• Settings:
Uganda Luxury SafariScroll

Location
uganda

Uganda Luxury Safari

Best time to go
year round

UGA St Uganda Queen Elisabeth National Park Chimpanzee Shutterstock D C Z

Uganda Luxury Safari

Spend your time in Uganda immersing yourself in a true primate focussed safari, staying inthe best accomodations on offer. Begin with your chimpanzee tracking experience before heading to the famoun Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. As the name suggests, it is an area of dense rainforest spread over a network of valleys and ridges, carving a silhouette of undulating peaks into the skyline, making it the perfect home to the mountain gorilla population who reside here. Experience 2 trackings here before moving on to Mgahinga National Park where you can track once again. Mgahinga and its landscapes are amongst the most scenic and enchanting. Protecting an imposing cluster of nine volcanoes that straddle the borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda within the Virunga Conservation Area. Here you will also go in search of the cheeky golden monkeys.

What to expect?

Kiable Forest National Park Chimpanzee Habituation Program

Follow the chimpanzees throughout the day in this 766 square kilometre tropical rainforest, a natural habitat for an amazing 13 primate species, and containing the highest primate density of any area on earth. As well as chimpanzees, you have opportunities to spot red colobus monkeys chattering and swinging through the ancient forest trees. Some of the trees are 50 to 60 metres (150 - 180 feet) in height and provide a majestic canopy for the profusion of rainforest life, including 325 bird species. Even though you may only rarely see them, the park is home to the largest population of forest elephant in Uganda, and is also home to buffalo, Ugandan kob, genet, civet, waterbuck and bushbuck.

Kyambura Gorge Chimpanzee Trek

Up to 500 meters in width Kyambura Gorge was formed by deep erosion by the Kyambura River, now flowing 100 meters below on the valley floor. The gorge forms a border between Queen Elizabeth National Park and the Kyambura Wildlife Reserve. Inside the gorge is an isolated and contained cover of riparian forest. The gorge emerges between open savannah allowing the resident chimpanzee community a relatively restricted territory. Accompanied by an official UWA Ranger you will descend into the gorge and spend the morning on a nature walk. Here, you will spend time tracking for the remnant population of about 20 individual chimpanzees as well as the other primates that inhabit the gorge.

You will explore Ishasha, the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth considered by some experts as one of the most alluring game viewing area of East Africa. It's an off-the-beaten-track destination that you will surely enjoy. We wake up early, of course, since this is the best time for observing nature. You start from the southern circuit in search of the elephants and we will drive over the plains of Ishasha in the open savannah. The southern circuit usually has large herds of buffalo, Uganda kob and topi. Near to the swamps of the southern circuit you might see even leopard. We continue and drive to the northern circuit which is the area near the main road known for its tree climbing lions. We look particularly at the many fig trees where lions like to stay. But we also visit the Uganda kob mating ground which is their preferred hunting area.

Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

The Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi are part of a worldwide population of just 820. The gorillas you can track belong to one of three habituated family groups. For up to five years each, these groups have undergone an extremely delicate process that has gradually brought them to tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period every day and allowed a few privileged visitors to interact with them. The gorillas are by no means tame, and are completely wild. Experienced guides will accompany you, many of whom have been involved in the habituation process themselves. The guides will use their knowledge of the gorillas' habits and information from the previous day to locate the group's whereabouts. Because of this, the time taken to track the gorillas varies enormously, from as little as half an hour to 9 hours.

Mgahinga National Park

This park sits high in the clouds, its most striking features are its three conical, extinct volcanoes, part of the spectacular Virunga range. The volcanoes' slopes contain various ecosystems and are biologically diverse.

Golden Monkey Habituation Experience

The Golden Monkey may not be the most well known primate, but is certainly an enjoyable, little creature that is worth visiting. It is a small curious monkey, golden in colour and loves to scamper around the trees. There is an estimated 3000-4000 individuals living in the bamboo forests of the Virunga Volcanoes, though researches claim that they are still very much endangered as they face the same difficulties as their cousins the Mountain Gorillas.The Golden Monkey Habituation experience begins with your orientation before you are off with your Uganda Wildlife Authority Guide up into the bamboo forest, where you will join researchers and trackers that are habituating a group of about 100 individuals.

St Uganda Kibale Chimpanzee Shutterstock Kim Paffen

Talk to a Gorilla Destination Specialist

Why book this trip?

  • Searching for the illusive chimps
  • Visiting the gorilla families of two separate populations, the Virunga Mountains Gorillas (in Mgahinga NP) and the Bwindi Gorillas (in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest)
  • Hike in search of the cheeky golden monkeys
  • Rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking
  • Join the Kazinga Channel boat Cruise, renowned for its wildlife and bird viewing; a relaxing trip down the channel with chances of spotting elephant, buffalo, huge Nile crocodiles and much more.
  • Enjoy a boat cruise in Murchison Falls National Park along the area where the waters of the Victoria and Albert Niles meet and mingle. Papyrus channels reveal endless pods of hippo, lazy crocodiles survey our craft from their position on the bank, and as we near Delta Point, the chance of seeing elephant, buffalo and antelope on the shores increase.
UGA St Uganda Mountain Gorilla Shutterstock Photocechcz

Accommodation Highlights

Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge

Just as the name implies, you’ll feel on top of the world after a glance at the unbelievable views from Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge that will quite simply take your breath away. The vistas are stunning, whether you are relaxing comfortably on your private veranda with a cup of tea and some nibbles, watching through the glass walls of your en-suite shower or enjoying a sundowner with the other guests, overlooking the dramatic Virunga Volcanoes.