Gorilla Encounter – 2025
Year-round | Roundtrip
ZAR 28,250
PER PERSON SHARING
ZAR 34,750
PER PERSON SHARING
ZAR 3,750
COMPULSORY SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
GORILLA TREKKING PERMIT - $865 | Chimp Trekking Permit – $140
The cost of the Gorilla & CHimpanzee Trekking Permit is not included in the tour price.
Your Tour Experience
Highlights
- Nile River
- Murchison Falls
- Optional Gorilla Trekking
- Optional Chimp Trekking
- Bondugo Forest Reserve
- Bwindi National Park
- Lake Mburo
- Jinja Activities
On our classic tours, clients can choose between two accommodation options. The explorer (camping) option includes a dome tent (2.4×2.4m) and a 5cm-thick mattress. You’ll need to bring your own sleeping bag. Alternatively, the classic (accommodated) option offers more comfort with a variety of permanent tents, guesthouses, lodges, and hotels available.
Classic Tents
Permanent Tents
Hotels & Resorts
Lodges & Guesthouses
Classic Small Group Truck
Our scheduled tour trucks are equipped with 20 seats and extra space for storing camping gear. Perfect for
both small and large groups, the trucks also feature a club area with 4 additional seats, ideal for playing cards or socializing.
Additional features include:
Overhead luggage racks –
USB ports for charging devices –
Large dropdown tinted windows –
Window shading –
Locker space (35cm square, 80cm deep)
4×4 Safari Vehicle
We offer a range of vehicles to enhance your safari or game drive experience. These include standard open-sided 4×4 vehicles and safari mini-vans with pop-up roofs.
Key vehicle features:
Pop-up roof or open sides –
4-wheel drive –
Comfortable seating –
Capable of traversing rugged terrain
Embrace the wild beauty of Uganda as you embark on our illustrious Gorilla Encounter safari journey, the pinnacle of which is the heart-stirring face-to-face interaction with the critically endangered mountain gorillas. Notwithstanding, our adventure-laden trip further includes an immersive trek into the realm of chimpanzees and an enchanting boat expedition within the landscapes of the Murchison Falls National Park.
Your tour guide welcomes you in the vibrant city of Kampala, from where we steer our voyage towards Murchison Falls National Park. This stunning sanctuary is renowned for the Murchison Falls, a spectacular waterfall formed on the Nile’s course, and hosts an array of wildlife including majestic buffalos and elephants. Visiting the falls is an unforgettable experience; witness the formidable Nile squeeze through a 7-meter wide gorge before cascading about 43 meters downwards, a sight that undoubtedly commands awe.
Upon bidding farewell to Murchison Falls National Park, our next stop is Budongo Forest, the largest expanse of Mahogany forest in East Africa. The forest, home to approximately 610 chimpanzees, boasts the highest chimp population in Uganda. Our expert guide will lead us on an exciting trek through the forest, as we immerse ourselves in the quest to meet our closest relatives in the wild.
From the northern hemisphere, we traverse the equator, journeying towards the picturesque Lake Bunyonyi in the south. The critically endangered mountain gorillas, believed to be no more than 650 in number globally, find sanctuary in Bwindi. This forest, translating to “darkness”, houses over half the world’s mountain gorilla population, with around 300 calling it home. Trekking in this dense forest reveals why it earned its intriguing name.
After the thrilling encounters, relax and rejuvenate by the tranquil Lake Bunyonyi. During your leisure time, partake in optional activities, hike through the breathtaking terrains, or feel the thrill of exploring the serene surroundings on a mountain bike. This Ugandan safari offers an authentic, unforgettable journey through Africa’s heartland.
DEPARTURES DATES
Price From
Price From
Please be aware, the above dates are only an indication of departure. To confirm availability on this tour, please reach out and get in touch with us…
DEPARTURES ON PROMOTION
Tour Itinerary
This below itinerary is flexible and can be changed without notice. A detailed, up-to-date dossier itinerary is available to download for this tour. Be aware it can also be changed without notice in order to accommodate the best possible viewing of the Mountain Gorillas. The Permit price to visit the Gorillas can also change without notice.
After a quick meet & greet in the city of Kampala, we head in the direction of The Murchison Falls National Park. Also referred to as the Kabaraga Falls, Murchison Falls is a waterfall found on the course of the great Nile and is located within the Murchison National Park. The park is recognized as one of the best National Parks in Uganda. After settling into our accommodation in Masindi, your guide will brief you on the activities for the following day.
