7 Days Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari (From Kigali)

7 Days Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari is a one weeks Uganda Safari tour package whereby a traveler gets to explore some primates with a blend of Wildlife. You will get to visit Bwindi Impenetrable, Queen Elizabeth, and Kibale Forest National Parks. This tour begins and ends in Kigali, Rwanda.

Highlights of the 7 Days Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari include Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Lion tracking experience, Game drives, Boat cruise, Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest, Nature Walk in Bigodi Swamp, and a Half day Kigali City tour.

Summary of the 7 Days Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari

  • Day 1: Pick Up from Kigali & Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
  • Day 2: Morning Game Drive and Evening Boat Cruise.
  • Day 3: Drive to Kibale National Park.
  • Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest & Bigodi Swamp Walk.
  • Day 5: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
  • Day 6: Gorilla Trekking.
  • Day 7: Transfer back to Kigali City & Half day City Tour.

Detailed Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Pick Up from Kigali & Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

  • Transfer to Queen: This day marks the start of your 7 Days Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari. You will be picked up by your guide from your hotel in Kigali City, and proceed to drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. This drive will take you about 6-7 hours to get to the national park, hence you will have lunch enroute. Queen Elizabeth national park is a haven for game drives, pleasuring visitors with plenty of wildlife animals to see like lions, buffaloes, elephants, antelopes, duikers and so many more.
  • Evening Game Drive: Once you get to the national park, you will embark on an evening game drive, where you will get a chance to sight wildlife animals like; topi, impala, serval, giraffes, and others as they retire to their various nests for the day. Later check into your lodge for dinner and overnight.
  • Accommodation Options: Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge/Kyambura Gorge, Mid-range: Park view safari lodge/ Elephant Hub Lodge, and Budget: Pumba Safari Cottages.
7 Days Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari
Games Drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 2: Morning Game Drive and Evening Boat Cruise.

  • Morning Game Drive: Have an early morning breakfast and proceed on a morning game drive in the park which begins at 6 am. 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.
  • Evening 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 1 pm 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 3: Lion Tracking Experience and Transfer to Kibale National Park.

  • Lion Tracking Experience: Wake up in the morning, have your breakfast and check out of your lodge. You will then proceed to drive to the Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park. While you enjoy exploring the rich biodiversity in this part of the national park, you will get to see the famous tree-climbing lions of Ishasha and other animals as well like; hippos, savanna elephants, topi and buffaloes among others.
7 Days Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari
Lion Tracking in Queen Elizabeth National Park
  • Transfer to Kibale National Park: Later transfer to Kibale National Park, located in the western part of Uganda. This drive is about 2½ hours until you get to the national park. Kibale Forest national park is one of the loveliest and most varied tracts of tropical forests in Uganda. This national park is home to 70 species of mammals, 375 bird species and 13 primate species, including over 1500 chimpanzees.
  • Guided Nature Walk: Once you arrive at Kibale Forest National Park, you will embark on a guided nature walk in the forest. As you walk through the forest, you will get to sight animals like; forest elephants, tree hyrax, bush baby, serval cat, and various monkey and bird species. Later head back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay. Accommodation Options: Luxury: Kyaninga Lodge, Mid-range: Chimpanzee Forest Guest House, and Budget: Isunga Lodge.

Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest & Bigodi Swamp Walk.

  • Chimpanzee Trekking: This is the day you have been long waiting for. Wake up to an early morning breakfast and proceed to Kanyanchu Visitors Center in Kibale Forest National Park. You will be welcomed by the head ranger at the park, sign in and then have a short briefing before you begin tracking chimpanzees. Kibale Forest National Park is home to over 1500 chimpanzees, thus making the park a haven for all chimp trekking tours in Uganda. Chimpanzee trekking activities in this park will begin at exactly 8 am in the morning, and last between 2-5 hours. Once you have located the chimps, you will be given exactly an hour to spend with the chimps; so make sure you have your camera ready with you.
  • Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary: After your chimpanzee trekking activity, you will head back to your lodge to freshen up, have lunch and relax. Later in the afternoon, you will proceed to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary which is just adjacent to the national park. Here, you will embark on a guided nature walk in the Swamp; where you will get to sight a number of bird species like; the Yellow-spotted Barbet, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Superb Sunbird, Black Bishop bird and the rare Shoe Bill Stock to mention but a few. There are about 138 bird species in Bigodi Swamp alone. Later head back to your lodge for dinner and accommodation.

Day 5: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

  • Transfer to Bwindi Forest: Wake up early in the morning, have a relaxed breakfast meal and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It takes about 5-6 hours of driving to get to Bwindi Impenetrable national park. Get to explore the beautiful, green and well-terraced hills of Kabale, as you drive to the national park. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park shelters half of the world’s remaining species of mountain gorillas. The national park is also home to about 120 mammals and 350 species of birds.
  • Guided Nature Walk: Upon your arrival in Bwindi, you will embark on a guided nature walk to explore the beauty of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Get to see the unique bird species inhabiting the forest and monkey species like the vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys and so many more. Later retire to your lodge for dinner and overnight. Accommodation Options: Luxury: Silverback Lodge, Mid-Range: Buhoma Haven Lodge, and Budget: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge.

Day 6: Gorilla Trekking.

  • Gorilla Trekking: 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 6 am. You will embark on a short journey to the Parks headquarters in Buhoma. You are supposed to be at Buhoma at exactly 7 am for a briefing by the park’s head ranger which will begin at 8 am 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 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 quickly 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.
7 Days Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari
Gorilla Trekking Safaris Tours
  • 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. Get to watch various performances like; dance, singing, drumming, and storytelling by the local dance groups. Return back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 7: Transfer back to Kigali City & Half day City Tour.

  • Return to Kigali City & City Tour: Unfortunately, today marks the end of your 7 days Uganda primate and wildlife safari with us. We hope you have had a very pleasant trip so far. Enjoy a relaxed breakfast and later checkout of your lodge. Your guide will drive you to your hotel in Kigali or straight to Kigali International Airport, depending on your flight departure schedule. You can have a short tour of Kigali City on this day if you wish and you will get to visit places like; Kigali Genocide memorial, Camp Kigali, Kimironko market, Caplaki craft village, and Nyamirambo Women’s Center among others.

End of the 7 Days Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari

Please note that the above tour package is inclusive of;

  • Gorilla trekking permit
  • Chimpanzee tracking permit
  • All activities as per your itinerary( nature walks, community/ cultural tours, boat cruise, game drives, lion tracking experience)
  • Kigali city tour (optional)
  • An English speaking guide
  • 4×4 wheel drive vehicle
  • All park entry fees
  • Accommodation 
  • Mineral water

This tour package excludes;

  • All purchases of personal nature e.g. alcoholic beverages, toiletries, and cigarettes.
  • Tips 
  • Porter fees
  • Visa fees
  • Air ticket fees
  • Personal insurance.

Get in touch with us for any inquiries and to book this amazing 7 days primate and wildlife safari in Uganda.

See also: 5 Days Uganda Primates Safari

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