Gorillas and chimpanzees, with time spent in the community-led places that protect them: a wetland sanctuary, the villages at the edge of Bwindi and a village on Lake Bunyonyi.
Gorilla and chimpanzee permits help fund the parks, but the forests are also protected by the people who live beside them. On this route you trek the great apes, and you also spend time with the communities that work around them, from the guides of Bigodi Wetland to the villages at the edge of Bwindi.
Every visit is with a community-led group, we keep numbers small, and you leave knowing where your money goes.
Uganda
Luxury safari
Handpicked luxury lodges and camps, chosen for their setting, service and guiding.
Private safari
Your own vehicle and guide for the whole journey, never shared with other travellers.
Made to measure
Change the pace, a lodge or an activity and we rebuild the itinerary around you.
Start any day
Travel on the dates that suit you, subject to lodge and permit availability.
Solo travellers welcome
Priced for one on request, with the single supplement shown under Rates.
Minimum age 15
Gorilla permits are only issued to visitors aged 15 and over.
Pace and fitness
Balanced, fitness: active.
Drive west to Fort Portal and Kibale Forest, reaching Primate Lodge in the afternoon. Walk the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary with a guide from the community that runs it, and hear how its income supports the neighbouring villages.
Overnight
Primate Lodge Kibale (opens the property’s website in a new tab)
The only lodge inside Kibale Forest, a short walk from the chimpanzee briefing.
Track a chimpanzee community in the morning with a ranger. In the afternoon walk with a local guide to a village on the forest edge, to see how families farm beside the park.
Overnight
Primate Lodge Kibale (opens the property’s website in a new tab)
The only lodge inside Kibale Forest, a short walk from the chimpanzee briefing.
Drive south to the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth and settle in at Ishasha Wilderness Camp. An evening game drive looks for the lions that rest in the fig trees.
Overnight
Ishasha Wilderness Camp (opens the property’s website in a new tab)
Ten tents on the Ntungwe River in the tree-climbing lion sector.
Drive on to Bwindi, and in the late afternoon take a guided walk through the village at the edge of the forest, meeting local people and hearing how the community lives beside the gorillas.
Overnight
Bwindi Lodge (opens the property’s website in a new tab)
Eight bandas facing the forest in Buhoma, a short walk from the gorilla trek briefing point.
Walk from the lodge to the briefing and set off with your trackers to find your gorilla family. You spend an hour with them in the forest, and the afternoon is yours.
Overnight
Bwindi Lodge (opens the property’s website in a new tab)
Eight bandas facing the forest in Buhoma, a short walk from the gorilla trek briefing point.
Drive to Lake Bunyonyi and settle in at BirdNest Resort. Paddle a dugout canoe between the islands, then visit a village on the shore to see how the terraced hills are farmed.
Overnight
BirdNest Resort (opens the property’s website in a new tab)
A calm lakeside hotel on Bunyonyi with a waterfront deck and heated pool.
Drive through the hills to Kihihi airstrip and take the scheduled flight to Entebbe, arriving in time for evening connections.
Primate Lodge Kibale (opens the property’s website in a new tab)
The only lodge inside Kibale Forest, a short walk from the chimpanzee briefing.
Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Ishasha Wilderness Camp (opens the property’s website in a new tab)
Ten tents on the Ntungwe River in the tree-climbing lion sector.
Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Bwindi Lodge (opens the property’s website in a new tab)
Eight bandas facing the forest in Buhoma, a short walk from the gorilla trek briefing point.
Breakfast, lunch & dinner
BirdNest Resort (opens the property’s website in a new tab)
A calm lakeside hotel on Bunyonyi with a waterfront deck and heated pool.
Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Important to know
Rates per person
| Season | Solo | 2 people | 3 people | 4 people | 5 people | 6 people | 7+ people |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High season (Jun to Oct, Dec to Feb) | US$6,860 | US$5,810 | US$5,461 | US$5,461 | US$5,461 | US$5,461 | Get quote |
| Low season (Mar to May, Nov) | US$6,020 | US$5,100 | US$4,794 | US$4,794 | US$4,794 | US$4,794 | Get quote |
Prices are per person, in US dollars, and depend on the number of travellers sharing the vehicle and guide. They are sample rates for planning and will be confirmed when you enquire, as lodge and permit prices change each year. Gorilla and chimpanzee permits are included at the current government rate and are subject to availability.
Best time for this trip Jun to Sep, Dec to Feb
For gorilla and chimp treks, bring sturdy waterproof hiking boots, long trousers you can tuck into your socks, a long-sleeved shirt, a light rain jacket and gardening gloves for grabbing vines. Porters are available at the trailhead and we recommend hiring one: it helps your trek and supports the local community.
Pack light, neutral colours for game drives, a warm fleece for early mornings, a sun hat and good sunscreen. Light aircraft have a soft-bag limit of 15 kg per person including hand luggage, so leave the hard suitcases at home.
Made to measure
Every Uwera safari is private. Slow the pace, add a night by a lake, swap a lodge or bring the children: tell us in your request and we will rebuild the itinerary around you.
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