographs, demonstrations, and an introduction to the Equator’s geographical significance.
Upon arrival at Lake Mburo National Park, you check into your accommodation and relax for a few hours before the evening walking safari.
Later, you enjoy a three-hour guided walking safari through the park, offering opportunities to encounter diverse wildlife and bird species at close range in their natural habitats.
Note: Drive time from Entebbe to Lake Mburo National Park: approximately 6 hours.
Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner
Early in the morning, you visit a Bahima homestead for a cultural experience and learn about the community’s pastoral traditions, beliefs, and way of life.
During the visit, you participate in traditional activities such as milking cattle, preparing cow ghee, and grazing livestock. The experience provides a closer look at the Bahima’s long-standing cattle-keeping traditions.
After the homestead visit, you travel to Kisoro Town. Along the way, you make a few stops at roadside markets to taste locally grown fruits, observe daily life, and interact with local people.
Upon arrival in Kisoro, you check into your accommodation and enjoy a relaxing evening.
Note: Drive time from Lake Mburo National Park to Kisoro Town: approximately 5-6 hours.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, you drive for about 15–20 minutes to the Uganda Wildlife Authority headquarters for a briefing. Park rangers provide guidelines and safety information before the tracking experience begins.
You then enter Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and trek through the forest in search of golden monkeys. The tracking experience usually takes about 2–4 hours, depending on the location of the troop.
During the trek, you may also encounter other primates and a variety of bird species. Once you locate the golden monkeys, you spend up to one hour observing them in their natural habitat and taking photographs.
After the tracking experience, you travel to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Upon arrival, you check into your accommodation and relax for the rest of the day.
Drive time from Kisoro to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Rushaga): approximately 2 hours.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After an early breakfast, you take a short drive to the collection center for the 8:00 a.m. briefing. Experienced park rangers provide guidelines and procedures for gorilla trekking.
Following the briefing, you join a small group and set off through the steep, forested slopes of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in search of a habituated gorilla family.
Once you locate the gorillas, you spend up to one hour observing them in their natural habitat and taking photographs while maintaining the required distance.
After the trek, you return to your lodge for relaxation and an overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After exploring southwestern Uganda, you travel for approximately five hours to Queen Elizabeth National Park, located on the floor of the Rift Valley in Kasese District, western Uganda.
In the evening, you enter the park and embark on a 27-kilometre Crater Lakes Drive, enjoying breathtaking views of the diverse landscapes and opportunities to encounter diverse wildlife, including elephants and buffaloes.
After the Crater Lakes Drive, you proceed to your booked lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Start the morning with a game drive through the Kasenyi Plains in the northern region of Queen Elizabeth National Park, renowned for its diverse wildlife and birdlife.
During the game drive, you may encounter wildlife such as waterbucks, Uganda kobs, buffaloes, hippos, warthogs, and hyenas. You may also spot bird species including ibises, vultures, and African fish eagles.
In the afternoon, you will enjoy a two-hour shared boat ride on the Kazinga Channel, which connects Lake George and Lake Edward.
The cruise offers opportunities to observe crocodiles, hippos, elephants, and a variety of waterbirds along the channel.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, you depart for Kibale National Park for afternoon chimpanzee tracking.
Before entering the forest, you attend a briefing on chimpanzee tracking guidelines. You then embark on a guided forest walk in search of habituated chimpanzee communities.
Note: If time permits, you have the option of a 2–3-hour guided community walk through Bigodi to experience the local culture and daily life.
During the walk, you learn about local brewing and herbal medicine. You also visit a homestead to observe traditional meal preparation and experience the community’s way of life.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Start the morning with breakfast before embarking on a 7–8-hour road journey to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest protected area.
The journey takes you through varied landscapes as you travel northeast from Kibale National Park.
Upon arrival, you visit the Top of the Falls, where the mighty Nile River is forced through a narrow 7-metre gorge before plunging downstream. The viewpoint offers spectacular views of the falls and surrounding landscapes.
