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Overview of Uganda Primate Grand Tour
Ten days linking Uganda's four big draws: Murchison Falls on the Nile, chimpanzees at Kibale, lions at Queen Elizabeth and gorillas at Bwindi, ending with a flight to Entebbe.
- Length
- 10 days
- Countries
- Uganda
- Pace
- Steady
- From
- USD 4,980
Best for chimps, gorillas and the nile in one trip. Prices are per person sharing a twin or double room and are confirmed on enquiry.
Highlights
- Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest
- Gorilla trek at Buhoma in Bwindi
- Shoebill boat trip in the Nile delta
- Kazinga Channel launch and Ishasha tree-climbing lions
- White rhino tracked on foot at Ziwa
Where this one goes
7 stops over 10 days, in travel order.
Day 1
Entebbe (EBB)
Land on the Lake Victoria shore
Day 2
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Track white rhino on foot
Days 2 to 4
Murchison Falls
Nile launch and game drives on the north bank
Days 4 to 6
Kibale Forest
Chimpanzee tracking
Days 6 to 8
Queen Elizabeth
Kazinga Channel and the Ishasha lions
Days 8 to 10
Buhoma, Bwindi
Gorilla trek in the northern sector
Day 10
Entebbe (EBB)
Fly from Kihihi, then depart
When to travel
The windows below are for the countries this journey crosses. Tell us the month you are thinking of and we will say what it means for this route.
- Jun to AugBest
- Dry and firm. The prime trekking window, and it books out early.
- Dec to FebStrong
- Second dry season. Hot in the savannah parks, excellent in the forests.
- Mar to MayGreen
- Heaviest rain. Trails turn, rates drop, birding peaks.
- Sep to NovMixed
- Short rains. Afternoon storms, workable mornings.
What you are likely to see
Listed because this route goes where these animals are, and on which day. None of it is a promise of a sighting, and anyone who gives you a percentage is guessing.
Southern white rhino
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, day 2
Tracked on foot with a ranger
Giraffe, elephant and buffalo
Murchison Falls north bank, day 3
Shoebill
Nile delta boat trip, day 4
Chimpanzee
Kibale Forest, day 5
Kibale has the strongest sighting record on the continent
Hippo, buffalo and elephant
Kazinga Channel launch, day 6
Lion and Uganda kob
Kasenyi plains, day 7
Tree-climbing lion
Ishasha sector, day 7
Mountain gorilla
Buhoma, Bwindi, day 9
Day by day
Day 1
Land in Entebbe
Meet at EBB and transfer to a hotel on the Lake Victoria shore. An easy evening before the long drive north.
OvernightEntebbe, on the Lake Victoria shore. Hotel, breakfast.
Day 2
Entebbe to Murchison Falls
Drive north for about 6 hours, stopping at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to track southern white rhino on foot with a ranger. You reach the Nile at Murchison Falls National Park by late afternoon.
OvernightMurchison Falls. Lodge, full board.
Day 3
Murchison Falls
Cross the Nile on the Paraa ferry for a dawn game drive among giraffe, elephant and buffalo on the north bank. In the afternoon take the launch upriver to the base of the falls, where the Nile is forced through a gap about 7 metres wide.
OvernightMurchison Falls. Lodge, full board.
Day 4
Nile delta and the road to Kibale
An early boat down the delta to look for shoebill, then 6 to 7 hours by road to Fort Portal. You arrive near Kibale by dusk.
OvernightKibale Forest. Lodge, full board.
Day 5
Chimpanzees in Kibale
Briefing at 8:00 and 2 to 4 hours with a habituated chimpanzee community, in a forest that holds 13 primate species. In the afternoon, a guided walk through Bigodi Wetland for colobus, red-tailed monkeys and great blue turaco.
OvernightKibale Forest. Lodge, full board.
Day 6
Kibale to Queen Elizabeth
Drive about 2.5 hours via Kasese to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The afternoon launch on the Kazinga Channel puts you beside hippo, buffalo and elephant at the water's edge.
