9 Days Uganda Safari
This 9-day Uganda safari covers Bwindi gorilla trekking, tree-climbing lions and boat cruises in Queen Elizabeth National Park, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest, and Murchison Falls game drives and river cruises, plus a Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary stop—combining gorilla, chimp, and big-game wildlife with cultural walks and scenic drives across Uganda’s top parks.
Trip Overview
| Day | Route / Activity |
|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival in Uganda via Entebbe |
| 2 | Entebbe → Bwindi |
| 3 | Bwindi — Gorilla trekking |
| 4 | Bwindi → Queen Elizabeth National Park |
| 5 | Queen Elizabeth NP — morning game drive, afternoon boat cruise |
| 6 | Queen Elizabeth → Kibale Forest (chimpanzee tracking, Bigodi swamp walk) |
| 7 | Transfer to Murchison Falls |
| 8 | Murchison Falls — morning game drive, afternoon boat cruise |
| 9 | Murchison Falls → Entebbe via Ziwa (departure) |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 — Arrival in Uganda via Entebbe
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, meet your guide, and transfer to a hotel in Kampala. Overnight: Hotel Africana or Fairway Hotel Meals: Dinner (and breakfast, per plan)
Day 2 — Entebbe to Bwindi
Morning breakfast, then drive west with a photo stop at the Equator. Lunch in Mbarara, then continue to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, arriving in the evening. Overnight: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 — Bwindi (Gorilla Trekking)
Early start tracking mountain gorillas with guides — bring jungle boots and rain jackets, as the park is often wet. Spend time observing gorillas feeding, grooming, and resting. Bwindi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to roughly half the world’s remaining mountain gorillas (~720) and one of the only forests in Africa where gorillas and chimpanzees coexist. Afternoon (time permitting): community foot safari to learn local culture and storytelling. Overnight: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 — Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Drive via Ishasha through dry craters, savannah grasses, and acacia along the western rift valley escarpment. Game drive in the Ishasha sector in search of tree-climbing lions. Continue to Mweya Peninsula; check in for lunch, then relax or take an evening game drive. Overnight: Engiri Game Lodge Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 — Queen Elizabeth National Park (Game Drive & Boat Cruise)
Early morning game drive with packed breakfast — look for hippos, elephants, lions, spotted hyenas, bushbuck, waterbuck, striped jackal, warthogs, and possibly leopard. Afternoon launch cruise along the Kazinga Channel (connecting Lakes Edward and George) — excellent for hippo, buffalo, kob, Nile crocodile, and birdlife. Overnight: Engiri Game Lodge Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 — Queen Elizabeth to Kibale Forest
Roughly 2-hour drive past the Rwenzori Mountain range to Kibale Forest National Park. Briefing at Kanyanchu Tourist Centre, then chimpanzee tracking (viewing chance ~90%, not guaranteed). Kibale hosts 13 primate species, including chimpanzees, red colobus, and L’Hoest’s monkeys. Afternoon: cultural community walk, Bigodi museum visit, and guided nature walk through the wetland sanctuary. Evening: tour of the crater region, “Top of the World” viewpoint and natural bridge, with possible views of the Rwenzori snowcap on clear days. Overnight: Chimpanzee Guest House Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 — Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
Morning coffee, then transfer toward Murchison Falls with a lunch stop around Hoima. Possible stop at the top of the falls en route, time permitting. Overnight: Pakuba Safari Lodge Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8 — Morning Game Drive & Afternoon Boat Cruise
Morning game drive with chances to see lions, leopards, giraffes, hartebeests, oribis, buffaloes, and elephants. Afternoon boat cruise to the base of the falls — the Nile’s full 50-meter width forced through a 7-meter gap, with dramatic views. Look for crocodiles, hippo pods, water birds, and animals coming to drink (giraffes, elephants, buffalo, occasionally lions). Overnight: Pakuba Safari Lodge Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9 — Murchison Falls to Entebbe via Ziwa (Departure)
After breakfast, drive to Entebbe with a stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Lunch in Kampala, then continue to the airport for departure. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
What’s Included
- Airport transfers by 4WD vehicle
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
- Boat trips
- One gorilla permit per person (secured and paid in advance)
- Park fees
- Kibale chimpanzee permits
- Community visits
- Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary visit
- English-speaking driver/guide
- Top of the Falls visit
- En-route lunches, game drives, and Bigodi Guided Nature Walk
What’s Excluded
- Personal expenses (e.g., visa)
- Drinks
- Laundry
- Tips to local guides
- Telephone
Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
Is a mid-range property in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, about a 10-minute walk from the Rushaga gate where gorilla treks begin. Its name comes from a Rufumbira word meaning “cool comfortable home.”
It offers ensuite accommodation in luxury cottages that are private and comfortable, each with a private balcony overlooking the surrounding forest and, on clear days, the Virunga volcanoes. Guests enjoy free parking, breakfast, high-speed internet, a bar, and a restaurant serving local and international dishes, plus an evening campfire.
The lodge is a convenient base for tracking Rushaga’s habituated gorilla families, as well as birding, Batwa cultural visits, and forest walks.
Chimpanzee Forest Guest House
The Lodge sits on the edge of Kibale National Park, about 22km from Fort Portal along the Kamwenge Road, and only a short distance from the park’s Kanyanchu chimp-trekking base. Originally built as the residence of the British District Commissioner in the 1950s, it was later converted into a guest house in 2003 and remains under Ugandan family ownership.
The property blends colonial character — a lounge stocked with vintage African literature — with self-contained cottages set among manicured gardens, tea plantations, and forest, offering panoramic views toward Kibale’s canopy, crater lakes, and the Rwenzori Mountains. A restaurant, bar, camping ground, and resident guide round out a relaxed, nature-immersed base for exploring the park’s famous primates.
