10 Days Mountain Gorillas, Chimps & Uganda Wildlife Safari

Entebbe → Murchison Falls National Park — Afternoon Game Drive · Murchison Falls National Park

Your Evajo Tours & Travel driver/guide will meet you at Entebbe International Airport and drive north-west through the Luwero Triangle and Masindi Town to Murchison Falls National Park — Uganda's largest wildlife reserve, bisected by the River Nile. Arrive in the afternoon for lunch at the spectacularly situated site at the top of the falls, then set out for a sunset game drive across the northern savannah in search of elephants, lions, giraffes, buffalo, and Uganda kob. Optional stop en route at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to track southern white rhinos on foot (additional fee). Dinner and overnight at Fort Murchison Lodge.

Optional white rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary en route

Sunrise Game Drive & Victoria Nile Boat Safari · Murchison Falls National Park

Pre-dawn breakfast so you can begin the morning game drive as the first rays of sun come to rest on the northern savannah — the best time to spot elephants, buffalo, lions, and leopards at their most active. Return to the lodge for lunch, then board a boat for a 3-hour cruise upstream on the Victoria Nile to the base of Murchison Falls, watching hippos, Nile crocodiles, and hundreds of waterbirds crowd the banks as you draw closer to the thundering falls. Dinner and overnight at Fort Murchison Lodge.

Boat cruise on the Victoria Nile to the base of Murchison Falls

Top of the Falls Walk & Transfer to Kibale National Park · Kibale Forest National Park

A short 30–60 minute walk to the top of Murchison Falls delivers a dramatic view of the Nile forcing itself through the impossibly narrow 7-metre cleft of rock. Then drive south, stopping for lunch in Fort Portal — Uganda's tourism city. In the afternoon choose between a guided Crater Lakes and tea plantation walk through the picturesque Kigezi highlands, or a guided walk in Nature at the historic Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru Caves, with stalagmites, crater lake views, and Bachwezi legend. Check in for dinner and overnight at Kibale Forest Camp.

Bigodi Wetland / Chimp Tracking & Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP · Queen Elizabeth National Park

Wake early for breakfast, then head to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary — a community-managed swamp bordering Kibale Forest, home to 8 primate species, over 200 bird species, butterflies, and various reptiles. Alternatively, enter Kibale National Park for optional chimpanzee tracking: follow an experienced ranger guide into the forest to observe these fascinating creatures grooming, playing, and foraging at close range. In the afternoon, transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park for lunch and a sunset game drive across the savannah spotting lions, elephants, buffaloes, and Uganda Kob. Check in for dinner and overnight at The Bush Lodge.

Chimpanzee tracking or Bigodi Wetland primate walk

Sunrise Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Boat Safari · Queen Elizabeth National Park

Early morning game drive across Queen Elizabeth's diverse ecosystem of grassy plains, tropical forests, rivers, swamps, and volcanic craters — scanning for lions, leopards, giant forest hogs, Cape buffalo, elephants, defassa waterbuck, Uganda Kob, topi, and bushbuck, with the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains as a backdrop. Return for lunch, then in the afternoon when the animals make their way to the water's edge, board a boat for a 2-hour cruise on the famous Kazinga Channel where thousands of hippos, Nile crocodiles, buffalo, and elephants congregate at the shore. Dinner and overnight at The Bush Lodge.

Kazinga Channel boat safari — one of Uganda's finest wildlife experiences

Chimp Tracking at Kalinzu Forest Reserve & Transfer to Bwindi via Ishasha · Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast, drive to Kalinzu Central Forest Reserve for chimpanzee tracking with experienced guides (permit USD 150 per person, included). Continue south through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park for a game drive in search of the famous tree-climbing lions that rest in the broad branches of giant fig trees overlooking the open savannah. Then drive through the breathtaking Kigezi Highlands — the 'Switzerland of Africa' — with its terraced hillsides and winding mountain roads, arriving at Bwindi Impenetrable or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in time for dinner. Check in for dinner and overnight at Broadbill Forest Camp.

Chimp tracking at Kalinzu + tree-climbing lions at Ishasha

Mountain Gorilla Tracking & Batwa Community Visit · Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

The undisputed highlight of the safari. After an early breakfast, transfer to park headquarters for a briefing by Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers covering gorilla behaviour, trekking etiquette, and safety. Head into the ancient impenetrable forest — one of Africa's oldest and most biodiverse rainforests — with ranger guides and trackers in search of a habituated mountain gorilla family. The trek can take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours through mossy rocks and deep undergrowth. Spend a magical one hour observing silverbacks resting, juveniles playing, and mothers nursing at close range. In the afternoon, visit the Batwa Pygmy community along the Batwa Trail for a window into their ancient forest-dwelling culture — traditional dance, fire-making, hunting demonstrations, and storytelling. Check in for dinner and overnight at Travellers' Rest Hotel, Kisoro.

Mountain gorilla tracking permit (USD 700 per person) included

Golden Monkey Tracking at Mgahinga & Canoe Ride on Lake Bunyonyi · Lake Bunyonyi

Morning golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park — the only place in Uganda where the endangered golden monkey can be tracked. These strikingly beautiful primates, with their vivid orange-gold patches, are found only in the Virunga volcanic highlands, and tracking them through the bamboo forest of Mgahinga is a wonderfully intimate experience. After tracking, descend to Lake Bunyonyi — one of Uganda's most scenic highland landscapes, dotted with 29 islands and ringed by terraced hills. Board a traditional dugout canoe for a relaxing paddle across the glassy, bilharzia-free waters. Check in for dinner and overnight at Bunyonyi Overland Resort.

Golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga — unique to the Virunga highlands

Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park — Afternoon Game Drive · Lake Mburo National Park

After an early breakfast, leave the highlands and drive east via Kabale Town to Lake Mburo National Park — the smallest savannah national park in Uganda and the only place in the country where zebras are found. You will be welcomed into the park by herds of zebra, buffalo, eland, and antelope as they graze in the golden savannah grass. Arrive for lunch, then set out for an afternoon game drive assuring close encounters with zebras, buffaloes, impalas, elands, warthogs, and waterbucks. The park also offers exceptional birding including the malachite kingfisher, African fish eagle, blue-headed weaver, and the rare shoebill. Check in for dinner and overnight at Eagles' Nest Lodge.

Sunrise Walking Safari, Equator Experience & Departure · Lake Mburo National Park

Enjoy your final sunrise in Uganda with a guided walking safari in Lake Mburo — on foot under the guidance of an armed ranger you can encounter zebras, giraffes, eland, and Cape buffalo at remarkably close range, and hike to the hilltop viewpoint overlooking nine of the twelve surrounding lakes. After the walk, begin the drive back to Entebbe, stopping at the equator monument on the Kampala-Masaka highway for photos and the classic water-spinning demonstration. Your driver/guide will drop you at Entebbe International Airport at least 3 hours before your international departure. Only breakfast and lunch are provided on this final day.

Guided walking safari in Lake Mburo and equator crossing experience