11 Day Chimpanzee Trekking, Gorilla Tracking and Wildlife Trip
Overview
Giving you an African authentic safari experience! Get up-close Encounter with gorillas (Bwindi Impenetrable NP) & chimpanzee (Kibale NP) Forests, enjoy the game drives in open roof safari vehicle, get fascinating views of Murchison Falls, birdwatching & wildlife safari on the shores of River Nile in Murchison Falls NP & Kazinga Channel Queen Elizabeth in NP as well walking safari in Lake Mburo National Park
Included/Excluded
- 1X Uganda Gorilla Trekking Permit
- 1X Uganda Chimpanzee Trekking Permit
- Roundtrip transfers in a safari Van
- Accommodation listed on the Itinerary or similar
- Meals (10 Breakfasts, Lunches & Dinners)
- Park entrances fees
- Services of English speaking guide driver
- Game drives
- Boat cruise
- Bottled drinking water enroute
- Rhino tracking Permit
- Arrangement fees among others
- Price excludes all other things of personal nature like the bar bills, personal insurance, visas among others.
Tour Plan
Day 1: Entebbe - Rhino Trekking, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary - Murchison Falls NP
After an early morning breakfast at your hotel in Entebbe, your driver guide meets & greets you. Shortly after the safari briefing depart & head north of kampala through the districts of Luweero & Masindi to Murchison Falls NP. Pass through the traditional farms & villages, stopping at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary & Wildlife Ranch for Rhino tracking. Afterwards proceed & make a stopover at the top of Murchison Falls, the majestic falls, where the Nile crashes through a 7m gorge to fall 45m. The numerous scenic viewpoints are a spectacular & the most impressive view is of the falls. The world most powerful falls are one of the highlights of murchison Falls NP afterwards proceed to the lodge. Overnight at Gipir & Labong Safari Lodge or similar
Day 2: Game Drives and Boat Cruise Safari Murchison Falls National Park
Wake up for an early morning sumptuous breakfast so that intrepid explorers can begin with an early game drive in the peninsula between the Victoria & Lake Albert Nile. Catch the highest concentration of wildlife in the wilds of Murchison Falls. After lunch take a magnificent boat cruise to the base of the majestic Murchison Falls. The earth literally trembles to one of the world most powerful falls of natural water while crocodiles soak up the sun with their vast jaws menacingly agape before return to the lodge. Overnight at Gipir & Labong Safari Lodge or similar
Day 3: Murchison Falls NP - Kibale National Park “Home of Chimps”
After a leisurely breakfast will be followed by a transfer to Kibale National Park. This drive is incredibly scenic, going through western rift valley floor & escarpments, tea plantations, sugarcane plantations and lush green countryside which characterizes so much of Uganda. Kibale National Park is a habitat to over 13 primate species which you’re likely to encounter most of them during your visit time. Overnight at Chimpanzee Forest Lodge or similar.
Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking experience, Kibale National Park
The Chimpanzee trekking experience provides a unique opportunity that will allow you to encounter chimpanzee community in its daily activities. Accompanying national park rangers, you will be on the forest floor to watch the chimps search for their fruits & vocalizing. Then you will follow them for an hour observing the full gamut of their behavior. You will be part of the Uganda Wildlife Authority initiative to trek the chimpanzees without changing their natural environment. It’s one of the great moments of your safari! In the afternoon do the community & swamp walk offered by the member of Bigodi Community. It’s one way of learning about the traditional cultural of Africa. Overnight Chimpanzee Forest Lodge or similar.
Day 5: Kibale Forest NP- Queen Elizabeth NP with Rwenzori Mountains in the backdrop.
After a leisurely morning breakfast, transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP. The drive provides you with a great views of Rwenzori Mountain ranges in Rwenzori Mountains National Park. Mount Stanley at 5,109m is both Uganda & Democratic Republic of Congo highest peak in addition to Rwenzori mountains being the third highest peak in Africa after Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania & Mount kenya in Kenya. Uganda is among the 13 Countries that an Equatorline passes through, at Kikorongo Equatorline you’ll make a brief stopover for the moment of picturesque & then proceed to the hotel. Overnight at Engiri Game Lodge or similar.
