Uganda Safaris — Gorilla Trekking, Chimpanzees & the Nile

Mountain gorilla in the forests of Uganda

The Pearl of Africa

Forests, Primates and the Nile

Uganda is the least "classic safari" country we work in, and that is exactly its appeal. Instead of open plains you get montane rainforest, crater lakes and papyrus channels — and a primate list no savannah destination can touch.

The headline is gorilla trekking in Bwindi, but the country rewards a longer stay: chimpanzees in Kibale, lions that lie in fig trees in Ishasha, and the Nile squeezing itself through a seven-metre gap at Murchison Falls.

Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale, one of Africa's richest primate forests
Tree-climbing lions and the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth NP
Murchison Falls, where the Nile is forced through a seven-metre gap

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The Highlights

The Best of Uganda

Uganda rewards travellers who slow down. These are the experiences we build itineraries around.

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Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Home to roughly half the world's remaining mountain gorillas. Permits are limited and dated, so this is the one element of a Ugandan trip that has to be locked in first — everything else is arranged around it.

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Kibale Forest

One of the highest concentrations of primates in Africa, with around thirteen species. Chimpanzee tracking is the draw, and the neighbouring Bigodi wetland is excellent for birds and red colobus.

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Queen Elizabeth NP

Savannah, crater lakes and the Kazinga Channel, whose boat trip puts you level with hippo, buffalo and extraordinary birdlife. The Ishasha sector is famous for lions that rest in fig trees.

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Murchison Falls

The entire Nile compressed into a gap barely seven metres wide before dropping into the gorge. A boat runs to the base of the falls, and the northern bank holds good numbers of giraffe, elephant and lion.

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The Source of the Nile

Jinja, where the Nile leaves Lake Victoria. White-water rafting, kayaking and quieter sunset boat trips, and an easy first or last stop given how close it is to Entebbe.

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Lake Bunyonyi

A deep, island-scattered lake among terraced hills, and the usual place to decompress after a gorilla trek. Cool, quiet and a complete change of pace from the forest.

Day by Day

Uganda Itineraries

Tap any day to open it up. Every route below is a starting point — we reshape the days, lodges and pace around you.

🇺🇬 Uganda🇷🇼 Rwanda6 DaysPrimates

Gorillas & Golden Monkeys

A once-in-a-lifetime primate adventure tracking mountain gorillas and golden monkeys across two countries.

Arrival in Rwanda's tidy capital, a city tour and the moving Genocide Memorial, then dinner and rest.

Scenic cross-border drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to nearly half the world's mountain gorillas.

The main event — trek through dense forest to spend a magical hour with a habituated gorilla family.

Travel back into Rwanda to the foothills of the Virunga volcanoes. Optional Iby'Iwacu cultural village visit.

Track playful golden monkeys through bamboo forest, then relax with views of the misty peaks.

Transfer to Kigali for your onward flight, hearts full and camera rolls overflowing.

from $3,180 per person sharing

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🇺🇬 Uganda8 DaysPrimates & WildlifeNew route

Primates & Parks of Uganda

Chimpanzees, gorillas and tree-climbing lions in one loop — the trip for travellers who want the whole of Uganda, not just the gorillas.

Met at the airport and transferred to a lakeside hotel on Lake Victoria. Briefing over dinner and an early night before the drive west.

Drive through tea country and crater-lake highlands to Kibale, arriving in the afternoon. Optional guided walk in the Bigodi wetland for red colobus and birds.

Morning briefing and into the forest to find a habituated chimpanzee community — noisier, faster and more chaotic than a gorilla trek, and a completely different experience.

South to Queen Elizabeth. Afternoon boat trip on the Kazinga Channel, level with hippo, buffalo and one of the densest concentrations of water birds in Africa.

Morning game drive through the Ishasha sector looking for the tree-climbing lions, then continue south into the forested hills around Bwindi.

The centrepiece. An early briefing, then a trek that may take one hour or six, and one hour with a habituated gorilla family at the end of it.

A short transfer to Lake Bunyonyi to rest tired legs — canoeing, island walks or simply a chair and a view over the terraced hills.

Fly or drive back to Entebbe for your onward connection.

Note on permits: gorilla and chimpanzee permits are limited in number and dated. We confirm availability before finalising any Uganda itinerary.

On request permits quoted at current park rates

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Want something different in Uganda? Tell us your dates and interests and we will draft a route from scratch.

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Timing Your Visit

When to Go

Uganda sits on the equator and is green all year. The practical question is how muddy the forest trails will be when you trek.

The best windows for gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, when forest trails are firmer and the walking is easier. These are also the busiest months for permits, which is the real constraint on a Ugandan trip.

Rain makes the trails slippery and the treks harder work, but the forest is at its most beautiful and permits and lodges are easier to come by. Gorilla trekking runs year-round; you simply want good boots and a change of clothes.

Genuinely variable. It can be a gentle hour or a demanding six through steep, dense, muddy forest, depending on where the family has moved. Reasonable fitness helps, porters are available and well worth hiring, and the guides set the pace to the group.

As far as you can. Permits are capped per day and the popular months sell out well in advance — this is the single biggest reason a Uganda trip falls through, so we secure permits before building the rest of the route.

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