Uganda & Rwanda: African Primate Safari

11 days
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4.8/5 Excellent
64 reviews  
97%
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Small Group Tour
This unique East African adventure blends the thrill of tracking gorillas and chimps with the variety of a classic big game safari. Uganda and Rwanda are a study in contrasts—deep jungles, crater lakes, wetlands, and savannahs, all vibrant with fascinating wildlife, yet deeply vulnerable. On game drives, forest walks, and launch trips, the fertile equatorial ...
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Full schedule

Highlights

    • Track mountain gorillas over moderate terrain in Rwanda's Parc des Volcans—one of nature’s most powerful experiences—against the stunning background of the neighboring volcanoes
    • Visit both Rwanda and Uganda, including the Ishasha region, home to remarkable, tree-climbing lions (experiences you won’t get with most other operators)
    • Gaze up at fig tree forests filled with dozens of highly social chimpanzees
    • Spend an extra day observing lions, leopards, elephants, hippos and other classic big game in Queen Elizabeth National Park
    • Enjoy the benefits of MTS’ expert planning—permits are guaranteed for our departure dates, even in peak season

What's this trip about?

    This unique East African adventure blends the thrill of tracking gorillas and chimps with the variety of a classic big game safari. Uganda and Rwanda are a study in contrasts—deep jungles, crater lakes, wetlands, and savannahs, all vibrant with fascinating wildlife, yet deeply vulnerable. On game drives, forest walks, and launch trips, the fertile equatorial landscape of Queen Elizabeth National Park provides a beautiful backdrop for leopards, elephants, lions, and up to 30,000 hippos. We may even see one of Africa’s wonderful anomalies: the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha.

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeIntimate group - max of 12 people
Age range15 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityEntebbe
End CityKigali

Travel Themes

  • Family Friendly
  • National Parks
  • Nature & Wildlife
  • Safari

Destinations

  • Africa
  • Rwanda
  • Uganda

Attractions

  • Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
  • Kibale National Park
  • Kigali
  • Queen Elizabeth National Park

Activities

  • Bird watching
  • Culture
  • Game drive
  • Hiking
  • Historic sightseeing
  • History
  • Nature
  • Photography
  • Safari
  • Trekking
  • Wildlife viewing

Trip includes

    • Expert leadership
    • Accommodations as noted in itinerary (or similar)
    • If applicable, tent or safari accommodations and all arrangements in the field, including camp and cook staffs, comfortable and roomy two-person tents, kitchen and dining tents, and other community equipment
    • Meals as noted in the itinerary
    • Airport transfers
    • Sightseeing as noted in the itinerary
    • Ground transportation
    • Additional guides and porters where necessary
    • Tips for lodge, hotel, or camp staff
    • Entrance fees and permits, unless noted separately in costs
    • Basic medical and evacuation insurance

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Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1: Arrive in Entebbe, Uganda.

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Protea Hotel Entebbe

You may arrive anytime today into Entebbe, Uganda.  A Mountain Travel Sobek representative will meet you outside the customs and immigration area at the airport. He or she will answer questions, brief you...

Day 2: Entebbe to Kibale Forest National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Primate Lodge

We board our Land Rovers in the morning and drive into the lush green countryside of Uganda, a country described by Winston Churchill as “the Pearl of Africa.” We pass through landscapes whe...

Day 3: Kibale Forest National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Primate Lodge

Kibale is home to more than 500 chimpanzees and twelve other primate species, including black-and-white and red colobus, galagos, and L’Hoest’s monkeys. The forest, which averages about 3,30...

Days 4-5: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Jacana Lodge

Today we drive 3-4 hours to Queen Elizabeth National Park, located in the western branch of Africa’s Great Rift Valley. With 2,000 square miles of deep jungle, volcanoes, crater lakes, and op...

Days 6-7: Maramagambo Forest – Ishasha

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Ishasha Wilderness Camp

We'll explore the remote southern Ishasha region of Queen Elizabeth National Park, known for herds of elephant, buffalo, and many species of antelope. Game drives provide a good ch...

Day 8: Kisoro – Kinigi

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Gorilla Mountain View Lodge

Drive through the region known as “the Switzerland of East Africa” for its awe-inspiring mountains. We travel through the famous Kanaba Gap, one of East Africa’s most scenic ar...

