Uganda
Gorilla & Chimpanzee Trekking
Two great apes, four days, one unforgettable forest week.
Why this itinerary
What makes this trip different
- It is the shortest itinerary that still gets you both great apes - most operators need seven days to do the same thing.
- Both treks are booked as private departures, so your vehicle, guide and pace are yours alone.
- We hold gorilla permits ahead of your dates rather than waiting for deposit, which is how families get turned away in high season.
- Driving distances are deliberately short. You spend your days in the forest, not staring at a windscreen.
Day by day
The itinerary
Wildlife
What you will see
Mountain gorilla
One habituated family, one full hour, Bwindi
Chimpanzee
Habituated community in Kibale, ~90% sighting rate
Black-and-white colobus
Common on the Bigodi walk
Red-tailed & L'Hoest's monkey
Kibale forest trails
Great blue turaco
Bigodi wetland canopy
Forest elephant
Occasional, Kibale interior
What's included
- Gorilla permit (Uganda, $800 value) and chimpanzee permit
- All park entrance fees
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof and fuel
- English-speaking driver-guide throughout
- Airport meet-and-greet at Entebbe and all transfers
- Accommodation as listed with all meals from Day 1 dinner
- Drinking water in the vehicle
- Bigodi Wetland guided walk
- 24/7 in-country support line
What's not included
- International flights and Uganda visa ($50 e-visa)
- Travel and medical insurance (required)
- Gorilla habituation experience upgrade ($1,500 permit)
- Porters on trekking days ($20-25, recommended)
- Tips for guides, rangers and lodge staff
- Alcoholic and bottled drinks at lodges
- Laundry and personal purchases
Suitability
Who this safari is for
- Travelers with limited leave who still want both apes
- Couples and honeymooners
- Photographers wanting forest primates over open plains
- Reasonably fit walkers - treks run 2 to 6 hours over hilly terrain
- Children under 15 (the minimum age for a gorilla permit)
- Travelers set on big open-plain game drives - see our 7-day Uganda safari instead
- Anyone unable to walk on steep, muddy ground for several hours
Timing
Best months to travel
- JanIdeal
- FebIdeal
- MarGood
- AprWet
- MayWet
- JunIdeal
- JulIdeal
- AugIdeal
- SepIdeal
- OctGood
- NovWet
- DecIdeal
Trekking runs year-round. Wet-season trails are muddier but lodges are quieter and 15-30% cheaper - see the month-by-month guide.
Where you stay
Accommodation options
Comfort
From $1,650 pp
Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse, Buhoma Community Rest Camp
Mid-range lodge
From $2,150 pp
Primate Lodge Kibale, Engagi Lodge Bwindi
Luxury
From $3,400 pp
Kyaninga Lodge, Bwindi Lodge or Buhoma Lodge
Route
Where this journey takes you
- 1Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- 2Kibale Forest
Questions
Frequently asked
Gallery
On this journey
Silverback, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest 
Chimpanzee tracking, Kibale Forest 
Kigezi highlands on the transfer south 
Forest-edge lodge, Buhoma sector
Next step
Request a quote for Gorilla & Chimpanzee Trekking
Tell us your dates and group size. You will get an itemised price - permits, park fees, lodges and exclusions listed separately - not a single vague number.