9 Days Chimpanzee Habituation And Gorilla Trekking

A splendor chimpanzee habituation experience combined with gorilla trekking in Uganda is definitely a beyond-belief experience. Our 7 days tour offers the intrepid walker an extraordinary opportunity to engage with chimpanzees and mountain gorillas in the wild. See how expressive these animals are and how many “human” characteristics they display. End your primate experience with yet another delightful experience exclusive to the Virunga Mountain Range of Golden monkeys as they leap from tree to tree.

  • Overview
  • Itinerary
  • Price
  • Before You Go

Itinerary at a Glance

Day 1

Arrival

Day 2

Chimpanzee habituation

Day 3

Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary and transfer to Bwindi Forest National Park

Day 4

Mountain Gorilla Trekking

Day 5

Second gorilla trekking Or Batwa Cultural Experience

Day 6

Golden monkey trekking

Day 7

Lake Victoria

Day 8

Leisure Day

Day 9

Departure

Day 1

Arrival

Upon arrival, you will be met by a Luxury Africa Tours representative at Entebbe airport. Who will then assist you with check in for your onward flight to Kasese Airstrip. Your private driver guide will pick you up from the airstrip and drive through the beautiful landscape of western Uganda.  About a 1 hour 45 mins drive, you will reach Kibale National park. Check in at Kyaninga Lodge for leisurely evening. leisure

Dinner
Day 2

Chimpanzee habituation

This is the process of making wild primates get used to having human beings around and preparing them to be tracked later on. It can be done for both Chimps and Gorillas and it takes close to 3 years to be completed . You will start off with an early morning breakfast, get your lunch packed and head out to meet your guide that will lead you into the forest. Only a maximum of 4 people per group inclusive of the researchers and guides are permitted to go see these Chimps. You are then taken to see the place where the primates built their nests the previous night. If you are lucky and awoke early, you are sure to find them just getting up. Thus a typical Chimpanzee habituation begins in the hours at dawn between 6-6:30 am.Other activities you will see them taking part in are copulating, breastfeeding for the little ones, feeding, patrolling, hunting, resting and later on at around 7 pm, building new nests where they are to stay during the night. After such a thrilling experience ,you’ll return to the lodge for relaxation .

BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 3

Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary and transfer to Bwindi Forest National Park

After breakfast, head out to for a nature walk in Bigodi Wetland sanctuary were you will view more primates like the blue monkeys, baboons, otters, Bush bucks, mongoose, bush pigs and many more. Later, you’ll be driven to Bwindi National Park and proceed to your permanent tented campsite in the heart of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 4

Mountain Gorilla Trekking

Today, trek through the park’s dense vegetation; Vehicles have never penetrated this forest, and the going can be challenging with steep ascents and tangled trails. Trekking through dense forest with steep slopes means that participants do need to be physically fit however gorilla trekking groups are assigned on fitness levels, so you can request a shorter or longer hike dependent on your preferences. In a group of 8, you will set off in the jungle and your guides use their experience, knowledge of the gorillas’ habits and information from the previous day to locate them. Once you have found the gorillas, you will be allowed to spend an hour with them. Keep your camera in silence and observe a 10 meters’ distance from the gorillas and keep your mask on at all times. It worth the slight physical discomforts, though, for the reward of a face-to-face encounter with one of the most endangered animals on the planet. Observe their subtle social interactions and remarkable behaviors closely resembling our own. From here, drive back to the Lodge.

BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 5

Second gorilla trekking Or Batwa Cultural Experience

Psychologists say that experiencing an activity more than once is more memorable than a single event. With backed lunch, set off from the same trailhead this morning, but walk towards a different habituated gorilla troop. Remember each gorilla group has different behaviors so expect something unique from this group, from the number and makeup of individuals to their behavior and social structure. You can swap out the second Gorilla Trekking experience with Batwa Cultural experience; Known as the “Keepers of the Forest” the enchanting Batwa pygmies of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are a hunter-gatherer tribe that has lived side-by-side with the wildlife of this ancient park for thousands of years.

BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 6

Golden monkey trekking

The endangered golden monkey is endemic to the Albertine Rift, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park offers a rare chance to track these striking creatures, high in the dense bamboo forests on the Gahinga trail. After an Early, breakfast, your driver-guide will pick you up and drive the park headquarters. After a safety briefing, you’ll be driven to the start of the trail you’ll take to reach the golden monkeys. Your guide will lead you along generally clear paths to the edge of the forest, at which time you’ll then be moving through denser vegetation. Each day tracking golden monkeys is different; the weather and monkey troop movements decide how the day will go. so it can sometimes take a while for the trackers to locate them.Once you’re with the golden monkeys, you’re allowed an hour, maximum, with them. Afterwards, you will then fly to Entebbe. Meals and accommodation at Lake Victoria Serena golf resort & spa

BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 7

Lake Victoria

Lake Victoria is the second largest lake in the world and the largest in Africa. It is home to over several Islands that offer beautiful, exclusive, and exotic vacations together with a romantic ambiance and numerous fun facilities.There are some exciting activities such as boating and fishing. You can go boating, either paddling yourself on the lake, or with a guide, you could also take a motor boat ride out on the lake, or if you like fishing, you could go fishing and try your hand at catching the huge Nile perch fish or the tilapia. . Meals and accommodation at Lake Victoria Serena golf resort & spa

BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 8

Leisure Day

Set out from the boat landing for a romantic sunset picnic cruise on Lake Victoria or pamper yourself with an Andean hot stone therapy or deep tissue back massage at the Maisha Mind Body & Spirit Spa.