Day 9: Parc National des Volcans

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Gorilla Mountain View Lodge

Local trackers lead us through misty rainforest for our first adrenaline-filled encounter with the mountain gorillas. Although park rangers try to keep tabs on the whereabouts ...

Day 10: Virunga Volcanoes – Kigali

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Kigali Serena

Today we trek up the forested slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes for our second gorilla encounter. There are currently 10 family groups of gorillas in the park which are available for tracking ...

Day 11: Kigali

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

We’ll tour bustling Kigali, including a tour of the genocide museum, the Kigali Memorial Centre, commemorating the one million Rwandans killed in 1994. Transfer to the airport for departure on homeward-bound flights via Entebbe or Nairobi.  It's best not to schedule departure flights before 2pm.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $6,295
Price per day$572
Single supplement (single occupancy)$1,500
Last Updated: 2/23/2024

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek).

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek) Reviews & Ratings

4.8/5  Excellent
Excellent
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Other MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek) Reviews

T

Tish

Aug 2023

Written on

Recommend Japan hikes but not with Mt Sobek

First, let me say our tour guide Tomomi S. is hands down THE best tour guide I’ve ever had - knowledgeable, fun and made great efforts to ensure that we were comfor...

A

Anne

Dec 2019

MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek) Company Reviewsby MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek)

Spectacular scenery

Spectacular scenery, great hiking, and fascinating conversations with...

A

Andrea

Dec 2019

MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek) Company Reviewsby MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek)

Truly enjoyable

Thanks to MT Sobek this trip was seamless and truly enjoyable. The accommodations, logistics, and guides were all excellent. I always felt safe, cared for, and well ...

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Tour Operator

MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek)

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Mountain Travel began with the belief that there is a little bit of adventure in everyone. The early days were fueled by the passions of outdoor enthusiasts who loved exploring wild places. 40 years later, we offer almost 200 adventures to destinations worldwide.

Expert Guides: When you venture into foreign lands, tackle snowy peaks or raging whitewater, you want the best guides at your side. With decades of experience in the field, MTS guides offer inspirational enthusiasm, exceptional leadership, and sheer volume of knowledge (better than any guidebook!).

What makes us great!

At Mountain Travel Sobek, we are driven by two philosophies.

One is the credo by which we have guided our company for over 30 years. Mountain Travel Sobek is a continuing experiment in discovery: of new lands, of exotic cultures, and of wondrous wildlife far from fences and highways. We believe the best way to bring to light the marvels of nature, the people of the world and ourselves, is by traveling in small groups—treading lightly with responsibility and sensitivity—while enjoying firsthand the boundless beauty and variety of our miracle planet.

The other is our philosophy for you, our client. Plan nothing, enjoy everything. We take care of all of the logistics so that you can have more time to do what's most important: relax, enjoy the experience, and have fun!

Active Unique Itineraries

Our adventures are planned with reasonably paced itineraries, incredible attention to detail, and the right mix of fun, learning, and challenge that ensure a memorable vacation. You will find our adventures physically active and culturally rewarding. Whether you ride a camel in Rajasthan or climb to the top of Kilimanjaro, you'll experience firsthand the cultures and environments of the region you are visiting. And after a long day of adventuring, we ensure you a comfortable night's rest in deluxe accommodations from regional inns to our own private camps.

In keeping with our founders' adventurous spirit, Mountain Travel Sobek is constantly seeking innovative new trips throughout the world. You will always find an array of new trips to exotic locales in our trip list in addition to the classic adventures for which we are renowned. So whatever your level of adventure, there is a Mountain Travel Sobek adventure just right for you.

Small Groups

You're probably wondering about the people with whom you'll share your adventure. Chances are, they're a lot like you. Our guests come from all walks of life and are spirited travelers who share a passion for our wonderful world. They range in age from their late 20s to mid-80s, reminding us all that you can never be too young or too old to have fun!

Our groups are intentionally kept small—usually less than 15 people—to allow you a more intimate experience with the people and wildlife you encounter on your Mountain Travel Sobek adventure. With such a small number of people, we can take advantage of many unexpected invitations and opportunities that would be impossible with larger groups.

