6 Days Uganda Gorilla and Chimpanzee Safari from Kigali. For travelers who want to go beyond a single primate encounter, a 6-day Uganda gorilla and chimpanzee safari from Kigali offers something genuinely rare: the chance to track both mountain gorillas and wild chimpanzees within the same trip, alongside classic savanna game viewing in between. This itinerary has become one of our most rewarding offerings precisely because it lets travelers compare two distinct great ape experiences, the powerful, grounded presence of a gorilla family and the energetic, high-canopy activity of a chimpanzee troop, while still enjoying Uganda’s broader wildlife along the way. Here’s how the six days unfold.

Why Combine Gorillas and Chimpanzees in One Itinerary

Mountain gorillas and chimpanzees are both great apes, but the experience of tracking each is remarkably different. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park typically involves a calmer, slower encounter with a habituated family resting or feeding on the forest floor, while chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest National Park is faster-paced and more dynamic, as chimps move actively through the canopy, vocalizing and interacting in ways that feel distinctly different from a gorilla encounter.

Because both species can be tracked within a single southwestern Uganda circuit, accessible from Kigali, many travelers choose to experience both rather than just one. At Kenlink Tours, this 6-day itinerary has become a favorite among travelers who want a genuinely comprehensive primate and wildlife experience without an excessively long trip.

Day 1: Kigali to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Your safari begins with an early morning departure from Kigali, crossing the border into Uganda at Cyanika or Katuna before continuing toward Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a journey of roughly four to five hours including border formalities. Along the way, your guide will often stop at a scenic viewpoint over Lake Bunyonyi, one of Africa’s deepest lakes.

By early afternoon, you’ll arrive at your lodge near Bwindi, with the remainder of the day free to relax and attend a pre-trek briefing covering what to expect during the following day’s gorilla trek.

Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi

After an early breakfast, you’ll head to the park headquarters for the official morning briefing led by rangers from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). Trekking groups are limited to a maximum of eight people per gorilla family, and the hike itself can range from one to several hours depending on where the gorillas have moved since the previous day.

Once your group locates the gorilla family, you’ll spend an unforgettable hour observing them in their natural habitat. The afternoon is left free to rest, with optional community walks available for travelers wanting to learn more about local Bakiga and Batwa culture. More detail on this portion of the trip is available on our Bwindi Impenetrable National Park page.

Day 3: Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, you’ll depart Bwindi and drive north toward Queen Elizabeth National Park, passing through the scenic Ishasha sector along the way, an area famous for its tree-climbing lions. Your driver-guide will keep watch for wildlife throughout this transitional drive, which typically takes several hours depending on road conditions and stops made en route.

By late afternoon, you’ll arrive at your lodge near the Kazinga Channel, with views over the surrounding savanna and the chance to spot elephants, buffalo, and antelope before dinner.

Day 4: Game Drive and Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise

This day is dedicated to classic savanna wildlife viewing. An early morning game drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park offers strong chances of spotting lions, elephants, buffalo, and Uganda kob, while cooler morning temperatures keep animals more active. In the afternoon, a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel provides close-up views of hippos, crocodiles, and elephants at the water’s edge, along with excellent birdwatching opportunities across the park’s wetland habitats.

This combination of land and water-based game viewing rounds out the wildlife portion of the trip before continuing on to the chimpanzee tracking leg in Kibale Forest.

Day 5: Queen Elizabeth to Kibale Forest and Chimpanzee Tracking

After an early breakfast, you’ll drive north from Queen Elizabeth toward Kibale Forest National Park, widely regarded as one of the best places in Africa to track wild chimpanzees. Depending on timing, chimpanzee tracking permits allow for either a morning or afternoon tracking session, organized through park headquarters with rangers leading small groups through the forest.

Kibale is home to one of the highest primate densities in Africa, and beyond chimpanzees, the forest supports red colobus monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, and several other species, making the tracking walk itself a richly rewarding experience even between sightings of the main troop. Once located, you’ll spend up to an hour observing the chimpanzees as they move, feed, and interact within the forest canopy, a noticeably more energetic encounter than the gorilla trek earlier in the trip.

Day 6: Kibale Forest back to Kigali

On your final day, after a relaxed breakfast, you’ll begin the return journey to Kigali, retracing the route back through southwestern Uganda and across the border into Rwanda. Depending on your flight schedule, your guide can arrange a stop in Musanze for lunch before continuing on to Kigali International Airport or your hotel.

Travelers with extra time before departure can extend this final leg with a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, offering meaningful historical context before your evening flight.

What’s Included in This 6-Day Itinerary

A complete 6-day gorilla and chimpanzee safari from Kigali typically includes private 4×4 transport with an experienced English-speaking driver-guide, all border crossing assistance, five nights of accommodation across Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth, and Kibale Forest, your gorilla trekking permit and chimpanzee tracking permit, all relevant park entrance fees, the Kazinga Channel boat cruise, and meals as specified in the itinerary. Optional add-ons, such as golden monkey tracking near Bwindi or a chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale, allowing extended time with the troop, can be arranged on request.

You can review full pricing and inclusions for this and similar itineraries on our Uganda safari packages page, or contact our team directly at info@kenlinktours.com for a tailored quote.

Booking Permits for Both Gorillas and Chimpanzees

Because this itinerary requires two separate tracking permits, gorilla trekking in Bwindi and chimpanzee tracking in Kibale, both issued through the Uganda Wildlife Authority, it’s important to book well in advance to ensure availability on your specific travel dates. Gorilla permits currently cost approximately 800 US dollars per person, while chimpanzee tracking permits are considerably less expensive, making this combination a strong value addition to a gorilla-focused trip.

We recommend booking both permits three to six months ahead of travel, particularly during peak dry seasons from June to September and December to February, to ensure your preferred dates and sectors are available.

Packing for a Multi-Park Primate Safari

Because this itinerary spans rainforest trekking, savanna game drives, and a second forest tracking experience, packing needs to cover varied conditions. Waterproof hiking boots, gardening gloves, a rain jacket, and long sleeves and trousers are essential for both the Bwindi and Kibale forest portions, while lighter, breathable clothing suits the Queen Elizabeth game drive days. A good camera with a zoom lens, binoculars, sunscreen, and insect repellent will serve you well throughout the trip, and travel insurance covering trekking activities and medical evacuation is strongly recommended given the remote nature of all three parks.

Is This Itinerary Right for You?

This 6-day route suits travelers who want a genuinely comprehensive Uganda wildlife experience without an extended multi-week trip, particularly those with a strong interest in primates and willing to commit to two separate tracking days. It’s an excellent choice for repeat visitors to East Africa who have already done a standard gorilla trek and want to add chimpanzee tracking, as well as first-time travelers looking to maximize the variety of wildlife experiences within a single, well-organized trip.

Book Your 6-Day Gorilla and Chimpanzee Safari from Kigali

A 6-day Uganda gorilla and chimpanzee safari from Kigali delivers a rare opportunity to track two great ape species in their natural habitats, alongside classic savanna game drives and a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, all within a well-paced, manageable trip. From the misty forests of Bwindi to the energetic canopy of Kibale, this itinerary offers one of the most complete primate and wildlife experiences available in East Africa.

To start planning, explore our Bwindi Impenetrable National Park page, browse our full range of Uganda safari packages, or email our team directly at info@kenlinktours.com to begin building your 6-day gorilla and chimpanzee adventure from Kigali.