Uganda and Rwanda: Gorilla and Chimpanzee Tracking

Itinerary Highlights

Few travel experiences are as exhilarating and unforgettable as primate tracking. The thrill of trekking through East Africa’s lush forests and encountering chimpanzees and gorillas in their natural habitat is simply unmatched. “Ultimate Uganda and Rwanda” provides the perfect itinerary for those seeking a primate-focused adventure with additional (and equally impressive) wildlife highlights along the way.

Your journey begins in Entebbe with an overnight stay at the charming No. 5 Hotel. You’ll then move onto Kyaninga Lodge where you’ll enjoy hiking, swims in a critter-free crater lake and, most notably, chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park. From there you’ll head to the Kyambura Gorge Lodge overlooking Queen Elizabeth National Park. Experience traditional African safari on a drive through the bush and unparalleled birding on a boat ride through the Kazinga Channel. Head south for your first gorilla trek inside Bwindi Lodge in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, your last stop in Uganda. End the trip with a drive to neighboring Rwanda for the ultimate adventure finale: one last gorilla trek during your stay at the renowned Bisate Lodge in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.

Hotels and lodges described in the itinerary are recommended by Craft Travel but there are numerous options in each destination and we will customize your itinerary based upon your preferences. With your feedback, we will similarly customize suggested activities, time spent in each location and trip extensions to additional destinations of interest nearby.

Itinerary Details

Welcome to Uganda! Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, airport staff will meet you right on tarmac before entering the airport building. Staff will assist you through customs, retrieving luggage and will provide your transfer to the hotel. Depending on arrival time, you may have a briefing on your safari today/tonight or opt to have it in the morning after some hours of relaxation. You can also consider a sunset cruise on Lake Victoria where you’ll head to the Equator!

Dinner is on your own, though your hotel is known throughout Entebbe for its outstanding cuisine.

Overnight at Hotel No. 5 (no meals included)

After breakfast, transfer the airport, proceed through to the domestic check-in point for your bush flight to Kasese airstrip (flight departs Entebbe at 7:00 AM & 12:30 PM, with check in time - one hour in advance). Note that flight schedules are subject to change at short notice). Depending on arrival time and space availability on the domestic flights, we may either opt for a morning or afternoon flight).

Following the flight your guide will be at the airstrip, a welcome cup of coffee or chilled drink awaiting you. You’ll proceed to Fort Portal driving through the shadow of the fabled "Mountains of the Moon." Head out to Kibale forest driving through farmlands and homesteads before arriving to Kyaninga Lodge. Set against the stunning backdrop of Lake Kyaninga and the Rwenzori Mountains beyond, Kyaninga Lodge sits on the edge of a spectacular crater lake.

Lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, you have an option to take a bird-walk around the lodge right in the middle of the ever green Kibale forest.

*Prefer driving to flying? You have the option! Should you prefer, after breakfast you will head toward Fort Portal, driving through the evergreen tea plantations and forests

Overnight at Kyaninga Lodge (Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner)

After Breakfast, get ready to embark on a truly exciting adventure. Today, with expert guides, you will experience Chimpanzee trek! Transfer to Kanyanchu Park Headquarters in time for a briefing and head out to the forest. Chimpanzee trekking starts early in the morning, and lasts approximately 3 hours in total. Upon finding the chimpanzees you’ll track them for an hour.

Kibale Forest is a host to 13 primate species. The guide will provide detailed explanations on not only primates, but also on all the forest's fauna and flora, ensuring that your walk is both informative and enjoyable. This walk is excellent for viewing bird life and primates in close quarters. After lunch, go for a walk in Bigodi - an eco-tourism swamp where rare and beautiful nature surrounds.

This evening is yours to relax at the lodge after a long and unforgettable day, or take a refreshing swim in the critter-free crater lake. Enjoy reminiscing over a relaxing dinner.

