7 Day Kibale, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi Safari
Track chimpanzees in Kibale, explore Queen Elizabeth's wildlife-rich savannah, cruise the Kazinga Channel, search Ishasha's fig trees for lions and trek mountain gorillas in Bwindi.
Plan This Safari7 Days / 6 Nights / 3 National Parks / Private Safari
7 days from Kibale's chimpanzees to Bwindi's mountain gorillas.
Follow the natural western Uganda route through Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Ishasha and Buhoma without backtracking between the major safari destinations.
Kibale
2 nights, chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi Wetland nature walk.
Queen Elizabeth
Savannah game drives and Kazinga Channel boat cruise.
Ishasha
1 overnight and a dedicated search for tree-climbing lions.
Bwindi
2 nights in Buhoma and mountain gorilla trekking.
Uganda's great apes and savannah wildlife in 1 remarkable journey.
This 7 Day Kibale, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi Safari connects 3 of Uganda's outstanding wildlife destinations in 1 private journey. Starting from Kampala or Entebbe, you travel west to Kibale National Park , where the rainforest is home to chimpanzees and several other primate species. After 2 nights in the Kibale area, continue south to Queen Elizabeth National Park for savannah game drives, a boat cruise and wildlife viewing in Ishasha.
In Kibale, your main experience is chimpanzee tracking from the Kanyanchu area. Walk with an experienced ranger through the forest in search of a habituated chimpanzee community. Once the chimpanzees are located, you can spend up to 1 hour observing their behaviour. Later, visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a community-guided nature walk, with opportunities to see monkeys and birds around the swamp and forest edge.
The journey then moves to Queen Elizabeth National Park . Here, your guide will explore grasslands and woodland in search of elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks and other wildlife. The Kazinga Channel boat cruise adds a different perspective, bringing you onto the water where hippos, crocodiles and waterbirds are commonly observed.
Instead of driving directly from the main Queen Elizabeth game-viewing area to Bwindi, the itinerary includes 1 night in Ishasha. This quieter southern sector is famous for lions that sometimes rest in the branches of large trees. Your morning game drive provides time to search for them before continuing through the changing countryside towards Buhoma.
The safari concludes with mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi . Follow ranger guides through the montane rainforest until your allocated gorilla family is located, then enjoy up to 1 permitted hour in their company. Travellers planning a wider East African holiday can also explore our Uganda safari packages .
Safari Highlights
Track habituated chimpanzees in Kibale's tropical rainforest.
Enjoy a guided nature and primate walk in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary.
Explore Queen Elizabeth on an afternoon and a morning game drive.
Cruise the Kazinga Channel for hippos, elephants, buffaloes and waterbirds.
Spend 1 night in the quieter Ishasha sector of the park.
Search for Ishasha's famous tree-climbing lions on a morning game drive.
Travel from open savannah into the highlands around Bwindi.
Trek mountain gorillas with experienced ranger guides in Buhoma.
Spend up to 1 hour observing a habituated gorilla family in Bwindi.
Uganda safari, day by day.
2 nights in Kibale, 1 night in central Queen Elizabeth, 1 night in Ishasha and 2 nights in Buhoma, followed by the return to Kampala or Entebbe.
Kampala or Entebbe to Kibale National Park
After breakfast, meet your BLS Safaris driver guide and leave Kampala or Entebbe for Kibale National Park in western Uganda. The journey takes you through towns, farmland, tea-growing areas and rolling countryside towards the Fort Portal region.
As you travel west, enjoy the changing scenery and views towards the Rwenzori foothills where conditions allow. Stop for lunch along the route before continuing towards the forest.
Arrive at your selected lodge during the afternoon and check in. The rest of the day is kept free for relaxation after the journey. Enjoy the cool forest atmosphere and prepare for tomorrow's chimpanzee tracking experience.
Your guide will confirm the departure time for the Kanyanchu briefing area. Comfortable trekking shoes, rain protection and a small daypack are recommended for the forest walk.
Kibale Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
Wake early for breakfast before travelling to the Kanyanchu visitor area for your chimpanzee trekking experience . Meet the ranger guides, attend the safety briefing and enter Kibale Forest to begin searching for a habituated chimpanzee community.
The walk takes you beneath tall rainforest trees and through varied forest vegetation. Chimpanzees move widely as they feed and interact, so finding them can take time. Along the trails, you may encounter other monkeys and forest birds.
Once your group finds the chimpanzees, enjoy up to 1 hour observing their behaviour. You may see them feeding, grooming, calling or moving through the canopy. Follow the ranger's instructions throughout the encounter.
After the forest trek, return to your lodge for lunch and a short rest. In the afternoon, visit nearby Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a guided nature walk.
The wetland offers a different setting from Kibale's deeper rainforest. Walk through papyrus vegetation and forest-edge habitats, looking for monkeys, birds and other wetland wildlife. Your local guide will also introduce the community's conservation and tourism work.
Return to your accommodation after the walk, enjoy dinner and spend your 2nd night in the Kibale area.
Kibale to Queen Elizabeth National Park and Afternoon Game Drive
After breakfast, check out of your Kibale lodge and begin travelling south towards Queen Elizabeth National Park . The road takes you through the countryside of western Uganda, with the scenery changing from forested hills to grassland and open woodland.
Arrive at your selected lodge around lunchtime, depending on the road conditions and your departure time. Check in, enjoy lunch and take a short rest before heading out for your afternoon game drive.
