This 5-night Great Ape Conservation Safari takes you to Kyambura Gorge and Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. Combining exceptional wildlife viewing with the opportunity to participate in vital conservation projects and meet the people who work to protect the great apes, this safari gives you behind-the-scenes access to conservation and community projects run by Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust.
Spend three nights each at Kyambura Gorge Lodge and Mount Gahinga Lodge and explore the wonderful changing landscapes and exceptional biodiversity of the Albertine Rift. Enjoy early morning walking safaris through the rolling savannah and Kyambura Gorge, a magical sunken rainforest, to search for the 'Lost Chimps of Kyambura’.
Join the Kyambura Lion Monitoring Team as they identify large carnivores as part of an annual census and participate in the Kyambura Ecotourism Project, a series of initiatives in partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute which aims to protect a small isolated group of chimpanzees and the fragile gorge ecosystem in which they live.
At Mount Gahinga Lodge, visit the Batwa Village and learn about the ancient culture of one of the oldest surviving indigenous people in the Central African Region. Trek to see the rare golden monkey and end your safari with a trek to the enchanting and playful Nyakagezi gorilla family, the only gorilla group in Mgahinga Park and famous for its high number of silverbacks.
2026 Rates from $6,490 per person for this 5-night all-inclusive safari.
Trekking mountain gorillas in dense African forests is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Groups of eight visit per day, maintaining a 10m distance to protect the gorillas. Treks last 3-8 hours, requiring some fitness, but all levels are accommodated for this unforgettable adventure.
Golden monkeys, with their striking golden fur and playful nature, inhabit the volcanic foothills of Mgahinga National Park in Uganda and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Treks lead through bamboo forests and moorlands, offering a chance to observe these rare primates in their natural habitat.
Guests at Virunga Lodge and Mount Gahinga Lodge can embark on exhilarating climbs of the Virunga volcanoes—Mt. Gahinga, Mt. Sabyinyo, and Mt. Muhavura. Each offers unique challenges and stunning views, with hikes starting early and lasting a full day.
Join a veterinarian from Gorilla Doctors for an enlightening briefing on gorilla health and conservation strategies. Learn about their unique One Health approach and life-saving veterinary practices dedicated solely to the conservation of endangered mountain and eastern lowland gorillas.
Discover the Kisozi Caldera, just a short hike from Mount Gahinga Lodge. This easy to moderate trek leads to a small hilltop with sweeping views of the volcanic landscape, where calderas mark the terrain formed by ancient eruptions
Participate in the lion monitoring project at Queen Elizabeth National Park. Collect and submit survey data on game drives to the Kyambura Lion Monitoring Team. Record GPS locations and take identification photos of lions. Your contributions aid in the protection and research of Uganda’s carnivore populations.
The Kyambura Gorge Buffer Walk, a 3-hour guided experience, showcases the buffer area developed by the VSPT and local communities. Guests enjoy scenic views of the gorge, the park, and Kyambura reserve, while learning about the 3000 indigenous trees planted in the area.
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The Batwa are thought to be one of the oldest surviving indigenous people in the Central African Region. Known for their unique culture in the forests, the Batwa of the Virunga Mountains survived by hunting small game, gathering plants and fruits, living in caves and constructing huts of leaves and branches.
The Batwa Cultural Heritage Site at Mount Gahinga Lodge preserves Batwa traditions through a herbal garden, traditional huts, and a trail where they demonstrate forest life, hunting, and honey collection to Volcanoes Safaris guests. The VSPT aims to expand this site to safeguard Batwa culture.
The Kazinga Channel is a 32-kilometer long channel, rich in wildlife, that links Lakes Edward and George. Boat trips down the channel depart from Mweya Safari Lodge (about an hour’s drive through the park from Kyambura Gorge Lodge) and last 3-4 hours. The boat cruise provides a wonderful opportunity to photograph the many animals that come to cool off at the waters’ edge, including lion, buffalo, hippo, elephant, and leopard.
