Mountain Gorillas, Chimps, Big Game Safari, and Murchison Falls
The Ultimate Uganda Safari
Overview
Join us on the ultimate experience of Uganda! Our newest safari explores this exquisite country, renowned as the most beautiful in Africa. We'll bring you to legendary Murchison Falls, the country's first national park, where we will have thrilling wildlife encounters in this uncrowded, yet spectacular park. The great Nile River funnels through a 20-foot-wide rocky gorge here, creating a thundering cascade. On a private excursion, we'll boat up the Nile right to the base of the falls, and enjoy fabulous game viewing in the delta area downstream (fantastic birding—more than 450 species!). The park is also only one of the few places in the world that you can see endangered Nubian (Rothschild) giraffe, and our visit supports their protection. One of the most incredible wildlife experiences on the planet is tracking mountain gorillas in the wild, and we'll give you two full days in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, so that you have the greatest chances of close encounters with these extraordinary creatures. We'll also hike in Kibale National Park, following wild chimpanzees as they move through the treetop canopy, and our big game safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park is utterly exhilarating. Our Trip Leaders open up the world of wildlife and community for us, and we'll have lunch with a community leader near Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary, a fascinating example of community support for a unique ecosystem. Throughout our adventure, wonderful lodges give us great access to the wildlife.
Arrive: Entebbe, Uganda
Depart: Entebbe, Uganda
Highlights
- Explore spectacular Murchison Falls, where the Nile forces its way through a 20-foot gorge
- Private boat excursion to the base of the falls
- Track mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park
- Phenomenal game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park in the Great Rift Valley
- Enjoy lunch with a local community leader and help support local environmental projects
Itinerary
From Entebbe, we head north through lush countryside to Murchison Falls, Uganda's largest and first national park. Four of the Big Five are here—lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant—along with Jackson's hartebeest, bushbucks, Uganda kob, waterbucks, the endangered Nubian giraffe, and some 450 bird species, including the rare and bizarre looking shoebill. Our game viewing is complemented by a visit to Murchison Falls itself, the famous falls where the thunderous White Nile squeezes its entire volume with explosive force through a narrow, 20-foot-wide rocky gorge, and private boat excursions on the Nile right to the base of the falls and to a wonderfully calm stretch of water of the Nile Delta, a key area for birds—and more exciting game viewing!
Kibale, home to 11 primate species, is said to have the highest density and variety of primates in Africa. With our local tracking guide, we follow good pathways through a network of beautiful shady trails in search of chimpanzees, following these acrobats as they leap from tree to tree on their daily rounds of foraging.
We enjoy a “swamp walk” with a local naturalist, crossing the wetland on raised trails and bridges that network through this fascinating ecosystem. Our walk provides great primate viewing opportunities (eight species including grey-cheeked mangabeys, red colobus monkeys, and baboons). For lunch we meet with a local leader who is involved with community development and wildlife conservation and who spearheaded the development of the Bigodi Swamp Walk. A scenic drive brings us to Queen Elizabeth National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve that supports a wonderful diversity of wildlife in habitats ranging from lowland rainforest to wetlands to grassy savannas. We enjoy game viewing by 4WD vehicle in the park's lake-dotted savannas, and join a researcher one morning to track lion prides. We also take a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel, where we view large concentrations of hippo, elephant and other wildlife as they come to the water's edge to drink.
Bwindi, a World Heritage Site, protects a remnant of a once-vast primeval forest that stretched from the Virunga Volcanoes to the Ruwenzori Mountains. Among the 11 resident primate species are 400 magnificent mountain gorillas, roughly half of the world's population of this elusive and highly endangered mammal. Our incomparable safari includes two full days for the unforgettable experience of tracking the mountain gorilla clans that reside in Bwindi's montane forests. The tracking can be physically challenging, but the rewards are tremendous and the rigors soon forgotten when we spot a gorilla family and have the opportunity to observe these gentle creatures. Depart on Day 12 via Entebbe.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated Level 3+, Moderate. The hikes to see the mountain gorillas can last anywhere from 1 to 6 hours over moderately steep, thickly forested, and uneven terrain, and the climate will be hot and humid. Any African safari is an adventure, and the traveler to Africa should bring along flexibility, a sense of humor, and an openness to the unexpected.
