10 Days Great Apes Safari in Uganda & Rwanda | Gorillas, Chimps & Wildlife
The Great Apes of Uganda and Rwanda give you an opportunity to encounter chimpanzees and mountain gorillas in the Rwanda and Uganda’s national park. This can be observed as you journey deep into the lush hills of Uganda and Rwanda. Have a chance to observe these wonderful creatures with a primatologist and track mountain gorillas in the forests of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the Volcanoes National Park in Uganda and Rwanda respectively. Stay in stunning lodges, right from a lakeside bungalow at the foot of the Rwenzori Mountains to the hilltop eco-lodge with spectacular views of Rwanda’s volcanoes.
Take a trip to the lush highlands of Uganda and Rwanda on a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see chimpanzees and mountain gorillas in the wild. Track gorillas in the forests of Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park while observing chimpanzees with a primatologist and we assure you of fulltime enjoyment and discovery during this trip. A lakeside house situated at the base of the Rwenzori Mountains or a hilltop eco-lodge with sweeping views of Rwanda’s volcanoes is just a few of the gorgeous hotels that you may stay in, if you book with us.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
Join our experienced team on treks in search for chimpanzees, gorillas, and endangered golden monkeys in the wild.
Expect to watch the antics of chimpanzees up close at a sanctuary which was established in association with the Jane Goodall Institute.
You will also meet up with scientists at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s Karisoke Research Centre, for a chance to learn about the ongoing conservation projects, and get an in-depth perspective on Fossey’s 18-year-long study.
ITINERARY BREAKDOWN
Day 1: Entebbe, Uganda/Ngamba Island
Upon arrival, you will take a shuttle to your accommodation for check in from Entebbe International Airport (EBB). After some rest, you will take a boat ride for a visit to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary on Ngamba Island on that very day depending on your arrival time. It should be noted that this facility was built in collaboration with the Jane Goodall Institute to provide a home for rescued and orphaned chimpanzees.
Meal plan covers breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations; Lake Victoria Serena Resort or similar
Days 2-3: Kibale National Park
In order to access Kibale National Park and check into the accommodation facility on time, you will take a domestic flight from Entebbe to Kasese. Here you will meet Emily Otali, the Kibale Chimpanzee Project’s Field Director, and this will enable you to learn about the many conservation and educational initiatives that National Geographic supports. You will also visit the park to look for chimpanzees. You will also visit the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary to look for other primates such as the uncommon l’Hoest’s monkey, black-and-white colobus, red-tailed, and blue monkeys.
Meal plan covers breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation at Kyaninga Lodge or similar
Days 4-5: Kibale National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park
Here you will have an extension of chimpanzee tracking in the morning at kibale national park. Before an afternoon wildlife cruise, you will proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park and take a safari to search for elephants, lions, and Ugandan kobs.
Meal plan covers breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation at Kyambura Gorge Lodge or similar
Days 6-7: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
On the 6th day, you will take your way to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The following morning, you will proceed into the park’s jungles, being the home to almost half of the surviving mountain gorillas in the whole world. Sit among these kinds of giants and get a close-up look at one of the most endangered species on the planet (mountain gorillas).
Meal plan covers breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation at Bwindi Lodge, Four Gorillas Lodge or similar
Days 8-9: Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
You will cross the border on your way to Rwanda and settle into your private villa with a view of the nearby lakes and volcanoes. You will have a chance to learn about the ongoing conservation efforts through an interaction with experts at the Karisoke Research Center of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Rwanda. On the following day, you will spend some time searching for mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, where National Geographic grantee Dian Fossey spent 18 years learning about gorillas. On the same day’s evening, you will enjoy the traditional dancing performance.
Meal plan covers breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation at Virunga Lodge or similar
Day 10: Volcanoes National Park in Kigali
You will explore the Volcanoes National Park on the 10th day’s morning with wildlife biologists in search of endangered golden monkeys. You will the transfer to Kigali International Airport (KGL) following lunch to catch your flight back home.
What to Expect
Travelers should be physically fit and healthy, and capable of walking for several hours or hiking over unsteady terrain on some days. This is because this trip has a moderate activity rating. Visitors would hike for up to 8 hours through the dense jungle at an altitude that could reach 10,000 feet while searching for primates in the wild. Treks can be exhausting as the ground may be rocky, uneven, rainy, or muddy on any day. The minimum age requirement for travelers is 15 years. Some of the driving days are long, with the longest reaching seven hours, and many stop overs.
Concerns about accommodation; For the entire Great Apes of Uganda and Rwanda trip, we stay in ideally located, high-end hotels and lodges with many amenities though this arrangement can be revisited according to your budget.
Concerns about transportation. This itinerary accounts for all your transfers during this trip. We have catered for all your transportation needs during your stay in Rwanda and Uganda as specified in your Great Apes of Uganda and Rwanda trip.
WHY ONE SHOULD GO FOR THIS TRIP
When you purchase a gorilla trekking permit, you directly support the conservation work and the local communities around these wildlife reserves in East Africa. Secondly, the lodge where you spend nights during your tour also contribute to the wellbeing of these communities through purchasing agricultural products from the families around. For all along, the local communities around the conservation areas have been sensitized about the importance of protecting and preserving these gentle giants plus other wildlife. This is done by the Uganda Government through its wildlife protection body called Uganda wildlife authority (UWA). This is normally done through giving back about 20% of the total park revenue collected, to the local communities.
It is not very easy to allocate money to all people individually, but this is done through construction of public facilities such as hospitals, schools and roads which supports the local communities. This implies that you can support the local communities by personally trekking gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, Mgahinga forest, Volcanoes forest and Virunga national parks.
RULES AND REGULATIONS TO OBSERVE DURING YOUR TREKKING ACTIVITY
For a better observation of these giants, there are some rules and regulations put in place to be observed while visiting them. (Please follow the ranger/guide’s advice during gorilla trekking).
Maximumly, a group of 8 guests can be allowed to trek a Gorilla group/family in Virunga national park’s forest vegetation habitat.
Children of 15 years and above are also allowed to trek the Gorillas.
Gorilla trekking starts as early as 8:00am to 7:00pm latest and no one is allowed to keep trekking in the forest beyond the allocated time limits.
At most an hour is allowed for tourists to stay in the presence of mountain Gorillas.
Turn your faces around as you intend to sneeze for these wild cousins are vulnerable to human diseases.
When you meet the Gorillas, keep a distance of 7 meters away from them and avoid making too much noise as this may provoke these wild cousins.
Use a camera with no flash so as not to provoke the gorillas as the light that comes out of the camera can drive the gorillas into being very wild hence dangerous.
TRAVEL TIPS FOR THE GREAT APES OF UGANDA AND RWANDA TRIP
It’s advisable that you do some reading so as to have some knowledge about great Apes in Uganda and Rwanda.
Get your body fit through exercising regularly for the trekking is quite challenging due to the location of the gorillas which is very remote within the forests of east Africa.
Pay attention to things you can control/things which are under your power
Relax and do not have unachievable expectations about this amazing adventure.
Prepare and pack your trekking gear earlier before your date of trekking these Apes.
Ensure you carry your personal water bottle so as not to get thirsty as you trek these unique Apes in their natural habitats.
