This 7-day Uganda safari takes you to three of the country’s top parks – Kibale Forest for chimpanzee tracking, Queen Elizabeth National Park for wildlife viewing, and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for gorilla trekking. It combines nature, adventure, and primate experiences, giving you an unforgettable time in the Pearl of Africa.
7-Day Uganda Hiking & Primates Safari Highlights
- Visit Uganda’s top national parks: Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Track chimpanzees in Kibale Forest and enjoy a guided crater lakes walk
- Go for a community or swamp walk to see primates and meet local people
- Enjoy game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park with chances to see lions, elephants, buffaloes, and leopards
- Take a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel to view hippos, crocodiles, and water birds up close
- Spot tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector on the way to Bwindi
- Trek mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with professional ranger guides
- Enjoy scenic drives through the Rwenzori Mountains, tea plantations, and terraced hills
- Stop at the Uganda Equator for photos and souvenirs before returning to Kampala or Entebbe
- Experience a 7-day adventure filled with primate encounters, wildlife, and cultural exploration
Brief 7-Day Uganda Hiking & Primates Safari Itinerary
- Day 1: Drive from Kampala to Kibale Forest via Fort Portal
- Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking and Crater Lakes Walk
- Day 3: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Day 4: Morning Game Drive and Boat Cruise on Kazinga Channel
- Day 5: Tree-Climbing Lions and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Day 6: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Forest
- Day 7: Return to Kampala or Entebbe
Detailed 7-Day Uganda Hiking & Primates Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Drive from Kampala to Kibale Forest via Fort Portal
On this first day of your 7 Days Uganda Primates Expedition, your driver guide will pick you up from your hotel and start the 5-hour journey to Kibale Forest National Park. Drive through the large towns of Mubende and Kyenjojo before reaching Fort Portal, a beautiful town surrounded by tea and banana plantations.
Enjoy photo stops with views of the Rwenzori Mountains, also known as the “Mountains of the Moon.” Arrive at your lodge for lunch and some rest. In the afternoon, take a community or swamp walk where you can meet locals attending to their farms, see primates such as red-tailed and black-and-white colobus monkeys, and spot many bird species. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking and Crater Lakes Walk
After an early breakfast, go to Kanyanchu Visitor Center for a short briefing before heading into the forest with a Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger guide. The chimpanzee tracking experience is one of the highlights of this safari. Once you find a troop of chimpanzees, you will spend one hour observing them as they feed, play, and communicate.
Return to the lodge for lunch and later take an optional walk around the crater lakes area in the afternoon. During the forest walk, you may also see other primates such as red-tailed monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, and grey-cheeked mangabeys. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 3: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, depart for Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive takes you along the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains, with beautiful views of banana and tea plantations. Pass through Kasese town, known for its old copper mining history.
Check in at your lodge and have lunch. In the evening, go for a sunset game drive where you may see lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, and various bird species. Return to the lodge for dinner and rest.
Day 4: Morning Game Drive and Boat Cruise on Kazinga Channel
Start the day with an early breakfast and head for a morning game drive in the Kasenyi plains. This is the best time to spot lions, hyenas, elephants, antelopes, and buffaloes. The sunrise over the savannah creates a peaceful and scenic atmosphere.
Return to the lodge for lunch. At 2:00 pm, go to Mweya jetty for a boat trip along the Kazinga Channel, which connects Lake George and Lake Edward. The cruise offers close views of hippos, elephants, buffaloes, crocodiles, and many birds including pelicans, fish eagles, and kingfishers. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Tree-Climbing Lions and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
After breakfast, drive to Ishasha, the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. This area is famous for its tree-climbing lions, which can often be seen resting on fig tree branches. You may also see topis, hyenas, elephants, buffaloes, and leopards.
Have lunch in Ishasha and then continue your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, passing through terraced hills and mountain slopes used for local farming. Arrive in the evening, check in, have dinner, and rest as you prepare for gorilla trekking the next day.
Day 6: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Forest
This is one of the most memorable days of your 7 Days Uganda Primates Expedition. After breakfast, go to the park headquarters for a briefing before setting off for your gorilla trekking adventure. You will be assigned a gorilla family and guided by trained rangers who use radio communication to track their location.
The trek can take 2 to 8 hours depending on where the gorillas are found. Once you locate them, spend one hour observing and photographing these amazing primates as they feed and care for their young. After the trek, return to your lodge for lunch, relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
Day 7: Return to Kampala or Entebbe
After breakfast, begin your journey back to Kampala or Entebbe. Enjoy views of the scenic hills and farmlands known as the “Switzerland of Africa.” Stop for lunch along the way and at the Uganda Equator for photos, souvenirs, and refreshments.
Arrive in Kampala or Entebbe in the evening, marking the end of your 7 Days Uganda Hiking, Primates and Nature Safari.
End of 7 Days Uganda Hiking, Primates and Nature Safari.