July 22, 2025 | Bujo Safaris
Uganda is undoubtedly a beautiful travel destination offering unmatched wildlife opportunities, including incredible opportunities to see the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees roaming freely in their natural habitats. Embarking on a combined gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari offers a truly once-in-a-lifetime adventure with a chance to learn about their behaviours, lifestyle and memories that you will cherish for so long.
These primate adventures are done in Uganda’s pristine forests, including Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, where you can see the mountain gorillas, Kibale Forest National Park, Budongo Forest, Kalinzu Eco-Forest Reserve and Kyambura Gorge, where you can see the chimpanzees. Most Tour operators today offer safari packages that combine both gorilla and chimpanzee trekking experiences, giving visitors a chance to explore Uganda’s jungle forests and learn about the behaviours and lifestyle of these magnificent creatures, making it a journey that blends adventure and conservation richness. This blog helps you to plan a combined gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari to Uganda, the best destinations, permit details and what you should expect on a combined gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari.
Combining gorilla and chimpanzee trekking in Uganda is not only a safari but also offers a chance to get up close with these endangered species in their natural habitats and learn about their behaviour and social structures. Gorillas and chimpanzees are believed to be man’s closest cousins, sharing about 97.8% of the DNA with human beings, which makes them one of the reasons you should combine your safari with gorillas and chimpanzees.
Trekking to these creatures offers a slight difference since gorillas stay in places of higher altitude, such as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, while chimpanzees stay in places of lower altitude, such as Kibale National Park. Therefore, combining gorilla and chimpanzee trekking offers different trekking experiences, making your adventure memorable.
Uganda boasts popular tropical rainforests that provide habitats to these endangered species, making it an ideal safari destination. The major destinations are;
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in the south-western part of Uganda, consisting of over 400 mountain gorillas, which are over half of the total population of mountain gorillas in the world. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park consists of 4 major gorilla trekking sectors, including Buhoma, Nkuringo, Ruhija and Rushaga. Visitors typically trek for about 2 to 6 hours in search of these endangered species through the rugged terrain, steep slopes and thick tropical rainforests, making gorilla trekking physically demanding but incredibly rewarding.
The park is part of the larger Virunga Conservation Area at the edge of southwestern Uganda, sharing a border with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mgahinga is home to 2 habituated gorilla families that offer a unique trekking experience.
Kibale National Park is a renowned chimpanzee Trekking destination located in western Uganda on the foothills of Mt Rwenzori and is home to a variety of wildlife species, including over 1500 chimpanzees, which are a major attraction of the park, making it a popular chimpanzee trekking destination. The park consists of the largest population of Chimpanzees in the world and is thus dubbed the “Primate capital of the world.” Chimpanzees are highly social creatures and can be seen swinging in the forests as well as interacting with themselves.
Nestled in the heart of Queen Elizabeth National Park, and is a popular chimpanzee trekking destination commonly known as the “Valley of Apes” Trekking the chimps in Kyambura gorge offers a more intimate experience where visitors enjoy personal time with the chimpanzees without joining the large crowds of other visitors on a chimpanzee trekking safari.
While planning a combined gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari, permits must be booked in advance due to limited availability in the trekking location, which may affect the whole travel itinerary, especially during the high tourist season.
A gorilla trekking permit costs USD 800 for Foreign Non-residents, USD 700 for foreign residents, USD 500 for Residents of Africa and UGX 300,000 for East African Citizens, while a chimpanzee trekking permit costs USD 250 for Foreign Non-residents, USD 200 for foreign residents, and UGX 180,000 for East African Citizens.
Embarking on a combined gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari in Uganda can be done throughout the year. However, the best time to see these magnificent species is typically during the dry season, which runs from December to February and June to September. During this time, the trekking trails are dry and navigable with short vegetation cover that allows you to easily spot these species in their natural habitats.
Thinking of a primate safari is one of the best wildlife encounters that will offer a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, and therefore, booking your gorilla and chimpanzee safari today will secure the availability of your gorilla trekking permits and location on the requested dates. Below is a sample of a combined gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari that will help you organise or curate your primate adventure in Uganda.
In conclusion, combining gorilla and chimpanzee trekking for a safari in Uganda offers a dual journey into Uganda’s breathtaking landscapes where nature has created these incredible creatures. Whether you are a wildlife photographer or an adventurous traveller, a combined gorilla and chimpanzee trekking journey promises a deeply transformative experience that will create memories that you will cherish for a lifetime.
October 31, 2026
September 24, 2026
August 13, 2026
© Copyright Bujo Safaris All Right Reserved | Privacy Policy
