5 Days Gorilla and Chimpanzee flying tour
Best 5 Day Gorilla and Chimpanzee Flying Safari in Uganda
The 5 days gorilla and chimpanzee flying tour is a luxury primate tour that is designed for travellers who don’t like long-distance journeys. This Uganda safari will take you to Kibale Forest National Park, also famously known as the primate capital in western Uganda, where you will engage in chimpanzee trekking and a Bigodi swamp walk. During the safari, you will also visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda, where you will engage in a gorilla trekking experience to spend time with the endangered mountain gorillas.
Highlights of the tour
Day 1: Fly to Kibale Forest National Park.
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
Day 3: Fly to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Day 4: Gorilla trekking experience
Day 5: Flight back to Entebbe
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Fly to Kibale Forest National Park.
You will connect at Entebbe International Airport for the scheduled domestic flight to Kasese airstrip. Upon arrival at the airstrip, you will meet up with our driver guide to transfer to Kibale Forest National Park, also known as the primate capital, and upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for lunch, after which you will spend the rest of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
After an early breakfast, you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kanyachu Visitors Centre for a chimpanzee trekking briefing, after which you will start trekking in the forest in search of the chimpanzees, which takes about 2 to 5 hours, depending on where the chimpanzees are located, because they like to move deep into the forest in search of food. During trekking, you will be rewarded with views of other primates like grey-checked mangabeys, olive baboons, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, and views of different bird species, among others. Once the chimpanzees are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them, learn about their habits and behaviours, watch them play, feed, breastfeed, fight, rest, take pictures and record the incredible moments. Later, return to the park headquarters, where you will meet your driver guide and drive to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will go for a guided nature walk in Bigodi Swamp, also known as the birders’ paradise, where you will be able to spot the great blue turaco and other bird species and view primates like l’hoest monkeys, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and others. After the swamp walk, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Fly to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
You will have breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver-guide to transfer to Kasese airstrip for your domestic flight to Kihihi airstrip. Upon arrival at Kihihi airstrip, you will be picked up by our driver guide and then transferred to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which takes about one and a half hours to drive, and upon arrival in Bwindi, connect to your lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will either spend the rest of the day at leisure or engage in optional activities like a cultural tour where you will visit the local people in the community, learn about their culture and way of living, visit the coffee plantation and learn how coffee is processed, and enjoy their performances, among others. Later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park
After an early breakfast, you will carry your packed lunch from the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a gorilla trekking briefing, after which you will start trekking in the jungle with a park guide and park rangers who are well conversant with gorilla trekking trails. Gorilla trekking takes about 2 to 6 hours, depending on where the mountain gorillas are located, and during trekking, you will enjoy views of other primates and listen to the sweet sounds of birds singing in trees, among others.
Once the mountain gorillas are located, you will be able to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat, taking pictures, recording videos, and watching them carry out their daily activities of feeding, playing, resting, and breastfeeding young ones, among others. Later return to the lodge for an evening of relaxation, dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 5: Flight back to Entebbe
After breakfast, you will check out of your lodge and meet up with your driver to transfer to Kihihi Airstrip for your scheduled departure flight back to Entebbe International Airport, which marks the end of the 5 days flying gorilla and chimpanzee tour.
The tour includes
- Gorilla trekking permit @ $800pp
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Bigodi swamp walk
- Batwa cultural tour
- Domestic flight fee (return)
- Full board accommodation
- Meals at the lodge and en-route (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Full-time English-speaking driver guide
- 4WD safari Vehicle and fuel
- Pick up and drop off in Entebbe
- Bottled drinking water during the safari
The tour excludes
- Air flight tickets (International)
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses like buying alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, souvenirs, crafts, telephone calls, laundry services, and hiring a porter, among others.
- Tipping and gratuities
