6-Day Uganda Safari Overview
The 6-Day Uganda Safari is designed for travelers who want to experience Uganda’s primates and savannah wildlife within a relatively short itinerary. The journey begins with a scenic drive from Entebbe or Kampala to Kibale National Park, one of Uganda’s best-known destinations for chimpanzee trekking.
After tracking chimpanzees in Kibale’s tropical forest, continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park for a game drive and a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel. Wildlife possibilities include elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, hippos, Nile crocodiles, warthogs and lions.
The journey then passes through the Ishasha Sector, where you will search for the area’s famous tree-climbing lions, before continuing to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The safari’s final major experience is trekking through Bwindi’s rainforest in search of a habituated mountain gorilla family.
Trip Highligh6-Day Uganda Safari Highlightsts
- Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest
- Game drive across the Kasenyi Plains
- Kazinga Channel boat cruise
- Search for Ishasha’s tree-climbing lions
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi
- Private 4×4 safari transportation
Your 6-Day Uganda Safari begins when your professional driver-guide picks you up from Entebbe or Kampala. After a short safari briefing, start your journey west toward Kibale National Park.
Travel through Uganda's countryside, passing towns, rural communities, agricultural landscapes and rolling hills. Lunch will be arranged along the journey.
As you approach the Fort Portal and Kibale region, the scenery becomes greener, with tea plantations, tropical vegetation and distant hills creating an attractive introduction to western Uganda.
Arrive at your lodge near Kibale National Park, check in and spend the evening relaxing. Your guide will brief you about the following morning's chimpanzee trekking experience.
Main Activity: Transfer to Kibale National Park
Meals: Lunch and dinner
Accommodation Options:
Budget: Kibale Forest Camp
Mid-range: Turaco Treetops
Luxury: Primate Lodge Kibale
After an early breakfast, transfer to the designated chimpanzee trekking briefing point. Meet the ranger guides, who will explain forest rules, chimpanzee behavior and guidelines for your encounter.
Enter Kibale's tropical forest in search of a habituated chimpanzee community. Trekking time varies because chimpanzees move freely through their natural habitat.
Once the chimpanzees are located, standard chimpanzee tracking generally allows visitors to spend up to one hour observing them. Watch them feeding, grooming, resting, communicating and moving through the forest.
Kibale is also home to several other primates, including black-and-white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys and grey-cheeked mangabeys.
After completing the trek, have lunch and continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Depending on arrival time, you may enjoy views of the park as you drive toward your lodge.
Main Activities: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation Options:
Budget:Enshama Game lodge
Mid-range: Buffalo Safari Lodge
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge
Begin your day with an early breakfast followed by a morning game drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Explore the Kasenyi Plains and surrounding savannah habitats with your driver-guide. Look for elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, warthogs and other wildlife. Lions may also be encountered, while leopards and spotted hyenas are present but generally more elusive.
Return to your lodge or another suitable location for lunch.
In the afternoon, head to the Kazinga Channel for a boat safari. The channel connects Lake George and Lake Edward and attracts abundant wildlife.
Hippos are a major attraction, while Nile crocodiles, buffaloes, elephants and other animals may be seen near the shoreline. Birdlife can include African fish eagles, kingfishers, pelicans, herons and other waterbirds.
After the cruise, return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Main Activities: Game drive and Kazinga Channel boat safari
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation Options:
Budget:Enshama Game Lodge
Mid-range: Buffalo Safari Lodge
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge
After breakfast, leave the northern section of Queen Elizabeth National Park and travel south through the Ishasha Sector.
Enjoy a game-viewing drive as your guide searches for the famous Ishasha lions, which are sometimes seen resting in large fig trees. Tree-climbing lion sightings are not guaranteed because the animals move naturally throughout their habitat.
Other possible sightings include topis, buffaloes, elephants, Uganda kobs and various bird species.
Continue toward Bwindi Impenetrable National Park after the Ishasha experience. The landscape gradually changes from open savannah to cultivated hills and dense forest.
Arrive at your lodge near your assigned gorilla trekking sector, check in and prepare your trekking equipment for the following morning.
