13 Day Uganda Safari with Gorillas, Chimps & Tree climbing lions

Uganda packs an astonishing amount into 13 days. You move from rhino tracking and Murchison Falls to chimpanzee forest, hippo-filled waterways, tree-climbing lions, mountain gorillas, and the quiet shores of Lake Bunyonyi. The big draw is the variety: this is not simply a game-drive holiday.

I like that gorilla and chimpanzee permits are included, since those permits can make or break the value of a Uganda trip. I also like the mix of active and slower days, from muddy forest walks to a canoe ride and a nature walk above Lake Mburo. The main drawback is the amount of time spent on the road. Uganda is large, and several transfers take much of a day.

The private format gives you room to adjust the pace and ask your guide for more time at an animal sighting. Guides named Amos, Ben, and Rita have received especially strong praise for their care, driving, and wildlife skills, although your assigned guide will depend on availability. At $5,500 per person, this is a major purchase, but it covers transport, park fees, meals, lodging, and the two most expensive primate permits.

What makes this Uganda safari special

• Gorilla trekking in Bwindi: Spend up to one hour quietly observing a habituated mountain gorilla family after a demanding forest walk.
• Chimpanzees and other primates in Kibale: Track chimps in the morning, then look for monkeys and birds on the Bigodi Swamp Walk.
• Tree-climbing lions in Ishasha: The chance of seeing these unusual lions is given as about 70 percent, but wildlife never follows a timetable.
• Murchison Falls by land and water: Pair a savannah game drive with a boat ride toward the base of the falls and an optional hike to the top.
• Kazinga Channel wildlife: The cruise brings you close to hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffalo, and water birds.
• A private safari vehicle: Vehicles used by the company have been described as four-wheel drive models with air conditioning, pop-up roofs, charging ports, refrigerators, Wi-Fi, and drinking water.

Days 1 and 2: From Entebbe to rhinos and Murchison Falls

Your first day is deliberately light. A representative from Pamoja Tours and Travel meets you at Entebbe International Airport and transfers you to Via Via Guest House for dinner and the night. If you arrive early, a Kampala city visit is available at extra cost, but I would not force that option after a long international flight.

Day two is your first serious road day. After breakfast, you head north toward Murchison Falls National Park, with a stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking and lunch. The total drive is listed at about seven hours, so think of this as a travel day with a worthwhile wildlife break rather than a full safari day.

Rhino tracking on foot gives the trip a useful beginning. You are not simply looking for animals through a vehicle window. Afterward, the route continues to Pakuba Safari Lodge, where you have time to rest before dinner.

A hot-air balloon safari is offered as an optional extra in Murchison Falls. It can add a memorable view over the park, but it is not part of the quoted package, so ask for the current price before committing.

Day 3: Murchison Falls from the savannah to the Nile

An early game drive gives you the best chance of seeing active wildlife. Murchison Falls is Uganda’s largest national park, and its open plains support lions, giraffes, hartebeest, buffalo, and elephants. Birdwatchers should watch for the secretary bird and black-chested snake eagle.

The afternoon boat cruise travels toward the base of Murchison Falls. Hippos and Nile crocodiles are the headline animals, while water birds gather along the banks. The boat changes your viewpoint completely. Instead of scanning the grasslands, you watch wildlife coming to drink and rest beside the river.

You can then hike to the top of the falls. The walk may be strenuous, but the force of the water makes the effort worthwhile. This is one of the more demanding optional moments in the itinerary, so wear proper walking shoes and do not treat it as a casual stroll.

Day 4: A long transfer into Kibale’s primate country

The journey to Kibale National Park takes about four hours, with scenery that shifts from villages and cultivated countryside to hills covered with tea plantations. This is a good day to ask your guide questions about Uganda’s rural life rather than focus only on reaching the next lodge.

You stay at Isunga Lodge on a full-board plan. Kibale is known for chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and red-tailed monkeys. The next morning’s tracking is the main event, but the setting itself matters. After two wildlife-heavy days in Murchison, the forest gives you a different kind of safari, one based on calls, movement in the canopy, and small signs on the trail.

Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi Swamp

After breakfast, you drive to Kanyachu park headquarters for a briefing before entering the forest. Chimpanzees share about 98 percent of human DNA, and their behavior can feel startlingly familiar. They may be high in the trees, feeding on wild fruit, or moving quickly through the forest, so patience matters.

The track can last around four hours according to the planned activity time, but the exact effort depends on where the chimpanzees are that day. You should expect forest trails rather than level paths. Good shoes, long trousers, and a willingness to get dirty will serve you well.