Day 6: Game Drives and Boat Cruise safari Queen Elizabeth National Park
After an early morning breakfast, participate in a morning game drive. The drive through the Kasenyi Plains which is a spot for predators hunting the prey. The game drive provides you with an excellent opportunity to view animals such as jackals, bushbucks, forest hogs, Buffaloes, elephants & kob as they will be going about their daily routines. In the afternoon, head to a fantastic launch cruise on the Kazinga Channel & observe beautiful birds & wildlife. A Ugandan wildlife safari without a boat cruise safari on Kazinga Channel is considered incomplete. The channel attracts large concertation of wildlife & birdlife to quench their thirst & this boat launch safari would certainly expose you to these creatures. After the boat safari enjoy the evening game viewing as you return to the lodge. Engiri Game Lodge or similar.
Day 7: Queen Elizabeth NP - Bwindi Impenetrable NP Via Ishasha Sector
Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National park is famously known for tree climbing lion, after an early morning breakfast begin your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park with a stopover at ishasha sector for a game drive and thereafter proceed to Bwindi Forest National Park. Overnight at Travelers Rest Hotel or similar.
Day 8: Gorilla Trekking Bwindi/Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
After an early breakfast, transfer to ranger station, Bwindi Impenetrable NP. After a briefing by a ranger guide, enter the gorilla sanctuary for your adventure. The beauty of this rainforest is spectacular. The area offers a dramatic steeply forested landscape and is incredibly dense, but crisscrossed by numerous animal trails allowing access to tourists. The time taken and the terrain varies depending on the movements of gorillas. The thrill of spending time observing these gentle & endangered giants is an awesome, exciting experience to be long-savoured. Many find it to be a rare and moving opportunity. After your day experience return back to the lodge. Overnight at Travelers Rest Hotel or similar
Day 9: Optional Gorilla Trekking, Bwindi/Mgahinga Gorilla NP - Lake Bunyonyi
A leisurely morning breakfast will be followed by a transfer to Lake Bunyonyi. You’ve a day for participating on this optional gorilla trek before traveling to lake Bunyonyi. A ticket costs $700 to be able to participate. Overnight at Lake Bunyonyi Overland Camp or similar.
Day 11: Lake Bunyonyi - Lake Mburo National Park
After an early morning breakfast, transfer to lake Mburo National Park and there will a possible game drive on arrival. The journey to Lake Mburo NP takes you through the farmlands and kigezi rolling hills which is spectacular. Overnight at Rwakobo Rock or similar
Day 11: Walking Safari, Lake Mburo National Park - Entebbe/Kampala
After an early morning Breakfast, there will be a walking safari. Experiencing Africa's wilderness areas is integral to most of our trips, and there's no better way than on foot. Walking safaris in Africa are completely different to game drives – being on foot brings about a totally new way of understanding your surroundings. Walking safaris were the original safari and remain the purest form. Away from the comfort of the 4WD safari vehicle your senses suddenly awaken as the bush becomes more real. This is where humans evolved and experiencing the sounds and smells just as all our ancestors did can be profound. Encountering animals on their terms as a participant in their world can be far more rewarding than just spectating – few things are as humbling as meeting a wild buffaloes on foot. This will be followed by a transfer to Kampala/Entebbe marking the end of the 11 Day Uganda Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Safari. End.
Request Quote
Communication via WhatsApp to make arrangements went very smooth with Aron being quick and clear in his responses.
Aron drove us most of the time, but we also had a ride with driver Barnice. Every time they were in time, most of the times even early to make sure we could leave whenever we wanted. The service was more than just a private taxi service: Aron told us many interesting things about Uganda and let us taste some local food. That really made our trip more colourful and interesting.They know a lot of good places all over the country, like restaurants and accomodation. Although we organized our trip by ourselves, that was still an advantage. Above that, Aron uses his business in Uganda to help other Ugandans as well.
We would definitely recommend to travel with Safari 2 Gorilla Tours.
Jon Peters
USA
In my iniitial email to him I had explained that I'm Kenyan and would be travelling to Rwanda from Nairobi, Kenya. As an east African citizen I thought this information was useful in terms of national park fees and so on; little did I know that it would affect my whole Gorilla trek experience.
