This 7 Days Uganda Safari offers unforgettable Uganda Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Chimp tracking in Kibale Forest, coupled with amazing game drives and a boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth NP, as well as community cultural experiences and relaxation on lovely Lake Bunyonyi.
Your 7 days safari in Uganda will begin with a cultural tour of Bigodi Village where you’ll learn about typical African rural life in Uganda. Then you’ll explore the Kibale Forest National Park – home to the greatest density and diversity of primates in all of Africa, including over 1500 wild chimpanzees.
Your next stop will be the famous Queen Elizabeth National Park which boasts 611 bird species and 95 species of mammals, including 4 of the Big 5, the rare tree-climbing lions, numerous antelopes, and Giant forest hogs.
Finally, you’ll go mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – a lush green haven for almost half the world’s 1063 remaining mountain gorillas and an unbelievable number of bird species. After your gorilla adventure, you’ll go for relaxation at the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi.
Main Safari Activities
- Trek Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Track wild chimpanzees on foot in Kibale Forest
- Search for rare tree-climbing lions of Ishasha
- Enjoy game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Take a boat cruise on hippo-filled Kazinga Channel
- Cultural tour of Bigodi Village/Bigodi village walk
- Relaxation at Beautiful Lake Bunyonyi
- Superb bird watching and photography
- Uganda Equator Crossing Experience at Kayabwe
- Optional Activities: Canoe ride, Boat cruise, Zip lining, hiking, and community walk at Lake Bunyonyi
Safari Highlights
Day 1: Drive to Kibale Forest National Park, Bigodi Community Walk, Optional Bigodi Swamp Walk.
Day 2: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest National Park & Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Day 3: Morning Game Drive in Kasenyi Plains, Afternoon Boat Cruise on Kazinga Channel & Evening Game Drive along the Channel Track.
Day 4: Search for Tree-Climbing Lions in Ishasha Sector &Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Day 5: Mountain Gorilla Trekking In Bwindi & Transfer to the nearby Lake Bunyonyi for Relaxation.
Day 6: Whole Day Relaxation at Lake Bunyonyi. Optional Activities; Canoeing, Boat Cruise, Zip Lining, Hiking, Bird Watching, & Community Tours
Day 7: Drive Back To Entebbe/Kampala via the Uganda Equator.
Detailed Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Drive To Kibale Forest
Your fantastic 7 Days Uganda Safari begins today!
At around 7.30 am, your tour drive or guide will pick you up from your place of stay in Kampala or Entebbe.
After a short tour briefing, he will be take you on a drive of approximately (326km) 5 hours west to Kibale Forest, the – Primate Capital of the World.
You will pass through Uganda’s beautiful green countryside and you will arrive in the town of Fort Portal in time for lunch. Fort Portal lies in the shadow of the legendary “Mountains of the Moon” and is known for its many tea plantations.
From this beautiful town, you will continue to Kibale National Park, check into your lodge and relax. Later, you will go on a 3-hour cultural walk in the nearby Bigodi Village, a hub of rural life and activity in Uganda.
In the company of a local guide, you will learn everything about the traditional lifestyle and customs of the inhabitants. You will visit a traditional healer homesteads and listen to the storytelling of wise elderly men and women as to what they face as a developing community in rural Uganda.
Along the way, you will also have a chance to experience the Uganda school system with a visit to Bigodi Primary School.
Bigodi Swamp Walk (Optional)
Alternatively, you may opt for three-hour guided nature walk through the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. The sanctuary is an award-winning local community tourism project which is operated by KAFRED – the Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development.
It was created to protect the local environment while advancing education, health, and economic growth in the wider local Bigodi community.
On your walk, you’ll see several species of primates, including Olive baboons, Mangabeys, Colobus monkeys, Red Tailed, L’Hoest’s, Vervet, and Blue Monkeys. The swamp is also home to over 200 bird species, including the Great Blue Turaco.
