13 Day Uganda Safari with Gorillas, Chimps & Tree climbing lions

The star of this 13-day Uganda safari is the mix: mountain gorillas in Bwindi, chimpanzees in Kibale, tree-climbing lions in Ishasha, and classic savannah wildlife in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Parks. Add rhino tracking, two boat rides, and a canoe trip on Lake Bunyonyi, and you get a broad look at Uganda rather than one short wildlife stop.

I like two things right away. Gorilla and chimpanzee permits are included, which removes two of the biggest costs and booking headaches. I also like the private format, since you can shape the pace with your guide instead of joining a fixed group. The main caution is the road time: several days involve long drives, and gorilla tracking can take two to seven hours on steep, muddy ground.

Key points to know before booking

• Gorilla permits are included: Your Bwindi tracking permit is part of the package, along with chimpanzee tracking and national park fees.
• Tree-climbing lions are a real target: Ishasha gives you about a 70 percent chance of seeing them, though wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.
• The private vehicle matters: Safari vehicles are described as air-conditioned, four-wheel drive, with pop-up roofs, charging ports, a fridge, Wi-Fi, and drinking water.
• The route covers Uganda’s major wildlife zones: Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi, and Lake Mburo each offer a different kind of day.
• The pace is active: Expect early starts, long transfers, forest walks, game drives, and boat trips, with some optional activities costing extra.
• The price includes full-board meals: At $5,500 per person, the value depends heavily on how much you value permits, private transport, and a 13-day guided route.

Why this Uganda route works so well

This itinerary is built around variety. Murchison Falls gives you open plains and a dramatic river, Kibale focuses on primates, Queen Elizabeth combines game drives with the Kazinga Channel, and Bwindi provides the main gorilla encounter. Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mburo then slow the pace before your return to Entebbe.

I like that the route includes more than the usual Big Five checklist. Uganda’s appeal is its combination of wildlife and forest. One morning you may be looking for lions and elephants, and the next you are following chimpanzee calls beneath thick canopy.

The private arrangement also gives you some breathing room. The listed timings are approximate, and optional stops such as Kampala, Lake Katwe, salt mining, chimpanzee habituation, and a hot-air balloon safari can be added at extra cost. Ask for a clear price before agreeing to any add-on.

The tradeoff is distance. Uganda is a large country for a 13-day circuit, and the itinerary moves from the northwestern part of the country to the southwest before returning east toward Entebbe. The scenery is worthwhile, but you should be comfortable spending hours in a safari vehicle.

Day 1: An easy arrival in Entebbe

Your driver-guide meets you at Entebbe International Airport and takes you to Via Via Guest House. The first evening includes dinner, with accommodation and dinner listed for the night.

This is a sensible opening. After an international flight, you will likely appreciate a simple transfer and a quiet evening more than a packed sightseeing schedule. A Kampala city visit is available at extra cost if your arrival time and energy allow it.

Do not overbook this first day. The main benefit is getting settled, meeting your guide, and preparing for the long drive to Murchison Falls.

Days 2 and 3: Rhinos, lions, elephants, and Murchison Falls

After breakfast on Day 2, you drive toward Murchison Falls National Park. The route takes about seven hours and includes a stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking and lunch.

That rhino stop gives the safari an important conservation angle. It also breaks up a long transfer with a guided wildlife activity before you reach the national park. You then continue to Pakuba Safari Lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

A hot-air balloon safari is available for an additional fee. Since it is optional, confirm its schedule and cost before departure if this is a priority.

Day 3 begins early with a game drive across Murchison Falls, Uganda’s largest national park. The open plains support lions, giraffes, hartebeest, buffalo, elephants, secretary birds, and black-chested snake eagles. The early start is worthwhile because animals are often easier to find during the cooler first hours of the day.

Later, a boat cruise travels toward the base of the falls. Expect hippos, Nile crocodiles, and water birds along the river. The boat gives you a different view from the game drive, with wildlife gathering near the water.

You may also hike to the top of Murchison Falls. The walk can be strenuous, but the view of the narrow, powerful rapids is one of the trip’s signature moments. Wear shoes with a firm grip and treat this as an active outing, not a quick photo stop.

Day 4: The long, scenic transfer to Kibale

Day 4 takes you toward Kibale National Park, with about four hours of driving listed. The route passes villages, green countryside, rolling hills, and tea plantations.

You stay at Isunga Lodge on a full-board basis. Kibale is best known for chimpanzees, but the forest can also reveal colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and red-tailed monkeys.

This is a transfer day, but it is not wasted time. The change from open savannah to thick forest helps you understand why Uganda works so well for primate watching. If you want a packed schedule every day, the slower arrival may feel uneventful. I see it as a useful pause before the next morning’s forest walk.

