Description
4 Hours with Gorillas, a Full Day with Chimpanzees, and Wildlife Adventure
Experience a Unique 7-day Luxury Gorilla-Chimpanzee Habituation Safari in Uganda, Starting from Kigali, Africa
Experience our Exclusive 7-Day Private Luxury Safari – The Ultimate Gorilla-Chimpanzee Habituation Experience-Wildlife Safari Starting in Kigali, taking Gorilla encounters to an unprecedented level. Explore abundant primates and wildlife while residing in Uganda’s finest luxury lodges. Traverse three remarkable parks: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to the largest Mountain Gorilla Population; Kibale Forest, East Africa’s Premier Chimpanzee Park; and Queen Elizabeth Park, featuring Tree Climbing Lions and a thriving Elephant Population. This extraordinary safari includes the Gorilla Habituation Experience but can also be enjoyed as a Gorilla Trekking Safari when the 4-Hour Gorilla Habituation Experience is unavailable. For the ultimate experience, we recommend booking this safari at least 6 months in advance with flexible dates.
Here are some of the Safari Highlights
- Full-Day Gorilla Habituation Trek: Spend a day with gorillas, 4 hours observing their world.
- Ishasha’s Tree-Climbing Lions: Witness rare tree-climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth Park’s Ishasha region.
- Collared Lion Tracking: Join researchers to track lions and learn about their behaviors in Queen Elizabeth Park.
- Exciting Wildlife Safaris: Enjoy thrilling wildlife encounters on safaris in Queen Elizabeth Park.
- Kazinga Channel Wildlife Cruise: Cruise the Kazinga Channel, spotting diverse wildlife, birds, and reptiles.
- Scenic Crater Drive: Experience Western Uganda’s beauty on the National Geographic-featured Crater Drive.
- Optional Kyambura Gorge Exploration: Explore Kyambura Gorge, a captivating natural wonder.
- Bigodi Wetlands Jungle Trek: Trek through Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary, spotting chimpanzees, monkeys, and vibrant birdlife.
- All-Day Chimpanzee Habituation: Spend a full day observing chimpanzees in Kibale Forest.
- Optional Golden Monkey Trek: Enhance your primate encounters with a Golden Monkey Trek.
Day 1: Kigali to Bwindi: A Scenic Start:
Your extraordinary Luxury Gorilla-Chimpanzee Habituation Experience-Wildlife Safari commences as we depart from your Kigali hotel bound for Rushaga. The journey typically spans about 4 hours, with potential variations depending on Border Crossing times. Please keep in mind that a Visa for Uganda costs $50, or you can conveniently obtain an East African Visa online from Rwanda Migration.
The drive unfolds through a picturesque landscape, leading through the breathtaking Land of a Thousand Hills. You’ll be captivated by terraced hillsides, sprawling tea plantations, and vibrant villages. The border crossing usually requires about 45 minutes, ushering you into Uganda and setting you on course for the ancient Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. As you venture through the scenic Gorilla Highlands and pass by Lake Mutanda, you’ll ultimately reach the Nkuringo-Rushaga Area of the Park.
This region plays host to the exclusive Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge and the upscale Gorilla Safari Lodge.
Optional Activities for the Day (Choose One):
Golden Monkey Trekking: Embark on an adventure in the Bamboo Forest of Mgahinga Gorilla Park before settling into your lodge. Buniga Forest Walk: Immerse yourself in the ancient forest alongside the Batwa Pygmy People, the forest’s original inhabitants, and glean insights into their millennia-old way of life. Meal Plan: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Lodging: Your Choice
Day 2: Gorilla Habituation: An Intimate Encounter – Rushaga, Bwindi:
Kickstart your day with an early breakfast and gather your packed lunch from the lodge. Be sure to have essential gear, including a daypack, 3 liters of water, long trousers, gardening gloves (useful for navigating branches), a long-sleeved shirt, waterproof boots, a hat, and a rain jacket. Equip yourself with a walking stick and consider hiring a porter for added convenience at a nominal cost.
Link up with the researchers, trackers, and guides as you set forth on your journey to the location of the gorilla family group undergoing habituation. You’ll spend four hours immersed in the company of these remarkable creatures, closely observing their behaviors and gaining insights into their ways.
It’s important to note that the Gorilla Habituation Experience is an all-day trek, encompassing both the trek in and the trek out. With only four participants, you’ll enjoy an intimate encounter with the gorillas, acquiring knowledge from both the gorillas and researchers.
Following this unforgettable experience, return to the trailhead and return to the lodge.
Tips and Recommendations for the Gorilla Habituation Experience: Our guide will provide valuable information on what to wear and bring for your trek, ensuring you’re fully prepared for this extraordinary adventure.
Day 3: Queen Elizabeth Park: Wildlife Exploration
Begin your day with a delightful breakfast before embarking on a journey to Queen Elizabeth Park at 7 am. En route, we’ll make a thrilling stop in the Ishasha Region, known for its Tree-Climbing Lions of Ishasha. This area is renowned as one of East Africa’s prime spots for observing these unique lions lounging in trees. Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to witness a diverse array of wildlife, including a burgeoning population of elephants.
Enjoy a satisfying lunch at Savannah Resort before embarking on another Game Drive.
Please Note: The drive to Ishasha typically takes around 5 hours. Considering the adventure and the wealth of wildlife encounters, we recommend enhancing your experience by adding an extra night in the Ishasha Area.
