15-Day Classic Gorilla and Wildlife Safari

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by our professional safari guide and transferred to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you may relax after your flight or enjoy an optional visit to the Entebbe Botanical Gardens or browse local arts, crafts, and souvenirs at the Entebbe Craft Village before grabbing dinner or a cold Nile Special beer in the central area. Enjoy a safari briefing before settling in for the night.

After breakfast, begin your journey North towards Murchison Falls National Park. En route, stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for an exciting guided rhino tracking experience on foot. This is Uganda's only wild rhino sanctuary and completes your opportunity to see all of Africa's Big Five during your safari. Located 176 km North of Kampala on the Gulu Highway, this 70-square-kilometer sanctuary is the premier stopover for travelers heading to Murchison Falls National Park to complete their "Big Five" checklist. The sanctuary currently protects a thriving population of around 48 southern white rhinos. Expect to walk for 1.5 to 2.5 hours, depending on where the rhinos are located within the ranch. Once the herd is spotted, your guide will lead you to a safe viewing distance of 7 to 10 meters away. Thereafter, enjoy lunch before continuing to Murchison Falls National Park. Visit the Top of the Falls, where the mighty Nile squeezes through a narrow 7-meter gorge before plunging dramatically into the gorge below. Proceed to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Waking up early at around 5:30 AM is crucial. It gives you the chance to catch predators before they hide from the midday heat and gives you excellent lighting for photography. The most concentrated wildlife viewing is along the Buligi Circuit, which includes the Victoria, Queens, and Albert Nile tracks. Keep an eye out for lions, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, leopards, Jackson's hartebeests, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, oribis, and numerous bird species. Return to the lodge for lunch before enjoying an unforgettable afternoon boat safari along the River Nile to the base of Murchison Falls. Along the cruise, expect to see hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes, and a variety of water birds. Return to your lodge for dinner.

After breakfast, depart for Kibale Forest National Park, enjoying scenic countryside views, traditional villages, tea plantations, and rolling hills along the way. Arrive in the evening and check into your lodge located near the rainforest. Relax and prepare for the following day's chimpanzee adventure.

After an early breakfast, report to the park headquarters for a briefing before embarking on your chimpanzee trekking experience. Kibale National Park is the "Primate Capital of the World," hosting around 1,500 chimpanzees. At 8:00 am, you gather at the Kanyanchu Visitors' Center for safety rules. You will be divided into intimate groups of 6 to 7 people per guide; thereafter, you trail through a relatively flat, low-altitude forest floor, making it physically easier than gorilla trekking. Expect a loud, sensory experience. Chimps communicate with vocal pant-hoots and violently drum on tree roots. Once located, you will have exactly 1 hour of direct viewing. You will also encounter black-and-white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, L'Hoest's monkeys, and numerous forest birds. Thereafter, return to the lodge for lunch. Following lunch, visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a guided nature walk renowned for monkeys, colorful birds, butterflies, and community tourism. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

After breakfast, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park through scenic crater lakes and the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains. Arrive in time for lunch before enjoying an afternoon game drive in the Kasenyi Plains, home to lions, elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, warthogs, and numerous bird species. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

A morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park offers the best chance to witness predators like lions and leopards returning from their nightly hunts. The cooler early temperatures keep the wildlife highly active across the savanna before the midday heat sets in. You will visit the northern sector, which serves as the primary breeding ground for the Uganda Kob. This high density of prey makes it the premier location for tracking lions, hyenas, and leopards as well as large herds of elephants, cape buffaloes, and giraffes. After the game drive at around 11:00 AM, return to the lodge for lunch before embarking on an afternoon boat cruise along the famous Kazinga Channel, one of Africa's best wildlife viewing experiences. Observe enormous concentrations of hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes, and countless bird species gathering along the shoreline. Dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, drive through the Ishasha Sector, famous for its rare tree-climbing lions. Enjoy a game drive searching for these unique predators before continuing through beautiful countryside to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Arrive at your luxury lodge overlooking the forest.

Your day begins early after an early breakfast. You'll arrive at the park's briefing center at 7:30 a.m. for a safety orientation. Groups of up to 8 people are then assigned to a specific habituated gorilla family. Tracking can take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours as you traverse steep, dense, and muddy jungle terrain. Trackers scout ahead to locate the gorillas' general whereabouts using radios before leading you to their exact position. Once you spot the gorillas, you will have exactly one hour to observe them playing, grooming, and interacting, with a strict rule to maintain a 7-meter distance. Return to the lodge to relax after this life-changing experience.

Enjoy a leisurely morning at your lodge surrounded by the sounds of the rainforest. Later, choose from optional activities including a Batwa cultural experience, a guided community walk forest nature walk, and birdwatching. In the afternoon, embark on a 3-hour drive to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Hiking Mount Gahinga takes 6 to 8 hours round-trip to scale its 3,474-meter peak. Straddling the border of Uganda and Rwanda, this dormant volcano is the smallest of the three major peaks in the Virunga Range. It is widely considered the easiest and most accessible volcano trek in the area compared to neighboring Mount Sabyinyo and Mount Muhabura. The summit is highly unique, featuring a shallow, 180-meter-wide swampy caldera ringed with rare sub-alpine plants. The initial section winds gently through local community farms at the base, serving as a good warmup to acclimate to the base altitude. After the hike, return to the lodge

After an early breakfast, head into Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for an exciting golden monkey trekking adventure. These beautiful and energetic primates are endemic to the Virunga Mountains and provide an unforgettable wildlife experience. After the trek, drive to the breathtaking Lake Bunyonyi, often called the "Switzerland of Africa" because of its spectacular terraced hills and numerous islands. Relax by the lakeshore for the evening.

Spend a relaxing day enjoying the beauty of Lake Bunyonyi. Take a guided canoe excursion to explore several of the lake's islands, learn about their fascinating history, enjoy birdwatching, or simply relax at the lodge while admiring the stunning scenery.

After breakfast, drive to Lake Mburo National Park. Arrive in time for lunch before heading out on an afternoon game drive in search of zebras, impalas, elands, buffaloes, giraffes, topis, waterbucks, and other wildlife unique to this park. In the evening, enjoy an optional guided night game drive to spot nocturnal animals such as bush babies, civets, genets, porcupines, and leopards.

Begin your final safari day with a guided walking safari accompanied by an armed Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger, offering a unique opportunity to experience wildlife on foot. After breakfast, depart for Entebbe with a stop at the Equator Monument for photographs, souvenir shopping, and lunch. Continue to Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight, marking the end of your extraordinary 15-day Ugandan wildlife and primate safari.