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Uganda Luxury Safari - Gorillas, Chimpanzees & Wildlife Encounters

8 Days | 7 Nights

From $3,900 / person 

Your trip overview

Join on an unforgettable 8-day luxury safari in Uganda, expertly crafted for travelers who seek both adventure and indulgence. This immersive journey combines close-up encounters with endangered mountain gorillas, exhilarating chimpanzee trekking, and thrilling wildlife safaris, all set in Uganda’s most scenic and biodiverse national parks.

Designed with comfort and sustainability in mind, this tour features luxury eco-lodges, personalized service, and enriching cultural experiences. You’ll explore pristine wilderness areas while contributing to local community development and conservation efforts, ensuring your travel leaves a positive impact on the places you visit.

Let me know if you’d like a breakdown of each day, optimized web copy, or social media captions for this safari package!

Trip Destinations

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Planning Your Safari

Organizing a safari in Uganda, can be overwhelming due to the many choices available for transport, accommodation, and activities.

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Full Itinerary

Day by Day

Day 1: Arrival in Uganda - Welcome to the Pearl of Africa

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you’ll proceed through immigration and customs—this process typically takes 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on arrival traffic. Once you exit the arrivals terminal, a professional representative from Hooves of Africa Safaris will warmly welcome you to Uganda with a short meet-and-greet.

You’ll then enjoy a comfortable transfer to your elegant boutique hotel in Entebbe, where you’ll unwind and relax after your flight. Settle into the tranquil surroundings as you prepare for the extraordinary adventure ahead.

Accommodation: Hotel No.5 – A luxury hotel in Entebbe (Bed & Breakfast basis) 

Where to stay

Day 2: Scenic Drive to Kibale Forest - Afternoon Community Experience

After an early breakfast between 6:30 am and 7:00 am, your professional guide will pick you up from your hotel in Entebbe for a breathtaking road journey to Kibale Forest National Park—famously known as the primate capital of the world.

This 6-hour scenic transfer winds through lush countryside, tea plantations, and picturesque villages, offering a glimpse into Uganda’s stunning landscapes. You’ll arrive at your luxury lodge just in time for a delicious hot lunch, followed by an afternoon of relaxation or an optional community walk to engage with and support the surrounding local communities.

Settle into the tranquil sounds of the forest, where the evening breeze is serenaded by birdsong and distant primate calls.

Accommodation: Primate Lodge Kibale – Luxury lodge nestled within Kibale National Park

Where to stay

Day 3: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale & Wildlife Safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Start your morning with a hearty breakfast before heading to Kanyanchu Visitor Center for a briefing on your chimpanzee trekking adventure in Kibale Forest National Park—home to over 1,500 chimpanzees. Led by expert park rangers, you’ll follow calls and fresh tracks deep into the forest. Once the chimpanzees are found, you’ll spend an unforgettable hour observing their playful behavior, social interactions, and feeding habits, an encounter that truly brings you face-to-face with man’s closest relatives.

Return to your lodge for a hot lunch and some relaxation, before continuing your journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of Uganda’s most biodiverse safari destinations.

After check-in at your lodge, gear up for an exciting evening game drive across the Kasenyi Plains, known for large herds of Uganda kobs, elephants, lions, and buffaloes. For a truly exclusive wildlife encounter, a night game drive can be arranged on request, offering higher chances of spotting elusive predators like leopards and hyenas.

Accommodation: Marafiki Safari Lodge – Mid-range lodge with spectacular views just outside Queen Elizabeth NP

Where to stay

Day 4: Sunrise Game Drive & Community-Powered Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

Rise early for a sunrise game drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of Uganda’s premier wildlife havens. With over 90 mammal species and 600 bird species, the park offers incredible opportunities for spotting the Big Four, lions, leopards, elephants, and Cape buffaloes—as well as Uganda kobs, warthogs, and giant forest hogs. Setting off at 6:30 am maximizes your chances of seeing predators before they retreat from the morning heat.

After returning to the lodge for a relaxed lunch, your afternoon will be spent on an immersive Kazinga Channel boat cruise, a top highlight of any Uganda safari. This natural waterway linking Lake Edward and Lake George is renowned for its dense hippo population, Nile crocodiles, and a variety of aquatic birds such as African fish eagles, kingfishers, and pelicans.

Uniquely, you’ll cruise aboard a Katunguru community boat, an initiative that directly supports local guides and fishermen, offering an eco-tourism experience that gives back to the people who call this region home.

Accommodation: Marafiki Safari Lodge – Mid-range lodge offering panoramic views just outside Queen Elizabeth National Park

Where to stay

Day 5: Scenic Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Kigezi Highlands

After a hearty breakfast, you’ll check out and begin your scenic journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to over half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. This road trip winds through the picturesque Kigezi Highlands, offering breathtaking views of rolling hills, terraced farms, and lively rural villages that give you a taste of Uganda’s rich culture and countryside charm.

