10 Days Uganda primates and Rwenzori hike
The 10 Days Uganda primates and Rwenzori hike is an amazing adventure that will take you to Kibale forest national park also known as the primate capital, Queen Elizabeth national park which is the second biggest national park, Mount Rwenzori national park and Bwindi impenetrable national park which is known for harbouring the highest number of mountain gorillas. During the 10 days Uganda primates and Rwenzori hike, you will be able to engage in game drives and boat cruise where you will view different animals including elephants, waterbucks, lions, leopards, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, Nile crocodiles, hippos, warthogs, topi, oribi, bushbucks among others. You will also engage in an adventurous gorilla and chimpanzee trekking experience where you will spend time with the endangered mountain gorillas and chimpanzees and Rwenzori hike where you will be able to spot different bird species, enjoy the cool and quiet environment, view different plant and tree species among others.
Highlights of the 10 days Uganda primates and Rwenzori hike
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Kibale forest national park
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 4: Morning game drive and transfer to Kasese
Day 5: Nyakalengija (1600m) – Nyabitaba hut (2660m)
Day 6: Nyabitaba hut (2660m) – John Matte hut (3420m)
Day 7: Descend back from John Matte hut to Nyakalengija
Day 8: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Day 9: Gorilla trekking experience
Day 10: Departure to Kampala
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Kibale forest national park
Depending on your location on the first day of the 10 days Uganda primates and Rwenzori hike, you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then start the journey to Kibale forest national park. On the way you will have a stopover for en-route lunch and then proceed with spectacular views of the local people, farmlands, traditional homesteads, Rwenzori Mountains, tea plantations among others. Upon arrival in Kibale forest national park, you will connect to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking experience and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
After an early breakfast on the second day of the 10 days Uganda primates and Rwenzori hike, you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kanyachu visitors centre for a chimpanzee trekking briefing. After the briefing, you will be allocated a habituated chimpanzee family and start trekking in the forest which takes about 30 minutes to 5 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking, you will be able to view other primate species, different bird species, animals among others and once the chimpanzees are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat which gives you a chance to learn more their behaviors, habits, watch them feed, breastfeed, play, rest, fight, groom young ones, take photos and record videos.
After the one hour encounter with the chimpanzees, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch where after you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park. Upon arrival, you will connect to your lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Morning game drive/ lion tracking experience and afternoon boat cruise
Morning game drive,
After an early breakfast on the third day of the 10 days Uganda primates and Rwenzori hike, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive/ lion tracking experience in Kasenyi plains. During the game drive you will have great views of the sunrise, big four mammals which are lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, other animals like waterbucks, bushbucks, Uganda kobs, hyenas, warthogs, views of different bird species among others. After the game drive you will return to the lodge for lunch.
Afternoon boat cruise, after lunch you will go for an amazing boat cruise along Kazinga channel a 40km long channel that connects Lake George and Lake Edward. During the boat cruise which takes about 2 to 3 hours, you will be able to view large concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view buffaloes, elephants, warthogs drinking water along the banks, view water birds among others. After the boat cruise you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Morning game drive and transfer to Kasese
On the fourth day of the 10 days Uganda primates and Rwenzori hike, you will have breakfast and meet up with your driver guide to go for another morning game drive in the park where you will be able to view some of the animals that you might have missed during the previous game drive. After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch where after you will check out to transfer to Kasese and upon arrival, you will check in to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Nyakalengija (1600m) – Nyabitaba hut (2660m)
On the fifth day of the 10 days Uganda primates and Rwenzori hike, you will have an early breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the Rwenzori hike to John Matte. After the briefing, you will be allocated experienced park guides, porters and then start hiking from Nyakalengija passing through the Bakonzo homesteads, tropical forest with lush bushes, elephant grass. During the hike, you will be able to view some animals like elephants, dukers, primates like chimpanzees, l’hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, spot different bird species like the Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Batis, Handsome Francolin among others. The hike from Nyakalengila to Nyabitaba hut is about 8km and upon arrival you will have dinner and overnight at Nyabitaba Hut.
Day 6: Nyabitaba hut (2660m) – John Matte hut (3420m)
After an early breakfast on the sixth day of the 10 days Uganda primates and Rwenzori hike, you will meet up with your guides and porters to continue the hike in the forest to Kurt Schuffer bridge which is located at the junction of Mubuku and Bujuku rivers and takes about 30 minutes trek. You will proceed through the bamboo and montane forest with slippery rocks covered with moss and you will be able to view various bird species. You will continue to Nyamulejju rock shelter where you will enjoy stunning views of Mount Stanley and Mount Speke on a clear day and also have a lunch break. The Nyamulejju rock shelter is where the first hikers used to camp for an overnight and after the lunch break, you will proceed through alpine forest to John Matte Hut which is located near River Bukuku where you will take a cold bath from if you want. The trek from Nyabitaba to John Matte Hut takes about 11km and upon arrival, you will have dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Descend back from John Matte hut to Nyakalengija
On the seventh day of the 10 days Uganda primates and Rwenzori hike, you will have breakfast, enjoy great views of Mount Stanley with Alexandra and Margherita peaks and later meet up with your guides and porters to descend back to Nyabitaba and later to Nyakalengija. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for lunch where after you will spend the rest of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
After breakfast on the eighth day of the 10 days Uganda primates and Rwenzori hike, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park. On the way, you will have en-route lunch and then proceed the journey to Bwindi impenetrable national park, upon arrival you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Gorilla trekking,
After an early breakfast on the ninth day of the 10 days Uganda primates and Rwenzori hike, you will carry packed lunch and your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the jungle which takes a whole day and during trekking, you will have views of mammals, other primates, different bird species among others. Once the gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend four hours with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, playing, grooming young ones, observe their behaviours, take photos and record the breath-taking moments.
After the encounter with the gentle giants you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will be awarded a certificate for participating in gorilla habituation, meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 10: Departure to Kampala
After breakfast on the last day of the 10 days Uganda primates and Rwenzori hike, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey back to Kampala. On the way you will have en-route lunch and a stopover at the Equator where you will take photos, buy souvenirs and then proceed to Kampala arriving early evening. Upon arrival, your driver guide will drop you off at Entebbe international airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of convenience.
End of 10 days Uganda primates and Rwenzori hike
10 Days Uganda primates and Rwenzori hike includes
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Lion tracking experience
- Park entrance fees/ game drives
- Boat cruise fees
- Rwenzori hike fee
- Professional English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Ground transfers (in a 4WD vehicle)
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
10 Days Uganda primates and Rwenzori hike excludes
- International air flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Life insurance
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others
