7- Night Kibale Bwindi Safari

Day 1

Arrive in Uganda at Entebbe Airport where a Volcanoes Safaris representative will assist you to your hotel. Overnight at Hotel No. 5 (dinner, breakfast)

Day 2

Transfer from your hotel to Entebbe airport where a representative will assist you with your domestic flight to Kasese airstrip, where you will be welcomed by your expert Volcanoes Safaris guide who will provide knowledge and assistance throughout your safari.

Drive for approximately 1 hour to Kibale Lodge, near Kibale National Park. Visit the Rwenzori Sculpture Foundation on the way and learn about the cultural partnership with Volcanoes Safaris to display sculptures relating to the traditional clans of Uganda around the lodge.

Kibale lodge has stunning panoramic views of the snow-covered peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains to the west, and the Queen Elizabeth plains and the Kazinga channel to the south. In the afternoon visit a local school as part of the Roots and Shoots program which aims to build women leaders in conservation, in partnership with Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust and the Jane Goodall Institute.

Enjoy pre-dinner cocktails and a fireside chat with a vet from the Kibale Chimpanzee project and learn about their daily work looking after the health of the chimpanzees.

Flying time between 1 to 1.5 hours, driving time 1 hour. Overnight at Kibale Lodge (lunch, dinner)

Day 3

Spend the morning trekking the exuberant chimp families in Kibale forest, the Primate Capital of the World. Seeing the chimpanzees in their natural habitat, as they swing from the branches in the canopy high above is a thrilling experience. The forest quickly becomes alive with their noisy calls.

In the afternoon, go birding in the Bigodi Wetland. The reserve is abundant with butterflies, plants, animals and birds, including the elusive Red Colobus monkeys and Sitatunga antelope. Spectacular species including the Great Blue Turaco and rare Papyrus Gonolek will be of great interest to birders.

On the way back to the lodge visit a school taking part in the Roots and Shoots program with the Jane Goodall Institute and Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust.

Overnight at Kibale Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 3

After breakfast, go for a second chimpanzee trek in Kibale. Look out for the other wonderful primates, mammals and birds, including Olive Baboons, nocturnal Bushbabies and the elusive Red Colobus monkey. The dense forest is famous for some of the world’s best birding, with a vast diversity of species including the Great Blue Turaco, the beautiful Papyrus Gonolek and the rare Green Breasted Pitta.

Return to the lodge for lunch and in the afternoon visit the nearby Sadhguru School, supported by Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust.

Overnight at Kibale Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 5

Transfer to Kasese Airstrip for an early flight to Kihihi.  Transfer to by road to Bwindi Lodge to Bwindi Lodge situated on the edge of the impenetrable forest.

Enjoy pre-dinner cocktails and a fireside chat with a vet from the Gorilla Doctors and learn about their daily work looking after the health of the mountain gorillas.

Overnight at Bwindi Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 6

After enjoying an early breakfast, you set off gorilla tracking. Trekking through the steep, densely forested hills and then finally coming across the gorillas camouflaged in the vegetation is an inspiring and privileged moment. Tracking in the Bwindi forest can be steep and requires stamina as some gorilla families can be more elusive, and tracking can take a full day, especially if it is wet and muddy.

Visit the award-winning Bwindi Bar on the way back to the lodge after your gorilla trek and celebrate with the signature Gorillini cocktail! Bwindi Bar provides hospitality training to young disadvantaged youth from the neighbouring communities.

Approximate driving time up to 2 hours, depending on the location of the gorilla groups.

Overnight at Bwindi Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner).

Day 7

Either go for a second gorilla trek (additional permits required, upon payment of supplement and subject to availability), choose from one of the following community and conservation activities:

Take a guided walk in the rainforest to a beautiful waterfall and enjoy a guided birding walk along the Munyanga River Trail. Visit the Bwindi Community Hospital and learn about their gorilla conservation at the Conservation Through Public Health centre. Enjoy a demonstration of our local tea processing cooperation at Bwindi Lodge.

Overnight at Bwindi Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner).

Day 8

Transfer from Bwindi lodge to Kihihi airstrip for your morning or afternoon return flight to Entebbe and connect in time for your international flight.

Approximate Travel Times: Flying 1 to 2 hours; Driving 2 hours.

Please book international flights departing after 8pm.

(Breakfast at the lodge)