Our guides often have very close ties to the local community and we are readily welcomed into the lives of the local folk. We may be invited to share lunch with a Turkish family or visit an artist's studio in Tuscany. Don't forget to ask us about the time we spent Thanksgiving at a Fulani "festival of the cows" in the Dogon lowlands of Mali—now there's something we won't soon forget!

Private Adventures

Our Private Adventures are an incredible series of itineraries designed especially for small groups, whether it be families, couples, or treasured friends. These selected trips are ideal for reunions with family or old friends, a great way to celebrate a milestone birthday or anniversary - and can you imagine a more exotic honeymoon?

Like all Mountain Travel Sobek trips, you can count on an adventure that reflects Mountain Travel Sobek's time-tested commitment to authentic, personalized experiences and world-class service.

Customized Adventures

You can either book your group on one of our scheduled departures, choose your own dates for one of our regular trips, or let us create a special trip hand-tailored to your specific needs and wishes. If you can imagine it, we just might be able to make it happen!

Safety

Our safety record is unparalleled (good to know if you're stepping into a river raft for the first time or planning to trek in the high mountains of Nepal). The guides are fully trained, our equipment is state-of-the-art, and we continually monitor conditions with our worldwide team of outfitters to make certain every trip is run safely and with the highest standards of quality.

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Logistics

What's excluded

    • International airfare
    • Meals not noted on itinerary
    • Insurance other than basic medical and evacuation insurance
    • Optional tipping to leader, guides and local staff
    • Excess baggage charges
    • Airport taxes (international—varies by location)
    • Cost of medical immunizations
    • Items of a personal nature (sodas, alcoholic beverages, laundry, etc.).

Accommodation

,Gorilla Mountain View Lodge — Parc des Volcans, Rwanda This hotel in the Volcanoes National Park offers 30 individual cottages located on the lower slopes of the Virunga Mountains. The main lodge provides a spacious and welcoming place to meet fellow travelers, as well as a dining room that serves excellent food. Enjoy coffee or tea by the fireplace in your room before continuing on your adventure. The property is just 15 minutes from park headquarters, so it's an ideal location for gorilla tracking!   Ishasha Wilderness Camp Ishasha Wilderness Camp is situated inside the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park on the Ntungwe river, and is a paradise for people who truly enjoy the wilderness. Being the only upmarket accommodation in the area, this exclusive tented camp offers ten spacious, framed canvas rooms, each furnished with large mosquito netted beds, private en suite bathrooms and hot water ‘bush’ showers. Meals at the camp are prepared with local ingredients and can be enjoyed in the thatched roof dining room or al fresco by the fire.   Jacana Lodge — Queen Elizabeth National Park Located in the Maragambo Forest of Queen Elizabeth National Park, the Jacana Lodge is well known for being the lodge that “grew from the forest.” Its treehouse-style jungle bungalows have an organic feel, with architecture seamlessly blending into the densely forested landscape, making it a beautiful escape—combining seclusion and service to ensure that your stay is comfortable and relaxing. The Jacana also boasts a range of amenities including a lounge, restaurant, bar, swimming pool, and sauna, plus relaxing massage services.   Kigali Serena — Kigali Located in one of Kigali's most charming areas and just 10 minutes from Kigali airport, this hotel offers relaxed yet elegant accommodations and high-end facilities. Guests can enjoy the all-day buffet in Milima Restaurant, dine al fresco at Sokoni Cafe, or enjoy a cocktail on the sundeck overlooking the pool. Rooms are modern, with comfortable beds, TVs and Wi-Fi. The Kigali Serena Hotel is built around a polished granite atrium, which showcases the very best of Rwandese cultural art.   Primate Lodge — Kibale Forest National Park, Uganda Primate Lodge Kibale is a unique property made up of eight luxury tents, seven private cottages, and an adventurous tree house, all situated in a lush, tropical forest that is home to 13 different species of primates, including chimpanzees. Tents and cottages come with a private veranda, spacious bedroom, and en-suite bathroom, and they're all just a short walk from the main lodge and chimpanzee tracking. Secluded in the rainforest, Primate Lodge Kimbale provides a truly authentic jungle experience.   Protea Hotel Entebbe — Entebbe This modern 73-room hotel is ideally located on the glistening shores of Lake Victoria and conveniently located just minutes from the airport. Protea Hotel Entebbe has a trendy restaurant that offers an exciting and truly inviting a la carte menu seven days of the week. With elegant furnishings and a warm, inviting feel, the hotel's decor and rooms create a luxurious atmosphere. The outside terrace, with its own special ambience and superb lake views, is the perfect place to take it all in.

