7-Day Luxury Uganda Gorillas & Savannah Safari

Day-by-day itinerary

Route: Entebbe → Kibale → Queen Elizabeth → Bwindi → Entebbe

1. Day 1

   Entebbe to Kibale

   Bags are loaded after breakfast and you depart Entebbe bound for Kibale, crossing western Uganda's tea estates and crater-lake country. You arrive in time to settle in, and the day continues with a game drive across moist tropical forest running along the Albertine Rift, one of Africa's richest primate habitats. Wildlife commonly associated with this area includes chimpanzees, red colobus, L'Hoest's monkey and a long list of forest birds. Chimpanzee tracking at Kibale is a permit-dependent activity arranged through the park authority, and places must be confirmed in advance. The vehicle and driver-guide are private to your party throughout. Dinner is served at your Kibale camp or lodge, where you spend the night.

2. Day 2

   Kibale Chimpanzee Tracking

   Join the ranger-led tracking session using the secured permit, then return to the lodge for a relaxed forest-edge afternoon. The surroundings take in moist tropical forest running along the Albertine Rift, one of Africa's richest primate habitats. There is the possibility of seeing chimpanzees, red colobus, L'Hoest's monkey and a long list of forest birds, though sightings are never guaranteed. Permit availability is confirmed before the booking is finalised, and tracking follows the park authority's rules on the day. The vehicle and driver-guide are private to your party throughout. Dinner and overnight are at your accommodation in Kibale.

3. Day 3

   Kibale to Queen Elizabeth

   You leave Kibale after breakfast and head for Queen Elizabeth, crossing the equator and descending into the western Rift Valley. Lunch and check-in come first, then an afternoon drive through savanna, crater lakes and the Kazinga Channel linking Lake Edward and Lake George. Wildlife commonly associated with this area includes elephant, buffalo, hippo, Uganda kob and, in the Ishasha sector, lions sometimes seen in fig trees. A boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel gives close views of hippo pods, buffalo and one of the densest concentrations of water birds in the region. The evening is spent at your Queen Elizabeth accommodation, with dinner and overnight there.

4. Day 4

   Queen Elizabeth Game Drive and Kazinga Channel Cruise

   Pair a private savanna drive with the confirmed Kazinga Channel boat programme, retaining time to enjoy the selected lodge. This is savanna, crater lakes and the Kazinga Channel linking Lake Edward and Lake George. Species commonly associated with the area include elephant, buffalo, hippo, Uganda kob and, in the Ishasha sector, lions sometimes seen in fig trees. Dinner and overnight are at your accommodation in Queen Elizabeth.

5. Day 5

   Queen Elizabeth to Bwindi

   Bags are loaded after breakfast and you depart Queen Elizabeth bound for Bwindi, travelling the winding roads of the south-western highlands through terraced farmland. You arrive in time to settle in, and the day continues with a game drive across steep Afromontane rainforest ridges and valleys in south-western Uganda. Your guide works the area for mountain gorillas, forest elephant, many primate species and numerous Albertine Rift endemics, with sightings varying by season and conditions. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi is a permit-dependent activity, and a permit must be confirmed in advance for every trekker. Dinner and overnight are at your camp or lodge in Bwindi.

6. Day 6

   Bwindi Gorilla Tracking

   Complete the ranger-led gorilla tracking activity with the secured permit; trek length, terrain and encounters remain natural and variable. This is steep Afromontane rainforest ridges and valleys in south-western Uganda. Species commonly associated with the area include mountain gorillas, forest elephant, many primate species and numerous Albertine Rift endemics. Permit availability is confirmed before the booking is finalised, and tracking follows the park authority's rules on the day. You return to your lodge or camp in Bwindi for dinner and overnight.

7. Day 7

   Bwindi to Entebbe

   Breakfast is taken before you set out from Bwindi for the drive to Entebbe, following the lakeshore road from Kampala. Arrival in Entebbe is usually in the afternoon, depending on traffic and road conditions on the approach. Entebbe sits on a peninsula in Lake Victoria and is the standard entry and exit point for Ugandan itineraries. The day ends with a drop-off in Entebbe at your hotel or the airport.