14 Days Gorillas, Chimps & Rwenzori Trek

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, where your Nature Nest guide meets you. Transfer to a comfortable lakeside hotel on the shores of Lake Victoria. Enjoy a welcome dinner and briefing about your upcoming 14-day adventure through Uganda's greatest highlights.

Take a scenic charter flight over the lush Ugandan countryside to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. After settling into your lodge perched above the forest, join a community walk through the Batwa pygmy village to learn about their ancestral relationship with the forest. The evening brings the sounds of the forest — frogs, insects, and the occasional call of a nocturnal primate.

After an early briefing at the park headquarters, your tracker leads you into the Impenetrable Forest. The trek can take 1-6 hours through dense vegetation, up muddy slopes, and across streams. Then — the moment that changes everything. A silverback gorilla, 200kg of gentle power, sits feeding in a clearing. You spend a precious one hour with a habituated gorilla family, watching babies play, mothers nurse, and the silverback keep watch. This encounter is indescribable.

Drive through the stunning Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, famous for its tree-climbing lions. Stop to search for these remarkable big cats lounging in fig trees. Continue north to the main park area, passing through rolling savanna, crater lakes, and Euphorbia forests. Check into your safari lodge overlooking the Kazinga Channel.

Early morning game drive on the Kasenyi plains — the best spot for lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, and Uganda kob. Afternoon Kazinga Channel boat cruise — this 32km natural waterway between Lakes Edward and George is home to the highest concentration of hippos in Africa. Hundreds of bird species line the banks, and crocodiles bask in the sun.

Journey north through the lush tea plantations and crater lakes of western Uganda to Kibale Forest National Park. This is one of the most biodiverse tropical forests in Africa, home to 13 primate species including over 1,500 chimpanzees. Settle into your forest lodge and enjoy a nature walk in the evening.

Join your tracker at dawn for a chimpanzee tracking experience. Listen for their distinctive pant-hoot calls echoing through the forest. When you find a community, observe their fascinating social behaviors — grooming, feeding, playing, and their complex hierarchies. You may also spot red colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and L'Hoest's monkeys. The afternoon is free for a swamp walk or Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary visit.

Transfer south to Kilembe, the gateway to the Rwenzori Mountains. Meet your mountain guides and porters for a detailed briefing on the trek ahead. Check your gear and pack for the mountains. The Rwenzori range looms above — often shrouded in clouds, mysterious and inviting. Rest early for the trek ahead.

The mountain adventure begins! Trek from Kilembe through tropical rainforest thick with bamboo, ferns, and cascading waterfalls. The trail climbs steeply through the lower slopes, crossing log bridges over rushing streams. Watch for primates in the canopy above. After 5-6 hours, arrive at Sine Camp (2,596m) surrounded by giant tree ferns.

A steep climb from bamboo forest into the giant heather zone. Moss-draped trees create an otherworldly atmosphere. The trail is muddy — the Rwenzori receives heavy rainfall. As you gain altitude, views open over the Congo basin to the west. Mutinda Camp (3,688m) offers spectacular sunset panoramas.

Start with a climb to Mutinda Lookout for panoramic views of Mount Stanley and its glaciers. The trail then passes through the most spectacular Afro-alpine vegetation — giant groundsels and lobelias tower like alien trees. Arrive at Bugata Camp (4,062m) in a dramatic mountain cirque.

The culmination of the mountain trek. Climb to Bamwanjara Pass (4,568m) through rocky terrain with views of Mount Stanley's glaciers. The pass is often shrouded in atmospheric mist. Descend to Hunwick's Camp (3,974m) near a beautiful glacial lake.

A long but satisfying descent back through the moss forest, heather zone, bamboo, and tropical forest to Kilembe. The changing vegetation zones feel like traveling through different worlds. Arrive by late afternoon, celebrate with your mountain crew, enjoy a hot shower and a hearty meal at the lodge.

Your grand 14-day adventure concludes with a transfer to Entebbe International Airport. Depending on your flight time, there may be time for a visit to the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre or craft shopping in Entebbe town. Say farewell to your guide and depart with memories that will last a lifetime — gorillas, chimps, big game, and the Mountains of the Moon.