This 12 Days Uganda Safari with gorillas starts and ends in Kampala. You will go for gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, chimpanzee tracking and wildlife encounters in different amazing savannah national parks of Uganda! The price for this holiday package is inclusive of cost for a gorilla permit which is $700 per person per trek. Bwindi impenetrable national park is located in southwestern Uganda with over 340 mountain gorillas making it a home to a half of the mountain gorillas remaining in the whole world.

This 12 Days Uganda Safari with gorillas also takes you to Murchison Falls national park for amazing activities such as boat cruise at the bottom of the falls and game drives to spot a number of animal species such as lions, elephants, antelopes, kobs, bush bucks, birds among others. This trip also takes you to Queen Elizabeth national park for a famous boat ride on the Kazinga channel, visit different sectors of the park to spot different animal species including the unique tree climbing lions in Ishasha sector south of the park.

Other animal species found in this park are the chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge, elephants, kobs, antelopes among others.

During this tour, you will also visit Kibale forest national park which is a capital of primates to track the chimpanzees and many other primate species including black and white colobus monkeys.

The safari ends with a visit to Lake Mburo national park which is the smallest savannah national in Uganda. Expect to meet a number of Zebras, Giraffes and many other animal species.

Highlights for 12 Days Uganda Safari with gorillas

Day 1: Arrival for Uganda safari

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls National Park- Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Day 3: Morning game drive and Boat cruise

Day 4: Transfer to Kibale National Park

Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest and Bigodi wetland visit

Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park- Kasoga Community Tour

Day 7: Game drive & afternoon boat cruise-Queen

Day 8: Nature walk in Maramagambo Forest and an evening game drive

Day 9: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park- Tree Climbing Lions Ishasha Sector

Day 10: Gorilla trekking Experiences- Evening Community Walk

Day 11: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park- Night Game Drive

Day 12: Horseback riding- Transfer to Entebbe Airport

Detailed itinerary 

Day 1: Arrival for Uganda safari

Meet and greet our company representative and drive to your booked hotel for check in and briefing sessions about your 12 Days Uganda Safari with gorillas. Depending on your time of arrival, you may have a city tour to see to see a number of historical and cultural sites. Dinner and overnight stay at;

Accommodation Options; Hotel Serena Kampala (Upmarket), Fairway Hotel (Moderate), Via Via Entebbe (Basic)

Meal Plan; Full Board

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls National Park- Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary

After a morning breakfast, drive to Murchison falls through Luwero triangle with a stopover at Zziwa Rhino sanctuary for black and white Rhino tracking experience. Zziwa Rhino sanctuary was established to protect rhinos from danger and poachers. After meeting the Rhinos proceed to Masindi town for hot lunch before driving to Murchison falls national park

After lunch head to Murchison falls for a hike to the top of the falls to have amazing and beautiful views of the strongest waterfalls in the world. You will stare at the Nile River which is the longest river in the world and see how it forces itself through a small gap which is just 7m wide and it flows 43 meters down to give that spectacular view to nature lovers

Murchison falls National Park is the largest conservation area in Uganda, covering 3840 sq meters. The park is endowed with a number of wildlife species and vegetation ranging from swamp land, savannah to riparian forests, and the wildlife species include; buffalos, giraffes, lions, hyenas, leopards, elephants, hippos, crocodiles and many primates such as baboons and lots of monkey species. The key bird species in the park are; shoebill stork, Uganda woodland warbler, blue throated roller, Tit Hylia, forest robin, Ituri Batis, yellow billed and the grey throated. The main tourist activities in this park are game viewing, boat trips along the Nile River, bird watching, sport fishing and hiking experiences.

Accommodation Options: Paraa Safari Lodge (Upmarket), Pakuba Safari Lodge (Moderate), Hornbill Bush lodge (Basic)

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 3: Morning game drive and Boat cruise

Have a very early morning breakfast and head to the park in search for the big cats. Expect to see other species of animals such as giraffes, elephants, buffaloes, among others. After your morning game drive back to the lodge for lunch, relax and drive back to the back for an amazing boat cruise at the Nile below the falls.

This boat cruise allows you get close to aquatic animals such as hippos and the Nile crocodiles. River Nile has got a variety of beautiful birds which you will enjoy during your boat trip. Such birds include; shoebill stork, bee eaters, colored king fishers, grey throated and the yellow billed birds.

Accommodation Options: Paraa Safari Lodge (Upmarket), Pakuba Safari Lodge (Moderate), Hornbill Bush lodge (Basic)

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 4: Transfer to Kibale National Park

Have breakfast and begin your drive to Kibale forest national park via the Lake Albert escarpments to give a very nice view of the beautiful lake. You will have a stop over in Hoima town for hot lunch. After, drive passed Lake Nkusi joining along Lake Kyoga as well as passing through many traditional villages, enjoy people carrying out agriculture using traditional tools. You may have a break to take some photos of  the rolling hills filled with traditional cash crops.

During your journey, you will enjoy fort portal tourism city which is located at foot hills of Rwenzori Mountains filled with tea plantations before reaching Kibale forest National Park which is among the great tropical rain forest in Africa.

Kibale forest is famous being a capital of primates with 13 major primate species including the chimpanzees; being the main tracked species in the park. The other primate species include; black and White colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, baboons among others.

The park is also next to a locally owned and managed tourist destination called Bigodi wetland. This is well known for offering bird watching opportunities and primate encounter. Our guests always explore the destination with cultural interactions with the local people.

On arrival to the park, check in to your lodge, relax and visit the regional crater lakes and the terraced tea plantations around the hills of fort portal. Tour Lake Nyinambuga to enjoy the cool breezes of this lake. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay as you get ready for chimpanzee tracking the following day.

Accommodation Options Crater Safari Lodge (Luxury), Isunga Safari Lodge (Moderate), Rweteera Safari park (Basic)

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest and Bigodi wetland visit

Today is one of the highlights of your 12 days Uganda safari with gorillas! Have breakfast and drive to Kanyanchu by 8:00 am for briefing and later chimpanzee trekking in the deep jungles of in Kibale forest. Chimps are considered to be the closest relatives of human beings since they share 98% of their DNA with that of the Humans.

During chimpanzee tracking, you may see a number of other primates and animal species such as L’Hoests Monkeys, grey cheeked Mangabey, red tailed Monkey, black and White colobus monkeys, pottos, bush babies and many bird species like the yellow spotted nictor, little green bul, rumped tinker bird, crowed eagle, black bee spotted eater green breasted pitta as well as forest elephants.

Kibale forest national park is on an average of 3,300 feet in Elevation and it’s a tropical rain forest with most communities of Chimpanzees in Uganda and each troop has over 100 individuals

Each group has an adult male dominate that always defends the whole community against any danger and incursions by any males from outside.

Chimps are located by listening to their pant hooting calls, tourists then hurry to the place where they are calling from. In most cases guests get a chance of seeing them play, feed, socialize as well as jumping around the tree branches.

After your trek, retrieve from the forest and drive back to the lodge for lunch and prepare yourself for an evening visit to Bigodi wetland sanctuary where you will view more primates such as blue monkeys, baboons, otters, Bush bucks, mongoose, bush pigs and many more. More still, you will sight a number of birds for example great blue turaco and the green breasted pitta. You will later extend your adventure to the local community for local brew making and other cultural interactions

Accommodation Options Crater Safari Lodge (Luxury), Isunga Safari Lodge (Moderate), Rweteera Safari park (Basic)

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park- Kasoga Community Tour

Have a morning breakfast, transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park driving along the foot hills of Rwenzori Mountains which is also known as the mountains of the moon with glaciers on top.

Queen Elizabeth national park is bordered by Lake Edward in the south west and lake George in the north east. It is well famous for hosting a number of animal species, primates and birdlife. Such wildlife species include; buffaloes, impalas, elephants, kobs, forest hogs, tree climbing lions, and African cape buffaloes are easily sighted in the park. The park is also filled with several volcanic calderas hence making it to harbor many flamingos on several seasons.

On arrival to the park, check in your booked lodge, have lunch, relax and prepare yourself for an authentic cultural interaction in Kasongo community. You will engage in several local activities such as sport fishing using local methods, weaving among others. Come back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay

Accommodation options Mweya safari lodge (Luxury), Elephant Hab Lodge (Moderate), Pumba Safari Lodge (Basic)

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 7: Game drive and afternoon boat cruise

Wake up and go for an early morning breakfast, drive to the park with your packed lunch to enjoy a morning game drive where you will see a number of animals such as elephants, antelopes, buffaloes, lions, among others.

Later drive to Bunyampaka crater to see the flamingoes before heading to kazinga channel for an afternoon boat cruise. During your boat trip, expect to see animals such as crocodiles, hippos, water bucks, buffaloes as well as birds like King fishers.

Accommodation options Mweya safari lodge (Luxury), Elephant Hab Lodge (Moderate), Pumba Safari Lodge (Basic)

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 8: Nature walk in Maramagambo Forest and an evening game drive

Wake up so early, have breakfast and drive to Maramagambo forest for a nature walk. This forest is one of the largest tropical forest with a number of primates and many forest dwellers. It also harbors several wildlife species such as butterflies, birds, bats and chimpanzees which are found in Kyambura Gorge with in the forest.

This walking safari will take you to the volcanic caves which are home to thousands of bat species and pythons. These pythons prey on the bats which live within the caves. The walk will still lead you to the blue lake Kimeranjo which swallowed an elephant and got its name!

Come back to the lodge for lunch and relaxation before going for an evening game drive to see some other others that you might have missed in your first game drive.

Accommodation options Mweya safari lodge (Luxury), Elephant Hab Lodge (Moderate), Pumba Safari Lodge (Basic)

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 9: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park- Tree Climbing Lions Ishasha Sector

After breakfast, drive to Bwindi forest which is a home to Mountain gorillas covering an area of 331 sq km. You will pass through Ishasha sector in search for tree climbing lions. Later drive towards Bwindi with a stopover in Kihihi for hot lunch. After head to the park for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation Options: Silverback Lodge (Luxury), Bakiga Lodge (Moderate), Ride4awoman (Basic)

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 10: Gorilla trekking Experiences- Evening Community Walk

Today is the main highlight of your 12 Days Uganda Safari with gorillas to have a great time meeting the gentle giants of Bwindi Forest! After a hearty breakfast, meet your guide driver and head to the park headquarters for briefing sessions before stating your trail into the Bwindi forest to see the gentle giants. On a lucky day, you may meet other wildlife species like forest elephants, monkeys, butterflies and different birds. Once you meet the mountain gorillas, you will be allowed to spend a full hour with them, take photos as you observe them play with the infants and other family members.

Gorilla trekking takes about 1 to 8 hours or even more depending on the movement of the gorillas.

After your trek, descend from the forest to meet your guide and drive off to the lodge. Relax and prepare yourself for an evening community walk.

Only 1 hour is permitted to you with the gorillas. Trekking takes about 1hour to 8 hours basing on location of these gentle giants. After the trek, in the evening you could go for a guided nature walk or a community visit.

Accommodation Options: Silverback Lodge (Luxury), Bakiga Lodge (Moderate), Ride4awoman (Basic)

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 11: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park- Night Game Drive

After breakfast, drive to Lake Mburo National Park which is the smallest savannah national park in Uganda covering an area of 371 sq but with a variety of unique animal species. Lake Mburo was recognized as a national park in 1983 and it’s a home to over 332 species of birds, animals like buffaloes, Oribis, Kobs, warthogs, zebras among others. On arrival to the park, you will check in to your booked lodge for lunch, relax and prepare yourself for a night game drive in search for nocturnal animals. If you are lucky, you may get them in action of hunting their prey.  Dinner and overnight at your booked accommodation.

Accommodation options: Mihingo (Luxury), Rwaboko rock (Moderate), Mpogo Safari Lodge (Basic)

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 12: Horseback riding- Transfer to Entebbe Airport

Have a morning breakfast and go for an exciting horseback riding in lake mburo national park. During this trip, you will get a close encounter to several animals such as Zebras, Impalas, Kobs, antelopes among others. After horse riding, drive to Entebbe with a stop over at the Equator for water experience and hot lunch. Proceed with your journey and arrival at the airport later in the evening to end your 12 Days Uganda Safari with gorillas with a lot of experiences!