23-Day Uganda Gorilla Habituation Adventure

23-Day Uganda Gorilla Habituation Adventure: a 23-day private safari with Afrisites, starting from Entebbe. The route is Entebbe / Kampala, Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Kibale National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Ishasha, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Built around the four-hour gorilla habituation in Rushaga or Nkuringo, Uganda’s Virunga slice at Mgahinga and chimpanzee habituation in Kibale. Road days are the real west-Uganda or Rwanda distances, not padded shopping stops. Lodge class is mid-range unless you ask us to go simpler or higher. Gorilla and chimpanzee permits are collected in your name before you fly.

From US$10,250 per person sharing

23 days · Uganda · private safari

Indicative for two people sharing, mid-range lodges (or the luxury tier if this trip is sold as luxury), current gorilla and chimpanzee permit rates. Your invoice names the lodges, the permit numbers and the season. Permit tariffs are set by the parks and can change.

At a glance

Gorilla habituation permit (four hours) — Rushaga or Nkuringo, matched to the lodge
Mgahinga gorilla or golden monkey morning, with an honest plan if the family has crossed the border
Kibale chimpanzee habituation walk with researchers
Murchison game drives plus the Nile boat to the Falls
Ishasha woodland for tree-climbing lions — habitat, not a guarantee
Kidepo Narus Valley — usually a fly-in

Day by day

Day 1 — Entebbe / Kampala

Meet at Entebbe International Airport. Depending on your landing time we transfer to a lakeside lodge in Entebbe or continue toward the first park. Briefing on permits, packing and the next morning’s start. Overnight: Protea or Lake Victoria View in Entebbe.

Day 2 — Murchison Falls National Park

Game drive the northern savannah for elephant, Rothschild’s giraffe, lion and Uganda kob. Afternoon boat on the Nile to the base of the Falls, then the short hike to the top if the group wants it. Overnight: Nile safari lodge on the north or south bank, packed lunch on boat days.

Day 3 — Murchison Falls National Park

Second game-drive window in Murchison: dawn in the delta grasslands, or a Nile bank walk where permitted. Optional sport fishing or a longer boat if the first afternoon was cut short. Overnight: Same Murchison lodge.

Day 4 — Murchison Falls National Park

A second loop in Murchison Falls National Park — different sector and a later or earlier start, so this is not yesterday copied. Afternoon boat on the Nile to the base of the Falls, then the short hike to the top if the group wants it. Overnight: Nile safari lodge on the north or south bank, packed lunch on boat days.

Day 5 — Kidepo Valley National Park

Remote north-east Uganda. Ostrich, cheetah, large buffalo herds and night skies with almost no light pollution. Game drives in the Narus Valley. Overnight: Apoka or a Narus Valley camp — this is a fly-in for most guests.

Day 6 — Kidepo Valley National Park

Extra night at Kidepo Valley National Park so the main activity is not rushed against a transfer. Ostrich, cheetah, large buffalo herds and night skies with almost no light pollution. Game drives in the Narus Valley. Overnight: Apoka or a Narus Valley camp — this is a fly-in for most guests.

Day 7 — Kidepo Valley National Park

A second loop in Kidepo Valley National Park — different sector and a later or earlier start, so this is not yesterday copied. Ostrich, cheetah, large buffalo herds and night skies with almost no light pollution. Game drives in the Narus Valley. Overnight: Apoka or a Narus Valley camp — this is a fly-in for most guests.

Day 8 — Kibale National Park

Chimpanzee habituation walk — a longer, quieter morning with researchers rather than the standard one-hour track. Rest at the lodge through the heat of the day. Overnight: Primate Lodge Kibale.

Day 9 — Kibale National Park

Chimpanzee tracking in Uganda’s primate capital. Afternoon Bigodi wetland walk for colobus, turacos and village birding, or crater-lake views around Fort Portal. Overnight: Primate Lodge Kibale or a Fort Portal crater-lake lodge.

Day 10 — Kibale National Park

A second loop in Kibale National Park — different sector and a later or earlier start, so this is not yesterday copied. Afternoon Bigodi wetland walk for colobus, turacos and village birding, or crater-lake views around Fort Portal. Overnight: Primate Lodge Kibale or a Fort Portal crater-lake lodge.

Day 11 — Queen Elizabeth National Park

Game drives on the Kasenyi plains and a Kazinga Channel boat safari: hippo, buffalo, elephant and one of East Africa’s densest water-bird lists. Overnight: Mweya or Kasenyi savannah lodge; Ishasha Wilderness Camp when we use the south.