Depending on the location of your gorilla tracking permit (Rushaga, Nkuringo, Buhoma, or Ruhija sector), lunch will be taken en route at a local restaurant with stunning views of the landscape.

For wildlife enthusiasts looking to extend the adventure, an optional lion monitoring experience is available before departure from Queen Elizabeth National Park. At an additional cost of $200 per person, this experience lets you participate in a real-time conservation effort by tracking and observing African lions, a rare opportunity to learn how researchers monitor and protect big cats in the wild.

Later in the evening, you’ll check in to your luxury lodge, nestled on the edge of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, ready to unwind before your unforgettable gorilla trekking adventure.

Accommodation: Four Gorillas Lodge – Luxury lodge located just outside Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas)

Where to stay

Day 6: Ultimate Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

This is the moment you’ve been waiting for the once-in-a-lifetime experience of trekking mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After an early breakfast, you will transfer to the UWA briefing center, where park rangers will guide you through the essential dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking. You’ll then be assigned to a specific habituated gorilla family, along with a small group of no more than 8 visitors to ensure a low-impact and intimate encounter.

Led by experienced Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers, you’ll venture into the thick forest in search of these majestic primates. The trek can take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours depending on the location of the gorilla family, but every step through the mist-covered jungle builds anticipation.
Once the gorillas are located, you’ll be allowed to spend one magical hour observing them from a respectful distance of 7–10 meters. Watch as they feed, groom, play, and interact, an emotional, humbling experience that words can hardly describe.

A packed lunch will be enjoyed in the heart of the jungle, offering a surreal moment of reflection amid nature. Afterward, you’ll return to the lodge to relax and freshen up.

In the evening, gather for a hearty dinner at the lodge and share your stories with fellow travelers, reliving the awe and wonder of your mountain gorilla safari in Uganda.

Accommodation: Four Gorillas Lodge – Luxury lodge located just outside Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Gorillas)

Where to stay

Day 7: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park with a Night Game Drive

After a relaxed morning in the misty highlands of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you’ll begin your scenic journey to Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda’s smallest savannah park, known for its unique mix of landscapes and abundant wildlife.

En route, you’ll stop in Mbarara town, the heart of Uganda’s Ankole region, for a taste of the iconic local delicacy, the “rolex”. This popular Ugandan street food, made by wrapping an omelet in a chapati, offers a delicious and authentic cultural food experience not to be missed.
From Mbarara, you’ll proceed toward Sanga Gate, entering Lake Mburo National Park and checking in at your luxury lodge perched on the edge of the park.

In the late afternoon, set out on an evening game drive across the acacia woodlands and open savannah, searching for zebras, impalas, elands, buffaloes, warthogs, and possibly even leopards.
For those seeking extra adventure, an optional night game drive is available (at an additional cost), offering a rare chance to encounter the park’s nocturnal wildlife, including genets, bush babies, and predators like hyenas and servals.

After your wildlife adventure, return to the lodge for dinner and a cozy overnight stay, serenaded by the sounds of the African wilderness.

Accommodation: Mihingo Lodge – Luxury eco-lodge located just outside Lake Mburo National Park

Where to stay

Day 8: Walking Safari and Transfer to Entebbe

After breakfast, you’ll embark on a guided walking safari through Lake Mburo National Park — a rare chance to experience the African wilderness on foot. This park is renowned for its abundance of antelopes, zebras, and over 340 recorded bird species, all offering excellent opportunities for close-up encounters and photography.

After the walk, you’ll check out and begin your scenic transfer back to Entebbe. En route, you’ll stop at the Equator for a memorable photo opportunity and perhaps a bit of souvenir shopping. Your tour concludes upon arrival in Entebbe.

Optional: A day room in Entebbe can be arranged at an extra cost for guests with late flights.

Rates Per Person

Start Dates Solo 1 room 2 people 1 room 3 people 1 room 4 people 1 room 5 people 1 room 6 people 3 rooms
Jan 1, 2025 – Dec 31, 2025
$6,639
$4,705
$4,301
$4,100
$3,979
$3,900
Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
$6,639
$4,705
$4,301
$4,100
$3,979
$3,900
Jan 1, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027
$6,639
$4,705
$4,301
$4,100
$3,979
$3,900

Safari/Trip

Inclusions & Exclusions

Inclusions

Park fees (for non-residents)

Gorilla trekking permit (1 per person, non-resident)

Chimpanzee tracking permit (1 per person, non-resident)

All activities as outlined in the itinerary (unless marked as optional)

All accommodations during the tour (unless listed as an upgrade)

Professional English-speaking driver/guide

All ground transportation in a 4x4 safari vehicle

All government taxes and VAT

Round-trip airport transfers

Meals as specified in the day-by-day itinerary

Drinks as specified in the day-by-day itinerary

Exclusions

International flights (to/from your home country)

Additional accommodation before the tour begins or after it ends

Tips & gratuities (Recommended: USD $10 per person per day)

Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)

Government-imposed increases in taxes and/or park fees

Some meals (as specified in the day-by-day itinerary)

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