Transportation & flights

Air Travel Airfare is not included in the land cost of our trips. For air reservations, we recommend you contact the airlines directly, either by phone or the Internet. In addition, many travelers elect to use their “frequent flyer” miles when traveling with us. But please check with our staff before purchasing or obtaining your tickets. We need to verify your arrival and departure schedule and ensure we have enough participants to operate the trip.
Guides
Denis Erabu Born in Eastern Uganda, Denis is of the Kumam Tribe and grew up in a rural village, where his father is a local chief. After completing secondary school, Denis moved to Kampala where he obtained his license and became an escort driver for an NGO delivering relief supplies to Southern Sudan. After 4 years, he decided to go for a career change and entered the tourism industry, pursuing a childhood interest in wildlife. Through a combination of on-the-job and formal training courses with the Queen Elizabeth Bird Observatory and Bird Life International, Denis has gained extensive knowledge as a general interest Tour Guide specializing in birding. He has worked as a driver/guide for the past 12 years and is a member of the Uganda Driver/Guide Association and the Uganda Birdwatching Society   Sula Iga As both his parents worked for the Park Authorities, Sula was born and spent his early years growing up in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Subjected to invaluable exposure to wildlife during his childhood, it came as no surprise when Sula decided to follow in his parents footsteps and enter the tourism and wildlife industry. Having completed a Diploma in Tourism, Tours and Travel, Sula furthered his experience by working with a research organisation studying the flora and fauna of Queen Elizabeth. He has been driving and guiding safaris for the past six years. Sula is a keen birder and is very passionate and knowledgeable about all of the wide variety bird species found in Uganda. In his spare time, Sula loves to read and watch wildlife documentaries, comparing the wildlife of Uganda with other countries. He is married with one daughter and one son.
Cancellation policy
  • If written cancellation is received  96 days prior to departure, Cancellation fee will be $400
  • If written cancellation is received  95 – 0 days prior to departure, Cancellation fee will be 100% of Land/Cruise Cost
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included

10 Breakfasts, 10 Lunches and 10 Dinners

Age Requirements
15 years and up
Additional Information

Activity Level & Travel Conditions

Mountain Travel Sobek trips are designed for flexible, energetic people who like to be active and intellectually involved, have a spirit of adventure, and keep a positive attitude. Gorilla tracking (and chimp tracking) generally requires moderate to strenuous hiking. The trip is therefore most suitable for people who are prepared for walking, and have the physical stamina to accommodate the general rigors of travel and long days in the field. A good attitude and an adventurous spirit are important requisites for participation on this safari. There are some long days of driving (up to 10 hours) and some of the roads are in very poor repair or unpaved. These drives may be uncomfortable, especially for tall people or those with bad backs (it’s just plain hard to be in a car that long!).

 Gorilla tracking takes place on trails that can be steep, muddy, and covered with thick vegetation. Stinging nettles and biting safari ants can be nuisances. Bring raingear, wear long pants and gaiters, layer your clothes to adjust for varying conditions (and wear muted colors—bright or white clothing should not be worn), carry a water bottle, and take a pair of light gloves to protect your hands from nettles and thorns. In some cases, our guides will be cutting our path through the steep, jungle hillsides. You should note that gorilla tracking sessions vary from easy one hour strolls through the forest to arduous daylong treks. You must be in good physical condition and mentally prepared for a full day of strenuous exercise.

 

Children 15 years of age or older are allowed to visit gorillas

Anyone who shows signs of a cold or other infectious disease will not be allowed to visit the gorillas. In such cases, the permit holder will be rescheduled or refunded for the cost of the permit by the national park authorities. Mountain Travel Sobek cannot be held responsible for any extra costs incurred by delays or for refunds caused by such circumstances. Chimp tracking is quite different from gorilla tracking. We usually listen for the hooting calls of bands of chimpanzees, then move as quickly as we can toward the sounds in order to find the chimps. Chimps are more often seen in the forest canopy than on the ground. Viewing is usually therefore at a distance (using our binoculars and our guide’s telescope) rather than up close like gorillas.

Trip ID
mtsobe-UgaRwaMou

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