10 Day Luxury Uganda Gorilla, Chimpanzee & Big Game Safari

Welcome to Uganda.

On arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be met by your safari representative and transferred to your Hotel.

After check in and a short introduction to the safari, the remainder of the day is at leisure. Rest after your international journey and enjoy a relaxed first evening before beginning the road safari the following morning.

After breakfast, leave Entebbe and travel north towards Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

On arrival, meet your ranger guide for a guided rhino tracking experience on foot. Following a safety briefing, walk through the sanctuary in search of white rhinos while keeping the required distance and following your ranger's instructions.

After the activity, stop for lunch before continuing towards Murchison Falls National Park.

On arrival in the park, visit the Top of the Falls. Here, you can walk to viewpoints overlooking the Nile as it forces its way through a narrow rocky gorge before continuing downstream.

Continue to Paraa Safari Lodge for check-in, dinner and overnight.

Start early for a morning game drive through the savannah areas of Murchison Falls National Park.

Explore with your driver-guide and look for elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, antelopes and other wildlife. Your guide will also search for predators such as lions.

Return to the lodge for lunch and some time to relax.

In the afternoon, head to the Nile for a boat safari towards the base of Murchison Falls.

Watch the riverbanks for hippos, Nile crocodiles and waterbirds, while elephants, buffaloes and other animals may also be seen near the water.

As the boat approaches the falls, enjoy views towards the point where the Nile narrows dramatically before surging through the gorge.

Return to your lodge after the cruise.

After breakfast, leave Murchison Falls and begin the journey southwest towards the Kibale region.

This is one of the longer road transfer days of the itinerary, but it also shows how much Uganda's landscapes change between regions.

Travel through western Uganda towards Fort Portal and Kibale, with stops for lunch and comfort breaks as arranged.

As you approach the Kibale area, the scenery becomes greener, with farmland, tea growing areas and forested landscapes.

Arrive at Kyaninga Lodge later in the day and spend the remainder of the afternoon relaxing.

After an early breakfast, transfer to the designated chimpanzee tracking briefing point.

Meet your ranger guides and receive an introduction to the tracking procedures before entering Kibale's tropical forest in search of a habituated chimpanzee community.

As you move through the forest, listen for chimpanzee calls and watch for movement in the trees. Other primates, birds and forest wildlife may also be encountered.

Once the chimpanzees are located, observe their behaviour during the regulated viewing period while following your ranger's instructions.

Return after the trek for lunch and some time to rest.

Later in the afternoon, visit Bigodi for a guided walk. Depending on the programme arranged, this can combine wetland and nature viewing with an introduction to community initiatives around the Kibale area.

After breakfast, leave the Kibale region and travel south towards Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The route passes through western Uganda's crater lake and agricultural landscapes, depending on the road and routing used on the day.

Arrive at Queen Elizabeth National Park and continue to Mweya Safari Lodge.

After lunch, the remainder of the afternoon is kept relatively relaxed. Enjoy the lodge surroundings and prepare for the following day's lion tracking and Kazinga Channel activities.

Begin the day with a specialized lion tracking experience in the Kasenyi area.

Unlike a standard game drive, this activity is intended to provide greater insight into lion behaviour and conservation. Depending on the programme operating at the time of travel, the experience may involve authorized guides or research personnel and monitored lion populations.

Wildlife sightings and the proximity of individual lions cannot be guaranteed.

Return to the lodge after the activity for lunch and some time to relax.

In the afternoon, head to the Kazinga Channel for a boat safari.

Look for hippos, Nile crocodiles and numerous waterbirds along the channel. Elephants, buffaloes and other wildlife may also be seen approaching the banks.

Return to Mweya Safari Lodge for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, leave the central sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park and travel south through Ishasha.

Spend time exploring the sector with your driver guide, searching for the tree-climbing lions for which the area is particularly known. The lions may sometimes be seen resting in large fig trees, although sightings cannot be guaranteed.

Other wildlife may include elephants, buffaloes, topis and additional savannah species.

After lunch, continue towards Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Arrive later in the afternoon and check in at Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge.

Spend the evening at leisure and prepare for the following morning's gorilla trek.

After an early breakfast, transfer to your designated gorilla trekking briefing point.

Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers will explain the trekking procedures, safety guidelines and appropriate behaviour around the gorillas before you enter the forest.

Accompanied by ranger guides and trackers, begin your trek in search of your assigned habituated mountain gorilla family. The duration and difficulty vary depending on the gorillas' location and the terrain.

Once the gorillas are located, you will have the opportunity to observe the family for the regulated viewing period while following the ranger team's instructions.

After completing the trek, return for lunch and some time to rest.

Later in the afternoon, depending on trekking finish time and the confirmed arrangements, take part in a Batwa cultural experience. The visit provides an opportunity to learn about aspects of Batwa heritage, forest knowledge and cultural traditions through interaction with community hosts.

Return to the lodge afterwards for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, begin the return journey to Entebbe.

This is a long road transfer day, with stops for lunch, refreshments and comfort breaks along the route.

The source itinerary includes a stop at the Uganda Equator for photographs and souvenir shopping.

Continue to Entebbe, with arrival time depending on departure time, traffic, road conditions and the duration of stops.

Your driver-guide will drop you at your hotel or Entebbe International Airport.

For international departures, I would recommend allowing a substantial time buffer. For many travellers on a luxury itinerary, an additional night in Entebbe may provide a more comfortable end to the safari.