5-Day Uganda Chimpanzee and Gorilla Tracking Safari
This 5-day Uganda Chimpanzee and Gorilla Tracking Safari takes you to explore Uganda’s primate destinations in the shortest time possible. Have the best chimpanzee trekking experience in Kibale Forest. Fly to Bwindi for gorilla trekking, and then fly from Kisoro airstrip to Entebbe International Airport, and stay in accommodation at Entebbe Airport.
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport, Transfer to your booked accommodation – 5-Day Uganda Chimpanzee and Gorilla Tracking Safari
On this 5-day Uganda chimpanzee and gorilla safari, you will arrive at Entebbe International Airport, your gateway to the diverse beauty of Uganda! This is the country of adventurous mountain gorilla and chimp trekking, stunning wildlife safaris, amazing road trips, and wilderness adventures by boat or foot. Experience the warm hospitality of the Ugandan people and be amazed by the cultural encounters with the different indigenous tribes. With us, you’ll experience it all! On these days, you will be transferred to your booked hotel for a briefing dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: 2 friends, Beach Hotel (mid-range)
Meal plan: Bed and breakfast
Day 2: Flight from Entebbe to Kasese, transfer to Kibale Forest National Park—chimpanzee trekking.
Have a fantastic breakfast, check out of your lodge, and slowly drive to Entebbe International Airport for your flight to Kasese Airstrip. On landing, you will find our driver guide ready to transfer you to Kibale Forest National Park. Along the way to Kibale Forest National Park, you will enjoy the spectacular views of tea estates, several forests, and the shadow of the legendary Rwenzori Mountain that forms a mystic backdrop to the beautiful volcanic landscape. Upon arrival, you will drive to the lodge where you will have lunch, and in the afternoon, you will head out for chimpanzee trekking. You will be driven to the park information center for a pre-trek briefing by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) rangers, where you will learn about the guidelines for trekking and interacting with chimpanzees, ensuring both your safety and the conservation of the primates.
On this 5-day Uganda chimpanzee and gorilla safari, after the briefing session, embark on the forest walk through the dense Kibale rainforest accompanied by experienced guides in search of chimpanzee troops. On the planet, there is no other animal that reminds us so much of ourselves as the chimpanzee, and besides many common features and mannerisms, chimpanzees share 98.8% of our human DNA, which makes them our closest living relatives. Chimpanzees are found in 21 countries throughout Africa, but Uganda is where they can be easily sighted due to the high concentration, and seeing chimpanzees in Uganda is guaranteed on any particular day throughout the year. While searching for chimpanzees, you will encounter other primate species such as L’Hoest’s monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and blue monkeys, as well as several bird species.
The forest walk in search of chimpanzees may take about 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on their location, and once you encounter them, you will spend a magical hour observing their behaviors, such as how they swing through the tree branches, groom each other, and feed, while the guides provide fascinating insights into their social structure and habits. After an hour with the chimpanzees, return to the park information centre to receive your certificate of completion, meet your safari guide, and then return to the lodge for an evening of relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay.
Accommodation: Bweza Kibale (Mid-range)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Kibale Forest National Park—Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park—5-Day Uganda Chimpanzee and Gorilla Tracking Safari
On your 5-day Uganda chimpanzee and gorilla safari, have an early morning breakfast and start your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, which is famous for being home to half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas and one of Uganda’s ancient as well as most biologically diverse rainforests that is over 25,000 years old, with almost 400 tree species that form the huge, impenetrable forest that is evergreen. It is home to approximately 500 mountain gorillas, 120 mammal species, such as numerous primate species, and over 350 bird species. Upon arrival, check into your booked lodge, have an evening, have dinner, and have an overnight stay.
Accommodation: Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4: January 29, 2026; Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park—Mountain gorilla trekking experience
On this 5-day Uganda chimpanzee and gorilla safari, wake up very early in the morning to have your backpack ready. Dress up in the recommended style for the best mountain gorilla trekking experience. long trousers, possibly khaki or jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, waterproof hiking shoes, a waterproof jacket, a round hat, and heavy-duty gloves. This is due to the unpredictable weather conditions in the forest; it can rain at any time of day, and then, for protection. Later, you will be served breakfast, have a box of your picnic lunch, meet your safari guide, and drive to the park information centre for the pre-gorilla trekking briefing about the mountain gorilla trekking rules and regulations, the expectations during the gorilla trekking, how to behave while with the gorillas, and many other things.
You will be joined in groups of eight people per group and then be assigned a particular gorilla family for tracking, with two gun-bearing rangers (for your security) and a tracker/guide with a machete to lead your way during the forest walk while searching for the magical mountain gorillas. Thereafter, the briefings start the forest walk to search for your assigned mountain gorilla family. The time taken while searching for the mountain gorillas is not known, but it can be anywhere between 45 minutes and 6 hours, depending on the location and the movements of your allocated gorilla family on that day.
Therefore, you need to be mentally and physically fit and prepared for multiple hours of forest walking over uneven and steep terrain. So, it is better to ask to be assigned a nearer gorilla family if you are not fit to manage multiple hours in the forest. If you consider yourself fit, choosing a challenging family is more fun and enjoyable because you will have the opportunity to encounter several wildlife species that live in this forest, and the longer you stay in the jungle, the more you will enjoy it and have opportunities to see many things.
During the forest walk in search of the mountain gorillas, you may encounter other wildlife species since Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park hosts numerous species, including chimpanzees, African elephants, L’Hoest’s monkey, and many others, plus birds, and your forest guide will keep on giving you information regarding everything that you will encounter that will make you enjoy your forest time. Once you meet your assigned mountain gorilla family, you will have one full hour to interact with the magical mountain gorillas.
You will be required to keep a low tone, and you will be free to take as many photos as you want, as well as ask as many questions as you want to your guides regarding the gorillas. Get ready to encounter Mr. Silverback, who is the head and determines the movements of the entire family. Mothers nurse the young ones, and the juveniles entertain the family, which makes a stay with them so amazing. It is advisable to avoid looking directly into the eyes of the gorillas. In the event of a chance encounter with the gorillas, it is always essential to remain calm and quiet, allowing them to pass.
Running away or making any kind of noise may disrupt the gorillas, causing them to behave erratically, even if they are habituated. The chances of seeing mountain gorillas in Uganda are approximately 99% on any given day. After an hour with the magical mountain gorilla, return to the starting point and receive your trekking certificates as a sign of appreciation for your contribution towards the conservation of the endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda.
Accommodation: Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5: Flight from Kasese to Entebbe Town.
On this 5-day Uganda chimpanzee and gorilla safari, enjoy your early breakfast and proceed to the Kisoro airstrip and fly to Entebbe International Airport. This will be the end of your 5-day safari in Uganda.
Meal plan: Breakfast
Inclusion
- Park fees (for non-residents)
All-round pick-ups or transfers
Gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park
All activities mentioned (unless clearly labeled as optional)
Meals (as specified in the day-by-day description)
All accommodation mentioned (unless clearly labeled as an optional upgrade)
A professional driver/guide
Domestic flight from Entebbe to Kasese and Kisoro to Entebbe
All transportation mentioned (unless clearly labeled as optional)
All Taxes/VAT
Exclusion
- International flights (from/to the client’s home country)
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
Tips: tipping guideline
Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, and other personal items)
The government imposed an increase in taxes and/or park fees