10 Days Luxury Primate Photography Safari in Uganda

Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport

Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will meet and greet with our representative from Engabi Tours and Travel who will welcome you to Uganda and transfer you to your hotel in Entebbe. This relaxed first evening allows you to recover from your flight and prepare your photography gear for the exciting primate encounters ahead. Your guide will also brief you about the upcoming safari and what to expect during the journey.

Accommodation Option: Hotel No. 5, Best Western Premier Boutique Hotel

Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast

Day 2: Transfer to Kibale National Park

After breakfast at the hotel, you will begin your journey to Kibale National Park, famously known as the primate capital of the world and home to 13 species of primates including chimpanzees. The scenic drive passes through Uganda’s countryside with beautiful landscapes, tea plantations, and rural communities offering plenty of photographic moments along the way.

You will arrive in time for check-in and lunch at the lodge. The afternoon is free to relax and prepare your elves for the chimpanzee tracking adventures scheduled for the following day. Later Prepare for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation Option: Chimpundu Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale National Park (Morning and Afternoon)

After your early morning breakfast, your driver will transfer you to the Kanyanchu park headquarters in Kibale National Park for briefing by the senior park ranger. At 8:00 am you will join the rest of the trackers and begin your morning chimpanzee trekking experience.

Tracking chimpanzees in this tropical rainforest is an exciting photographic opportunity as you may observe them feeding, grooming, and moving quickly through the forest canopy. Most chimpanzee tracking experiences take between three to four hours depending on the location of the troop.

After returning for lunch, you will head out again for an afternoon chimpanzee trek, giving you another opportunity to photograph these fascinating primates under different forest lighting conditions.

Accommodation Option: Chimpundu Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Rushaga Sector)

After breakfast you will check out and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, specifically the Rushaga sector in the southern part of the park. Bwindi is renowned as the home to nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas.

Derived from the Rukiga word “Bwindi” meaning a dark place, this ancient rainforest has existed for over 250,000 years and is one of Africa’s most biologically diverse forests. You will arrive in time for check-in at your lodge, followed by dinner and overnight as you prepare for your unique gorilla experiences.

Accommodation Option: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5: Gorilla Habituation Experience in Bwindi

You will wake up early for breakfast and transfer to the park headquarters for briefing before starting the gorilla habituation experience. Unlike the standard gorilla trek, this special activity allows up to four hours with a semi-habituated gorilla family alongside researchers and park rangers.

For photographers, this extended time offers exceptional opportunities to capture behavioral interactions, family dynamics, and detailed portraits of these magnificent primates within the dense rainforest environment of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

After the trek, return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Accommodation Option: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6: Normal Gorilla Trekking Experience in Bwindi

After breakfast you will return to the park headquarters for another briefing before beginning your gorilla trekking experience. Guided by experienced ranger guides, you will trek through the misty jungle in search of one of the fully habituated gorilla families. The trekking experience can take between two to eight hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. Once you encounter them, you will spend one unforgettable hour observing and photographing them in their natural habitat.

Return to the lodge later in the afternoon for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Accommodation Option:Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 7: Boat Excursion on Lake Mutanda and Transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

After breakfast you will enjoy a scenic boat excursion on Lake Mutanda, a beautiful volcanic lake surrounded by dramatic views of the Virunga Mountains. The calm waters, traditional dugout canoes, and small islands provide stunning photographic landscapes.

Later you will transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda’s smallest national park but one of its most scenic, located within the Virunga volcanic range arriving in time for check-in. Later prepare for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation Option: Mount Gahinga Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 8: Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

After breakfast you will head to the park headquarters in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for briefing before beginning your gorilla trekking experience. The trek takes you through bamboo forests and volcanic slopes as you search for the Nyakagezi gorilla family. Once located, you will spend one hour observing and photographing these rare mountain gorillas.

Return to the lodge afterwards for lunch and relaxation before dinner and overnight.

Accommodation Option: Mount Gahinga Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 9: Golden Monkey Tracking

After breakfast you will return to the park headquarters for golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. These endangered monkeys are found only in the Virunga mountains and are known for their vibrant golden fur and playful behavior. Tracking them through the bamboo forest offers exciting photography moments as they move quickly through the vegetation in large troops. The activity normally takes three to four hours. Return to the lodge afterwards for lunch and a relaxed afternoon before dinner and overnight.

Accommodation Option: Mount Gahinga Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 10: Transfer to Kigali International Airport

After breakfast you will begin your journey to Kigali International Airport in Kigali for your international departure flight. The drive offers scenic views of the rolling hills of Rwanda before arriving at the airport in time for check-in. This marks the end of your unforgettable primate photography journey through Uganda.

Meal Plan: Breakfast