8-Day Murchison Falls, Chimpanzee and Gorilla Trekking Safari in Uganda

Experience Uganda’s spectacular wildlife, tropical rainforests, powerful waterfalls, and unforgettable primate encounters on this 8-Day Murchison Falls, Chimpanzee and Gorilla Trekking Safari. This adventure combines Murchison Falls National Park, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest National Park, and mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The 8-Day Murchison Falls Chimpanzee and Gorilla Trekking Safari is ideal for travelers seeking a complete Uganda wildlife experience, combining Big Five safari opportunities, forest walks, scenic landscapes, and encounters with two of Africa’s most remarkable primates.

Organized by World Blossom Safaris, a Uganda-based tour operator, this journey offers private transportation, an experienced English-speaking driver-guide, carefully selected accommodation, and assistance with arranging chimpanzee and gorilla permits.

Tour Highlights

• Explore Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest national park.
• Witness the dramatic Murchison Falls, where the Nile forces its way through a narrow gorge.
• Enjoy wildlife game drives in search of elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, antelopes, and other wildlife.
• Take a boat cruise on the River Nile to see hippos, crocodiles, and waterbirds.
• Track wild chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park.
• Trek endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
• Travel through Uganda’s scenic countryside, forests, and rural communities.
• Enjoy a private safari with World Blossom Safaris.

Detailed 8-Day Uganda Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Transfer from Entebbe or Kampala to Murchison Falls National Park

Your 8-Day Murchison Falls Chimpanzee and Gorilla Trekking Safari begins with pickup from Entebbe International Airport, your hotel in Entebbe, or Kampala.

Meet your professional driver-guide for a briefing before traveling north toward Murchison Falls National Park. Depending on your departure point and timing, you may visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for an optional guided rhino-tracking experience.

Continue to your lodge near the park, check in, and relax as you prepare for your wildlife adventure.

Main activities: Scenic drive, optional rhino tracking, and lodge relaxation.

Accommodation: Lodge near Murchison Falls National Park.

Meals: Lunch and dinner, depending on your pickup time and selected package.

Day 2: Morning Game Drive and Afternoon Nile Boat Cruise

After breakfast, enter Murchison Falls National Park for a morning game drive across its savannah plains. Look for elephants, Rothschild’s giraffes, buffaloes, Uganda kob, waterbucks, and, with luck, lions and leopards.

Return to your lodge for lunch before heading to the Nile for an afternoon boat cruise toward the base of Murchison Falls. Observe hippos, Nile crocodiles, and a variety of birds along the riverbanks.

You may also enjoy views of the falls from a designated viewpoint, depending on the day’s schedule and access conditions.

Main activities: Game drive, wildlife photography, Nile boat cruise, and birdwatching.

Accommodation: Lodge near Murchison Falls National Park.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Day 3: Top of Murchison Falls and Transfer to Kibale Forest

Enjoy breakfast before visiting the top of Murchison Falls, where the Nile squeezes through a narrow rocky gorge before plunging below. Experience the dramatic views and listen to the powerful roar of the water.

Afterward, depart for Kibale Forest National Park in western Uganda. Enjoy the changing landscapes as you travel from the northern savannah toward the lush forests of the Albertine Rift region.

Arrive at your lodge near Kibale, check in, and relax.

Main activities: Top of the falls visit, scenic transfer, and countryside viewing.

Accommodation: Lodge near Kibale Forest National Park.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Day 4: Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest National Park

Today is dedicated to one of Uganda’s most exciting primate experiences. After an early breakfast, report to the park headquarters for a briefing by the forest guides.

Enter Kibale Forest to search for wild chimpanzees as they feed, communicate, groom, and move through the trees. The forest is also home to other primates, including red-tailed monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, and black-and-white colobus monkeys.

Following your trek, return to the lodge for lunch or relaxation. Depending on your interests and available time, you may arrange a guided Bigodi Wetland visit at an additional cost.

