Combining Gorilla Treks, Chimpanzee Treks, and Wildlife in a 6-Day Trip

Combining gorilla treks, chimpanzee treks, and wildlife in a 6-day trip is the best way to exhaust all the adventure experiences in one package, from the savannah to the lowlands and highlands. Specifically, this itinerary allows you to witness the diversity of Uganda’s ecosystems. Let us dive through the entire packages of gorilla treks, chimpanzee treks, and wildlife and see how we can combine them all.

Gorilla Treks: The Ultimate Primate Encounter

Uganda is the epitome of any gorilla trekking experience in the world because it harbors more than half of the entire world’s population of mountain gorillas. The gorillas are the largest primate species. Notably, the Virunga Conservation Area is the only place on earth harboring these endangered mountain gorillas. This conservation area starts from the Democratic Republic of Congo through Uganda to Rwanda. It consists of national parks like Bwindi and Mgahinga of Uganda, Virunga of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda.

Gorilla trekking is the process of searching through the forests for a chance to spot endangered mountain gorillas. This process can take you about 2-4 hours depending on the particular gorilla family being trekked. Trekking the mountain gorillas begins with a briefing before heading out to the park. The briefing involves reciting the rules and regulations, checking the gorilla permits, and grouping the visitors in groups of 8 people among other things. Afterward, you will be led by a professional and experienced ranger who will take you through the forests to the habitats of the mountain gorillas.

Upon locating them, visitors will spend an hour with the mountain gorillas, watching them as they roam around the mountain slopes with their daily chores and activities. On your trekking adventure, you will encounter several other animal species like vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, and giant forest hogs. In Uganda, gorilla trekking is only possible in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. These two combined harbor over 559 individual gorillas. There are over 51 gorilla families in both parks, with about 25 families habituated and ready for trekking daily.

Chimpanzee Treks: Meeting Our Closest Relatives

Uganda harbors over 5,000 chimpanzees, which is the most for all East African countries. Indeed, chimpanzees share over 95% of human DNA, proving they are close human cousins. Trekking chimpanzees is one of the most interesting activities to do in Uganda, as it takes visitors deep into the tropical rainforests.

Chimpanzee trekking involves walking through the forests to the habitats of these primates. Typically, a pre-trekking briefing is conducted to prepare the visitors for the best chimpanzee experience. After passing through all requirements, visitors head out to the forest with a ranger guide. This trek through the forest normally takes about 2-3 hours. Upon location, visitors will quietly enjoy a special hour with the chimps as they jump from tree to tree, feed, and care for their young. Habituated chimpanzees are often unbothered by human presence and sometimes come very close to visitors.

Savannah Wildlife: The Pearl of Africa’s Gems

Wildlife safaris in Uganda take you to the deeply hidden gems of the savannah national parks. Uganda is a country gifted by nature; from rolling hills to savannah plains, valleys, and water bodies, the Pearl of Africa has everything to offer. Specifically, visitors can enjoy morning and evening game drives to encounter savannah dwellers such as the Big 5 (lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, and rhinos), hyenas, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, and antelopes.

Furthermore, visitors can take on boat cruise experiences on the numerous water bodies in the country, such as Lake Mburo, the Victoria Nile, and the Kazinga Channel. Here, travelers can encounter aquatic species such as hippos, crocodiles, and various fish. You may also spot animals like buffaloes, waterbucks, and elephants on the shores as they frequent the waterbodies to quench their thirst.

Combining Gorilla Treks, Chimpanzee Treks, and Wildlife in a 6-Day Trip

Combining these activities is very possible with the help of a trustworthy tour operator who will arrange your package. The most exciting combination moves from Kibale National Park through Queen Elizabeth National Park and finally to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

• Kibale National Park: This is ideal to start with because it is located on the main road from Kampala. Known as the Primate Capital of the World, it hosts about 1,500 chimpanzees.

• Queen Elizabeth National Park: This is the closest savannah park for an amazing wildlife experience. It is the most popular park in the country, hosting species such as lions, buffaloes, elephants, and leopards. It also hosts the Kazinga Channel, which harbors the largest population of hippos in Uganda. The tree-climbing lions of Ishasha are the major highlights here.

• Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: Travelers then transfer here for the exquisite adventure of the mountain gorillas.

Consequently, the distances between Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, and Bwindi are quite minimal. This ensures that visitors can enjoy numerous activities by combining them on a seamless 6-day Uganda tour.