Gorillas and Chimps: A Ugandan Odyessy
There is perhaps no wildlife encounter on Earth that quite matches that of locking eyes with a giant mountain gorilla from just metres away. This isn’t an experience that comes easily though. You will need to hack through high altitude montane forests, slip and slide through the ever-present sludgy mud and brush ferocious stinging nettles out of the way. But then, when you finally find a family of mountain gorillas and one of them turns its massive head in your direction and stares you in the eye a shiver of wonder and awe will run down your spine.
Mountain gorillas live only on the forested slopes of the beautiful Virunga mountains, which form the border between Uganda, Rwanda and Congo, and the adjoining Bwindi Forest (Uganda). Although mountain gorillas can be seen in all three of these countries we think Uganda offers the best experience. The reason being that it’s less commercialised (and notably cheaper!) than Rwanda and safer than Congo as well as offering a better viewing experience. To tilt things even more in Uganda’s favour, this is the only place where it’s possible to sign up for a gorilla habituation experience during which you get to spend four whole hours with the gorillas rather than the standard hour normally offered.
Another plus for Uganda is this isn’t just a one ape nation. Uganda also offers the best chimpanzee viewing in Africa, which is an experience that’s every bit the equal of gorilla viewing. And, it has vast savannah grasslands populated by lions, elephant and masses of antelope. Through in varied and stunning scenery, incredible birdlife, wonderful people and relatively few other visitors and you’ll understand why this is a safari destination like no other. This journey, which includes gorilla trekking, multiple chimpanzee experiences and some classic safari experiences, all interspersed with conservation and community development programmes, will show you the very best of this wonderful country.
This 11 day/10 night journey starts and ends in Entebbe (Kampala) and ends in Kigali, Rwanda (it can also be done in reverse). The itinerary involves a certain amount of moderate hiking on forest trails as well as bush whacking to reach areas where the apes might be.
Itinerary
Stand eye ball to eye ball with a giant silverback mountain gorilla.
Thrill at the opportunity to spend multiple days with the chimpanzees.
Enjoy unique gorilla and chimpanzee habituation experiences, which gives you four full hours with our cousins rather than the one hour most tourists get.
Visit the Bugoma Forest and do your bit to preserve the forest and save the chimps.
Learn about gorilla and chimpanzee conservation and spend time with those studying them.
Help researchers in their work surveying bird and butterflies.
Go on safari in search of lions, elephants and all the rest in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Pay your respects at the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
Journey Highlights
Number of days: 11 days total.
Start/End: Entebbe (Kampala)/Kigali (Rwanda) or vice-versa.
When: May-March. Gorilla permits hard to obtain during school holidays (Christmas, July-Aug)
Minimun number of participants: 1
Journey difficulty: Moderate
Can this tour be customised? Yes
Key Details
Accommodation
Accommodation used on this journey consists mainly of upper mid-range hotels and high quality safari lodges. We can also tailor it to using exclusively top-end safari lodges. All of our standard accommodation options are locally owned and managed and all contribute in some way to environmental preservation. Some of the lodges are situated in remote areas and may only have internet accsess in public areas.
Anyone setting out to track gorillas and chimps in the wild needs to have a certain level of fitness. While it rarely takes more than an hour to find the gorillas it can sometimes take two or three hours to find the chimps (although this is rare). In both cases though you will be walking on muddy forest trails or even pushing through dense undergrowth. We have a hundred percent success rate with seeing gorillas and chimps every time we’ve gone out to look for them, but, chimpanzees especially, are not always in the mood for lazing about while you take photos (although you’ll be surprised how often they are), which is why we do a couple of chimp tracking experiences.
A Word About Gorilla and Chimpanzee Tracking
Illness
Gorillas and chimpanzees are very susceptible to human transmitted illnesses. Anyone displaying signs of a cold or other transmissible illness will not be allowed to visit the gorillas or chimpanzees. Park rules state that face masks must be worn when in proximity to the gorillas and chimpanzees. Rangers and guides will ensure that you maintain the recommended distance from the animals.
Flexibility
Only a very limited number of gorilla and chimpanzee permits are issued each day. Permit availability may mean that we have to swap some of the days in the itinerary around.
Age Restrictions
Parks and reserves impose age restrictions on gorilla and chimpanzee trekking. For gorillas, the minimum age allowed is 15. For chimpanzees it’s also normally 15, but in some parks and reserves children as young as 12 might be allowed to track the chimps.
Important!
Prices for our 11 day/10 nights Gorillas and Chimps: A Ugandan Odyessy are based on low season travel and are a miniumn price. The exact price will vary depending on the number of people in your group, accommodation used as well as any additional add-ons.
The Gorillas and Chimps: A Ugandan Odyessy journey starts at Euros (US$) for one person travelling alone. Euros (US$) for two people ( Euros per person) travelling together in a shared room.
This price includes:
All accommodation from the night of day one to morning of day eleven in a mixture of high quality mid-range safari lodges and camps, guesthouses and boutique hotels.
Private vehicle and English-speaking (other languages available on request) driver/guide for duration of tour
All meals and drinks (excluding alcoholic drinks) from lunch on day one to breakfast on day eleven
All park and sight entry fees and gorilla and chimpanzee tracking permits
All listed activities mentioned within the programme.
This price does not include:
International flights
Visa for Uganda, Rwanda or any third country
Travel insurance (personal travel insurance is compulsory for joining any of our tours).
Hotel, meals and activities in any transit country
Transportation to/from home departure airport
Phone sim card/internet useage
Souvenirs
Items of a personal nature
Tips
Alcoholic drinks