Overnight at Kyaninga Lodge (Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner)

This morning after breakfast and checkout, you will head toward Queen Elizabeth National Park, following the mystical Rwenzori Mountain Range most of the journey. Stop to explore the fascinating Katwe Crater area before heading to your new lodge for lunch.

Volcanoes Kyambura Gorge Lodge is located on the edge of Queen Elizabeth National Park with sweeping views of the rolling savanna, the distant mountains of the moon, and the sunken Kyambura Gorge. Each bungalow, or banda, offers a unique view either across the savanna or the gorge. The lodge is the ideal location for tracking the lost chimps in the sunken forest of Kyambura Gorge nearby and seeing the amazing game in one of Africa’s most beautiful and varied parks, centred around the waterway of the Kazinga Channel where animals come to bathe. The park has six hundred amazing bird species, the highest in an African park.

Have a quick look around the property before starting on your afternoon game drive! Keep your eyes peeled for game including waterbucks, elephants, leopards, buffalo, hyenas and a variety of antelope species. Enjoy a sundowner in the savannah and return to the Lodge for dinner. Option to go for a night game drive. 

*For those looking for a true adventure, guests can opt to add another chimpanzee trek inside the Kyambura Gorge. The chimps effortlessly cross and scamper through the trees above the gorge, and visitors on the other hand must cross the river using natural bridges in order to keep up with the chimps. So although the walk usually lasts only 2–3 hours, descending the steep gorge and crossing the log bridges over the river requires agility and fitness.

Overnight at Volcanoes Kyambura Gorge Lodge (Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner)

After an early rise and a cup of your favorite beverage, embark on a morning game drive along Kasenyi track and Queens’s mile in the expansive park. Keep a look out for lions, elephants, Cape buffalo, warthogs, leopards, hyena, mongoose, waterbucks, Ugandan Kob, and a plethora of many small animals and birds.

After lunch, enjoy a unique boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward. This trip passes through high concentrations of hippos and more animals may be seen drinking at the water's edge.

This river cruise offers an excellent platform for photography, bird watching and game viewing. The prolific bird life is colorful and stupendous with well over 600 spotted and recorded species.

Overnight at Volcanoes Kyambura Gorge Lodge (Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner)

After breakfast and a final goodbye to Kyambura Gorge Lodge, start for Bwindi via the Ishasha sector of the Queen Elizabeth National Park. On a beautiful, nearly 4 hour journey, you will be driven through Ishasha, famous for its multitude of animals, most notably its tree climbing lions which are unique to this region.

Upon arrival to Bwindi Lodge this afternoon, take some time to relax around the camp or go on a village walk around Buhoma. Visit craft shops, local schools, and a hospital before settling down to enjoy some entertainment by the local community/Orphan group. 

Overlooking the primeval Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge is the finest luxury lodge at Bwindi. With just eight luxury bungalows and dramatic intense views of the forest canopy across a serene stream, it is one of Africa’s most unique properties. The gorillas frequently come to relax in the verdant bush around the lodge! The lodge is perfectly located for a Uganda jungle gorilla tracking experience. A newly designed outdoor terrace gives dramatic views of the impenetrable forest and is a great place to spot the monkeys and birds hidden in the foliage.

Enjoy a quiet dinner at the lodge.

Overnight at Bwindi Lodge (Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner)

Today’s adventure begins well before sunrise, as there is an early morning entry into a gorilla sanctuary. The rainforest is a spectacular, heavily vegetated and dense landscape crisscrossed by numerous animal trails, allowing access for trekkers. This park is best known for the fascinating gorillas, where the time taken and terrain varies according to the movements of these fantastic apes. The thrill of spending time with and observing these gentle giants is a rare and moving adventure that will leave you with long lasting memories of a truly unique experience. The gorillas are shy and peaceful animals and it is an unforgettable experience to watch and photograph them as they interact with each other. This tracking adventure takes anywhere from 3 - 10 hours. Return to the lodge in the afternoon for an evening at leisure to chat with fellow travelers or relax at the spa.