Accommodation Options:
Luxury: Crater Safari Lodge/Kyaninga Lodge/Primate Lodge
Midrange: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse – Cottage/Kibale Forest Camp
Budget: – Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse- Main House/Kibale Forest Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 2: Chimp Trek & Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP
Day 2 of your 7 Days Uganda Safari shall start at 6.00 am with a hearty breakfast at the lodge. Then, transfer to Kibale National Park Visitor Centre by 7.00 am for a briefing about the sensational guided chimpanzee trekking adventure ahead.
At 8.00 am, go on a 2-6 hour guided trek through the gorgeous forest, reputed for having greatest diversity and concentration of primates in Africa. Kibale hosts over 1500 wild Chimpanzees and offers over 95% chances of seeing these, intelligent, endangered great apes – our closest living relatives in the animal world.
On the chimp trek, you will learn about the fascinating habits and social activities of these human-like creatures and gain insights into current efforts to protect them. You’ll look out for the great variety of other primate species, including Olive Baboons, Mangabeys, colobus, Red-tailed, Blue, Vervet, and L’Hoest’s monkeys.
There are also more than 60 other mammal species, 375 bird species and a variety of rare butterflies, months, and plants. You spend one hour with the chimpanzees after encountering them.
You then return to the starting point for a picnic lunch before taking a beautiful slow drive of about 2-3 hours southwest to your overnight accommodation in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s most visited game park and the most scenic.
Accommodation Options:
Luxury: – Mweya Safari Lodge/Kyambura Gorge Lodge
Midrange: – Enganzi Game Lodge/ Kasenyi Safari Camp/Bush lodge
Budget: – Pumba Safari Cottages
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3: Game Drive & Boat Cruise
Queen Elizabeth NP, often referred to as a ‘Medley of Wonders’, features a diverse range of habitats, ranging from sprawling savannah grasslands, tropical rainforests, freshwater lakes, rivers, and sparkling craters lakes, to fertile wetlands.
A UN Biosphere Reserve, this 1978km2 park boasts a wealth of wildlife including over 600 bird and 95 species of mammals.
On day three of your 7 days Uganda safari tour, you’ll enjoy a 3-4 hour morning game drive in the beautiful Kasenyi savannah plains in search of the classical African animal species such as Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo, Forest Hogs, Antelopes, Hippos, etc.
Your game drive will begin at sunrise when animals are most active and you will return to your lodge for lunch and some time to rest.
In the afternoon (at around 2.00 pm), when the sun is high in the sky and the animals are making their way to the river to drink and bathe in the cooling waters, you will also visit the Kazinga Channel for a leisurely two-hour boat tour.
You’ll see more hippos than you have ever imagined. Some of Africa’s densest concentrations of hippos reside here. You’ll also see countless water birds and at the shore, you will spot huge Crocodiles, and herds of elephants and buffalos.
After the boat trip, you’ll have a quick game drive along the channel track as you head back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Track Tree-Climbing Lions &Travel to Bwindi
Day four of your 7 days Uganda safari will begin with a relaxed breakfast. You will then travel further south towards the UNESCO World Heritage listed Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, (approximately 218km/4-6 hours).
Along the way, you will explore the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth NP (Ishasha) in search of the famous tree-climbing lions that spend their days dozing in the branches of beautiful fig trees. The huge Buffalo herds and handsome Uganda Kobs, which they watch from the branches, graze the plains.
After a game drive, proceed south via the rolling hills and traditional homesteads to your lodge near Bwindi. Spanning some 321km2 on the edge of African Great Rift Valley, Bwindi’s mist-covered hillsides are blanketed by one of most biologically diverse and oldest rainforests on the continent.
More notably, this ‘impenetrable forest’ offers a refuge to almost half of our planet’s remaining Mountain Gorillas – about 459 gorillas at last count.
Besides gorillas, Bwindi boasts 120 other mammal species, 350 species of birds, 200 butterfly species, and 160 species of trees. You’ll arrive at your lodge in the late afternoon for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Accommodation Options:
Luxury: Haven Lodge Buhoma/Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp/Buhoma Lodge
Mid-range: Gorilla Mist Camp/Agandi Uganda Eco- Lodge/Ichumbi Lodge
Budget: Trekkers Tavern
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking & Lake Bunyonyi Relaxation.