Day 5: Chimpanzees and the Bigodi Swamp walk

Chimpanzee tracking begins at Kanyanchu park headquarters with a briefing before you enter the forest. The activity focuses on finding habituated chimpanzee groups, and the forest setting makes the experience very different from a vehicle-based safari.

Chimpanzees share about 98 percent of human DNA, which helps explain why their behavior feels so familiar. You may see them moving through the trees or feeding on wild fruit, although forest sightings depend on where the groups are that day.

After lunch, the Bigodi Swamp walk adds another layer to the day. It is a good chance to look for birds and monkeys at a slower pace. An extended chimpanzee habituation activity is also available at extra cost, so ask how it differs from standard tracking before paying for it.

I like this day because it gives you two forms of forest wildlife. The drawback is that forest tracking is less predictable than a game drive. The walk can be rewarding even when chimpanzees remain high in the canopy or out of sight.

Days 6 to 8: Queen Elizabeth’s plains and Kazinga Channel

After a relaxed breakfast on Day 6, you transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive takes about three hours, and you may see the Rwenzori Mountains if the weather is clear.

Queen Elizabeth combines savannah, bushland, wetlands, and forest at the foot of the Rwenzori range. The park’s Kazinga Channel links Lake George and Lake Edward and attracts hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffalo, and many birds.

Your first afternoon is flexible. You can visit Lake Katwe or rest at the lodge. That choice matters because the next two mornings begin early.

Day 7 starts with a pre-dawn safari breakfast and morning game drive. Sunrise is a strong time for wildlife watching, especially as animals move before the heat builds. Elephants, buffalo, and antelope are likely targets, while lions and leopards are possible but never certain.

The Kazinga Channel boat cruise follows later in the day. The channel is especially good for seeing hippos at close range from the water, along with crocodiles, birds, elephants, and buffalo near the banks. Bring a hat and sun protection, and keep your camera ready because the boat changes your viewing angle constantly.

Day 8 focuses on the early morning lion-tracking activity in the Kasenyi Plains. The groups are limited to reduce pressure on the lions and improve the quality of the outing. You also have a chance to see other wildlife during the tracking session.

The activity is a useful choice for anyone interested in animal behavior and conservation, not just ticking off a lion sighting. It is followed by lunch and another optional Lake Katwe visit, including a salt-mining experience. Accommodation is at Bush Lodge with full-board meals.

Day 9: The search for Ishasha’s tree-climbing lions

Day 9 takes you to the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, known for its tree-climbing lions. The estimated chance of seeing them is about 70 percent, which is encouraging but not a promise.

The lions may be found resting in fig or acacia trees, giving you a memorable view if the search works out. You can also look for Uganda kob, Cape buffalo, elephants, and warthogs in the area.

This is one of the itinerary’s most distinctive wildlife days. The possible drawback is the uncertainty. You should choose this trip because Ishasha is a fascinating place to explore, not because anyone can guarantee a perfect lion photograph.

You spend the night at Topi Lodge. The five-hour activity estimate leaves room for the slower pace of searching, stopping, and scanning.

Days 10 and 11: Bwindi and the gorilla trek

Day 10 is a transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, with about four hours of driving listed. Gorilla Mist Camp is the accommodation, with full-board meals.

Bwindi is home to roughly half of the world’s mountain gorilla population, divided among habituated family groups. The forest also supports other primates, mammals, butterflies, and hundreds of bird species.

The main event comes on Day 11. After a briefing, you enter the forest with a ranger and search for your assigned gorilla family. The route can be muddy and slippery, with tangled vines, thick vegetation, steep slopes, and bamboo.

The walk may take two to seven hours, depending on where the gorillas are located. Once you find them, your viewing time is limited to one hour. That limit protects the animals and gives the encounter a clear, respectful structure.

This is the day that demands the most physical preparation. Use sturdy walking shoes, carry water, and expect changing weather under the forest canopy. The price includes the gorilla permit, which is a major part of the trip’s value.

The gorilla encounter is not passive sightseeing. You may need patience and effort before the forest opens to reveal the family. That uncertainty is part of the experience, but it also means this safari suits active people better than anyone seeking a relaxed lodge holiday.

Day 12: Lake Bunyonyi, then onward to Lake Mburo

After breakfast, you take a canoe ride among the islands of Lake Bunyonyi, often called the Little Switzerland of Africa. This is the trip’s clearest rest period after the demanding gorilla walk.

The canoe outing gives you time on the water and a chance to view the lake’s many islands. The itinerary then continues to Lake Mburo National Park, with lunch during the drive, followed by an evening at Eagles Nest Camp.