After visiting the Top of the Falls, you proceed to your lodge for relaxation and an overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Begin the day with a game drive through the northern sector of Murchison Falls National Park, offering opportunities to see diverse wildlife, including elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, and various antelope species.
At 2:00 p.m., you take a three-hour shared boat cruise along the Victoria Nile to the base of Murchison Falls, with opportunities to see diverse wildlife and bird species along the riverbanks.
After the boat cruise, you return to your lodge by vehicle for relaxation and an overnight stay. The drive back also offers further opportunities for wildlife viewing along the way.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Start the day with an early morning departure from Murchison Falls National Park to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakasongola District.
Upon arrival, you embark on a 1–2-hour walking safari to track white rhinos in their natural habitat.
After the rhino tracking experience, you enjoy lunch before continuing with a 3–4-hour drive to Entebbe Airport for your departure flight, marking the end of your safari.
Note: For a comfortable journey and to allow for possible delays, we recommend scheduling your departure flight from Entebbe International Airport between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
Drive Time: Approximately seven hours from Murchison Falls National Park to Entebbe Airport.
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch
Safari Highlights
- Trek to see endangered mountain gorillas through the dense forests of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
- Enjoy game drives across Uganda’s savannah national parks, offering opportunities to see diverse wildlife.
- Take boat trips along the Kazinga Channel and Nile River to observe wildlife and birds along the shores.
- Track golden monkeys through the forests of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
- Experience a walking safari in Lake Mburo National Park for a closer wildlife encounter.
- Interact with the Bahima community to learn about their culture and traditional way of life.
Price Per Person (USD)
| 1 Pax | 2 Pax | 3 Pax | 4 Pax | 5 Pax | 6 Pax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6230 | 4650 | 4400 | 4130 | 4060 | 3850 |
Price Includes
- Gorilla tracking permit
- Accommodation for 9 nights as indicated in the itinerary
- Road transport using 4 X 4 Toyota Hiace Safari Van
- Services of the English speaking guide/driver
- All meals as stipulated during the safari period
- Entrance fees to all the parks indicated in the itinerary
- Bottled water in the safari vehicle
- Boat ride on the Kazinga channel and River Nile
- Walking safari in Lake Mburo National Park
- Airport transfers
- Bahima cultural experience in Lake Mburo National Park
- Golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga National Park
Price Excludes
- International travel to/from Entebbe
- Personal /travel insurance
- Entry Visa fees into Uganda
- Domestic flights (if required)
- Payment charges (when using online payment methods)
- Tips (gratuity) to guides (recommended)
- Any activity indicated as optional
- All kinds of drinks apart from drinking water
- Pre- and post- trip accommodation if required
Accommodations
| Nights | Destination | Lodge/Hotel | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Night 1 | Lake Mburo National Park | Rwakobo Rock | Mid-Range |
| Night 2 | Kisoro | Ichumbi Hotel-Kisoro | Mid-Range |
| Nights 3 & 4 | Bwindi Impenetrable National Park | Gorilla Valley Lodge | Mid-Range |
| Nights 5 & 6 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | The Bush Lodge | Mid-Range |
| Night 7 | Kibale National Park | Kibale Forest Camp | Mid-Range |
| Nights 8 & 9 | Murchison Falls National Park | Pakuba Safari Lodge | Mid-Range |
Accommodation is subject to availability at the time of booking. If the quoted accommodation is unavailable, we arrange a similar-standard alternative and notify you before confirmation.
Preferred accommodation or upgrades can be requested to suit your preferences, though such changes may affect the tour cost.
Please contact us for special accommodation requests.Safari Highlights
- Trek to see endangered mountain gorillas through the dense forests of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
- Enjoy game drives across Uganda’s savannah national parks, offering opportunities to see diverse wildlife.
- Take boat trips along the Kazinga Channel and Nile River to observe wildlife and birds along the shores.
- Track golden monkeys through the forests of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
- Experience a walking safari in Lake Mburo National Park for a closer wildlife encounter.
- Interact with the Bahima community to learn about their culture and traditional way of life.