Continue your journey to the northern part of the park, where you’ll check in at your selected lodge. The drive duration is approximately 2 hours.
Optional: Elevate your experience by adding an overnight stay at Ishasha Wilderness Camp. This option reduces drive times for the day and allows for more quality time with the Tree-Climbing Lions.
Day 4: Queen Elizabeth Park: Tracking Lions and Boat Safari
Start your day with a hearty breakfast to fuel your exciting adventures.
In the morning, embark on a thrilling Lion Tracking Research excursion. Join researchers from the Carnivore Project as they lead you in tracking the Collared Lions and leopards inhabiting this section of the park. This experience not only grants you sightings of these majestic creatures but also offers a unique learning opportunity about their behavior and ecology.
Savor a delicious lunch to replenish your energy.
In the afternoon, prepare for the incredible Kazinga Channel Wildlife and Birding Boat Safari. This is undeniably one of the highlights of your visit to Queen Elizabeth Park. The Kazinga Channel is teeming with wildlife, and as you navigate its waters, you’ll have the opportunity to observe various bird species and reptiles.
Note: For our Luxury Safari clients, we utilize the Mweya Safari Lodge Boat, which offers a shared experience with other guests and provides enhanced opportunities for capturing memorable photographs. Private Boat Safaris on the Kazinga Channel can also be arranged upon request.
Day 5: Kibale Forest: Natural Beauty
Start your day with a delectable breakfast, and if conditions permit, embark on the mesmerizing Sunrise Explosion Crater Drive. This scenic route, featured in National Geographic, is one of Western Uganda’s most breathtaking drives. Sunrise, typically around 20 minutes to 7 in the morning, offers prime opportunities to capture the natural wonders of this area through your camera lens.
Following the unforgettable Explosion Crater Drive, we continue our journey to Kibale Forest, lasting approximately 2 hours. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge of your choice.
Lunch
In the afternoon, gear up to explore the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary. This guided hike spans 3 hours and takes you through a jungle swamp, much of which features sturdy planks that act as a boardwalk above the swamp’s terrain. Your experienced guide hails from the local community, which has diligently maintained the wetlands for many years, drawing thousands of visitors annually.
During this hike, keep your eyes peeled for various wildlife, including Chimpanzees, Colobus Monkeys, and baboons. The area is renowned for its birdlife, with the Blue Turaco being a notable highlight. When it comes to mammals, you may also spot otters, bush pigs, mongooses, and the elusive Sitatunga Antelope, among others.
Day 6: Kibale Chimpanzees: Habituation Insights
Kickstart your day with an early breakfast, and then set off to meet your Ranger-Guide, who will accompany you into the heart of Kibale Forest, where a Chimpanzee Group is currently undergoing habituation—a process that spans up to two years. This crucial process teaches the Chimpanzees to tolerate the presence of humans.
A Chimpanzee Habituation Experience permit costs $250 per person, whereas a permit for a 1-hour chimpanzee trek costs $200. Chimpanzee troops can consist of over 100 members and live in a complex social structure. Alpha males take on the role of defending the territory against other chimpanzees, while females are typically part of smaller family groups, where they care for the young.
Long before you lay eyes on the chimpanzees, their distinctive hooting calls will resonate in the distance. Eventually, you will encounter them and spend one hour in their midst, closely observing their behaviors and habits. Typically, you may encounter 4 to 6 primate species here, as well as numerous bird species, butterflies, mammals, and the forest itself, showcasing its unique vegetation. During a full-day habituation experience, you are likely to witness even more than during a standard trek.
It is imperative that you wear appropriate clothing and shoes for the experience, and carry a minimum of 3 liters of water along with a packed lunch.
Day 7: Departure: Farewell to Africa – Reflecting on Luxury Primate Habituation Safari
Begin your day with a satisfying breakfast as your unforgettable Gorilla-Chimpanzee Habituation Experience-Wildlife Safari draws to a close. Your departure time will depend on your flight schedule from Entebbe, with a drive time of about 5 to 6 hours if you have road conditions and traffic.
Lunch and morning activities will be tailored to accommodate your flight arrangements.
Morning Option: Embark on the Top of the World Hike—a 3-hour ascent up a mountain that traverses three Crater Lakes, hamlets, farms, and tea plantations. From the summit, you will be treated to panoramic views of the Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon, Queen Elizabeth Park, and the picturesque surrounding countryside.
The Gorilla-Chimpanzee Habituation Experience-Wildlife Safari package encompasses all necessary permits and activities, excluding those labeled as optional. It also includes accommodations with full board, except for beverages, tips, and laundry services at the lodges. The safari vehicle used is a Land Cruiser 4×4 equipped with a pop-up roof for optimal wildlife viewing during your time in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Here is what we offer in this 7-day Luxury Gorilla and Chimpanzee Habituation Wildlife Safari:
- Full Board lodging of your preference, except for drinks
- Gorilla Habituation Experience Permit
- Chimpanzee Habituation Experience Permit
- Visit to the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary
- Ground Transportation
- Entrance to Parks, including Vehicle
- Game drives
- Kazinga Channel Boat Safari
- Bottled Water for the journey
- Relevant Government Taxes
Not included drinks such as alcohol, laundry,, tips to lodge staff.
Feel free to contact us any time and book this Safari tour. We are here to answer any questions you may have. Whether its safari itineraries, competitive pricing or general information on any of our services/tours, we are just a phone call or few clicks away, – you can reach us on +256777201697 or shoot us an e-mail today, …we look forward to hearing from you.
