14-Day Gorilla Trekking and Habituation Experience in Uganda

July 3, 2024

14-Day Gorilla Trekking and Habituation Experience in Uganda

Overview

Embark on a captivating 14-day Gorilla Trekking and habituation experience in Uganda. You’ll therefore delve into its diverse landscapes and wildlife, which we center around unforgettable gorilla tracking and habituation experiences. Begin in Entebbe, and traverse the enchanting Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Kibale National Park. Then, immerse yourself in local culture through village visits and community interactions. This blends adventure with conservation, offering a deep dive into Uganda’s natural and cultural heritage.

Detailed Itinerary of the 14 Days Gorilla Trekking and Habituation Experience in Uganda

Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, your driver-guide from Safari Vacations and Travel Services will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel. He’ll also brief you about the whole safari as it would be for the whole 14 days. Settle in and relax after your journey. In the evening, enjoy a delicious dinner at the hotel restaurant. Overnight in Entebbe.

Accommodation: Protea Hotel by Marriott/2 Friends Beach Hotel

Meals: Half-Board

Day 2: Entebbe Exploration

After breakfast at the hotel, spend the day exploring Entebbe. Visit the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre or relax on the shores of Lake Victoria. This zoo is home to many animal species like zebras, different monkey species, elephants, rhinos, hyenas, leopards, lions, etc. Some of these animals were rescued from poachers, while others were brought for conservation purposes. You can also partake in a Behind-the-scenes experience where you get closer to the animals, feed them, and spend some more time near them.

Accommodation: Protea Hotel by Marriott/2 Friends Beach Hotel

Meal Plan: Full board

Day 3: Entebbe to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After an early breakfast, embark on a scenic drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The drive takes approximately 8-9 hours covering about 460 km. You’ll have lunch en route in Mbarara. You’ll also have a stop over at the Uganda Equator for photography and experiments. Arrive in Bwindi and relax as you await the activities on the next day.

Dinner and overnight: Mahogany Springs/Four Gorillas Lodge/Rushaga Havens Gorilla Lodge

Meals: Full Board

Day 4: Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi

Wake up early for breakfast before heading to the park headquarters for a briefing on gorilla tracking. The briefing covers gorilla information and gorilla trekking rules. Trek through dense vegetation with experienced guides to encounter mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Upon finding them, you spend an hour in their presence taking pictures and monitoring their behavior. After the trek, return to the lodge for relaxation. Dinner and overnight at the lodge in Bwindi.

Dinner and overnight: Mahogany Springs/Four Gorillas Lodge/Rushaga Havens Gorilla Lodge

Meals: Full Board

Day 5: Second Gorilla Tracking Experience

After breakfast, you prepare for the rare Gorilla Habituation Experience. You head to the park headquarters for a briefing. Here, a group of researchers spearheads the journey to the forest. Upon finding the gorillas, you spend four hours with researchers and habituators. This time is to help study and accustom gorillas to human presence. This immersive experience provides insights into gorilla behavior and conservation efforts. It is more rewarding than gorilla trekking because you get to participate in helping gorillas get used to human presence. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight in Bwindi.

Dinner and overnight: Mahogany Springs/Four Gorillas Lodge/Rushaga Havens Gorilla Lodge

Meals: Full Board

Day 6: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

On this day, you’ll have breakfast in the morning. Then, you’ll embark on and drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. You’ll be heading to the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. This sector, popular as Ishasha, is home to the tree-climbing lions. You’ll drive through the sector as you look out for the lions in the fig trees. Lions here tend to climb trees to spot prey from a distance. Additionally, they climb trees to hide from the sun in the hottest hours of the day (afternoon). You’ll also encounter other animals like elephants, buffalos, deer, antelopes, bushbucks, and so on. After the game drive, you’ll check in at your lodge for a night’s stay.

Dinner and overnight: Ishasha Wilderness Camp/Ishasha Jungle Lodge/Topi Lodge

Meals: Full Board

Day 7: En route game drive, boat cruise, and visit the lakes

On this day, you will start your journey to the northern sector with an en-route game drive. You’ll encounter animals like elephants, buffalos, deer, antelopes, bushbucks, and so on. You’ll also see leopards, lions, and warthogs. Reach the Kasenyi sector in the afternoon, have lunch, and relax for a few minutes. Later, embark on a 2-hour boat cruise on the Kazinga channel. The channel has the highest concentration of hippos in the world. Look out for other animals like crocodiles, monitor lizards, elephants, and buffalos. These and many others usually come to quench their thirst during the hottest hours of the day. In the evening, you’ll drive to Lake Katwe to witness how local salt is drained from the lake and visit Lake Munyanyange. Later, return to the lodge for relaxation and a night’s stay.

