Self-Launched Chimps & Gorillas of Uganda

Fly into Entebbe International Airport and make your own way to your guesthouse in town. Most flights arrive late evening so keep this day free. Entebbe sits on the shore of Lake Victoria — if you arrive with daylight to spare, take a walk down to the lakefront. The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) website (ugandawildlife.org) is where you must book chimp and gorilla permits in advance — these sell out fast, especially gorilla permits, so have them confirmed before you travel.

🚌Airport taxi to Entebbe town centre (~£10–15 negotiated fare)

🛏Papyrus Guest House or Entebbe Backpackers (~£20–30/night)

• →Settle in and rest after the flight
• →Walk to Lake Victoria waterfront if time allows
• →Pre-book Uganda Wildlife Authority permits online at ugandawildlife.org (gorilla permit: ~£390, chimp permit: ~£95)

Take an early morning shared shuttle or hire a private minibus with other travellers from Entebbe/Kampala to Fort Portal, the gateway town to Kibale Forest. The journey is approximately 5–6 hours including a stop in Kampala. Book through a local operator like Gaagaa Coach or Gateway Bus from Kampala's Kisenyi bus park (~£8–12 by shared bus, or split a private hire minibus with fellow travellers for ~£25–35pp). Arrive at your lodge near Kibale in the afternoon and relax — listen out for chimpanzees calling in the forest at dusk.

🚌Shared bus Kampala–Fort Portal via Gaagaa/Gateway (~£10), or split private minibus (~£30pp)

🛏Kibale Forest Camp or Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse, Fort Portal (~£25–40/night)

• →Early morning coach or minibus from Kampala to Fort Portal
• →Check in and explore the lodge grounds near Kibale Forest
• →Evening briefing on chimp tracking protocol from lodge staff

Rise early for your pre-booked chimp tracking permit at Kanyanchu Visitor Centre (book directly via ugandawildlife.org, ~£95pp). Trek into Kibale Forest with a UWA ranger guide — expect to encounter red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys and colobus monkeys along the way, with excellent odds of finding chimps. After returning for lunch at your lodge, take a 10-minute boda-boda (motorbike taxi) ride to the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary (~£3 return). Managed by the local KAFRED community organisation, the 2-hour guided walk costs around £8pp and is superb for birds, vervets and colobus monkeys.

🚌Boda-boda to Bigodi Wetlands (~£3 return)

🛏Kibale Forest Camp or Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse, Fort Portal (~£25–40/night)

• →Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest with UWA ranger (permit pre-booked, ~£95pp)
• →Coffee stop at Cafe Kibale — supports free hospitality training for local youth
• →Afternoon guided walk in Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary (~£8pp)

If you want to maximise your chances of a close chimp encounter, book a second tracking permit (same process via UWA, ~£95pp — recommended to pre-book before travel as slots are very limited). In the afternoon, hire a boda-boda or arrange a short private transfer to the Ndali-Kasenda Crater Lakes area for a self-guided or community-guided 2–3 hour hike around the rim of the volcanic crater lakes. Stunning scenery and often quieter than the main forest activities.

🚌Boda-boda to crater lakes trailhead (~£5 return)

🛏Kibale Forest Camp or Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse (~£25–40/night)

• →Optional second chimpanzee tracking permit in Kibale (~£95pp if taken)
• →Afternoon Crater Lakes hike (~2–3 hrs) — guide available locally for ~£10
• →Sunset views over the crater lakes

An 8-hour drive south today — the most practical way to do this independently is to hire a private driver/guide for the multi-day leg (Kibale → Bwindi → Lake Mburo → Entebbe). Hiring a reliable 4WD with driver from a local operator in Fort Portal for the remaining 6 days costs approximately £120–160/day split among your group, or ~£40–55pp for a group of 3–4. En route, pass through Queen Elizabeth National Park's Ishasha sector — famous for tree-climbing lions — stopping for a self-guided game viewing drive (UWA entry fee ~£30pp/day). Pack a picnic lunch from Fort Portal market.

🚌Private 4WD hire with driver (~£40–55pp/day when split 3–4 ways)

🛏Buhoma Community Rest Camp or Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge budget rooms (~£30–50/night)

• →Scenic drive through the Rift Valley escarpment
• →Game viewing drive in Queen Elizabeth NP Ishasha sector — look for tree-climbing lions (~£30 park entry)
• →Arrive Buhoma village at the edge of Bwindi in the evening

Rest up before gorilla day! Buhoma village has several community-run activities you can book locally. The Batwa Cultural Experience is a 3–4 hour immersive walk with indigenous Batwa guides sharing their forest heritage (~£25–35pp, bookable through the Buhoma Community Camp or Ride 4 a Woman). Alternatively, join a community forest walk with a local guide (~£15pp) or visit the Ride 4 a Woman cooperative — a social enterprise empowering local women. The afternoon is perfect for relaxing, packing your rain gear and reading up on gorilla etiquette.

