This 10 day Uganda gorilla and chimpanzee safari is built around the gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and pairs it with chimpanzee tracking in Kalinzu Forest Reserve, game drives in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park and a ranger-guided walking safari in Lake Mburo National Park.
You arrive in Kigali, cross into Uganda the same day and settle in for four nights at Orugano Bwindi Lodge, the base for the habituation experience, the golden monkeys, the community visits and the forest crossing. Four nights in one place, right beside the forest, gives the first half of the safari a settled rhythm: no repacking, and the lodge becomes a familiar point of return after each day out.
The lodge is owned and operated by the same team behind Orugano Safaris, so the guiding, the food and the local knowledge carry through the whole stay. The rest of the route runs north through the Ishasha sector and Queen Elizabeth National Park, then on to Kalinzu Forest Reserve, Mbarara and Lake Mburo before the return to Kigali, and you travel the whole way in a private 4×4 safari Land Cruiser with an experienced driver-guide.
Because the route starts and ends in Kigali, you avoid the long drive from Entebbe at either end of the journey. Do plan to arrive in Kigali early in the day: the transfer to Nkuringo is substantial, and an early arrival lets you reach the lodge comfortably before evening. The final day is a substantial international road transfer from Mbarara to Kigali, with border formalities at Katuna; departures are best scheduled for the evening, subject to confirmed driving and border-crossing times.
The itinerary is private and tailor-made. It is designed around a small group travelling together in one vehicle with an experienced driver-guide, and every day below can be adjusted to your interests, your fitness and the permits that are available for your dates.
Safari at a Glance
| Duration | 10 days, 9 nights |
| Start and end point | Kigali, Rwanda (arrival and departure) |
| Gorilla experiences | The gorilla habituation experience and a standard gorilla trek are bookable options on this safari, subject to permit availability |
| Key parks and areas | Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Nkuringo), Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park including the Ishasha sector, Kalinzu Forest Reserve, Lake Mburo National Park |
| Travel style | Private tailor-made safari with an experienced driver-guide and a private 4×4 safari Land Cruiser |
Day-by-day itinerary
| Day | Morning | Afternoon | Accommodation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive at Kigali International Airport, meet your driver-guide and cross into Uganda at the Cyanika border | Continue to Nkuringo on the southern edge of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and settle in | Orugano Bwindi Lodge in Nkuringo (nights 1 to 4) |
| 2 | Gorilla habituation experience, or a standard gorilla trek for group members who prefer it | Return to the lodge for a late lunch; optional evening community tour, depending on the return time and how guests feel | (continues) |
| 3 | Golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park | Visit Kisoro town on the way back to the lodge | (continues) |
| 4 | Rest day at the lodge | Batwa settlement community visit at Sanuriro, arranged with the community | (continues) |
| 5 | Forest walk from Nkuringo to Buhoma, generally three to four hours, luggage travelling ahead with the vehicle | Vehicle transfer from Buhoma towards the Ishasha sector | A suitable lodge near the Ishasha sector |
| 6 | Morning game drive in the Ishasha sector, watching for tree-climbing lions | Transfer north through Queen Elizabeth National Park to the Kichwamba escarpment | A suitable lodge near Queen Elizabeth National Park (nights 6 and 7) |
| 7 | Morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park | Afternoon boat safari on the Kazinga Channel | (continues) |
| 8 | Chimpanzee tracking in Kalinzu Forest Reserve | Transfer to Mbarara | A suitable lodge in Mbarara (nights 8 and 9) |
| 9 | Ranger-guided walking safari in Lake Mburo National Park | Return to the lodge; optional visit to the Ankole cultural museum in Mbarara, depending on interests and time | (continues) |
| 10 | Breakfast at the lodge | Departure via the Katuna border to Kigali for your onward flight | Not applicable |
Days 1 and 2: arrival and the habituation experience
Day 1 is a full travelling day and works best with a morning arrival in Kigali: the transfer to Nkuringo is substantial, and arriving early enough lets guests reach the lodge comfortably before evening. Your driver-guide meets you at Kigali International Airport and the route crosses the Cyanika border into Uganda before climbing to Nkuringo. The base for nights 1 to 4 is Orugano Bwindi Lodge in Nkuringo, which sits beside the Bwindi forest, as introduced above. For nights away from Nkuringo, a suitable lodge is arranged near each stop on the route and confirmed with your booking.
Day 2 is the reason many travellers choose this itinerary. The gorilla habituation experience starts at 6:30 am under the Uganda Wildlife Authority‘s current tracking guidelines. Participants meet at Nyabaremura, signposted via Rubuguli, and spend up to four hours with a semi-habituated gorilla family alongside the ranger team, which allows more time for observation and photography than a standard visit. Only four visitors may take part per day, and the minimum age of 15 applies to the habituation experience as well as standard trekking. Meeting time and lodge departure are confirmed per booking, and researcher participation cannot be guaranteed.
For group members who would rather take a standard trek, that option runs in parallel: up to one hour with a habituated family, a maximum of eight visitors per family, and a minimum age of 15, as set out in our Uganda gorilla trekking guide. Day 2 can combine the gorilla habituation experience and a standard gorilla trek for different members of the group, subject to permit availability.
Masks are required to track the gorillas and are provided at Orugano Bwindi Lodge as guests leave for tracking. Whatever the permit type, keep your distance from the gorillas and follow your park ranger’s instructions. Do not approach or touch them. The habituation experience can occupy much of the day, so the evening community tour in Nkuringo is optional: it runs depending on when guests return from tracking and how they feel.
Days 3 and 4: Mgahinga, Kisoro and a Batwa community visit
On Day 3 you track golden monkeys in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, a short drive from the lodge, and stop in Kisoro town on the way back for a look at the markets and the streets of Uganda’s south-western highlands.
Day 4 is deliberately unhurried. After a slow morning, the afternoon is given to a community visit at Sanuriro, a settlement near Nkuringo where Batwa families share their craft traditions, including basket weaving and beekeeping. The visit is arranged with the community, and what is offered reflects what the families themselves choose to present.
Days 5 and 6: the forest walk and the Ishasha sector
Day 5 crosses Bwindi on foot. The walk from Nkuringo to Buhoma with a local guide generally takes around three to four hours, depending on the trail and the conditions, with sufficient time kept for the onward transfer to Ishasha; luggage travels separately with the vehicle, which meets you on the Buhoma side. For a closer look at the route, read our guide to the Nkuringo-to-Buhoma walk.
Day 6 begins with a game drive in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, the section known for lions that rest in the branches of fig trees. Sightings are never guaranteed, and your guide will read the day and the grass lengths accordingly. The afternoon transfer continues north to the Kichwamba escarpment.
Days 7 and 8: the Kazinga Channel and Kalinzu Forest
Day 7 pairs a morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park with an afternoon boat safari on the Kazinga Channel, about two hours on the water among hippos, elephants, crocodiles and a long list of waterbirds.
Kalinzu Forest Reserve fits naturally into this route between Queen Elizabeth National Park and Mbarara, allowing guests to track chimpanzees without the additional journey to Kibale. It is a different forest experience from Kibale, and both offer chimpanzee tracking; on this itinerary the tracking takes place in Kalinzu. The afternoon drive continues to Mbarara.
Days 9 and 10: Lake Mburo excursion and the road to Kigali
Day 9 is a ranger-guided walking safari excursion from Mbarara into Lake Mburo National Park, moving on foot among zebras, impalas and giraffes in the company of a Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger, with the Mbarara base kept for both nights. The day ends back at the lodge, with a visit to the Ankole cultural museum in Mbarara as an optional extra depending on the guests’ interests and the time available, since the walking safari already makes it a fairly active day; the museum traces the cattle-keeping heritage of western Uganda.
On Day 10, breakfast is included, and the departure runs from Mbarara via the Katuna border back to Kigali. This is a substantial international road transfer with the possibility of border delays, so departures are ideally scheduled for the evening, subject to confirmed driving and border-crossing times.
What is included
- Park entrance fees for the parks and reserves in the itinerary
- Gorilla permits as booked, whether the habituation experience, the standard trek or both for different group members, subject to availability
- Chimpanzee tracking, golden monkey tracking, boat safari, game drives and the walking safari as listed
- The services of a professional driver-guide throughout
- Accommodation as listed
- Transportation in a private 4×4 safari Land Cruiser, including airport transfers in Kigali
- Full board during the safari, with breakfast also included on the final morning
- Drinking water in the vehicle
What is not included
- International flights
- Additional accommodation before or after the safari
- Personal items, including travel insurance and visas
- Meals not specified in the itinerary
Plan your safari
This route is a starting point. The length, the border crossings and the order of the days can be tailored, and departure routes via Katuna are adaptable to your flight times. A suitable lodge is arranged near each stop on the route; Orugano Bwindi Lodge in Nkuringo is the named property on this itinerary. Where alternatives are used, they will be of a comparable agreed standard, and final accommodation details are provided before booking confirmation. Permits are limited and availability varies by date, so early planning makes a real difference. To start building this itinerary around your dates, visit our plan your safari page.