5 Days Gorilla Habituation and Chimpanzee Trekking Safari from Kigali

5 Days Gorilla Habituation and Chimpanzee Trekking Safari from Kigali

This 5 days gorilla habituation and chimpanzee trekking safari from Kigali is a breathtaking adventure for visitors who want to visit chimpanzees and spend time with the mountain gorillas under habituation process. The safari will start from Kigali and end in Kampala, during the safari you will visit Uganda’s primate destinations which are Kibale national park where you will spend one hour with the chimpanzees and Bwindi impenetrable national park where you will spend four hours with the mountain gorillas under habituation.

Highlights of the 5 days gorilla habituation and chimpanzee trekking safari from Kigali

Day 1: Pick up from Kigali international airport and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park

Day 2: Gorilla habituation experience

Day 3: Transfer to Kibale national park

Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk

Day 5: Departure to Kampala

Detailed itinerary

Day 1 of the 5 days gorilla habituation and chimpanzee trekking safari from Kigali

Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park, upon arrival at Kigali international airport on the first day of your 5 days gorilla habituation and chimpanzee trekking safari from Kigali, our driver guide will welcome you, brief you about the safari and then start the journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park. Bwindi impenetrable national park is situated in south western part of Uganda and habituation experience is only carried out in Rushaga sector. On your way you will have en-route lunch and great views of the rolling hills in Rwanda, beautiful landscapes, scenery, roadside markets, local people, Kigezi hills, farmlands among others.  The journey takes about 3 to 4 hours drive passing via Cyanika border in Kisoro district and upon arrival in the park you will check into the lodge, have dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi impenetrable national park

Gorilla habituation experience, after an early breakfast on the second day of your 5 days gorilla habituation and chimpanzee trekking safari from Kigali, you will carry packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations of gorilla habituation. Gorilla habituation experience only allows a maximum of 4 people per gorilla family and after the briefing you will start trekking in the jungle with a group of researchers, conservationists, gorilla doctors, park guides among others in search of the mountain gorillas under habituation.

5 Days Gorilla Habituation and Chimpanzee Trekking Safari from Kigali
5 Days Gorilla Habituation and Chimpanzee Trekking Safari from Kigali

During trekking you will have great views of the tree and plant species, birds, animals, primates like l’hoest monkeys, baboons, red tailed monkeys among others and once the gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend four hours with them in their natural environment which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their lifestyle, behaviors, habits, watch them carry out their daily activities, participate in giving them names, watch them feed, breastfeed, play, take photos and record the moments. After having an incredible experience with the mountain gorillas you will trek back to the park headquarters, meet up with your driver guide and transfer back to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Transfer to Kibale national park

On the third day of the 5 days gorilla habituation and chimpanzee trekking safari from Kigali you will have breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your guide to transfer to Kibale national park. On your way to the park you will pass via Ishasha sector in Queen Elizabeth national park where you will view the tree climbing lions which will be lying up in acacia, fig tree branches. Ishasha sector is famously known for the tree climbing lions which are believed to climb trees due to various reasons such as to have a clear view of the prey, to escape ground heat, run away from biting insects such as tsetse flies among others. After the game drive in Ishasha sector, you will have lunch and then continue the journey via Fort Portal which takes about 6 to 7 hours drive. You will have stopovers to take photos of the crater lakes, tea plantations among others and upon arrival you will check into the lodge, have dinner and overnight

Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk

Chimpanzee trekking, after an early breakfast on the fourth day of the 5 days gorilla habituation and chimpanzee trekking safari from Kigali, you will meet up with your driver guide and transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of chimpanzee trekking. After the briefing you will be grouped into 6 people, allocated a chimpanzee family to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with trails in the forest. Chimpanzee trekking in the park starts at 8: 00am and takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are location because they like to move deep into the forest in search of food.

During trekking you will have spectacular views of other primates like l’hoest monkeys, red colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, mammals like sitatunga, giant forest hogs, bushbucks, bush pigs, bird species like olive tailed cuckoo, western tinkerbird, great blue turaco, African grey parrot, plant and tree species among others. Once the chimpanzees are found you will be allowed  to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which helps you to learn more about their life style, behaviors, watching them feed, breastfeed, play, hunt, rest, take photos and record videos with a flash less camera. After the one hour with the chimpanzees, you will trek back to the park headquarters, meet up with your driver guide and transfer to the lodge for lunch.

Bigodi swamp walk, after lunch you will go for an interesting nature walk in Bigodi swamp a sanctuary that is owned by the community. during the swamp walk you should look out for different bird species such as the great blue turaco, papyrus gonolek, primates like the black and white colobus monkey, blue monkeys, red tailed monkey, plant species, butterflies, listen to sweet sounds from birds among others. You will also walk around the community where you will interact with the local people to know more about their culture, tradition, way of living, visit their farmlands, enjoy entertainment among others. After the swamp walk you will meet up with your driver guide and drive back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Departure to Kampala

On the last day of the 5 days gorilla habituation and chimpanzee trekking safari from Kigali you will have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kampala. You will have en-route lunch in Mbarara town and a stopover at the Equator in Kayabwe where you will be able to take photos, buy souvenirs like craft items and then proceed to Kampala where you will reach early evening. Upon arrival your driver guide will drop you off at Entebbe airport or at any place of convenience.

End of 5 days gorilla habituation and chimpanzee trekking safari from Kigali

Tour includes                    

  • Gorilla habituation permit
  • Chimpanzee trekking permit
  • Nature walk in Bigodi swamp
  • An English speaking driver guide
  • Full board accommodation
  • Park entrance fee
  • Pick up and drop off
  • Vehicle and fuel
  • Bottled water

Tour excludes                

  • Air flight tickets
  • Visas
  • Optional activities not included on the itinerary
  • Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.

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