Main Activities: Ishasha game drive and transfer to Bwindi
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation Options:
Budget: Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge
Mid-range: Gorilla Leisure Lodge
Luxury: Burunga Gorilla Lodge
Today is the major primate highlight of your 6-Day Uganda Safari.
After an early breakfast, transfer to your designated gorilla trekking briefing point. Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger guides will explain trekking procedures, conservation rules and appropriate behavior around mountain gorillas.
You will then enter Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with experienced ranger guides to search for your assigned habituated gorilla family.
The trek can take several hours depending on the gorillas' location, terrain and weather conditions. Bwindi's trails can include steep, muddy and densely vegetated sections.
Once the gorillas are located, standard trekking visitors normally spend up to one hour with the gorilla family. This provides time to quietly observe their behavior, including feeding, resting, grooming and social interactions.
Afterward, trek back to the starting point, meet your driver-guide and return to your lodge for relaxation.
Main Activity: Mountain gorilla trekking
Meals: Breakfast, packed lunch and dinner
Accommodation Options:
Budget: Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge
Midrange: Gorilla Leisure Lodge
Luxury: Burunga Gorilla Lodge
After breakfast, check out of your lodge and begin the journey back toward Kampala and Entebbe.
Enjoy the changing landscapes of southwestern and central Uganda as you pass terraced hills, farms, towns and rural communities.
Stop for lunch along the journey. Depending on your schedule, a short stop around the Equator area can also be arranged before continuing toward Kampala and Entebbe.
Your driver-guide will drop you at your hotel or Entebbe International Airport, marking the end of your Uganda primate and wildlife adventure.
Because the road journey from Bwindi to Entebbe is long, travelers with an early departing international flight should consider an additional night in Entebbe or a domestic flight from the Bwindi region.
Main Activity: Transfer to Entebbe/Kampala
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Accommodation: Not included; Entebbe accommodation can be arranged on request.
6-Day Uganda Safari Includes
- Private 4×4 safari vehicle
- Professional English-speaking driver-guide
- Fuel throughout the safari
- Five nights' accommodation
- Meals as specified in the itinerary
- One Uganda gorilla trekking permit per person
- One Kibale chimpanzee tracking permit per person
- National park entrance fees for included activities
- Queen Elizabeth National Park game drives
- Kazinga Channel boat safari
- Ishasha wildlife viewing
- Ranger-guided gorilla trekking
- Ranger-guided chimpanzee trekking
- Bottled drinking water during road transfers
- Entebbe/Kampala pickup and drop-off
- Applicable taxes on included services
- Safari Vacations and Travel Services assistance
6-Day Uganda Safari Excludes
- International flights
- Uganda visa fees
- Alcoholic and premium beverages
- Tips and gratuities
Frequently Asked Questions
6-Day Uganda Safari FAQs
The safari combines chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park, wildlife viewing and a Kazinga Channel boat safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park, game viewing through Ishasha and mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Once your assigned habituated mountain gorilla family is located, standard gorilla trekking visitors normally spend up to one hour observing the gorillas. The complete forest trek can take several hours depending on their location.
Possible wildlife includes mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants, buffaloes, lions, hippos, Nile crocodiles, Uganda kobs, topis, waterbucks, warthogs and several monkey species. Leopards, hyenas and Ishasha's tree-climbing lions are possible but cannot be guaranteed.
Yes. It is a good option for travelers with limited time who want to combine Uganda's two signature primate experiences with a traditional wildlife safari. However, travelers should be comfortable with some relatively long road transfers.
Bring sturdy hiking shoes, long trousers, long-sleeved clothing, a rain jacket, gardening gloves, insect repellent, sunscreen, drinking water and a comfortable daypack. A porter can usually be hired locally for the gorilla trek.
The safari can operate throughout the year. The generally drier periods of June to September and December to February often provide easier trekking and road conditions. Wetter periods bring greener landscapes but can make forest trails muddier.
Yes. The itinerary can be organized with budget, mid-range or luxury lodges. Accommodation can also be mixed—for example, using mid-range properties for most nights and upgrading the Bwindi stay.
