6 Days Chimpanzees & Gorillas trekking safari in Uganda
from $1,950 per person
This 6-day Uganda safari is perfect for travelers seeking an unforgettable primate adventure combining chimpanzee tracking and gorilla trekking in Uganda’s spectacular rainforests. The journey takes you into the lush forests of Kibale National Park for an exciting chimpanzee encounter before continuing to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for the ultimate mountain gorilla trekking experience.
Along the way, enjoy beautiful rainforest landscapes, diverse wildlife, fascinating local communities, and carefully selected accommodation. From tracking chimpanzees through Kibale’s ancient forest to coming face-to-face with endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi, this safari offers an exceptional combination of primates, nature, adventure, and authentic Ugandan experiences.
Safari Details: 3 Days Gorilla Trekking Safari to Bwindi
Duration: 6 Days / 5 Nights
Destination: Kibale National Park & Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
Safari Type: Chimpanzee Tracking, Gorilla Trekking & Rainforest Adventure
Start Point: Entebbe/Kampala, Uganda
End Point: Entebbe/Kampala, Uganda
Main Activities: Chimpanzee tracking, gorilla trekking, mountain gorilla viewing, rainforest exploration, birdwatching, Bigodi Wetland experience, cultural experiences
Accommodation: Luxury, Mid-range, or Budget Lodge
Best Time to Visit: June to September & December to February
The 6 Days Chimpanzees & Gorillas Trekking Safari in Uganda combines two of the country's most remarkable primate experiences, taking travelers from the lush forests of Kibale National Park to the ancient montane rainforest of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
The safari begins in Kibale National Park, one of Uganda's renowned destinations for chimpanzee tracking and primate experiences. Here, travelers enter the rainforest in search of habituated chimpanzee communities while experiencing the forest's rich biodiversity, including other primates, birds, butterflies, and forest wildlife. Depending on the itinerary, the experience can also include a visit to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for nature and community-based experiences.
The journey then continues to southwestern Uganda and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a UNESCO-recognized biodiversity landscape renowned for its mountain gorillas and exceptional rainforest ecosystem. The forest provides habitat for mountain gorillas alongside numerous other species and forms part of the wider Albertine Rift region, one of Africa's important biodiversity areas.
The highlight of the safari is gorilla trekking in Bwindi, where travelers hike through the forest in search of a habituated mountain gorilla family. Once the gorillas are located, visitors can observe their natural behaviors under regulated trekking guidelines. The trekking experience varies depending on the location of the gorilla family, terrain, weather, and forest conditions.
Depending on your selected gorilla trekking sector, the safari can take you to Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, or Nkuringo. Your itinerary can also incorporate cultural and community experiences, giving you an opportunity to learn more about the people and traditions surrounding these remarkable forests.
Combining chimpanzee tracking, gorilla trekking, rainforest scenery, primate diversity, wildlife, and cultural experiences, this 6-day Uganda safari provides an immersive journey through two of the country's most celebrated primate destinations.
Detailed Itinerary: 3 Days Gorilla trekking safari to Bwindi
Day 1: Kampala/Entebbe – Kibale National Park
After breakfast at your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe, meet your professional safari guide and begin the scenic journey westwards toward Kibale National Park, one of Uganda’s premier destinations for chimpanzee tracking.
The journey takes you through Uganda’s changing landscapes, with opportunities to see rolling hills, farmlands, plantations, local communities, and rural countryside. Depending on your departure time and route, there may be stops along the way for photography, refreshments, and lunch.
Continue toward the Fort Portal and Kibale area, enjoying views of the green countryside and, where conditions allow, glimpses of the Rwenzori Mountains in the distance.
Arrive at your lodge in the afternoon or evening and check in. Relax in the peaceful forest surroundings and prepare for the following day’s chimpanzee tracking experience. Your guide can brief you on the activity and what to expect during your time in the forest.