Dinner and overnight: Elephant Plains Lodge/Buffalo Safari Lodge/Enganzi Lodge

Meals: Full Board

Day 8: Morning game drive and transfer to Kibale National Park

After breakfast, head to the Kasenyi plains for a morning game drive. After the game drive, return to the lodge for lunch and have your bags packed. Then, embark on a journey to Kibale National Park. Kibale forest is one of the remaining tropical rainforests in Uganda. The park is home to the chimpanzees and other 12 primate species. The forest has the largest number of chimpanzees in East Africa. Check-in at your lodge for overnight and relaxation.

Dinner and overnight: Primate Lodge/Turaco Treetops/Kibale Forest Camp

Meals: Full Board

Day 9: Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park and cultural interactions

Early morning, have breakfast and head for a briefing about chimp trekking rules. Then after, venture into the forest for chimpanzee tracking, encountering these playful primates in their natural habitat. Use the one hour with them to monitor their behavior and spot differences between them and the gorillas. After tracking, return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, visit a local community for cultural interactions and insights into their daily lives. You can choose to go for an optional homestay to see how the local people run their lives.

Dinner and overnight: Primate Lodge/Turaco Treetops/Kibale Forest Camp

Meals: Full Board

Day 10: Kibale National Park Exploration

On this day of gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation in Uganda, you’ll explore more of Kibale National Park with optional activities such as a second chimpanzee tracking experience or a forest walk. You will go for a drive to the crater lakes with breathtaking views of the Rwenzori Mountains at some points. After that, you’ll have lunch and then head to Bigodi Swamp for a walk. Bigodi Swamp is a manifestation of how local people can partake in the conservation of tourism resources. Through KAFRED, a community-based organization, a local guide, a local guide will lead you through the wildlife in the swamp. Alternatively, relax at the lodge and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. Dinner and overnight at the lodge in Kibale.

Dinner and overnight: Primate Lodge/Turaco Treetops/Kibale Forest Camp

Meals: Full Board

Day 11: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

Early morning, you’ll have an early breakfast. You’ll then embark on a journey to Murchison Falls National Park. It is the largest National Park in Uganda in the North East of the country. The park boasts the highest number of animals in the whole country. The journey will take about 6-7 hours of driving, and you’ll have en route lunch in either Hoima or Masindi. Upon arrival, you will embark on a hike to the top of the falls. You’ll see the beautiful rainbow on the falls at this point. Then, check in at your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Dinner and overnight: Paraa Safari Lodge/Pakuba Safari Lodge/Parkside River Lodge

Meals: Full Board

Day 12: Morning game drive and Afternoon boat cruise to the bottom of the falls

Today, you’ll embark on a morning game drive in the Northern sector of the park. You’ll be fascinated by the abundance of wildlife in this park. Wildlife here includes giraffes, topis, elands, warthogs, buffalos, leopards, lions, elephants, and many others. After the game drive, you’ll embark on a 2-hour boat cruise to the bottom of the falls. This cruise will allow you to see crocodiles, Nile monitors, and other wild animals like buffaloes, elephants, hippos, and many others. You’ll see them as they quench their thirst on the shores of the river. Also, you’ll see “the Devil’s Cauldron”, where the river forces itself through an 8-meter gorge and spreads out wide.

Dinner and overnight: Paraa Safari Lodge/Pakuba Safari Lodge/Parkside River Lodge

Meals: Full Board

Day 13: Morning game drive in the Southern sector and a boat cruise to the delta

On this day, you’ll start a drive through the Southern sector of Murchison Falls National Park. You may spot animals here that you may not have seen in the Northern sector like hyenas, waterbucks, and so on. In the afternoon, you’ll have lunch and later embark on a boat cruise to the delta, where the River Nile joins Lake Albert. The wildlife here is exhilarating and you’ll enjoy it, plus the views of the lake. Return to the lodge as you prepare for the journey the next day.

Dinner and overnight: Paraa Safari Lodge/Pakuba Safari Lodge/Parkside River Lodge

Meals: Full Board

Day 14: Departure

After early morning breakfast, you’ll drive to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Here, you’ll track rhinos to complete the Big 5 experience. After rhino tracking, you’ll embark on a drive back to Entebbe for drop-off to end the tour.