The transfer makes this another long day, but the canoe ride provides a welcome change from forest trails and safari roads. If you want extra time at Bunyonyi, ask the operator before booking because the listed schedule moves on to Lake Mburo.

Day 13: A walking safari and the drive back to Entebbe

The final morning begins with a guided nature walk in Lake Mburo National Park accompanied by an armed Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger-guide. You may encounter zebras, giraffes, eland, topi, antelope, and Cape buffalo.

The trail also climbs toward the hills, where you can look across Lake Mburo and as many as nine of the twelve lakes around the park. A walking safari changes your relationship with wildlife. You are not simply looking out of a vehicle window, so you need to listen, follow the ranger’s instructions, and keep a sensible distance.

After breakfast and checkout, you drive to Entebbe, stopping at the equator for lunch and souvenir shopping before the airport drop-off. The listed nature-walk activity is about two hours, but allow plenty of time for the final transfer when planning an onward flight.

What the $5,500 price really covers

At $5,500 per person, this is not a low-cost safari. The value comes from the length of the trip, private transport, full-board meals, park fees, and the inclusion of both gorilla and chimpanzee permits.

You also pay for a route that would be difficult to organize independently. The price includes transportation throughout the safari, drinking water each day, 12 breakfasts, 12 lunches, and 12 dinners. Accommodation is included at the listed lodges and camps.

The included gorilla permit is especially important. Confirm the current permit terms and exactly what is covered before booking, since permit costs can affect the total value of any Uganda itinerary.

International flights, extra nights before or after the tour, visas, insurance, souvenirs, tips, and optional activities are not included. A tipping guideline of $10 per person per day is provided, so budget for that separately.

The vehicles are a strong practical point. They are described as air-conditioned four-wheel-drive safari vehicles with pop-up roofs, charging ports, a fridge, Wi-Fi, and drinking water. Ask which vehicle will be assigned to your party and how many people it seats.

Guide style, comfort, and booking questions

The company has worked with guides named Amos, Ben, and Rita. Amos is specifically requested in several recommendations, so you can ask for him when making your reservation, though availability is not stated.

The trip is private, meaning only your group participates. That is useful for photography, rest stops, and adjusting the pace, but you should still confirm the group size and vehicle arrangement directly.

Most people can participate, but the gorilla trek, Murchison Falls hike, chimpanzee walk, and Lake Mburo nature walk require reasonable mobility. Share any physical concerns before booking so the operator can explain the demands clearly.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not refunded, and the experience requires a minimum number of participants. If that minimum is not reached, a different date or a full refund is offered.

Should you book this Uganda safari?

You should book it if you want Uganda’s major wildlife experiences in one private circuit and you value having the gorilla and chimpanzee permits built into the price. It is particularly suited to active couples, families with older children, photographers, and first-time visitors who want one operator handling the roads, parks, lodges, and permits.

Think twice if you dislike long drives, muddy forest walks, early breakfasts, or uncertain wildlife sightings. You should also compare the $5,500 price with other private Uganda safaris and ask for a day-by-day cost breakdown.

My practical advice is to request the exact lodge list, vehicle capacity, gorilla sector, included permit details, and the names of available guides before paying. If Amos is available and the logistics are confirmed, this is a strong choice for a full Uganda wildlife circuit with genuine variety rather than a single-park safari.

FAQ

Does the tour include gorilla tracking?

Yes. Gorilla tracking permits and national park fees for non-residents are included in the package.

Is chimpanzee tracking included?

Yes. The standard chimpanzee tracking permit is included. Chimpanzee habituation is listed as an optional activity at extra cost.

How long is the gorilla trek?

The walk to find the gorillas can take from two to seven hours, depending on where the gorilla family is located. Once found, viewing time is limited to one hour.

Are tree-climbing lions guaranteed?

No. The estimated chance of seeing the tree-climbing lions in Ishasha is about 70 percent, but sightings are not guaranteed.

What meals are included?

The package includes 12 breakfasts, 12 lunches, and 12 dinners. Meals are listed as full board at the main safari accommodations.

Is transportation included?

Yes. Transportation throughout the tour is included unless an activity is labeled optional. Airport pickup and drop-off are provided.

Does the tour use a private vehicle?

Yes. This is a private tour, so only your group participates. The vehicles are described as air-conditioned four-wheel-drive safari vehicles with pop-up roofs.

Are optional activities included?

No. The Kampala city visit, hot-air balloon safari, chimpanzee habituation, Lake Katwe activities, and other optional outings cost extra.

What is not included in the $5,500 price?

International flights, extra accommodation before or after the tour, tips, travel insurance, visa fees, souvenirs, and optional activities are not included.