Day 12 — Queen Elizabeth National Park

Extra night at Queen Elizabeth National Park so the main activity is not rushed against a transfer. Game drives on the Kasenyi plains and a Kazinga Channel boat safari: hippo, buffalo, elephant and one of East Africa’s densest water-bird lists. Overnight: Mweya or Kasenyi savannah lodge; Ishasha Wilderness Camp when we use the south.

Day 13 — Queen Elizabeth National Park

A second loop in Queen Elizabeth National Park — different sector and a later or earlier start, so this is not yesterday copied. Game drives on the Kasenyi plains and a Kazinga Channel boat safari: hippo, buffalo, elephant and one of East Africa’s densest water-bird lists. Overnight: Mweya or Kasenyi savannah lodge; Ishasha Wilderness Camp when we use the south.

Day 14 — Ishasha, Queen Elizabeth National Park

Southern Queen for the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha. Fig trees, open woodland and a quieter game-drive than the northern circuit. This sector sits on the road to Bwindi. Overnight: Ishasha Wilderness Camp or similar, on the Bwindi road.

Day 15 — Ishasha, Queen Elizabeth National Park

Extra night at Ishasha, Queen Elizabeth National Park so the main activity is not rushed against a transfer. Fig trees, open woodland and a quieter game-drive than the northern circuit. This sector sits on the road to Bwindi. Overnight: Ishasha Wilderness Camp or similar, on the Bwindi road.

Day 16 — Ishasha, Queen Elizabeth National Park

A second loop in Ishasha, Queen Elizabeth National Park — different sector and a later or earlier start, so this is not yesterday copied. Fig trees, open woodland and a quieter game-drive than the northern circuit. This sector sits on the road to Bwindi. Overnight: Ishasha Wilderness Camp or similar, on the Bwindi road.

Day 17 — Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Gorilla habituation experience — four hours with a semi-habituated family in Rushaga or Nkuringo, not the standard one-hour trek. Harder walking, smaller groups, richer observation. Overnight: Rushaga or Nkuringo forest lodge, walking distance of the habituation trailhead where possible.

Day 18 — Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Mountain gorilla trekking. Briefing at the sector headquarters (Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga or Nkuringo — whichever permit we hold). Up to a several-hour hike, then one hour with the family. Porter recommended. Overnight: Buhoma Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Camp or similar (we match the sector of your permit).

Day 19 — Lake Bunyonyi

Recovery on the lake after the forest: canoeing between islands, a slow lodge lunch, and views back toward the Bwindi escarpment. Overnight: Island or hillside lodge on Lake Bunyonyi.

Day 20 — Lake Bunyonyi

Stay on in Lake Bunyonyi. We change the track and the vehicle loop rather than pad the day with a souvenir stop. Recovery on the lake after the forest: canoeing between islands, a slow lodge lunch, and views back toward the Bwindi escarpment. Overnight: Island or hillside lodge on Lake Bunyonyi.

Day 21 — Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Uganda’s Virunga slice: gorilla trekking when the Nyakagezi family is on this side of the border, or golden monkey tracking and the Garama Cave / Batwa trail if the gorillas have crossed to Rwanda. Overnight: Mount Gahinga Lodge or a Kisoro hotel if the gorilla family is not on the Uganda side.

Day 22 — Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

A second loop in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park — different sector and a later or earlier start, so this is not yesterday copied. Uganda’s Virunga slice: gorilla trekking when the Nyakagezi family is on this side of the border, or golden monkey tracking and the Garama Cave / Batwa trail if the gorillas have crossed to Rwanda. Overnight: Mount Gahinga Lodge or a Kisoro hotel if the gorilla family is not on the Uganda side.

Day 23 — Return to Entebbe

Drive or fly back to Entebbe. Airport drop timed to your outgoing flight. If you fly after 8 p.m. we keep a day-room option so you are not sitting at the terminal all afternoon.

Included

Private 4×4 safari vehicle and English-speaking driver-guide (or light aircraft plus transfers on fly-in days)
Lodge or camp as named in the day-by-day, full board except on arrival/departure city nights (bed and breakfast)
Park fees for the reserves in this itinerary
Bottled water in the vehicle
Airport meet-and-greet
Gorilla permit (Uganda or Rwanda as this itinerary states) — collected before we hold the date
Gorilla habituation permit where the day-by-day says habituation, not a standard trek

Not included

International flights
Uganda or Rwanda visa
Drinks, laundry and tips
Travel insurance (mandatory — you buy this yourself)
Optional activities not named in the day-by-day (second gorilla permit, golden monkeys, extra boat)

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