Review Trip Level Details
Gorilla tracking will occasionally feel strenuous as we hike uphill to follow the clans, but we will take breaks along the way. The shape you're in will be an important factor in your enjoyment of these hikes. Make an effort to get in good physical condition with hiking, biking, running, or other kinds of exercise beyond your normal routine. A brisk 30-45 minute walk every other day over moderately steep terrain can do wonders for your conditioning.
The climate in Uganda is considered “modified tropical”—similar to the equatorial climate of other East African countries like Kenya and Tanzania, but slightly modified by its altitude, which ranges from 3,500 to 4,500 feet. Daytime temperatures are usually in the 70s and 80s, and humidity is fairly high. You can expect to experience some rain during the course of the trip. Like Kenya and Tanzania, Uganda has two annual rainy seasons, one between March and May and one between October and November.
June, July and August
During these months, the country is refreshingly green and the weather is coolest, especially in the higher altitudes, with a high of 70° to 80°F and a low of 40°. Riding in the safari vehicle can be chilly some mornings, but the temperature usually warms up by 10:00 am.
September, October, and November
These are delightful times to visit Uganda and can be compared to springtime in the US. The jacaranda and other trees are bursting into blossom and the days are warmer. The high temperatures are 75° to 85°F, with a low of 65°. Scattered rains occur in November and early December. These “short rains” just freshen the country and lay the dust, although they can sometimes be heavy.
December to March
These are Uganda's “summer” months. The temperature range is from 80° to 90°F during the day (coastal areas are hotter and can range from 80° to 100°). The evenings range from 50° to 60°.
April and May
The rainy season (the “long rains”) occur during these months.
Our accommodations will be in comfortable hotels, safari lodges, and tented camps with spacious tents equipped with en suite facilities.
During game drives in our 4WD vehicles, we guarantee window seating for all -- there's no taking turns on who gets the window seats. We use five- or seven-passenger Nissan safari vehicles (never minibuses!), and all vehicles have roof hatches for easy wildlife viewing and photography. A cooler of drinks and refreshments is carried aboard. And our 4WD vehicles can go virtually anywhere, an important feature when we're tracking game. Please note there are some long driving days over rough roads and dusty dirt tracks.
During drives and walks, we can at times get quite close to wild animals. Being very quiet improves everybody's chances of observation. In the interest of safety, your Trip Leader explains limitations on movement while on game drives, in the safari vehicles, and around camp. Specific guidelines are in effect for the viewing of chimpanzees and gorillas—both for their protection and for your own. Incidents with wild animals are extremely rare on safaris, but no trip can guarantee immunity from such incidents. Wilderness Travel is not to be held responsible for incidents involving the behavior of wildlife.
In Uganda, the wildlife is truly wild. Unlike some of the Kenya and Tanzania game parks, the wildlife here has not been exposed to a great number of humans. Except when viewed from the launch trips on the rivers, Uganda's wildlife has a healthy, natural shyness of our vehicles. Here we have an opportunity to observe natural behavior. Binoculars are strongly recommended for observing animals as well as birds. They will also be helpful for observing chimpanzees and monkeys who spend much of their time high up in trees. We recommend 10-power if you are interested in seeing and identifying smaller birds.
Chimpanzees
Within the reserve, chimpanzees are wild and free to roam wherever they choose. Their movements are influenced not by people but by ecological and social factors. We track chimpanzees by following their morning vocalizations—they tend to call most just after sunrise. Once we hear these calls, we walk as quickly and quietly as possible to find them, as they may only call a few times. Chimps do not associate in permanent groups and the number and identity of them encountered during a visit cannot be ascertained beforehand. As their movements are difficult to predict, finding them is dependent on their behavior and we cannot guarantee we will see them.
