Meet the primates of Uganda and Rwanda

Meet the primates of Uganda and Rwanda – Mountain gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari

Meet the primates of Uganda and Rwanda – If you are interested in East Africa’s primates, bird species and culture, this is the best journey for you. Trek the endangered Mountain Gorilla in Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks of Uganda, spend a full day with the Chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park, track the endangered Golden monkeys in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, see plains game in Queen Elizabeth National Park and the tree-climbing lions of the Ishasha sector, go on a boat safari on the Kazinga Channel and experience the genocide memorial in Kigali City.

Arrival at Entebbe International Airport

Your transfer vehicle will meet you at Entebbe International Airport and drive you to your guesthouse or hotel. Enjoy your evening at the guesthouse, or take a short trip around Entebbe.

Meals: Breakfast and Transport: Airport transfer included

Drive to Kibale Forest National Park

This day in the morning you will leave the guesthouse and head to the Kibale Forest area. The six to seven-hour journey goes via the rural towns of Mityana, Mubende and Kwenjojo, Kyegegwa and Fort Portal through an attractive landscape of rolling hills with tea plantations and the Rwenzori Mountain chain on the background. You will make a lunch en-route. Spend the evening at the Lodge with your meals included.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Full day with the Chimpanzees

After an early cup of coffee, you will accompany Kibale’s researchers and habituation into the Kibale Forest National Park as they follow the Chimpanzee families during their daily activities, getting them used to human presence without altering their natural behaviour. Once among the chimps, spend about an hour observing and following them.

Afternoon at leisure and at the Lodge with your meals included.

Note: No persons under the age of 12 years will be allowed on chimp habituation.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast at the Lodge, you will leave the Kibale Forest National Park at a leisurely pace via the crater lakes to Kasese town, the second most populous center in western Uganda. The road passes through fertile agricultural land and follows the lower slopes of one of Africa’s largest mountain ranges the Rwenzori Mountains. From Kasese town, you will cross the Equator line at Kikolongo as the road passes through Queen Elizabeth National Park. Uganda Kob antelope are abundant and you may be able to see Elephants or Buffalos in the distance. After lunch, continue your game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park as well as a boat safari on the Kazinga Channel.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks

Witness the unusual tree climbing lions

Today you will explore the prime game viewing area of western Uganda. A network of tracks allows you to find Elephants, Buffalos and other animals in the grassland thickets that cover the north Kazinga area near the Mweya Peninsula. Lions and other big cats are most reliably sighted on the typical open East Africa savannah Kasenyi plains, east of the Kasese/Mbarara highway.

This area is known as the main breeding ground of the Uganda kobs, the main source of food for lion prides in the area. The 32- kilometre Kazinga Channel is a dominant feature of the Queen Elizabeth National Park and links Lake George with Lake Edward.

Enjoy a game drive in the Ishasha plains, which are well known for their tree-climbing lion population. From there you will leave the park via an 80-kilometre dirt road (two to three hours, depending on road conditions) to Bwindi. On this scenic drive, the typical East Africa savannah plains will be left behind as you climb through rolling hills and terraced fields more characteristic of Central Africa.

By mid-afternoon or early evening, you will arrive at the small settlement of Bwindi the base for your Gorilla trek in the famous Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park all to yourself

From Queen Elizabeth National Park, drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, the Forest of Bwindi offering uninterrupted views of the pristine forest canopy will be your home for three nights with all your meals included.

Visit the Community project at Ishasha Village. Here the local people will allow you to enjoy some time in their homesteads as well as some of the crops and curious they produce. However, other activities you’ll enjoy include forest walks, visits to a local school, orphanage or Batwa pygmy village and curio shopping. Spot over 120 mammals, 345 species of birds, 200 species of butterflies and 160 species of trees in Bwindi National Park, located in the south-western Uganda on the edge of Great Rift Valley.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Forest

Today provides the rare opportunity to meet the endangered Mountain Gorillas in their natural habitat.

Experienced guides and trackers will accompany you on an early morning trek through dense rain forests on the mountain slopes. Gorilla tracking may be fairly strenuous with treks ranging from two to six hours or longer at high altitudes through thick vegetation up steep slopes.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks

Note: No persons under the age of 15 years will be allowed on Gorilla tracking.

Buhoma Village walk

Apart from trekking, enjoy other activities in the area such as a forest walk, a visit to a local school/orphanage or Batwa pygmy village as well as curio shopping. Forest walks and village community walks are optional.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks

Drive via Kisoro town and cross to Rwanda

Today you depart Bwindi Forest by road and head to the border crossing into Rwanda to continue the gorilla trekking base.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks

Visit the Dian Fossey Tomb

Gorilla tracking in the Volcanoes National Park offers an equally memorable experience and is just as challenging. If you’ve opted not to trek today, take a hike to Dian Fossey’s grave or enjoy forest walk with Golden Monkeys.

After lunch, you hit the road to Kigali City, the capital of Rwanda a bustling, clean and safe city.  Overnight Serena or similar, dinner included.  Optional visit to the haunting Genocide Museum

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Note: No persons under the age of 15 years will be allowed on gorilla trekking.

Fly Home

After a leisurely breakfast, depending on your flight you will check out of your room and be met by your driver guide for your transfer to Kigali International Airport to connect with your flight back home.

For more information about this package, meet the primates of Uganda and Rwanda contact Great Adventure Safaris and we design for you a suitable itinerary that fits your interests, budget and time.