Your guide will explore suitable wildlife areas within the park, looking for Uganda kobs, elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs and other species. Lions, leopards and spotted hyenas also inhabit the park, although predator sightings depend on where they are moving.
The open landscape creates a welcome contrast with Kibale's rainforest. Enjoy the afternoon game viewing before returning to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Queen Elizabeth Game Drive, Kazinga Channel Cruise and Transfer to Ishasha
Begin the day with an early breakfast before setting out for another game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The cooler morning hours are often rewarding for watching animals moving across the plains.
Your guide will continue exploring productive wildlife areas, looking for elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, warthogs and other animals. The morning provides another opportunity to enjoy the savannah before returning towards your lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, head to the Kazinga Channel for a boat safari. The channel connects Lake George and Lake Edward and is one of Queen Elizabeth's most rewarding wildlife viewing areas.
Watch hippos in the water and look for Nile crocodiles along the banks. Elephants and buffaloes may also come down towards the shoreline, while African fish eagles, pelicans, cormorants, kingfishers and other waterbirds can be seen along the channel.
After the cruise, continue south towards the Ishasha sector. This part of Queen Elizabeth is quieter and more remote than the main northern game-viewing areas. Arrive at your selected accommodation, check in and enjoy dinner.
Ishasha Tree-Climbing Lions and Transfer to Buhoma, Bwindi
After an early breakfast, begin a game drive in Ishasha, the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park . Ishasha is especially famous for its tree-climbing lions, sometimes seen resting in the branches of large fig and acacia trees.
Your guide will search the plains and suitable tree-lined areas for lions. They may be resting in a tree, moving through the grassland or hidden in vegetation. Sightings are never guaranteed, so the drive also focuses on the wider wildlife of the Ishasha ecosystem.
Look for Uganda kobs, topis, buffaloes, elephants and other savannah animals as you explore the quieter game viewing tracks.
After the game drive, continue south towards Bwindi Impenetrable National Park . The road from Ishasha to Buhoma takes you from open savannah into rolling highlands and increasingly forested scenery.
Arrive in Buhoma, check into your selected lodge and relax after the journey. In the evening, your guide will confirm tomorrow's gorilla trekking arrangements and what to carry into the rainforest.
Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Wake early for breakfast before travelling to the Buhoma park headquarters for your mountain gorilla trekking experience . Meet Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger guides for registration, a safety briefing and allocation to a habituated gorilla family.
Once the briefing is complete, enter the rainforest with your guides and trackers. The trek may take several hours, depending on where the gorillas have moved and the terrain along your route. Bwindi's slopes can be steep, muddy and uneven, so sturdy hiking boots and suitable fitness are important.
When the gorillas are located, enjoy up to 1 permitted hour in their presence. You may see the silverback resting nearby, adults feeding, mothers caring for young gorillas and juveniles playing among the vegetation. Every encounter is different, and your ranger will guide the experience.
After the viewing period, trek back towards the trailhead, meet your driver and return to your lodge. The rest of the afternoon is deliberately left free for rest and relaxation after the forest walk.
The gorilla permit must match the Buhoma sector and your confirmed trekking date. Travellers can read our gorilla permit booking guide for more information about organising this experience before travel.
Buhoma to Kampala or Entebbe, End of Safari
After breakfast, check out of your lodge and begin the long return drive from Buhoma to Kampala or Entebbe. The journey takes you out of the Bwindi highlands and through southwestern Uganda's countryside.
Pass farming communities, small towns, rolling hills and the changing landscapes of western Uganda before joining the main road towards Kampala.
Stop for lunch and suitable comfort breaks along the route. The transfer generally takes most of the day, depending on road conditions, traffic and your final drop-off point.
On arrival, your driver guide will transfer you to your agreed hotel in Kampala or Entebbe, or to Entebbe International Airport if your onward flight timing allows.
This concludes your 7 Day Kibale, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi Safari, after chimpanzee trekking, Bigodi, classic game drives, a Kazinga Channel cruise, Ishasha wildlife and mountain gorilla trekking.
Safari Inclusions and Exclusions
What's Included
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle for the scheduled journey.
- Professional English-speaking safari driver guide.
- Kampala or Entebbe pickup and drop-off.
- 6 nights of accommodation in the selected safari lodges.
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner as indicated in the itinerary.
- Kibale National Park entry fees.
- 1 chimpanzee trekking permit per traveller.
- Ranger-guided chimpanzee trekking experience.
- Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary entry and guided walk.
- Queen Elizabeth National Park entry fees.
- Scheduled game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
- Kazinga Channel boat cruise.
- Ishasha game drive.
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park entry fees.
- 1 mountain gorilla trekking permit per traveller.
- Ranger-guided gorilla trekking experience.
- Bottled drinking water during the safari.
- Applicable taxes and service charges.
What's Not Included
- International flights.
- Uganda visa fees.
- Travel and medical insurance.
- Personal shopping, souvenirs and other expenses.
- Alcoholic and premium beverages.
- Laundry services.
- Tips and gratuities for driver guides, rangers and lodge staff.
- Gorilla trekking porter fees, unless specifically included.
- Optional activities not scheduled in the itinerary.
- Additional accommodation before or after the safari.
- Any other service not specifically listed under inclusions.
Track chimpanzees. Explore the savannah. Meet the mountain gorillas.
Share your travel dates, number of travellers and preferred accommodation standard with BLS Safaris. We will help arrange your Kibale chimpanzee permit, Queen Elizabeth wildlife experiences, Ishasha overnight and Buhoma gorilla trekking permit.