Essential Guidelines For Viewing Chimpanzees
Wild chimpanzees are very active and temperamental animals. Their response to visitors will be determined in part by the visitors' behavior. It is important that the initial approach to the chimps is quiet and calm. If the chimps are feeding, it will be possible to observe them quietly. Once they settle down, the local guides will search for the best possible vantage points and visitors can move around and speak softly. If the animals are traveling, so will the visitors. If the chimps are resting on the ground, visitors must try to be especially calm and quiet. If a chimp starts a threatening display, stay close to the guides and do not run away. If visitors do not disturb or annoy the chimps, it is unlikely they will be aggressive. Binoculars are essential for viewing chimps high up in the trees. Find a comfortable spot, lean back, and enjoy watching them feed, groom, and interact. Chimpanzees are very susceptible to human diseases, especially respiratory ones. To reduce the risk to the animals, visitors are not allowed to eat or smoke while in the forest. It is not possible to approach within five meters (16 feet) of the chimps. This not only protects the animals, but also reduces the risk of aggression from them. It must be remembered that chimpanzees are intelligent and curious, but also very excitable. Visitors must not encourage contact at any time. Photographing chimpanzees can be difficult. They spend much of their time feeding in trees and are often backlit. Flash photography is not permitted as the flash seems to bother them.
Gorillas
The gorillas we visit have been habituated by park rangers over many years to tolerate the presence of small groups of visitors. The habituation process involves locating the family each day by following their trail of the previous day and then staying with them for as long as the “habituator” is tolerated. In the early stages of the habituation process, the gorillas are very nervous, and the dominant male attempts to intimidate the habituator by chest beating and repeated bluff charges, while the members of his family move away and remain hidden. As the gorillas become more used to these daily visits, the behavior of the adult male becomes less volatile and the daily observation period is gradually extended. Slowly the gorillas come to understand that the observer, whom they recognize, poses no threat to them and so curiosity overcomes fear and they begin to show themselves more readily. At this point, visitors can be taken to the gorillas for the daily visit, starting with one and slowly building up to a maximum of eight people per family of gorillas per day.
Essential Guidelines for Viewing Gorillas
The minimum age for all gorilla tracking participants is 15 years. In order to protect gorillas from communicable diseases, to which they are very susceptible, gorillas cannot be touched by humans. Any traveler with an obvious cold or other communicable illness will not be allowed to participate in the treks. Groups may remain with the gorilla family for a maximum of one hour. It is very important to follow the instructions of your guide at all times. He or she works with the gorillas every day and understands them very well. Always remain in a compact group close behind the guide. The guide will locate the dominant male of the group and will attempt to position you in such a way that the gorilla can see you at all times. It is very important that the dominant male knows exactly where you are and for this reason you must always remain together in one group. If the dominant male approaches very closely or even charges, it is very important that you do not move backwards: remain exactly where you are. The guide may suggest you adopt a submissive posture by sitting down slowly. If a young gorilla approaches, under no circumstances should you make any move to touch it. The guide may try to discourage it from touching you, as this can create a dangerous situation with the dominant male. Avoid sudden movements or loud noises because they can be particularly disturbing to the gorillas. Do not move any vegetation to get a better photo opportunity. Shaking the vegetation is a gorilla threat display! Or, the gorilla may interpret it as an attempt to take away his food—not a good idea when in the company of a 400-pound gorilla. Flash photography is not permitted.
Often the gorillas are found in very dense vegetation where visibility is poor. The guide will very carefully try to maneuver the group of visitors into a better position, but this is slow work, so please be patient. Never forget that these gorillas, while tolerating your presence, are still totally wild animals.
Client Testimonials
"This trip was over the top in meeting my expectations. I loved it! The two days of trekking for gorillas were life changing! I feel totally blessed to do something that very few people will have the opportunity to do it and so glad I did it with WT and our trip leader, Edward!"
Bonnie V.
Seattle, WA
"This was a lifetime dream trip and my expectations were very high and y’all exceeded them by far. The up-close encounters with the wildlife were amazing and learning about the people and community projects made the trip very special. We came away with a sense of hope for the people and wildlife in Uganda."
Lynette H.
Marble Falls, TX
"I loved this trip. Everything went very well. One of my goals was to visit a place in Africa that would make me want to return—mission accomplished!"
Neil M.
Berwyn, PA
"This was a fantastic trip! Uganda is a beautiful country and our trip leader, Edward, greatly enhanced the experience."
Susan M.
Berwyn, PA
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Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult.