5 Days Uganda Primates Safari

5 Days Uganda Primates Safari is an amazing Uganda Safaris tour that will give you the feel of both Mountain Gorillas and Chimpanzees in different National Parks of UgandaThis 5 Days Primates Safari starts and ends in Kampala with the main highlights of the tour being gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and chimpanzee tracking in Queen Elizabeth National park.

5 Days Uganda Primates Safari
Primates Safaris

Highlights of the 5 Days Uganda Primates Safari

  • Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
  • Day 2: Gorilla Trekking
  • Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
  • Day 4: Morning game drive and evening boat cruise.
  • Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking and departure.

Detailed Itinerary

DAY 1: Pick Up and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

  • Transfer to Bwindi: Begin your day with an early morning breakfast in your hotel in Kampala city. Your guide will pick you from your hotel and then embark on a 5-hour drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Mbarara- Masaka Highway. You will have a stopover at the equator monuments in Kayabwe, Mpigi district. These two equator monuments mark the point where the equator runs through Uganda.
  • Igongo Cultural Center: You will Proceed to Igongo Cultural Centre for lunch. This epic cultural center is a good stop for many travelers on route to western Uganda and it is just 12 km from Mbarara Town. Igongo Cultural Centre was opened to the general public in 2010. While here, take a short tour of the center’s museum which has a lot to tell about western cultural history. You can also visit the Nkwanzi crafts and bookshop where you can purchase a few souvenirs for yourself. After having a hearty meal, proceed to Bwindi where you will check into your accommodation, have dinner and your overnight stay.

Accommodation options include:

  • Luxury: Silverback Lodge
  • Mid- range: Buhoma Haven Lodge
  • Budget: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge

DAY 2: Gorilla Trekking

  • Gorilla Trekking Uganda in Bwindi: This is the day you have been anxiously waiting for. Have breakfast very early at your lodge as your guide will pick you up at 6am. You will embark on a short journey to the Parks headquarters in Buhoma. You are supposed to be at Buhoma at exactly 7am for a briefing by the park’s head ranger which will begin at 8am and then you will be put in groups of 8 individuals per group depending on the gorilla group you are going to track. Tracking begins at exactly 8:30 am hence endeavor to always keep time. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has a total of 15 habituated gorilla groups that are tracked from four trailheads. Of these 15 habituated gorilla groups, 3 are found in the Buhoma area in the northwest part of the park; while 4 gorilla groups are situated in Ruhija in the eastern part of Bwindi and 8 gorilla groups in Nkuringo and Rushaga respectively, located south of Bwindi. Each tracking group consists of strictly eight individuals with each group having a park guide and ranger. Tracking can take about 1- 6 hours depending on how easy and quick the gorillas are spotted. Once you have located a gorilla group, you will be given exactly an hour with them; hence you should maximize your time well and don’t forget to take lots of pictures without using your camera’s flash. The tracking trails can be very wet, steep and slippery thus you should wear a good pair of hiking boots.
  • Community Tour: After your tracking activity, you can proceed to have an optional hike to local communities and on this expedition, you can visit Batwa [pygmies] communities that have lived within Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for many years. Return back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

  • Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park: Have breakfast at your lodge early in the morning and proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park is about 90 km away from Buhoma via Ishasha hence you will drive for roughly 2 hours till Queen Elizabeth National Park.
  • Lion Tracking Experience: Upon arrival at Queen Elizabeth National Park, you will embark on a game drive for lion tracking experience. The lion tracking experience will give you the opportunity to view the famous tree-climbing lions of Queen. Of recent, these majestic giant cats have become rare sights in the park because of poaching activities that have become rampant in the park. Later retire back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
5 Days Uganda Primates Safari
Tree Climbing Lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Accommodation options include:

  • Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge/ Kyambura Gorge
  • Mid- range: Park view safari lodge/ Elephant Hub Lodge
  • Budget: Pumba Safari Cottages

DAY 4: Morning game drive and evening boat cruise.

  • Game Drive: Have an early morning breakfast and proceed on a morning game drive in the park which begins at 6am. This morning game drive will give you a great chance to view nocturnal animals like leopards, serval cats and other wildlife such as African savannah elephants, hyenas, Uganda Kobs, heart beasts, giraffes, zebras and many more. Queen Elizabeth National Park is blessed with over 612 bird species thus making it a great destination for birding activities. While on your game drive, you may spot birds like the African skimmer, Chapin’s flycatcher, Shoebill stock, the great flamingos and Pink-backed Pelicans.
  • Boat Cruise: Return back to your lodge for lunch and in the afternoon, head out for an evening boat cruise along the Kazinga channel. The boat cruise starts at exactly 1pm and can take approximately 2 hours. During your boat cruise, you may sight lots of wildlife such as hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants and some species of birds like the great flamingos, Shoebill stock, Ibis and so many others. Later return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 5: Chimpanzee tracking and departure.

  • Chimpanzee trekking: This is the final day of your 5 Days Uganda Primates Safari. After early morning breakfast, head out to track chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge. Chimpanzee trekking can take several hours since the chimps are always on the move unlike gorillas hence you are likely to finish this activity by noon.
  • Cultural Tour: You can have an optional cultural tour to the neighboring local communities and get to interact with the local Bakonjo people. While on the cultural tour, you will be taken through their historical and social lifestyle and also be entertained by local cultural groups in the community.
  • Transfer to Kampala: Later head back to Kampala with lunch on route.
5 Days Uganda Primates Safari
Chimpanzees in Queen Elizabeth

End of 5 Days Uganda Primates Safari.

Please note that the above tour package is inclusive of;

  • Gorilla trekking permit
  • Game drive
  • Boat cruise
  • Lion tracking experience
  • Safari driver/ guide and 4×4 safari vehicle
  •  Chimpanzee tracking permit
  • Cultural tour [optional]
  • Park  entrance fees
  • Accommodation and meals as per your itinerary
  • Mineral water while on safari

Tour Exclusions

  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Tips 
  • Porters fee
  • International Flight tickets
  • Visa fees

See also: 4 Days Queen Elizabeth Chimpanzee Trekking tour

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