Kyambura Lion Monitoring Project Field Co-ordinator
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Kyambura Lion Monitoring Project Assistant Field Researcher
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Kyambura Lion Monitoring Project, Assistant Field Researcher
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Kyambura Chimpanzee Monitoring Project Field Researcher
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Kyambura Chimpanzee Monitoring Project Field Researcher
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Arrive in Uganda at Entebbe Airport where a Volcanoes Safaris representative will assist you to your hotel.
Overnight at Hotel No. 5 (dinner, breakfast)
Transfer from your hotel to Entebbe airport where a representative will assist you with your 7 AM domestic flight to Kasese airstrip, where you will be welcomed by your expert Volcanoes Safaris guide who will provide knowledge and assistance throughout your journey.
Drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park for approximately 2 hours to Kyambura Gorge Lodge. Visit the Rwenzori Sculpture Foundation on the way and learn about the cultural partnership with Volcanoes Safaris to support young Ugandan artists.
In the afternoon, walk along the Fig Tree Trail and then down into Kyambura Gorge, to search for the ‘Lost Chimps of Kyambura’. The gorge is an extraordinary natural environment and forms a stark contrast to the surrounding grasslands. Here you can track one of our closest animal relatives: the chimpanzee. The walk is exciting and enchanting as you look for members of this mobile chimp group, often seen moving quickly between the canopy overhead as they search for food.
Participate in the Kyambura Gorge Ecotourism Project, run by Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust (VSPT) and learn about our partnership to protect the gorge and chimpanzees with the Jane Goodall Institute. Try roasting coffee with the Kyambura Women’s Coffee Cooperative, go birding in the Kyambura reclaimed wetlands, plant a tree seedling in the wildlife buffer zone, or harvest honey with the Kyambura bee-keeping cooperative.
Flying time between 1 to 1.5 hours, driving time 1-2 hour.
Overnight at Kyambura Gorge Lodge (lunch, dinner)
Enjoy an early breakfast and set out for a morning game drive for the best wildlife viewings in the park. Depending on the season the wildlife seen varies. The Kasenyi plains are excellent for sighting lion and large herds of Uganda kob. The Mweya peninsula is one of the best places to look for leopard, which live in the dense, scrubby thickets.
Take lion identification photos and track your GPS, which will form part of an annual carnivore census as part of the Lion Monitoring Project.
In the afternoon take a cruise on the Kazinga Channel, which flows between Lakes Edward and George. Kazinga is home to one of the greatest concentration of hippo in Africa and herds of elephant, buffalo and other animals come to drink at the waters edge. The channel is a magnet for waterbirds, with great flocks of pelicans and others birds on the shore, and a great spot to see African fish eagle.
Overnight at Kyambura Gorge Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Transfer to Kasese Airstrip for an early morning flight to Kisoro. Transfer by road for 1 to 2 hours to Mount Gahinga Lodge. The lodge is located at the foot of the Virunga Volcanoes and on the edge of Mgahinga National Park.
In the afternoon visit the Gahinga Batwa Village and experience the culture and history of one of Africa’s oldest tribes. On your tour, you will visit their new village and community centre and can participate in the Batwa Heritage Tour to gain insight into their traditional life as hunter gatherers in the 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 Mount Gahinga Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
After enjoying an early breakfast, 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.
After a climb of between one and three hours the moment you find the gorillas camouflaged in the vegetation is an inspiring and privileged one. You will spend one hour in the company of the majestic and gentle mountain gorillas before returning to the lodge in time for a late lunch.
Gorilla trekking requires stamina and can sometimes take a full day, especially if it is wet and muddy.
Relax after your day’s tracking experience and enjoy a complimentary spa treatments and massages, including the famous Rungu massage at Gahinga Spa and Sauna. Visit the Batwa Vocational Center and see how the community are earning a sustainable income through craft making.
Overnight at Mount Gahinga Lodge (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
Transfer from Mount Gahinga Lodge to Kisoro airstrip for your morning flight to Entebbe and then connect to your international flight.
Approximate Travel Times: Flying 1 to 1.5 hours; Driving time 1 hour.
Please book international flights departing after 7pm.
(Breakfast at the lodge)
To make a booking, please complete this form or click here to chat to one of our sales consultants via our live chat. Alternatively, send us an email on [email protected].
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