I'd settled the balance of my invoice in November 2019 and Aron emailed to confirm full payment. I never heard from Aron again except when I emailed him to find out the arrangements for when I arrived in Rwanda. At the time I didn't think much of it as I'd read so many glowing reviews of Aron and his tour company; his attentive nature, professionalism and general good nature. A fortnight or so before my arrival I'd still not heard from him so I emailed to find out the itinerary for when I arrived in Rwanda - nothing. Just a curt response confirming that he had the number for my hotel and presumably (Aron did not confirm) that he would call me at my hotel to arrange a time to pick me up from my hotel.
I arrived at the hotel, following a 10 hour flight from London on Friday, 24 January to find there was no message was left by Aron advising when I'd be picked up the following day. On Saturday, 25 January at about 9 am the receptionist knocked on my door to inform me that a driver had arrived to pick me up and drive me to Uganda. As I'd not had any advance information of this arrangement I was not ready; i hadn't showered or eaten breakfast. And so we did not set off until gone 10 am. This was the first poor service i'd received.
I'd paid for a 3-day Gorilla trek etc which included on the first day a visit to the Rwanda Genocide memorial. When the driver set off we'd been driving and passed a sign to the memorial site, after almost an hour I asked if we were still going to the memoial site, and only then did the driver inform me that due to the late departure he had decided to postpone the visit to the memorial until the return leg of my three day trip. The second poor service i'd received.
Bwindi national park is in Uganda and so I was driven through Rwanda to Uganda via a land border, an eight hour journey that ordinarily shouldn't have taken that long. The third poor service.
During the drive Aron maintained constant communication with the driver - whose name escapes me - and not once did he ask the driver to pass the phone to me so that he could speak to me. By that I mean even welcoming me, asking me how my trip was, finding out if there was anything I needed, any issues or problems with the trip I'd paid for. The fourth poor service I received
When we arrived at Rushaga camp each visitor at dinner was assigned a table with the name of their guide on it; stupidly I immediately thought Ohhh so Aron had sent a driver to pick me up from Rwanda and that now I was going to meet him! How wrong i was. When i sat down expecting to meet Aron who should turn up? but the driver! Cheekily I asked if he was Aron and offended he curtly replied no!. When i asked what happend to Aron he informed me that Aron had been in constant communication throughout the day! When I asked why Aron hadn't even said hello or welcomed me he just said that Aron was on another tour. At that moment I realised what was happening and why. In Aron's eyes I was a black African tourist that yes, had paid for the same service and support that my white counterparts had received but due to his low perception of me and fellow black Africans I did not warrant the same service, attention, or even respect. I did not speak to the driver again for the rest of the evening. I was surrounded by fellow travellers that were accompanied by guides who made them feel welcome, valued and respected; they sat together sharing stories from their travels whilst I and the driver sat silently. Even as I tried to get the driver to understand how insulted and disrespected I felt he just didn't get it. A part of me feels if i was white he wouldn't have found it so hard understanding how poorly I'd been treated. But as a black African what reason did I have to complain? The fifth poor service I'd received
On the second day i was due to visit Mgahinga national park almost a two hour drive away. As debrief started at 8 am we arranged to leave Rushaga Gorilla camp by 6 am; arranging to meet for breakfast at 05:30 am. 06:00 am the driver was nowhere to be found. Finally at 06:30 he appears in the dinning room feigning an alarm malfunction. I had to demand an apology from him. The sixth poor service i'd received.
We arrived at the national park at 08:25. I was the only black tourist and when I asked the guide to summarise the debrief he audibly commented that as I'd arrived late he'd not be able to repeat it for me. Cynically I felt that If I was white he'd problably have ignored the fact that the driver had got me to the debrief late and still gone through the key points. The seventh poor sevice I'd received.
I could go on and on but I won't. I think you get the gist. I never once spoke to Aron, met him or communicated with him during my time in Rwanda and Uganda. I left Rwanda on Tuesday, 28 January 2020 and have delayed posting this review until now to see whether or not I'd hear from Aron. I haven't and I know I never will.
I would never recommend this company to anyone regardless of who you are. I pity and despise racists and would never support a business that openly discriminates against black Africans.
Would absolutely recommend Safari 2 Gorilla Tours! Thanks Aaron and Martin for an unforgetable trip!
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Plot 1 A, Cohen A Road
Makanga Hill,
P.O.BOX 568 Kabale