Accommodation: Lodge near Kibale National Park
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale National Park
Wake up early and enjoy breakfast before transferring to the appropriate Kibale chimpanzee tracking briefing point.
After registration and a briefing by the Uganda Wildlife Authority guides and trackers, begin your chimpanzee tracking adventure in the rainforest. Kibale’s forest trails pass through a rich tropical ecosystem that supports chimpanzees and a variety of other primates, birds, butterflies, and plant species.
As you walk through the forest, your experienced guides will help you follow signs of chimpanzee activity and understand the behaviour and ecology of these fascinating primates. You may hear chimpanzees calling through the canopy before eventually locating the group you are tracking.
Once you find the chimpanzee community, enjoy the permitted viewing experience while observing their movements, feeding, vocalization, grooming, and interactions within the forest.
The experience is carefully managed to support responsible wildlife tourism and conservation. Your guides will provide instructions throughout the activity and help ensure that visitors observe the chimpanzees respectfully.
After the trek, return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation.
Depending on your itinerary and available time, you may later enjoy an optional Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary nature and community experience, where you can explore wetlands, encounter additional primates and bird species, and learn about community-based tourism.
Accommodation: Lodge near Kibale National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Kibale National Park – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After breakfast, check out of your lodge and begin the scenic journey from Kibale National Park to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda.
The journey takes you through some of Uganda’s most beautiful countryside, with views of farms, rolling hills, plantations, rural settlements, and changing landscapes as you travel toward the mountainous south-west.
Depending on your selected route, gorilla trekking sector, and road conditions, there may be opportunities to stop for photography, refreshments, and lunch along the way.
Continue toward Bwindi, gradually approaching the forested hills that surround the national park. Bwindi is renowned for its ancient rainforest and mountain gorillas, making it the perfect setting for the second major primate experience of your safari.
Arrive at your lodge in the afternoon or evening and check in. Relax and prepare for the following day’s gorilla trekking adventure. Your guide will brief you on the trek, what to pack, and how to prepare for the forest conditions.
Accommodation: Lodge near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Wake up early and enjoy breakfast before transferring to the appropriate Bwindi gorilla trekking briefing point according to your assigned trekking sector.
After registration and a briefing by Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers and guides, begin your gorilla trekking adventure through Bwindi’s dense rainforest.
The trek can involve walking on steep, uneven, and sometimes muddy forest trails. The duration varies depending on the location and movement of the gorilla family you are tracking, as well as the terrain and weather conditions.
As you make your way through the forest, your ranger guides will help you understand Bwindi’s rainforest ecosystem and identify signs of gorilla activity. Along the trail, you may encounter birds, other primates, butterflies, and a variety of plant species.
Once you locate the habituated mountain gorilla family, enjoy the permitted viewing time observing these remarkable primates in their natural habitat. Watch them feed, rest, groom, interact, and move through the forest.
The encounter is carefully managed to support gorilla conservation and responsible tourism. Your guides will provide instructions on appropriate behaviour and maintaining the required distance from the gorillas.
After the trekking experience, return to the briefing point and transfer back to your lodge for lunch and relaxation.
Depending on your energy and interests, the afternoon may be used for rest or an optional Bwindi community and cultural experience.
Accommodation: Lodge near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Bwindi Cultural Experience & Leisure
After breakfast, enjoy a more relaxed day around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park following your gorilla trekking experience.
Depending on your interests and the selected itinerary, you may participate in an optional community or cultural experience. This provides an opportunity to interact with local communities, learn about traditional lifestyles, discover local crafts, and experience aspects of life around the forest.
You may also choose to spend the morning relaxing at your lodge, enjoying the surrounding forest scenery and recovering from the previous day’s trek.
The day provides flexibility to suit your preferred pace and can also be adjusted according to your gorilla trekking sector, accommodation location, and onward travel arrangements.
Spend your final evening in the Bwindi region surrounded by the beautiful landscapes of southwestern Uganda.