Overnight at Bwindi Lodge (Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner)

Today, you will go for a short Batwa walk: it’s a hands-on, mind-opening adventure steep in cultural exploration. You will get an insight of how the Batwa (also known as pygmies) lived and hunted, learn about medicinal plants, and watch for animals and birds. You may get to share a traditional meal with the Batwa, hear ancient legends and traditional songs, and join in on a mock hunting party. You can even test your skill with a Batwa bow and arrow and participate in traditional dances.  

In the afternoon, visit a women’s project (Ride 4 a woman) with options to participate in basketry, weaving, making local dishes or take an escorted cycling adventure through the villages. Interact with the local communities for an insight on their cultural practices and ways of life. This will also give you an opportunity for last minute craft shopping.

Enjoy your final night in Uganda.

*A second gorilla trekking permit can be added for this day upon request but must be booked in advance.

Overnight at Bwindi Lodge (Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner)

After an early breakfast and check out, you will hit the road for Rwanda, with stops on the way for amazing views of the Volcanoes. Proceed to the border, go through customs and cross to Rwanda. Drive to Parc des Volcans with views of the great, old volcanoes towering up almost 15,000 feet, and nearly covered with rich, green rainforest. This stunning drive through rolling African landscapes takes about 6 hours. Arrive to the unique Bisate Lodge, where you will have the evening at leisure to enjoy this marvelous property and its amenities, including a guided nursery visit, indigenous tree planting and one complimentary in-room welcome massage!

Bisate Lodge, adjacent to Volcanoes National Park, combines the bucket-list gorilla trek with a pioneering vision of reforestation and community partnership. Bisate is located in the natural amphitheatre of an eroded volcanic cone, with dramatic views of the peaks of the Bisoke and Karisimbi volcanoes rearing up through Afro-alpine forests. Encountering one of the gorilla groups in the nearby Volcanoes National Park is a unique experience. Walks on Bisate’s property offer birding and participation in the reforestation programme. Bisate is Rwanda’s first genuinely luxurious and eco-sensitive safari camp, centred on Africa’s most immersive wild primate experience.

Overnight at Bisate Lodge (Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner)

Get ready for another early morning transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing by the park staff. Loaded with your drinking water, packed lunch and walking stick, enter the forest in search of the famous Mountain Gorillas. The trail into the forest will abruptly immerse you in the mysterious intimacy of the thick rainforest. An exhilarating Gorilla trek through the cultivated foothills of the Virungas can be muddy and challenging but offers a truly unforgettable experience. Alive with the calls of the great apes, you will spend an hour watching them interact before sloping back to the base. As you slope through gaps in the forest canopy, the magnificent peaks, which are among the highest in Africa, can be seen.

Return to the lodge later this afternoon and enjoy time to relax and reflect on all you have witnessed the past days!

*Golden Monkey tracking can also be added at an additional cost and ideally should be booked in advance as permits are limited.

Overnight at Bisate Lodge (Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner)

This morning after breakfast and a final goodbye to Bisate Lodge, start for Kigali. Should time permit, enjoy a short tour of the city which includes a visit to the genocide memorial and handicraft shops. Then head to the airport for your international flight. Depending on your flight schedule, you may need a day room to freshen-up before your flight (available upon payment). International departing flights should be booked for 1pm or later.

(Breakfast)

• 10 nights accommodations as per program based on double/twin occupancy

• All meals (except lunch and dinner on Day 1)

• Private English speaking guide with private custom-built safari Land Cruiser vehicle throughout

• Bwindi and Bisate Lodges include drinks (excluding premium imported brands and champagne), laundry, wifi in villa and/or main lodge

• All national park and entrance fees as mentioned on tour

• Gorilla permits as per itinerary

• *Not included: gratuities, visas (if applicable), international flights, meals and drinks not described above, additional permits (e.g. second gorilla permit in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Golden Monkey permit in Volcanoes National Park) items of a personal nature