On day five of your 7 days Uganda safari, you will be served a good breakfast at around 6:00 am.
After breakfast, you will have your packed lunch, depart the lodge and transfer to park headquarters. Here, you will meet your expert local park ranger guides for a briefing about gorilla trekking adventure which commences at around 8.00 am.
You will then enter the dense misty jungle of Bwindi, filled with exotic birds, rare monkeys, and colorful butterflies. You will trek for about 2 to 7 hours depending on the location of the mountain gorillas.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi can be relatively tiresome as you hike through dense forest on steep, sometimes muddy slippery slopes. However, the effort is all worth it when you reach a family of endangered mountain gorillas.
Baby gorillas are often very curious and Silverback gorillas (adult male gorillas) are incredibly huge. The one hour spent watching, listening, and breathing in their forest home are utterly unforgettable.
After your time with them, you will enjoy a picnic lunch and return to the park center to receive a Gorilla tracking certificate.
Thereafter, go relax on the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi driving for about 52km (90 minutes), through fascinating Kigezi Highlands where locals apply terracing methods to cultivate their slopes deriving impressive scenic landscapes.
Accommodation Options:
Luxury: Birdnest @ Bunyonyi Resort
Midrange: Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 6: Whole Day Relaxation
Bunyonyi means a place of many little birds. The lake is the second deepest in Africa and one of its most beautiful as well.
This 7km wide lake, surrounded by steep terraced hillsides, features 29 islands, many of which are inhabited. It is a magical place to wake up in, especially with the early morning mist lingering on the lake.
At this time you may see school children paddling dugout canoes to school and farmers transporting their goods to the marketplaces.
Here you can fill your time swimming, zip lining, canoeing, hiking, bird watching, and taking boat rides to any of the islands on the lake (Island hopping).
This is also a great opportunity to learn about the legends, traditions, and customs of the people who make a home on the lake shores. You can visit a traditional healer and a craft group. Lake Bunyonyi is the perfect place for a bit of relaxation. The only chatter you’ll hear in this setting is that coming from the numerous birds.
Accommodation Options:
Luxury: Birdnest @Bunyonyi Resort
Midrange: Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 7: Drive Back To Entebbe
This morning you will wake up to the beautiful surroundings of Lake Bunyonyi and enjoy delicious breakfast in this peaceful setting at the lodge.
Then, you’ll leave the Bunyonyi behind and embark on a drive back to Kampala or Entebbe (approximately 7 to 8 hours).
This scenic drive will take you through small rural villages, coffee and banana plantations, and rolling hills. You’ll have a lunch stop at Igongo Cultural Centre in Mbarara, the biggest town in western Uganda.
The center is a huge commercial enterprise, featuring a 5-star hotel, a top restaurant, craft centers, shops and luckily one of the best museums in the all of Uganda. After lunch, you’ll continue your way making another stop at the Uganda Equator Crossing at Kayabwe.
Here, you can stand in the middle of the world with one leg in the Northern hemisphere while the other in the Southern and pose for a photo! It is also an impressive site for purchasing memorabilia to take back home as a memento of this this incredible 7 Days Uganda Safari trip.
You’ll reach Kampala/Entebbe where your tour driver/guide shall drop you off at your post-tour accommodation or transfer you to the Entebbe Airport for your onward flight. Safe Travels!
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch
End of the Safari
Inclusions
- Full board accommodation on the safari
- Gorilla Trekking Permit
- Chimpanzee Tracking Permit
- Transportation in a 4WD safari vehicle
- Service of the English Speaking Driver/Tour Guide. Any other foreign language speaking guide can be arranged on request.
- Bottled drinking water in the safari vehicle
- Entrance Fees for the park
- All safari Activities Mentioned in the itinerary
Exclusions
- International flight fare
- Visa fee
- Laundry services
- Tips
- Drinks of personal nature like alcohol
