This 5-day Uganda primates tour begins and ends in Kigali, combining a chimpanzee trek with mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
You’ll also take a nature walk at Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary to look for chimps, other primates, and bird species, with scenic views of tea plantations along the way.
This safari covers two national parks known for their wide range of plant and animal life. See the detailed itinerary for this 5-day Uganda gorillas and chimps safari below.
5-Day Uganda Primates Tour Highlights
- Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi
- Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
- Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
- Day 5: Transfer to Kigali
Detailed 5-Day Uganda Primates Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After breakfast at your hotel, or pickup from Kigali airport, begin the journey north through Rwanda toward Bwindi National Park in southwestern Uganda.
The drive takes about 5 hours, crossing the hills around Musanze and the Katuna border.
Continue to Kabale town for lunch, then on to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to about half the world’s mountain gorilla population.
Check in to your lodge to rest ahead of the trek the next morning.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi
Have an early breakfast, then leave the lodge at 7:30 am for the briefing at the visitor information center in Bwindi’s Rushaga sector.
The briefing covers the precautions to follow while trekking the gorillas.
Bring a packed lunch and water, since the trek can take 3 to 8 hours depending on where your assigned gorilla family is that day.
Breaks are taken along the way to rest and refuel. After the trek, return to the starting point to meet your driver guide for the drive back to the lodge, followed by dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After breakfast, depart Bwindi National Park for Kibale Forest National Park, Africa’s primate capital and home to over 13 primate species. The route passes through Kabale and Ntungamo, then Kasese, with views of the Rwenzori range.
Continue to Fort Portal, Uganda’s well-known tourism town, for lunch. Time permitting, take a short town tour, visit the local market, or see the crater lakes on the town’s outskirts. Arrive at your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Swamp Walk
Have breakfast at 7:00 am, then head to park headquarters for the briefing on trekking safety and etiquette before setting out for your chimpanzee trek.
After the trek, return to the starting point and back to the lodge for lunch, or take a picnic lunch instead.
In the afternoon, take a walk through Bigodi Swamp Sanctuary to look for birds and other primates. The swamp is home to the Great Blue Turaco and Papyrus Gonolek, among more than 130 other species, along with butterflies and other insect life. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 5: Transfer to Kigali
Depart Kibale National Park and drive past Fort Portal on the way to Kigali, with a lunch stop in Kabale or Ntungamo along the way.
You’ll be dropped at a hotel of your choice in Kigali, or at the airport in the evening for your departure flight, marking the end of your 5-day tour in Uganda.
End of 5 Days Uganda Tour.
