8-Day Kibale And Bwindi Itinerary | Gorillas & Chimpanzees

A 8-Day Kibale And Bwindi Itinerary | Gorillas & Chimpanzees. This 8-day Uganda safari offers a premier wildlife experience, combining chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park with mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

A Detailed 8-Day Kibale And Bwindi Itinerary | Gorillas & Chimpanzees

Day 1

When you land in Entebbe Airport in Uganda, a representative from Kabira Safaris will be there to help you find your way to your hotel.

Overnight at Hotel No. 5 (dinner, breakfast)

Day 2

Your knowledgeable and helpful Kabira Safaris guide will be waiting for you at the Entebbe airport when you arrive, and a representative will help you board your domestic aircraft to Kasese airstrip.

Kibale Lodge, next to Kibale National Park, is about an hour’s drive away. Along the route, stop by the Rwenzori Sculpture Foundation to gain insight into the cultural exchange that has taken place between Kabira Safaris and the local clans of Uganda.

From the vantage point of the Kibale lodge, one can see the Queen Elizabeth plains and the Kazinga canal to the south, as well as the snow-capped summits of the Rwenzori Mountains to the west. Join the Roots and Shoots program, a collaboration between the Jane Goodall Institute and the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust, to visit a nearby school in the afternoon. This program’s goal is to cultivate future female conservation leaders.

Join a veterinarian from the Kibale Chimpanzee project for cocktails before dinner and a fireside conversation to hear about their work keeping the chimpanzees healthy.

Flying time between 1 to 1.5 hours, driving time 1 hour.
Overnight at Kibale Lodge (lunch, dinner)

Day 3

Start your day with a birding excursion at the Bigodi Wetland. The reserve is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including the rare Sitatunga antelope and the elusive Red Colobus monkeys. Birdwatchers will be captivated by the sight of magnificent species like the Papyrus Gonolek and the Great Blue Turaco.

Take a leisurely stroll through Kibale Forest, home to the world’s most vivacious chimpanzee families, in the afternoon. Witnessing the apes in their native environment, swinging from the branches of the treetops, is an exhilarating adventure. As soon as they start making noise, the jungle comes to life.

Overnight at Kibale Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 4

Continue your chimpanzee safari in Kibale with a second excursion after breakfast. Keep an eye out for the nocturnal Bushbabies, Olive Baboons, and the secretive Red Colobus monkey, among other fantastic creatures and birds. The Great Blue Turaco, the stunning Papyrus Gonolek, and the uncommon Green Breasted Pitta are just a few of the many bird species that call this deep forest home. Birdwatchers go there to experience some of the greatest birding on Earth.

Overnight at Kibale Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 5

Get a flight to Kihihi as soon as possible by transferring to Kasese Airstrip. Arrive at Bwindi Lodge, perched precariously on the edge of the dense jungle, and transfer there by car.

Meet a veterinarian from the Gorilla Doctors as you sip cocktails before dinner and get the lowdown on how they keep the mountain gorillas healthy.

Overnight at Bwindi Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 6

You go on your gorilla tracking adventure after a leisurely breakfast. An awe-inspiring and privileged experience occurs when trekking over steep, densely forested slopes one eventually comes across gorillas concealed in the jungle. It takes a lot of energy and perseverance to track gorillas in the Bwindi forest; some families are more elusive than others, and the terrain may be very hilly and muddy, making tracking a whole day of work.

On your way back to the lodge following your gorilla hike, stop by the award-winning Bwindi Bar for a celebratory Gorillini cocktail! Young, underprivileged people from the surrounding areas get hospitality training at Bwindi Bar.

Approximate driving time up to 2 hours, depending on the location of the gorilla groups.
Overnight at Bwindi Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 7

Either participate in a second gorilla trek (extra permits are needed, which may be purchased for a premium and are subject to availability), or select an activity related to community and conservation:

Indulge in a guided rainforest walk to a stunning waterfall and a birding stroll along the Munyanga River Trail. Stop by the Conservation Through Public Health center at Bwindi Community Hospital to find out more about their efforts to protect gorillas. Come to Bwindi Lodge to see how our local tea processing cooperative works.

Overnight at Bwindi Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner).

Day 8

You can take a morning or afternoon shuttle from the Bwindi lodge to the Kihihi airport, where you can catch a return aircraft to Entebbe and make it to your international flight on time.