8-Day Primates and Wildlife Luxury Safari

Last updated October 2026. Planned by Victoria Kayaga, tour operator at Afraeka Adventures, with over 7 years in East African tourism.

Primates and wildlife luxury safari: quick answer

This primates and wildlife luxury safari covers eight days and seven nights across western Uganda. It begins with rhino tracking at Ziwa, then moves through Murchison Falls, Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Lake Bunyonyi before the return to Entebbe.

It is planned for travellers who want mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and savannah wildlife in one trip, at a comfortable pace and a luxury level of accommodation. You tell us your preferences and we confirm the lodges in your quote. The minimum age for gorilla trekking is 15.

Day-by-day route of the primates and wildlife luxury safari

Day 1: Ziwa rhino tracking and the top of Murchison Falls

Our guide meets you at Entebbe International Airport holding a sign with your name and transfers you towards Murchison Falls National Park. On the way you branch off to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking, an activity that is truly one of a kind in Uganda.

After the tracking you continue to Murchison Falls. Your first stop in the park is the top of the falls, where the Nile forces its way through a gap in the rocks only about 7 metres wide and tumbles 43 metres before flowing west into Lake Albert. A short evening game drive follows.

Day 2: game drive, boat cruise and birding at Murchison Falls

You start with an early morning game drive on the northern bank. Murchison Falls is Uganda’s largest protected area, with more than 73 animal species including buffaloes, leopards, lions and elephants, and about three quarters of the world’s Rothschild’s giraffes. It also has 451 bird species, 23 of them Albertine Rift endemics.

After lunch and a rest, a boat cruise takes you upstream on the calm Victoria Nile towards the base of the falls. Over the 17-kilometre stretch you can see hippos and crocodiles, and possibly elephants, waterbucks and Uganda kobs, plus many bird species. An evening game drive follows the cruise.

Day 3: Murchison Falls to Fort Portal

After breakfast you drive south-west along the Albertine Escarpment of the Western Rift Valley, through Hoima, to Fort Portal, the capital of the Tooro kingdom, which sits in the shadow of the Rwenzori, the fabled Mountains of the Moon. You arrive late in the evening. If time allows, you can visit the crater lakes around Fort Portal.

Day 4: chimpanzee tracking, Bigodi Wetland and hot springs

After breakfast you go to the park offices with your guide and a packed lunch for a briefing on what to do and not do around the chimpanzees. The tracking takes about two to three hours, depending on where the chimps are.

After lunch you visit the Bigodi Swamp, a rainforest area with monkeys, birds and maybe forest elephants. You can then drive to the Sempaya hot springs, an optional extra and the main attraction of Semliki National Park, where water boils naturally as it rises from underground.

Day 5: Queen Elizabeth National Park and the Kazinga Channel

You drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s second-largest park, with savannah, wetlands and crater lakes. It has over 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species. After checking in and lunch you take a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, which connects Lake Edward and Lake George, passing buffaloes, hippos, basking crocodiles and many water birds. An evening game drive follows.

Day 6: Ishasha tree-climbing lions and Bwindi

After breakfast you go to Ishasha, the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth, famous for its tree-climbing lions. You first try to spot the lions in one of the huge trees, then drive on to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. On arrival you join a community walk to meet the Batwa, an indigenous forest people, and enjoy their traditional dances and drama.

Day 7: gorilla trekking and Lake Bunyonyi

After a briefing at the park offices you trek through misty rainforest to find a mountain gorilla family. The trek can take from 2 to 6 hours depending on where the gorillas are. Afterwards you transfer to Lake Bunyonyi via Kabale. The lake has 29 islands, and its name means place of little birds; about 200 bird species live around it. Canoeing, ziplining and kayaking can be arranged on request.

Day 8: Lake Bunyonyi to Entebbe via the Equator

After breakfast you drive to Entebbe Airport, stopping at the Equator in Masaka for lunch, snacks, souvenirs and photographs where the line divides the planet into two hemispheres.

What you can see on the primates and wildlife luxury safari

The route is built around primates and savannah wildlife. You can see southern white rhinos at Ziwa, elephants, giraffes and lions at Murchison Falls, hippos and crocodiles on the Nile and the Kazinga Channel, chimpanzees in Kibale and mountain gorillas in Bwindi. Sightings are never guaranteed, but the mix of habitats gives you many chances.

Gorilla and chimpanzee treks on this safari

Both treks need a permit from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, and permits sell out in busy months. We check availability and reserve your permits as part of your booking. The minimum age is 15 for gorillas and 12 for chimpanzees in Kibale Forest. A moderate level of fitness is enough; gorilla treks can last from about 2 hours to as long as 8 hours on steep, muddy trails, and porters can carry your daypack. Bring enough water, sturdy shoes, a camera without flash and a rain jacket.

What is included

Included are airport pick-up and drop-off, all ground transfers, accommodation, park entry fees, gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits, all meals as per the meal plans and professional guides.

International flights, visa fees, personal travel insurance, tips for guides and porters, and alcoholic beverages and personal expenses are not included.

How Afraeka plans your primates and wildlife luxury safari

We start with your travel dates and group size, then check permit availability for both treks, since these decide the order of the route. Next we confirm your accommodation level and send a quote by email.

If you want a shorter or longer route, compare our Uganda safari packages, read about Uganda parks and lodges or browse all our Uganda safaris.

Primates and wildlife luxury safari FAQ

Which parks does this 8-day safari cover?

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls, Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth National Park including Ishasha, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Lake Bunyonyi.

What is the minimum age for the treks?

15 years for gorilla trekking and 12 years for chimpanzee tracking.

Are the permits arranged for me?

Yes. Contact us with your dates and we check availability and reserve your gorilla and chimpanzee permits.

How fit do I need to be?

A moderate level of fitness. Game drives and boat cruises are relaxed.

Related guides and sources

Read our guides to gorilla permits in Uganda, Uganda visa requirements and what to pack. For official information see the Uganda Wildlife Authority, or request a free quote for this primates and wildlife luxury safari.