Uganda Gorilla Expedition | Star Tour and Travel

Day 1 - Kibale Forest National Park

Begin your drive to Kibale Forest National Park for chimp tracking. You'll arrive at your lodge in the evening in time to relax and enjoy the beautiful weather and cool forest breeze. Dinner and your overnight stay will be at the lodge. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included.

Main Destination: Kibale National Park (Chimps)

Best Time To Visit: January to February and June to July (Chimp trekking is easiest)

High Season: June to September (Peak time for Uganda)

Best Weather: January to February and June to July (Least rain)

Wildlife: Chimpanzee (Common), Elephant (Occasional), Buffalo (Occasional), Lion (Very Rare), Leopard (Very Rare), Hippo (Rare)

Accommodation: Kibale Forest Lodge - Mid-range lodge located just outside Kibale NP (Chimps)

Meals & Drinks: All meals included; Non-alcoholic drinks

Day 2 - Kibale Forest National Park

Have breakfast and then drive into Kibale Forest National Park for a guided hike. Your guide will introduce you to the primates, plants, and animals. This morning hike offers chimpanzee, phoeste, red colobus monkey, and red-tailed and grey-cheeked mangabey sightings. Return to the lodge for lunch, and then in the afternoon, visit Bigodi Swamp—an incredible spot to observe rare and beautiful flora and fauna. Dinner and your overnight stay will be at the lodge.

Main Destination: Kibale National Park (Chimps)

Accommodation: Kibale Forest Lodge - Mid-range lodge located just outside Kibale NP (Chimps)

Meals & Drinks: All meals included; Non-alcoholic drinks

Day 3 - Kibale Forest National Park to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Begin the day with breakfast, then transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Check into your lodge and have lunch before heading out for a boat excursion along the Kazinga Channel. This trip offers a close-up view of hippos, crocodiles along the channel's edge, and buffalo wading in the shallow waters. The Kazinga Channel shoreline hosts a variety of birds, including pink-backed pelicans, fish eagles, pied and malachite kingfishers, and saddle-billed storks. Dinner and your overnight stay will be at the lodge.

Main Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Best Time To Visit: January to February and June to July (Dry seasons)

High Season: June to September (Peak time for Uganda)

Best Weather: June to July and January to February (Less rainfall)

Wildlife: Chimpanzee (Occasional), Elephant (Common), Lion (Common), Buffalo (Common), Hippo (Abundant), Leopard (Occasional)

Accommodation: Aardvark Safari Lodge - Mid-range lodge bordering Queen Elizabeth NP without fences

Meals & Drinks: Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included); Non-alcoholic drinks

Day 4 - Queen Elizabeth National Park

Start the day with an early morning breakfast in the Kasenyi Plains, a well-known breeding ground for many wild animals. Expect to encounter lions, leopards, hyenas, elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, warthogs, waterbucks, and more. In the afternoon, visit the twin crater salt lakes, where you may see wild game grazing, including elephants, buffaloes, and Uganda kobs. Your overnight stay will be at the lodge.

Main Destination: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Accommodation: Aardvark Safari Lodge - Mid-range lodge bordering Queen Elizabeth NP without fences

Meals & Drinks: All meals included; Non-alcoholic drinks

Day 5 - Queen Elizabeth National Park to Bwindi Impenetrable National Forest

Start the day with breakfast, then set off on a game drive through the park. On the Ishasha side, you may spot tree-climbing lions, as well as elephants, leopards, buffaloes, hyenas, and a variety of antelope. Continue toward Bwindi National Forest, with lunch served along the way. Dinner and your overnight stay will be at the lodge.

Main Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas)

Best Time To Visit: June to August and December to February (Gorilla trekking is easiest)

High Season: June to September (Gorilla permits are scarce)

Best Weather: June to July and December to February (Less rainfall)

Wildlife: Gorilla (Common), Chimpanzee (Rare), Elephant (Rare), White Rhino (None), Black Rhino (None), Lion (None)

Accommodation: Bakiga Lodge - Mid-range lodge located just outside Ruhija (Bwindi Impenetrable NP)

Meals & Drinks: All meals included; Non-alcoholic drinks

Day 6 - Gorilla trekking experience and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

Have breakfast, then set out for gorilla tracking. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to nearly half of the world's 650 mountain gorillas. Begin your ascent early with a tracker, keeping in mind that sightings depend on the gorillas' movements that day. These gorillas are naturally reserved and non-aggressive animals, making it a memorable and thrilling experience to observe and possibly photograph these gentle giants up close. Return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. You may also visit the local community to shop for art and crafts before returning to the lodge in the evening for dinner and your overnight stay.

Main Destination: Lake Bunyonyi

Accommodation: Birdnest @ Bunyonyi Resort - Mid-range resort located at Lake Bunyonyi

Meals & Drinks: All meals included; Non-alcoholic drinks

Day 7 - Lake Bunyonyi to Kampala/Entebbe

After breakfast, begin the journey back to Kampala, stopping along the way for lunch in either Mbarara or Masaka (depending on the time). Your guide will drop you off in either Kampala or Entebbe. This marks the end of your safari.

Main Destination: Kampala (City)

Accommodation: No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks: Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included); Non-alcoholic drinks