 

BreakfastLunchDinner
Day 9

Departure

After breakfast, relax at the lodge. Later, you will be transferred to the airport for your departing flight.

Breakfast

Prices are in USD, per person, based on double occupancy

USD 18,656
per person based on two people

Tour Includes

Two gorilla permits of $800 each
AMREF Flying Doctor Insurance: A Flying doctor Insurance to Air transfers you before dark from the nearest airstrip to hospital during Emergency
4X4 Custom built – Toyota Land cruiser: Pop-up Roof, Opening Sliding windows, Seat Belts, Heavy duty wheels, and Extra Fuel tanks. Refrigerator for cooling drinks, one pair of binoculars per couple, Eco-friendly Trash Bag. Wi-Fi onboard during the safari, Charging Outlets type Plug G for charging Cameras and smartphones.
All park entrance fees to include government taxes mentioned in the itinerary
High-end accommodations and all meals ((As specified in the day-by-day section)
Soft drinks, Coffee/tea and Water during game drives
A bottle of champagne
Daily valet laundry service.
Complimentary return airport transfers in case you desire after the trip
VIP Lounge access at the airport
Expert trip planning
24x7 support during your trip
Covid-19 whilst on the safari

Tour Excludes

Covid-19 Test upon arrival at the airport
Tips for Guides, Rangers and hotel staff
Other personal expenses like souvenirs, alcoholic drinks and cigars
All kinds of hard drinks
Activities not included in the program
Medical Insurance
Travel Insurance

Getting there

All international flights only have safe landing at Entebbe International Airport which is the only international airport in the country. Direct flights are available from London by British Airways, Brussels by Brussels Airlines, Istanbul by Turkish Airlines, and Amsterdam by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. There are direct flights from Doha by Qatar Airways, Dubai by Emirates Airlines. Inter-Africa airlines include; Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways, Egypt Air, Air Tanzania, Air Uganda, Kenya Airways, Rwandair Express, Fly 540, and Precision Airlines.

Passport and Visas

To enter Uganda, a passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry is required by all nationalities.  All persons intending to come to Uganda for holiday, tourism, business, study, visit, medical are required to apply and obtain a visa online. https://visas.immigration.go.ug/#/apply.  You can also apply for an East African Tourist Visa. This is valid for 90 days and allows multiple entry into Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Please be aware that E-Visas are valid for 90 days after issuance. Therefore, do not apply for your E-Visa too far in advance.

NOTE: Applicants are required to upload a copy of their International Certificate of YELLOW FEVER Vaccination when applying for their Uganda tourist visa. If

Vaccinations

At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the latest country-specific health advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) on the TravelHealthPro website. https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/231/uganda , each country-specific page has information on vaccine recommendations, any current health risks or outbreaks, and factsheets with information on staying healthy abroad.

A yellow fever vaccination is currently required of ALL travellers in order to enter Uganda. The vaccine must be administered at least 10 days prior to your arrival, and you must carry an International Certificate of Vaccination provided by your physician; without it, you may be denied entry.

COVID-19 requirement

All travelers entering Uganda via Entebbe International Airport must provide printed, documented proof of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours of boarding their flight to Uganda. Any person failing to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result will not be allowed to enter the country. • All travelers must take an additional COVID-19 RT-PCR on arrival. The testing is performed at a facility near Entebbe International Airport and guests must wait (approximately 2-4 hours) for their result. If the result is negative, guests may continue with their scheduled journey.

Note: COVID rules and regulations are subject to change from time to time. Get in touch with us for accurate new rules before travel.

Climate

It is sunny and green all year round with two distinct rainy seasons stretching from March to May and September to November. However, rain can occur at any time. The temperature average is 27C with the highest being 31C in the Karamoja and Kasese regions and the lowest being 15C in Kabale.

Money

American Express, Discover Cards and Mastercard’s are rarely accepted, except in few places. Visa Cards are readily accepted. Some large hotels, restaurants, travel agencies and shops in the urban areas accept credit cards. Traveler’s cheques are not widely accepted outside Kampala.

Time zone:  GMT +3:00

Electricity:  Uganda operates on a 240V supply voltage and 50Hz. the associated plug type is G, which is the plug that has three rectangular pins in a triangular pattern.

Telephone:  International telephone code +256

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