9 Days Road Trip Tour of Uganda with Gorillas, Chimps, Birds, Hippos

A once-in-a-lifetime 9 Days Road Trip Tour of Uganda is the perfect way to celebrate in Africa. A hidden gem in the heart of East Africa, Uganda features over 1,000 species of birds and the chance to track endangered mountain gorillas and chimpanzees (our closest relatives in the animal kingdom).

You can see the Big 5 safari animals on a trip to Uganda and don’t have to compete with throngs of tourists. Plus Uganda is an adventurous yet safe top-rated destination.

Day 1: The Drive from Entebbe Airport to Fort Portal, Uganda

It takes about 7 hours to drive from Entebbe to the Kibale Forest Park with a break for lunch in Fort Portal, and that’s with a shortcut on a red dirt road to avoid the traffic jams on the road between Entebbe and Kampala. Enjoy an African buffet lunch at the Garden Restaurant in Fort Portal. After checking into the lodge, we were encouraged to take a walk on the loop path surrounding the property

Day 2: Full Day Chimpanzee Trekking and Habituation in Kibale Forest Park

We awoke early the next morning and suited up for our day-long chimpanzee habituation trek. It’s important to dress appropriately for the intense hike through the dense forest. There are some trails but you will go off-trail to follow the chimps.

Wear long sleeves and long trousers and tuck your pants into your hiking socks to protect yourself against fire ants. Sturdy hiking boots are a must and gaiters are a plus to keep your trousers from getting muddy.

Day 3: Drive From Kibale Forest Park to Queen Elizabeth National Park

We start the day of our road trip safari tour to Western Uganda with a guided walk through Bigodi Swamp, a community-led project run by KAFRED, the Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development. Designed to protect the nature and wildlife of the region while improving lives in the local community, KAFRED’s Bigodi Wetlands is a treasure-trove of birds and wildlife.

After our nature walk in Bigodi Swamp, we embarked on another long drive from Kibale Forest Camp to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Have an evening game drive in the afternoon after the lunches.

Day 4: In and Around Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park

Have a Morning Game Drive for more views of the Missed out wildlife that was less seen the previous day and afterward, we continue for the afternoon boat cruise at the Kazinga Channel. Then later on get back to your lodge for relaxation and ready for the Drive to the Gorilla Destination.

Day 5: A Bumpy Road to Lake Mutanda

We embarked on another long drive from Queen Elizabeth National Park to Lake Mutanda in southwest Uganda. Road quality varies considerably throughout the country. While the road was paved most of the way, the final 90 minutes or so was spent climbing up a narrow muddy road just feet away from a steep cliff.

We arrived in the early evening at Lake Mutanda Resort. Situated in the shadow of the stunning Virunga volcanoes, it was an idyllic setting to prepare for our upcoming hike to track Uganda’s mountain gorillas.

Day 6: Tracking a Family of Mountain Gorillas in Uganda

we depart before dawn for the trailhead as you begin tracking the mountain gorillas. After an hour of bouncing around on the steep muddy roads winding upward toward Bwindi Impenetrable Forest from Lake Mutanda.

Check-in by showing your passports and gorilla tracking permits which had been arranged. Get along with armed rangers (in case of encounters with forest elephants or rogue gorillas), a UWA guide, and two porters to carry our bags and lend a helping hand as you negotiate the trail. You will spend a magical hour in the presence of these awe-inspiring primates. once-a-lifetime way to spend our wedding anniversary!

Day 7: A Day of Rest and Recovery at Lake Bunyonyi

We drive from Lake Mutanda Resort to the Birds Nest Lodge on picturesque Lake Bunyonyi. You were tired and your legs may be burning from tracking the gorillas the previous day. So get to spend a leisurely afternoon on Lake Bunyonyi and arranged for a boat cruise around Uganda’s deepest lake.

Day 8: On the Road to Lake Mburo National Park

On the road between Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mburo, you will witness a large-scale market where locals buy and sell matoke. Arrive at Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda’s smallest protected savanna, in the late afternoon after lunch in Mbarara Town. Then Start off an evening game drive. Once again, the birdwatching opportunities are amazing here.

Day 9: Our Final Day on a Private Safari in Uganda

This Morning, met up with a UWA guide for a walking safari in Lake Mburo National Park. After leaving for Kampala or Entebbe Crossing the Equator and Return to the Northern Hemisphere. Enjoy your last African meal of beef, rice, matoke, and avocado at Flamingo Joint in the Southern Hemisphere but within sight of the sign marking the equator.