🚌On foot around Buhoma village

🛏Buhoma Community Rest Camp or budget lodge (~£30–50/night)

• →Optional Batwa Cultural Experience (~£25–35pp, book at Buhoma Community Camp)
• →Optional community forest walk with local guide (~£15pp)
• →Visit Ride 4 a Woman community cooperative
• →Pack layers and sturdy boots for tomorrow's gorilla trek

The undisputed highlight of the trip. Report to the UWA Buhoma ranger station by 7:30am with your pre-booked gorilla permit (~£390pp — book as early as possible at ugandawildlife.org). A UWA ranger guide and porter (optional, ~£15 — highly recommended on steep terrain) will lead your small group of 8 into the forest. The trek can take 1–6 hours depending on where the habituated gorilla family is ranging. Once found, you have one precious hour with the family. An absolute bucket-list experience. Optional tip for rangers/porters ~£10–20.

🚌Short transfer to UWA ranger station with your driver (~included in hire)

🛏Buhoma Community Rest Camp or budget lodge (~£30–50/night)

• →Mountain gorilla tracking with UWA ranger (permit pre-booked ~£390pp)
• →Spend one hour observing a wild habituated gorilla family
• →Hire a local porter to help on steep trails (~£15 — supports community employment)

A second gorilla permit (~£390pp) can be obtained for today if booked well in advance — limited availability means this must be secured months before travel. If you're not doing a second trek, spend a leisurely morning at the lodge before an optional short forest walk along the Munyaga River Trail (free or ~£5 ranger fee). Chat with locals in Buhoma market, pick up handcrafted baskets and wood carvings made by community cooperatives, and savour your gorilla memories.

🚌On foot or short transfer with driver

🛏Buhoma Community Rest Camp or budget lodge (~£30–50/night)

• →Optional second gorilla tracking permit (~£390pp if taken — must be pre-booked)
• →Alternative: Munyaga River Trail forest walk (~£5 ranger fee)
• →Browse Buhoma village craft market

A 5-hour drive northeast from Bwindi, stopping for lunch in Mbarara — try a local restaurant on the main drag for a hearty Ugandan meal of matoke, groundnut stew and rolex (chapati egg wrap) for under £4. Lake Mburo is the only park in southern Uganda where you can see zebras, impalas and Rothschild's giraffes. Pay UWA park entry on arrival (~£30pp/day). Check in to your lodge before an evening game drive.

🚌Continued 4WD hire with driver (~£40–55pp/day split)

🛏Rwakobo Rock budget banda or Eagles Nest Campsite (~£25–45/night)

• →Scenic drive through Uganda's green rolling hills
• →Lunch stop in Mbarara — try a local restaurant (~£4)
• →Arrive Lake Mburo NP — pay park entry (~£30pp)
• →Optional short evening game drive from the lodge

Early morning game drive through Lake Mburo's acacia woodland and grassy hillsides in search of zebras, giraffes, impala, topi, eland and the elusive leopard. Your driver can double as a game-spotter on the park's track network. In the afternoon, join an optional UWA boat safari on Lake Mburo (~£20pp) — brilliant for hippos, crocodiles, African fish eagles and the rare shoebill stork. Alternatively, book an early morning guided game walk with a UWA ranger to a salt lick (~£15pp), where hyenas and hippos are often encountered at dawn.

🚌Game drives in hired 4WD with driver

🛏Rwakobo Rock budget banda or Eagles Nest Campsite (~£25–45/night)

• →Morning game drive in Lake Mburo NP (included in park entry)
• →Optional UWA boat safari on Lake Mburo (~£20pp) — look for shoebill stork
• →Optional guided game walk to a salt lick with UWA ranger (~£15pp)
• →Sundowner from the rocky outcrop viewpoint near the lodge

Final drive back to Entebbe (approximately 5 hours with a Kampala traffic buffer). En route, ask your driver to stop at Mabamba Swamp wetlands (~25km from Entebbe) for a community canoe trip (~£15pp) in search of the prehistoric-looking shoebill stork — one of birding's most sought-after species. Arrive Entebbe in the early evening. If your flight is late, grab dinner at the waterfront — Faze 3 restaurant on Entebbe Road does excellent grilled tilapia and cold Nile Special beers. Transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your onward flight.

🚌Continued 4WD hire with driver back to Entebbe; airport drop included

🛏N/A — fly out (or add an extra night at Entebbe Backpackers if needed)

• →Scenic final drive north through Uganda's countryside
• →Stop at Mabamba Swamp for a canoe shoebill stork tour (~£15pp)
• →Farewell dinner in Entebbe at Faze 3 or a lakefront restaurant (~£8–12)