The 7-Day Uganda Safari – The 7-day Uganda safari is a full-week expedition covering three destinations: Kibale Forest National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
On this 7-day Uganda safari, you will experience a combination of primate and wildlife encounters: two primate adventures—chimpanzee tracking in Kibale and mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park—followed by a big game safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Detailed Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Journey to Kibale National Park from Kampala
Leave Entebbe or Kampala after enjoying a delicious African cup of tea/coffee. The journey takes approximately 6 hours, passing through districts including Mityana, Mubende, Kyenjojo, and Fort Portal, before reaching Kibale National Park.
Located in Western Uganda’s Kabarole district, Kibale National Park covers 795 sq. km of lush tropical forest. The park is home to 13 species of primates, including over 1,500 chimpanzees, making it the primate capital of the world.
Day 2: Kibale Chimpanzee Tracking Adventure
Depart from your lodge for a briefing at Kanyanchu, where you will meet the tourism team for Kibale National Park. Learn the guidelines for the guided chimpanzee tracking adventure. Park guides will be assigned to you, and chimpanzee tracking begins promptly at 8:00 am, lasting 2-4 hours. Once you encounter a chimpanzee community, you will have strictly 1 hour to observe them up close.
Return from the Kibale jungles and enjoy a leisurely lunch at the lodge. Afterwards, either drive or walk to Bigodi Wetland, depending on your lodge’s location. Bigodi Swamp Sanctuary is home to diverse floral and faunal species, including butterflies. A 2-hour nature walk through Bigodi offers incredible sightings of birds such as the Great Blue Turacos and Papyrus Gonoleks, as well as various primates like colobus monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, vervets, and baboons.
Day 3: Queen Elizabeth National Park with Crater Lake Viewing Enroute
Enjoy your African cup of tea/coffee before leaving the lush Kibale Forest for Queen Elizabeth National Park. The 2-3 hour drive offers breathtaking views of the beautiful Crater Lakes in the region, with the Rwenzori Mountain ranges in the background.
Check in at a comfortable accommodation in Queen Elizabeth National Park for relaxation or embark on an afternoon game drive or boat cruise.
Day 4: Day Experiences – Game Drive & Boat Tour
After a hearty breakfast, depart from your safari lodge to Kasenyi Plains for a game drive. The 2-3 hour game drive offers uninterrupted views of diverse animal species, including elephants, buffaloes, lions, antelopes, warthogs, waterbucks, and, if lucky, leopards. The area is also rich in birdlife.
Following the game drive, lunch will be served at the lodge, followed by a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel at 2:00 pm. The lengthy Kazinga Channel boat cruise lasts 2-3 hours and provides opportunities to spot hippos, crocodiles, and aquatic birds.
Day 5: Travel to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and then drive to the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. In Ishasha, expect to see tree-climbing lions and enjoy a bush lunch before continuing to your lodge in or near Bwindi.
Day 6: Gorilla Trekking Experience
After an early sumptuous breakfast, meet with park officials for a briefing on gorilla trekking rules. Today is dedicated to encountering endangered mountain gorillas in the wild. Gorilla tracking begins at 8:00 am and lasts 2-6 hours.
The trek to find your gorilla family varies depending on your fitness level and the location of the gorillas. After photography and observing these majestic apes, trek back to the lodge.
Bwindi National Park is an impenetrable forest park located in Kanungu district, southwestern Uganda. Covering 331 sq. km, it is home to 120 mammal species, including 459 endangered mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, forest elephants, and 360 bird species. There are 20 fully habituated gorilla groups available for tourism across different regions in Bwindi: Nkuringo, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Buhoma. Each group is visited by a maximum of 8 visitors per day.
Day 7: Departure from Bwindi Forest National Park, Back to Kampala/Entebbe
Enjoy an early hearty breakfast before returning to Kampala/Entebbe. Expect a stopover at Igongo Cultural Center or a hotel in Mbarara for lunch or enjoy a packed lunch. Make a final stop at the Equator crossing for photography before heading to Kampala/Entebbe city.
