7-Day Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari 

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your West Tours Uganda guide. After a short briefing about your upcoming adventure, you will be transferred to your hotel near the shores of Lake Victoria. Depending on your arrival time, the remainder of the day is free to relax and recover from your international journey.

West Tours Tip: If you arrive early, consider a sunset walk along the shores of Lake Victoria or visit the nearby Entebbe Botanical Gardens.

After breakfast, depart Kampala and begin your scenic drive westward toward Kibale National Park. The journey takes you through one of Uganda’s most beautiful regions—rolling hills carpeted in tea plantations, traditional villages, lush countryside, and panoramic crater lakes. The drive offers an excellent introduction to Uganda’s diverse landscapes. Arrive at your forest lodge near Kibale in the afternoon, where you can relax and enjoy the tranquil surroundings in preparation for tomorrow’s primate adventure.

Optional Afternoon Activity:

• Guided nature walk through the nearby crater lakes area
• Cultural visit to a local community

West Tours Tip: Kibale is known as the “Primate Capital of the World”—the forest air alone will get you excited for tomorrow’s chimpanzee trek.

Today is the day you come face-to-face with our closest living relatives. After an early breakfast, head to the park headquarters for a briefing on chimpanzee trekking rules and safety. You’ll then enter the rainforest with expert ranger guides to track habituated chimpanzee families.

Kibale National Park is home to the highest density of chimpanzees in East Africa—over 1,500 individuals. Once a chimp family is located, you’ll spend one unforgettable hour observing their natural behavior—grooming, feeding, calling loudly through the forest, and moving swiftly through the canopy. Alongside chimps, keep your eyes open for Colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, bush babies, and over 350 species of birds.

Optional Afternoon Activity:

• Guided nature walk through the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, known for its birdlife, monkeys, and community-based conservation experiences

West Tours Tip: Wear long sleeves, sturdy boots, and bring your camera—but remember, no flash photography!

After breakfast, depart Kibale and journey south toward Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive takes you past the mystical Rwenzori Mountains—often veiled in clouds—to Uganda’s most iconic savannah landscape. Along the way, you’ll stop at Nyakasura Falls near the market town of Fort Portal.

Arrive at Queen Elizabeth National Park in the afternoon and settle into your lodge. If time allows, enjoy an evening game drive across the Kasenyi Plains, known for its lion population and congregations of Uganda kob, elephants, buffaloes, and warthogs.

West Tours Tip: Queen Elizabeth is home to tree-climbing lions—a rare sight found in the Ishasha sector of the park.

Morning Game Drive: Set off at dawn for a thrilling game drive across the Kasenyi Plains. This is one of Uganda’s premier wildlife destinations—home to an incredible variety of animals including lions, elephants, buffaloes, and elusive leopards often seen lounging in the shade.

Afternoon Boat Cruise: After lunch, prepare for a magical boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. This natural channel connects Lake George and Lake Edward and is home to one of the world’s largest hippo populations. Glide past massive pods of hippos jostling and yawning, crocodiles basking on the banks, and large herds of elephants and buffaloes coming to drink. Few places in Africa offer such consistent and close-up encounters with wildlife.

Optional Evening Activity:

• Sunset game drive to catch the savannah’s golden hour

West Tours Tip: Queen Elizabeth National Park boasts over 600 bird species—the highest of any national park in East Africa. Bring your binoculars!

Today, leave the open savannah landscapes behind and journey toward Uganda’s ancient montane forests—a dramatic change in scenery and atmosphere. As you travel deeper into the highlands, the environment becomes cooler, greener, and more densely forested.

Arrive at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the afternoon. Bwindi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring dense, ancient rainforest and is home to roughly half the world’s mountain gorilla population.

Optional Afternoon Activity:

• Guided walk through the Batwa community—the indigenous forest people. This experience includes visits to basket weavers, a local school, and storytelling about Batwa history and present-day life

West Tours Tip: Rest well tonight—tomorrow is the highlight of your safari!

Today is the day you’ve been waiting for. After an early breakfast, head to the park headquarters for a briefing on gorilla trekking rules. You’ll be assigned to one of the habituated gorilla families and grouped with up to seven other trekkers.

Then, set off with your expert guide and trackers into the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The trek can take anywhere from two to six hours, depending on where the gorilla family has moved. You’ll hike through thick rainforest, across steep slopes, and through dense vegetation—physically demanding, but absolutely worth every step.

Once the gorilla family is located, you’ll have one unforgettable hour observing them up close—playing, moving through the trees, and interacting with each other in their natural environment. Watch a silverback protect his family, observe a mother gently groom her infant, and lock eyes with one of our closest living relatives.

After the Trek:
After your hour with the gorillas, you’ll trek back to the park headquarters. You’ll receive a gorilla trekking certificate to commemorate your achievement. From here, you can either:

• Transfer back to Entebbe/Kampala (approximately 8–9 hours)
• Spend an extra night at Lake Bunyonyi—one of the most breathtaking and peaceful places in Uganda

West Tours Tip: Hire a local porter at the trailhead—it supports the community and makes your trek significantly easier!