6 Days Gorilla & Chimpanzee Combo Safari (Bwindi & Kibale)

Uganda is one of only a handful of countries where both mountain gorillas and chimpanzees can be tracked in the wild, and this 6-day itinerary is built around seeing both, spaced with a savannah day in between to let your body recover. This itinerary depends on two separate permits, gorilla trekking in Bwindi and chimpanzee trekking in Kibale, both capped per day, so both should be secured together rather than assumed available on short notice.

6 Days Gorilla & Chimpanzee Combo Safari (Bwindi & Kibale) Itinerary

Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

A scenic drive through Uganda’s southwestern hills brings you to Bwindi, with time to settle into your lodge and receive your gorilla trekking briefing. The drive to Pakuba, when done by road rather than air, passes through the same Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary turnoff used by travelers combining rhino tracking with their Murchison Falls itinerary.

Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi

Guided by rangers and trackers, you’ll hike into the forest to spend an hour with a habituated gorilla family, one of Uganda’s signature wildlife experiences.

Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth via Ishasha

The drive north to Queen Elizabeth National Park passes through the Ishasha sector, known for its tree-climbing lions, with a game drive en route as you search the fig trees for resting cats. This route runs close to the Albertine Rift escarpment for part of the drive, one of the more scenic stretches of road in western Uganda.

Day 4: Queen Elizabeth Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Cruise

A morning game drive across the park’s northern plains is followed by an afternoon boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, before continuing toward Kibale Forest. This game drive rounds out an itinerary already built around two ape treks, and most guests find the open savannah views a welcome contrast to the forest walking of the previous days.

Day 5: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale

A guided trek through Kibale Forest brings you to the park’s chimpanzee community, rounding out your primate encounters with an hour spent observing the group. Since this is the second primate trek of the itinerary after Bwindi’s gorillas, most travelers notice how much faster and more agile chimpanzees are compared to gorillas, a useful contrast between the two treks.

Day 6: Return Transfer & Departure

Because this itinerary covers both gorillas and chimpanzees, most travelers use the return drive to compare the two treks, a common topic of conversation with the driver-guide on the way back. The road into Murchison Falls from this direction crosses the Kaniyo Pabidi forest edge, where chimp calls are sometimes audible from the vehicle even without stopping.

What’s Included

• Airport or hotel pickup and drop-off
• Private 4×4 safari vehicle with professional English-speaking driver-guide
• Chimpanzee trekking or habituation permit(s) as specified in the itinerary
• Accommodation as specified, on a bed & breakfast basis unless otherwise stated
• All ground transport and park transfers
• Bottled drinking water while on safari
• All applicable government taxes

What’s Excluded

• International flights
• Uganda visa fees
• Tips and gratuities for guides and lodge staff
• Personal travel and medical insurance
• Meals not specified as included in the itinerary
• Items of a personal nature (laundry, souvenirs, phone or internet charges)
• Optional activities not listed in the itinerary