Main activities: Guided chimpanzee tracking, forest exploration, and optional Bigodi Wetland walk.

Accommodation: Lodge near Kibale Forest National Park.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast, depart Kibale for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to endangered mountain gorillas.

Enjoy a scenic journey through Uganda’s countryside, rolling hills, cultivated landscapes, and traditional communities. Your guide will arrange suitable stops along the route, depending on travel time and road conditions.

Bwindi has different trekking sectors, so your lodge and transfer arrangements will depend on the gorilla permit sector confirmed for your travel dates.

Arrive at your lodge, check in, and receive a briefing about the following day’s gorilla trekking experience.

Main activities: Scenic road transfer, countryside photography, and gorilla trekking preparation.

Accommodation: Lodge near your confirmed Bwindi trekking sector.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Day 6: Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

This is the highlight of your 8-Day Murchison Falls Chimpanzee and Gorilla Trekking Safari.

After an early breakfast, head to the designated park headquarters for registration and a briefing by Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers. You will be assigned to a gorilla family and begin trekking through the forest with trained guides and trackers.

The trek can involve steep slopes, thick vegetation, and uneven terrain. Once your assigned gorilla family is located, you will normally have up to one hour to observe the gorillas under the applicable park rules. Watch these magnificent animals feed, rest, groom, and interact in their natural habitat.

After the trek, return to the lodge to relax and celebrate this remarkable wildlife encounter.

Main activities: Mountain gorilla trekking, wildlife photography in accordance with park rules, and forest exploration.

Accommodation: Lodge near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Important: Gorilla trekking permits are subject to availability and must be secured in advance. The trek’s duration and difficulty vary according to the gorilla family’s location and forest conditions.

Day 7: Relaxation and Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

After breakfast, leave Bwindi and travel to Lake Bunyonyi, one of southwestern Uganda’s most scenic lakes, surrounded by terraced hills and numerous small islands.

Arrive at your lakeside lodge and spend the afternoon relaxing or enjoying optional activities such as a canoe excursion, a guided community visit, or birdwatching.

This day offers a slower pace after the physically demanding gorilla trek.

Main activities: Scenic transfer, lake views, relaxation, and optional activities.

Accommodation: Lodge near Lake Bunyonyi.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Day 8: Return to Entebbe or Kampala

Enjoy breakfast while taking in the beautiful surroundings of Lake Bunyonyi. Begin your return journey to Kampala or Entebbe, with suitable stops for refreshments, lunch, and photography.

Your guide will transfer you to your hotel or Entebbe International Airport, according to your onward travel arrangements.

Please allow sufficient time for the road journey when booking international flights. An overnight stay near the airport may be advisable for early departures.

Your 8-Day Murchison Falls Chimpanzee and Gorilla Trekking Safari ends with unforgettable memories of Uganda’s wildlife, rainforests, and spectacular scenery.

Main activities: Breakfast, scenic drive, and hotel or airport drop-off.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch, depending on your departure arrangements.

What Is Included in the Safari Package?

• Private 4×4 safari vehicle with air conditioning and a pop-up roof, subject to vehicle confirmation.
• Services of an English-speaking driver-guide.
• Airport or hotel pickup and drop-off as agreed.
• Seven nights of accommodation, subject to the final itinerary and selected accommodation category.
• Meals as specified in the final quotation.
• Murchison Falls National Park entry fees for the activities included in the itinerary.
• Scheduled Nile boat cruise.
• Chimpanzee tracking permit, if explicitly included in the confirmed quotation.
• Mountain gorilla trekking permit, if explicitly included in the confirmed quotation.
• Drinking water in the safari vehicle.
• Government taxes and applicable fees included in the confirmed quotation.

What Is Excluded?

• International flights and visa fees.
• Travel insurance and personal medical expenses.
• Optional Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary visit unless included in the quotation.
• Optional Bigodi Wetland walk and other activities not specified as included.</