6-Night Primate Lovers Safari

Day 2: Crater Safari Lodge

Early morning Flight to Crater Safari lodge.

Your driver will transfer you to Entebbe airport in time for your 1hr 20min scenic flight to Kasese airport, which takes place in a small plane (Cessna grand Caravan). You will fly over scenic Uganda, and take in the aerial views of lake Victoria and the spectacular hilly landscapes below. This is one of Africa’s most scenic flights.

The drive to Crater Safari lodge is roughly 2 – 3 hours from Kasese. The roads meander through small villages, verdant landscapes carpeted with banana trees and lush greenery. Tea and coffee plantations, small lakes and hills with views of crater lake valleys define your route to Crater Safari lodge.

Settle in, enjoy lunch and take in the atmosphere before heading out on your afternoon activity.

Afternoon activity: Top of the World Hike

The surrounding area is home to 9 crater lakes and abundant tea and
coffee plantations. The famous Kibale national Forest is home to gangs
of chimpanzee, and the neighbouring Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is home to abundant birdlife and primates. The “top of the World” viewpoint hike offers breathtaking views of the 9 crater lakes as well as Uganda’s landscape.

Day 3: Tracking Chimpanzee

Today is the day you will enjoy tracking and observing chimpanzee in the wild! You will need to pre-arrange your trekking time.

There are two slots – morning and afternoon.

• Get up early, have a full breakfast and amazing Ugandan coffee.
• Set off on your morning activity of a crater lake or visit Wilson’s village before the chimp trek. If you have the morning permit, these activities can be done after your chimp tracking.
• Depart for the chimpanzee trek. It’s a 15-minute drive to the starting point. Walks leave Kanyanchu Visitor Centre at 08.00, 11.00 and 14.00 and last between 2-5 hours. early arrival to allow for registration and briefing is recommended. Contact time with chimpanzees is limited to one hour; and participants must be aged 16 or over.
• Lunch is at the lodge
• If there’s time in the day, we highly recommend a guided walk to the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a fascinating boardwalk trail that meanders through the papyrus swamp.

Day 4: Transfer to Gorilla Safari Lodge

Your driver will collect you from your hotel. there will be a packed breakfast from

your hotel.

You will enjoy an 8 – 10 hour adventurous road transfer through Uganda where you will end up at gorilla Safari lodge, located on the edge of the verdant Bwindi impenetrable Forest national park. The journey time is dependent on how often you stop during your time on the road. Your driver will always stop upon request, and let you know the various stopping points en-route.

Meander your way past hilly tea plantations, muddy roads fringed by banana trees, coffee plantations and carpets of lush greenery smothering vast tropical landscapes. Dotted across the region you’ll stumble across small villages, reed huts and friendly locals. Expect awe-inspiring views of misty horizons hovering over pristine crater lakes as you head up into the hills. Your driver will stop en-route so that you can take in the views. Feel free to ask him questions about the area.

Uganda certainly lives up to its reputation as being the “pearl of Africa” and this drive introduces you to the remote, untouched beauty of this country. After an eye-opening journey into paradise, you will find yourself at the jungle-style entrance of gorilla Safari lodge – a warm and welcoming haven on the fringe of the jungle forest.

Day 5: Gorilla Trekking

Today is the day you will enjoy a gorilla trekking experience. You can choose the degree of difficulty when it comes to trekking. You will need to pre-arrange your trekking time.

• Get up early, have a full breakfast and amazing Ugandan coffee. You will walk the short 8-minute walk to the starting point for the briefing with the rangers and porters.
• At the briefing point you will be assigned to a Gorilla family. Your personal ranger will lead your group for the trek. You have the option of employing a porter to carry your gear (advisable). porters have walked in excess of 3 hours
  to the briefing point in the hopes of being selected to accompany you on your trek. By supporting them, you are also supporting the local communities.
• A packed lunch is provided. You will stop en-route to enjoy your lunch.

Day 6: Gorilla Habituation

You’ve spent hours with a particular gorilla family, trekked through the jungle and have knowledge of the terrain. it’s now time to become acquainted with the truly wild mountain gorillas of Bwindi. these massive primates and giant silverbacks dwell high-up on the slopes of the volcanoes in the jungle, and rarely come into contact with humans.

The habituation trek involves joining researchers on a hike to visit the identified wild Gorilla groups. The idea is to for the gorillas to get used to the presence of humans, and identify our presence as non-threatening.

You will be briefed about your gorilla trekking adventure at the starting point (same as for the gorilla trekking) after which you will be led by experienced gorilla trackers on the slopes of the jungle laden volcanoes of Bwindi.

About the Gorilla Habituation:

The Gorilla Experience means spending all day on a trek in the forest which includes 4 hours with a gorilla family. It is only available in Uganda (Rushaga) where our lodge is located. This is an intimate, one of a kind, experience where you are with researchers, trackers, rangers, conservationist, all part of getting a gorilla family used to human presence, a process which takes ± 2-3 years.

Day 7: Kisoro to Entebbe

Enjoy a 2 – 3 hour adventurous road transfer from gorilla Safari lodge to Kisoro airport. This will be an extremely early morning departure, which means there will be a packed breakfast for the road. You will fly in a small plane over scenic Uganda and take in the aerial views of Lake Victoria and the spectacular hilly landscapes below.

The duration of the flight is approx. 1hr 15mins and takes place in a Cessna grand Caravan.

You will arrive in Entebbe before midday, in time to connect with your international flight. If your homeward bound flight departs the following day, you will overnight in Entebbe. Catch up on your sleep and relax before the long homeward bound journey.