In the late afternoon, the Bigodi Swamp Walk adds another layer to the day. It is a strong choice for birdwatchers and anyone who wants more than chimpanzees. Monkeys and many bird species are part of the experience, and the slower pace lets you notice details that are easy to miss during a vehicle safari.

Chimpanzee habituation is available at extra cost. It is a longer, more specialized activity, so it suits people who want to spend more time studying chimpanzee behavior rather than simply adding another short outing.

Days 6 to 8: Queen Elizabeth National Park and the Kazinga Channel

Day six transfers you to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s most visited game reserve. The route may offer clear views of the Rwenzori Mountains, and the park itself combines savannah, wetlands, bush country, and forest below the mountain range.

After lunch at your lodge, you can relax or visit Lake Katwe. The salt-mining area offers a look at local work and the human side of the region. It is a useful contrast to the animal-focused schedule.

Day seven begins with an early game drive. Sunrise is a smart time to be out because animals are often more active before the day grows hot. Elephants, buffalo, and antelope are common possibilities, while lion and leopard sightings are less certain.

Later, the Kazinga Channel cruise gives you another excellent water-based wildlife view. The channel connects Lake George and Lake Edward and is known for large numbers of hippos. Nile crocodiles, elephants, buffalo, and water birds may also appear along the banks.

Day eight brings an early morning lion tracking experience in the Kasenyi Plains, in the northern sector of the park. This is different from a regular game drive because the activity is limited to small groups to reduce pressure on the lions and improve the quality of the encounter. It is a strong addition for anyone especially interested in predator behavior.

The afternoon is left open for lunch, rest, or an optional Lake Katwe salt-mining visit. This breathing space matters. By this point, you have had several early starts, and not every hour needs to be filled with activity.

Day 9: Ishasha and the search for tree-climbing lions

The drive to Ishasha is one of the safari’s most distinctive wildlife days. The area is known for lions that rest in trees, an unusual sight that can produce a memorable photograph and a very different view of lion behavior.

The stated chance of seeing them is about 70 percent. That is encouraging, but not a promise. The lions can be hard to find, and your guide may need to search through a broad area. If the lions stay hidden, the drive still offers opportunities for Uganda kob, Cape buffalo, elephants, and warthogs.

You spend the night at Topi Lodge. The schedule allows roughly five hours for the activity, but road conditions and animal sightings can affect the timing. Keep your camera ready, but do not let the search for one species overshadow the rest of the park.

Days 10 and 11: Bwindi and the mountain gorilla trek

Day ten takes you to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The transfer takes about four hours, followed by time to rest at Gorilla Mist Camp. Bwindi is a major change from the open plains. Thick vegetation, steep slopes, tangled vines, and bamboo replace wide vehicle tracks.

Bwindi is home to around half of the world’s mountain gorilla population, divided among habituated family groups. The forest also supports other primates, mammals, butterflies, and hundreds of bird species, so your walk is not only about gorillas.

Day eleven is the emotional center of the trip, but it is also the day that demands the most from your body. The trek may take two to seven hours, depending on where the gorilla family is located. Trails can be muddy and slippery, and the slopes are often challenging.

Your ranger points out signs such as nests, dung, and chewed bamboo shoots before the group is found. Once you reach the gorillas, you have one hour to observe them quietly. That hour goes quickly, so put your phone away at times and pay attention to the family’s movements, expressions, and sounds.

The included gorilla permit is a major part of the tour’s value. It also means you should take the physical requirements seriously. Anyone with mobility concerns should discuss the trek before booking, since the package is built around a demanding forest walk.

Day 12: Lake Bunyonyi, then on to Lake Mburo

After the gorilla trek, the canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi offers a gentler change of pace. The lake is known for its many islands and is often called the Little Switzerland of Africa. The description of this day is slightly confusing because the stop is labeled Lake Mburo while the morning activity takes place at Lake Bunyonyi, but the route clearly includes both.

The canoe ride is less strenuous than another forest trek and gives you time to enjoy the water and island views. After lunch along the route, you continue toward Lake Mburo National Park and stay at Eagles Nest Camp.

This is another long transfer day, but it gives the trip a useful pause between Bwindi and the final wildlife activity. I would treat the canoe ride as recovery time rather than expect a packed sightseeing schedule.

Day 13: Walking among zebra and antelope before departure

The final morning begins with a guided nature walk in Lake Mburo National Park, accompanied by an armed Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger and guide. On foot, you may encounter zebras, giraffes, eland, topi, buffalo, and other antelope.