Accommodation: Lodge near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Bwindi – Kampala/Entebbe
After breakfast, check out of your lodge and begin the return journey from Bwindi to Kampala or Entebbe.
Travel through the scenic landscapes of southwestern Uganda, with opportunities to enjoy views of rolling hills, agricultural communities, forests, tea-growing areas, and rural settlements along the way.
Depending on your departure schedule and selected route, there may be an opportunity to stop for photography, refreshments, and lunch.
Continue toward Kampala or Entebbe while enjoying your final views of Uganda’s countryside.
On arrival, transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight or to your hotel for an additional overnight stay.
This marks the end of your 6 Days Chimpanzees & Gorillas Trekking Safari in Uganda, combining two of the country's most memorable primate experiences in Kibale and Bwindi.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Trip Includes
- Airport arrival and departure transfers
- Private transportation in a 4x4 safari vehicle
- Services of an experienced English-speaking driver-guide
- Accommodation for 5 nights
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary
- Chimpanzee tracking permit
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Uganda Wildlife Authority park entrance fees where applicable
- Game and forest viewing activities specified in the itinerary
- Bigodi Wetland/community experience where included in the confirmed itinerary
- Drinking water during safari drives
- All applicable government taxes and service charges
Trip Excludes
-
- International flights
- Uganda entry visa
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses
- Alcoholic and other premium beverages
- Laundry services
- Tips for guides, trackers, drivers and lodge staff
- Porter fees for gorilla or chimpanzee trekking
- Souvenirs and personal shopping
- Activities not specifically included in the itinerary
- Any additional accommodation before or after the safari
- Expenses arising from changes outside the agreed itinerary
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What our travelers say
Robert KVerified
Bucket list seeing the Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Just an awesome trip . Everything went smoothly from booking to the end . All was as promised never missed anything , always on time , friendly etc. resort that was recommended was perfect , great food , comfortable . Saw the gorillas easily all was perfect . Jonathan the owner even took me in Kampala to buy the right clothes , took me him self . Noel and driver were excellent , never an issue they really cared. I trust this company , will use them again and highly recommend .
Maltes TravellerHighly recommended We had a wonderful experience with Jonathan. He welcomed us at the airport and took great care of us from the moment we arrived until the end of our trip. The selection of hotels was impeccable, and the route he designed was perfectly planned. Jonathan is extremely knowledgeable about wildlife and went the extra mile to make sure we saw lions and all of the Big Five during our visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park. He was always attentive, patient, and eager to make our experience unforgettable. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide — highly recommended!
bharti nExceptional experience, enriching and truly unforgettable. From the moment we landed we received a warm welcome. Jonathan was friendly and readily available to answer any queries throughout our trip. He was incredibly accommodating with our requests to visit schools, residences ensuring that we achieved everything we wanted from the trip. We had a great time with Jonathan and driver Isaac. Jonathan was very funny and very knowledgeable he became part of the family and the time just flew whilst we were there, we felt safe at all times. The food at each venue catered for all our needs. Definitely leant a lot on this trip. Just need to be aware that food ordered in restaurants do take a long time as they make it from scratch so if pushed for time might be advisable to pre order. We had unforgettable holiday and this company went above and beyond to make every moment special. I would recommend them to anyone.
vjparGreat service from this local company We done a road trip across East Africa from Uganda to Tanzania. Jonathan and his team facilitated our trip across Uganda and Kenya which proved to be a very enjoyable experience. Guided knowledge provided by Jonathan was excellent as was his humor and wit. We always felt safe and informed, he managed the journey very well indeed. We would definitely use Jonathan's services again.
Adam John SmithMagical Uganda Safari Journey – February 2025! I had an unforgettable experience with Ababa Uganda Safaris! From the moment I arrived, everything was well-organized, and the team was incredibly friendly and professional. The tour guides were knowledgeable, sharing fascinating insights about the wildlife and culture. Seeing gorillas up close in Bwindi and exploring Queen Elizabeth National Park was a dream come true. The accommodations were comfortable, and every detail was taken care of. I truly felt immersed in Uganda’s beauty without any stress. If you're planning a trip to Uganda, I highly recommend Ababa Uganda Safaris for a seamless and memorable adventure!
