This 10 day Uganda gorilla and chimpanzee safari brings together the country’s three great experiences in one unhurried loop: mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, and big game and boat safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park, with zebra at Lake Mburo on the way. Ten days gives you time to enjoy each place properly, with no day that combines a long drive and a demanding trek.
Sample Itinerary
10-Day Uganda Gorilla, Chimpanzee & Queen Elizabeth Safari
Quick Overview
Parks: Lake Mburo NP, Bwindi Impenetrable NP, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale National Park
Highlights: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi and chimpanzee tracking in Kibale, Game drives in Lake Mburo and Queen Elizabeth, including Ishasha’s tree-climbing lions, A Kazinga Channel boat cruise and the community-run Bigodi Wetland walk
Best For: Travellers who want both great apes and a proper savannah safari, and who prefer a steady pace to cramming.
Group Size: Private vehicle, any group size from solo travellers to families
Want a tailored quote for this route?
Send Us Your BudgetDay 1
Entebbe
Arrive in Entebbe. Your driver-guide meets you at Entebbe International Airport and takes you to a hotel by Lake Victoria for a quiet first night.
Day 2
Lake Mburo NP
Entebbe to Lake Mburo. About four to five hours by road, with a stop at the Equator. An afternoon game drive in Lake Mburo National Park for zebra, impala, eland and buffalo.
Days 3–4
Bwindi Impenetrable NP
Lake Mburo to Bwindi. An optional early walk or boat trip at Lake Mburo, then about five to six hours through the Kigezi highlands to your lodge in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi. An early ranger briefing, then the trek to your assigned gorilla family and one hour in their company. The trek can take from under an hour to most of the day; the evening is free.
Days 5–6
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Bwindi to Ishasha. A drive of about four to five hours north into the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, with a game drive to look for lions resting in the fig trees, before continuing to your lodge in the north of the park. Kasenyi game drive and Kazinga Channel cruise. An early game drive on the Kasenyi Plains for lions, elephants and Uganda kob, then an afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel past hippos, buffalo and waterbirds.
Days 7–9
Kibale National Park
Drive to Kibale. About three hours north to Kibale National Park, past crater lakes and tea estates. In the afternoon, a guided walk in the community-run Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for birds and monkeys. Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale. A morning briefing at Kanyanchu, then tracking a habituated chimpanzee community through the forest, with one hour once you find them. The afternoon is free to relax by the crater lakes. A flexible day around Kibale. Choose a full-day chimpanzee habituation experience, a crater-lakes walk and visit to Fort Portal, or a day trip to the Sempaya hot springs in Semuliki National Park.
Day 10
Entebbe
Return to Entebbe. About six to seven hours by road back to Entebbe, arriving in time for evening international flights.
What's Included
Your quoted price covers accommodation for every night on the route, all ground transport in a private 4x4 with an experienced driver-guide, and park entry fees for each park visited, including the gorilla trekking permit and the chimpanzee tracking permit. Fuel and the driver-guide's costs across the full route are built into the quoted price rather than billed separately.
Excluded, as with every Uganda itinerary we quote: international flights, visa fees, travel insurance, tips for your driver-guide and gorilla trekking porters, and personal spending such as drinks and souvenirs. We itemise all of this clearly when we send your formal quote, so nothing arrives as a surprise once you're on the ground.
Lodging across the route is mid-range by default — the properties can be swapped for budget or luxury alternatives at the same locations without changing the underlying route, activities or duration. Tell us which tier fits your trip and we'll send a revised, fully itemised quote.
Start Planning
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Good To Know
10-Day Uganda Gorilla, Chimpanzee & Queen Elizabeth Safari FAQs
Ten days covers the south-west properly: gorillas, chimpanzees and two savannah parks. Murchison Falls and Kidepo in the north need more time or a separate trip.
Yes. Each is issued separately by the Uganda Wildlife Authority for a specific date, so we book both together to keep your route in the right order.
Lions, elephants, buffalo and, with luck, leopards are found in Queen Elizabeth. There are no rhinos on this route; they are seen at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary on the way to Murchison Falls.
Yes, if all children are at least 15 for gorillas and 12 for chimps. Families with younger children can join the savannah days and Bigodi walk while older members track.
Yes. Starting in Kigali shortens the drive to Bwindi’s southern sectors; the route then finishes in Entebbe or loops back to Rwanda.
Plan Your 10-Day Safari
Tell us your dates and the kind of lodges you prefer. We will check gorilla and chimp permit availability, fit the route around your flights, and send an itemised quote that you can adjust day by day.
- ● Day 1: Entebbe
- ● Day 2: Lake Mburo NP
- ● Days 3–4: Bwindi Impenetrable NP
- ● Days 5–6: Queen Elizabeth National Park
- ● Days 7–9: Kibale National Park
- ● Day 10: Entebbe