The walk also climbs toward the top of the hills, where you can see Lake Mburo and, from the stated viewpoint, nine of the twelve lakes around the park. This is a fitting final activity because it slows the safari down and lets you experience the park without the vehicle between you and the bush.

After checking out, you drive to Entebbe Airport, stopping at the equator for lunch and souvenirs if you wish. The airport transfer is listed at about two hours, but you should still leave a generous margin for road delays and your flight time.

What the $5,500 price really covers

At $5,500 per person, this is not a budget safari. The value comes from the expensive inclusions: non-resident park fees, gorilla tracking, chimpanzee tracking, private transportation, 12 breakfasts, 12 lunches, 12 dinners, drinking water, and accommodation throughout the route.

The gorilla permit alone makes a meaningful difference to the total cost of a Uganda trip. Add the chimpanzee permit, several national parks, a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, the Murchison Falls cruise, rhino tracking, and a private vehicle, and the price becomes easier to understand.

You should still ask for the exact room standards, vehicle type, group size, and any charges for optional activities before paying. Hot-air ballooning, chimpanzee habituation, Kampala sightseeing, and some Lake Katwe activities cost extra. International flights, visas, travel insurance, souvenirs, tips, and extra nights before or after the trip are also outside the package.

A suggested tipping guideline is $10 per person per day. For 13 days, that equals about $130 per person, though you can adjust it according to service and your own preference.

Transport, guides, and day-to-day comfort

A private tour is useful here because the route covers several parks and includes long drives. You can ask to pause for photographs, spend more time at a wildlife sighting, or take a quieter lunch break without fitting into a large scheduled group.

The company’s vehicles have been described as air-conditioned four-wheel drives with pop-up roofs, camera and computer charging points, a refrigerator, Wi-Fi, and drinking water. These details matter on long drives. A pop-up roof improves wildlife viewing, while charging points help keep cameras and phones ready.

Amos has been singled out for his guiding and driving, with Ben and Rita also receiving praise for their work. You cannot assume one of these guides will be assigned to you, but it is reasonable to request a preferred guide when booking.

The tour has a 4.9 rating from 12 submitted ratings and a 100 percent recommendation figure. That is a positive sign, but the sample is small. The strongest themes are guide care, safe handling, vehicle comfort, organization, and the quality of the animal encounters.

Who should book this safari?

This itinerary fits you best if gorillas are a top priority but you also want a broad first look at Uganda. It works especially well for people who want chimpanzees, classic savannah animals, boat safaris, unusual lions, and walking experiences in one trip.

You should be comfortable with early mornings, long road transfers, uneven trails, muddy slopes, and changing weather. The gorilla trek can last up to seven hours, and the trip does not offer many completely idle days.

It is less suitable if you want a slow luxury holiday with short transfers and long afternoons at one lodge. It also may not suit you if you dislike uncertainty. Lions may stay hidden, leopards may not appear, and gorillas can be far up a steep trail. That unpredictability is part of safari, but it is worth accepting before you book.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted or refunded, and the operator may offer a new date or full refund if the minimum number of participants is not reached.

Should you book it?

Book this safari if you want Uganda’s greatest hits with the costly primate permits already included. The strongest reasons are the gorilla trek, Kibale chimpanzees, Murchison Falls, the Kazinga Channel, Ishasha’s tree-climbing lions, and the private vehicle format.

Before booking, confirm the exact accommodation, guide assignment if you have a preference, vehicle features, optional activity prices, and how the Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo transfer will run. If you accept long drives and active days, this is a well-rounded introduction to Uganda at a price that makes more sense once the permits and full-board arrangements are counted.

FAQ

Are gorilla and chimpanzee permits included?

Yes. The package includes gorilla and chimpanzee tracking permits, along with non-resident park fees.

Is airport pickup included?

Yes. Pickup from Entebbe International Airport is offered on arrival, and the final transfer returns you to Entebbe Airport.

How long is the gorilla trek?

The walk to the gorillas can take from two to seven hours, depending on where the gorilla family is located. After finding them, you have one hour for observation.

Is the tour private?

Yes. This is a private tour and only your group participates.

What meals are included?

The package includes 12 breakfasts, 12 lunches, and 12 dinners. Drinking water is provided on all days.

Which activities cost extra?

Kampala sightseeing, a hot-air balloon safari in Murchison Falls, chimpanzee habituation, and some optional Lake Katwe activities cost extra. International flights, visas, insurance, souvenirs, tips, and additional accommodation are not included.