MadhviVerified
.gorilla trek Our KQ flight was horribly delayed. From 2.30 pm to arriving @ almost 3 am the following day. Jonathan kindly arranged for airport pick at this early hour of day and even rescheduled our departure for bwindi so we could get some rest. That was very accommodating.the drive to bwindi was a long drive -11 hrs- n he informed hotel of our late arrival. The lodge he chose for us was good and comfortable. However the vehicle for transporti g us could be better as it was quite hot without air conditioning. Gorilla trek was good but tough. Overall Ababa safaris were very accommodating. I wouldrecommend them. The hotel in Kampala- Speke hotel leaves a lot to be desired
mo-marvinSuch a wonderful experience!! My family and I contacted Jonathan to help us plan our first Murchison Falls safari. Jonathan arranged our transport from Kampala, with a stop at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary and guided game drives through Murchison falls. Ronnie, our professional driver and guide, was very knowledgeable and paid close attention to details to make us comfortable. He met with us a day before takeoff to answer any outstanding questions and recommended a time for us to set off to avoid any traffic. His experience made our trip even more enjoyable because we knew what to expect for entry fees into the park, where to stop to use clean washrooms, eat good food, and also what side of the boat cruise to sit on for the best views! We saw lions, elephants, giraffes, job, rhinos, buffaloes and many other animals. We would definitely go with them for our next safari in Uganda! They had great communication, value for money, professionalism, knowledge of the industry and were very reliable.
Katelyn OA must-hire company! Punctual, professional, great communication. We used Ababa Safaris for a trip from Kampala to Murchison Falls National Park. I would HIGHLY recommend! Our driver picked us up in a large safari vehicle with a pop up roof. The driver was very punctual and had excellent communication while preparing for the trip and during the trip. Ronnie took us to a nice restaurant for a rest stop that had clean bathrooms and good food. He was friendly with many people we met along the way at the Rhino Sanctuary, on the safari trails, and at our chosen lodging. It felt as though he had good connections with people, which we took as a good sign. Ronnie was very knowledgeable about the best places to see the animals and gave us a great safari experience. As the person in the family who does much of the planning, it was a very enjoyable experience to hand all of that over to Ababa and really get to enjoy myself.
HoehlenhonkAnimals and beautiful nature in Uganda and Rwanda From being picked-up from Entebbe airport in the middle of the night until the drop-off eleven days later in Kigali it was a perfect tour. Jonathan, our guide, and the driver Moses was a perfect team - very friendly, knowledgable and always in time. We visited Entebbe for a tour through the botanical gardens and the zoo, did safaris and boat trips in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth NP and did trekkings to the chimpazees in Kibale and to the mountain gorillas in Rwanda. The primates are a must visit when you travel to this region. It's expensive but worth every dollar. The safari parks are of course not as rich in animals as for example the Masai Mara. But they are much cheaper, there are much lesser tourists and nevertheless it doesn't become boring regarding animal sightings. We saw a lot of different antelopes, beautiful giraffes, lions, many elephants, buffalos, a lot of hippos and crocodiles and much more. The choice of hotels was very good, simple and cheap where there was only a short overnight stay and a bit more expensive where it was worth to spend the money for staying close to the places of interest, e.g. close to the starting point for primate trekkings or in the middle of QENP and Murchison NP for not loosing game-drive-time.
Dilip PUGANDA SAFARI WITH ABABA We had a nice holiday with ABABA SAFARI in Uganda it was a nice experience in Uganda and the travel agent as well especially Jonathan was our tour guide very nice person he was always very helpful and kind. we traveled about 1200km but had no problem I am a vegetarian and wherever we go he always arranges something for me i recommend them at and competitive price I give them a 5-star