5-Day Kibale Chimpanzee and Bwindi Gorilla Safari 

Safari Overview

This five-day safari is the ultimate primate double. You’ll track chimpanzees through the dense canopy of Kibale Forest home to over 1,500 wild chimps and 13 primate species then journey south to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for a face-to-face encounter with a habituated mountain gorilla family. The trip also includes a guided walk through Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, an optional community visit to learn traditional coffee and banana processing, and a Batwa cultural experience in the Bwindi forest.

Duration: 5 days / 4 nights
Route: Entebbe/Kampala → Kibale Forest National Park → Bwindi Impenetrable National Park → Kampala/Entebbe
Travel Style: Budget, Midrange, or Luxury

Brief Itinerary

• Day 1: Transfer from Entebbe/Kampala to Kibale Forest
• Day 2: Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Wetland Walk
• Day 3: Transfer from Kibale to Bwindi and Batwa Cultural Experience
• Day 4: Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi
• Day 5: Transfer from Bwindi to Kampala or Entebbe

Day 1: Transfer from Entebbe/Kampala to Kibale Forest

Driving Distance: Approximately 320 km, 5–6 hours

After breakfast, meet your safari guide and begin the journey west toward Kibale Forest National Park. The drive takes you through beautiful countryside, traditional villages, tea plantations, and the scenic landscapes surrounding Fort Portal. This region sits at the base of the Rwenzori Mountains, often visible in the distance on clear days.

Stop for lunch along the way before continuing to your lodge near Kibale Forest. Upon arrival, check in and spend the remainder of the afternoon relaxing as you prepare for the following day’s chimpanzee adventure. If time allows, you may take a short evening walk near the lodge to stretch your legs and listen for the calls of primates in the surrounding forest.

Meals: Lunch and dinner included.

Accommodation:

• Budget: Kibale Forest Lodge
• Midrange: Kibale Canopy Lodge
• Luxury: Crater Safari Lodge

Day 2: Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Wetland Walk

The primate capital of the world awaits.

After an early breakfast, transfer to the Kanyanchu Visitor Centre for registration and a briefing about chimpanzee trekking. Kibale National Park is widely regarded as the primate capital of the world, supporting 13 primate species including a thriving population of over 1,500 wild chimpanzees . The morning trek is the more popular session, as the forest is cooler and the chimpanzees are typically more active in the first half of the day.

Accompanied by an experienced ranger guide, enter Kibale Forest in search of a habituated chimpanzee community. The trek lasts between two and five hours depending on how far the group has moved overnight. Along the way, you may encounter other primates including red colobus monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, and grey-cheeked mangabeys.

Once the chimpanzees are located, you will spend one hour observing them in their natural habitat. Unlike the quieter, more grounded mountain gorillas, chimpanzees are highly active and vocal. Expect a cacophony of whoops and hollers as they swing through the treetops, feed, groom, and interact with one another. You must maintain a minimum distance of eight metres from the chimpanzees at all times, and flash photography is not permitted. Return to the lodge for lunch before visiting Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a guided nature walk. This community-managed wetland stretches over 8 kilometres and supports a remarkable diversity of wildlife, including eight species of resident primates and over 200 bird species . The narrow riverine forest offers excellent viewing opportunities for smaller primates such as L’Hoest’s monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and vervet monkeys.

You may also take an optional community visit to meet local families and learn about traditional coffee processing, banana brewing, crafts, and daily village life. This experience directly supports community-led conservation initiatives in the Bigodi area.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Accommodation:

• Budget: Kibale Forest Lodge
• Midrange: Kibale Canopy Lodge
• Luxury: Crater Safari Lodge

Day 3: Transfer from Kibale to Bwindi and Batwa Cultural Experience

Driving Distance: Approximately 250 km, 5–6 hours

After breakfast, check out and travel south toward Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Enjoy the changing scenery as you pass through rolling hills, farmlands, small towns, and rural communities. The landscape gradually shifts from the crater-lake region around Fort Portal to the terraced Kigezi Highlands as you approach Bwindi.

Have lunch along the way before continuing to the Bwindi area. Depending on your arrival time, participate in a Batwa cultural experience. The Batwa are the indigenous forest people who lived in Bwindi for thousands of years before the national park was created in 1991. Led by Batwa guides, this experience introduces you to their traditional forest life through storytelling, music, dance, medicinal plants, hunting demonstrations, and ancient survival skills.

Afterwards, proceed to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Accommodation:

• Budget: Nshongi Camp
• Midrange: Buhoma Haven Lodge
• Luxury: Gorilla Leisure Lodge

Day 4: Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi

The day you’ve been waiting for.

Have an early breakfast and transfer to the park headquarters with your packed lunch and drinking water. After registration, you will receive a detailed briefing about gorilla trekking procedures and responsible behaviour while in the forest. You will be assigned to a gorilla family, with a maximum of eight visitors per family.

Begin your guided trek through Bwindi’s dense rainforest in search of a habituated mountain gorilla family. The trek may take several hours depending on the gorillas’ location. The terrain can be steep and muddy, and the vegetation dense, but the encounter at the end makes every step worthwhile.

Once the gorillas are located, you will spend one unforgettable hour observing them as they feed, rest, play, and care for their young. You must maintain a minimum distance of seven metres from the gorillas and wear a face mask during the encounter to protect them from human illnesses.

After the trek, return to your lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, packed lunch, and dinner included.

Accommodation:

• Budget: Nshongi Camp
• Midrange: Buhoma Haven Lodge
• Luxury: Gorilla Leisure Lodge

Day 5: Transfer from Bwindi to Kampala or Entebbe

Driving Distance: Approximately 460–500 km, 8–10 hours

After breakfast, check out and begin the return journey to Kampala or Entebbe. Enjoy the scenic landscapes of southwestern Uganda, passing through the Ankole cattle-farming region and the rolling hills of the countryside.

Stop for lunch along the way, and take a break at the Uganda Equator for photographs, souvenir shopping, and simple Equator demonstrations. Continue to Kampala or Entebbe, where your guide will drop you at your hotel or Entebbe International Airport, marking the end of your five-day primate safari.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch included.

Safari Costs

Cost in USD per Person, based on accommodation category and group size