OvernightQueen Elizabeth. Lodge, full board.
Day 7
Kasenyi plains and Ishasha
Dawn drive on the Kasenyi plains for lion and Uganda kob, then about 3 hours south to the Ishasha sector. Late drive in the fig woodland for the tree-climbing lions.
OvernightQueen Elizabeth. Lodge, full board.
Day 8
Ishasha to Buhoma
One more early look for lions resting in the figs, then about 3 hours of hill road to Buhoma, the northern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
OvernightBuhoma, Bwindi. Lodge, full board.
Day 9
Gorilla trek at Buhoma
Briefing at 7:30, then a trek of one to six hours to a habituated family and 60 minutes with them, in a group of no more than 8. The afternoon is free, or you can walk with a guide through the Buhoma community.
OvernightBuhoma, Bwindi. Lodge, full board.
Day 10
Fly to Entebbe
Drive about 1.5 hours to Kihihi airstrip for the scheduled flight to Entebbe, roughly 90 minutes in the air. This lands you in time for evening international departures.
Chimps, gorillas and the Nile in one trip, over 10 days at a steady pace.
Where you stay
9 nights, in travel order. Prices are per person sharing a twin or double room.
| Nights | Where | Type | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Entebbe, on the Lake Victoria shore | Hotel | Breakfast |
| 2 | Murchison Falls | Lodge | Full board |
| 2 | Kibale Forest | Lodge | Full board |
| 2 | Queen Elizabeth | Lodge | Full board |
| 2 | Buhoma, Bwindi | Lodge | Full board |
Photographs from Uganda Primate Grand Tour
Included
- Uganda gorilla permit (USD 800) and Kibale chimpanzee tracking permit
- Park fees for Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi
- Murchison launch, Nile delta boat trip, Paraa ferry and Kazinga Channel launch
- Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary tracking fee
- Scheduled flight from Kihihi to Entebbe
- Private 4x4 with pop-top roof and driver-guide
- Nine nights in lodges and hotels, sharing a twin or double room
- Full board at the lodges, breakfast at the Entebbe hotel
- Bottled drinking water in the vehicle
- Airport transfers at Entebbe (EBB)
Not included
- International flights
- Visas
- Travel insurance, including medical evacuation cover
- Tips for guides, rangers and porters
- Drinks other than bottled water
- Porter hire at the trailhead
- Gorilla habituation experience (USD 1,500), Rushaga only, on request
Questions
- Which permits and boat trips are included?
- The USD 800 Uganda gorilla permit and the Kibale chimpanzee tracking permit, park fees for Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi, the Murchison launch, the Nile delta boat, the Paraa ferry, the Kazinga Channel launch and the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary tracking fee.
- Which Bwindi sector does this trek use?
- Buhoma, in the north, which is the sector the route reaches from Ishasha. Habituation is only offered at Rushaga in the south, so if four hours with a family matters more than this routing, say so before we request the permit.
- Why does the trip end with a flight?
- Because the alternative is a full day on the road. Day ten drives about 1.5 hours to Kihihi airstrip and flies to Entebbe in roughly 90 minutes, landing in time for evening international departures.
- How good are the chances of seeing chimpanzees at Kibale?
- Kibale has the strongest sighting record on the continent, which is why we build Uganda itineraries around it rather than treating it as an add-on. A four hour habituation option exists for anyone who wants longer than the standard hour.
- Can I track rhino on this route?
- Yes, on foot with a ranger at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary on day two, on the drive north to Murchison Falls. The tracking fee is included, and the animals are southern white rhino.
Enquire about this journey
Tell us your dates and who is coming. We confirm the route, what is still open for those dates and the price per person.
Other journeys
Plan Uganda Primate Grand Tour around your dates.
Tell us when you want to travel and how many are coming, and we confirm the route and the price.
From USD 4,980 per person sharing a twin or double room. The lead-in price is confirmed on enquiry.