Budongo Forest is the biggest Mahogany forest found in the whole of East Africa and is home to the largest number of chimpanzees throughout Uganda. It is believed that there are between 600 – 700 chimpanzees in Budongo and this morning we will meet up with our chimp guide who will take us on our trek through the forest in search of the chimps. We will also enjoy a boat cruise in the park. Note: As the Chimp trekking is limited
to 12 guests per trek, should there be more than 12 guests on a tour the trekking will be split between the morning and the afternoon. Therefore you may find that you will first do the game drive activity followed by the Chimp trekking or vice versa. Please allow for flexibility.
This morning we depart Masindi and transfer towards the edges of the Queen Elizabeth National Park. Our accommodation for the night is nestled atop a hill overlooking Lake Kikorongo.
Crossing the Equator once more we travel south to the beautiful scenery of Lake Bunyonyi. With eager anticipation we prepare for the upcoming Gorilla trekking excursion and tonight we will receive a briefing on what to expect.
The mountain gorilla is extremely endangered and while exact numbers vary it is widely assumed that there are only around 650 left. Visiting the gorillas is a great way to support their future on earth as the money spent on permits is used for their protection. An extremely important part of the future conservation of the remaining gorillas rests in the community development work – as local communities change their attitudes towards wildlife and start to protect rather than poach, the future of the mountain gorilla is assured.
As permits granting permission to visit the gorillas are extremely limited we require flexibility in both the tour itinerary and where we actually visit them. The home of the mountain gorillas is completely at odds with man-made borders and so their range encompasses Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo). Whenever possible we choose to make use of the National Park in Uganda, but this depends on the availability of permits. Should we not obtain permits to visit the mountain gorillas in Uganda then we will inform all passengers beforehand that the tour will travel to Rwanda or DRC.
On your free day in Bunyonyi you will have the opportunity to participate in certain optional activities. You can also go hiking or explore the area on a mountain bike.
Although there are 2 days allocated to Gorilla Trekking you will only spend one day on the trek. The other days are there to provide a large enough window in which to obtain permits and to allow the entire group to trek if there are more than 6 of you on the tour.
We depart the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi for another of Uganda’s beautiful water bodies – Lake Mburo. Lake Mburo is situated in the Ankole sub-region of Uganda, near the town of Mbarara, and spans an area of approximately 260 square kilometers and is surrounded by rolling hills, open grasslands, and patches of woodland. With over 350 recorded bird species, Lake Mburo National Park is a paradise for birdwatchers. The park’s diverse ecosystems, which include acacia woodlands, savannahs, and wetlands, provide optimal habitats for numerous bird species, including the rare and odd looking shoebill stork.
This morning we set off on our return journey to Kampala and make a crossing of the Equator along our way. Your tour comes to an end upon arrival in the city.
10:00am – Hillside Plaza Hotel, Plot 1A Kira Road – Ntinda II Rd, Kampala, Uganda
Included – Meals as outlined in the itinerary – 7 Breakfast 8 Lunch 7 Dinner – which are prepared and served at the Nomad truck / accommodation / qualified crew / filtered water / transport in the Nomad truck / included highlights as per the itinerary / entrance fees to National Parks.
Excluded – Items of a personal nature (snacks, alcohol, bottled water, soft drinks, tips) / entrance fees (associated with optional activities) / souvenirs
1x Tour Guide
1x Driver/Cook
German Translator Available
The following optional activities are available to be pre-booked along with your tour.
Day 2
– Chimp Trekking
Day 5, 6
– Gorilla Trekking
– Golden Monkey Trekking
Gorilla Trekking Permit – USD865 – USD965
The cost of a permit to visit the gorillas is currently as above. Please check actual amount with us closer to departure. You will be pre-invoiced for this non-refundable amount.
Chimp Trekking Permit – USD140 – USD240
The cost of a permit to visit the chimps (Uganda) is currently as above. This activity is regarded as an optional activity due to the location and logistics involved the day the chimps are visited. If you do not wish to participate in the chimp trekking, you will remain at the visitor’s centre (limited facilities) for between 2 – 4 hours while the group participates in the activity. Please inform us if you do not wish to participate in this activity.
What is a single supplement?
On camping tours, single supplements are optional however on accommodated tours, single supplements are compulsory if you are travelling on your own. If you have purchased the single supplement, you will receive your own tent / room for the tour. However, in the event that your Activity Package includes an activity that involves accommodation, you will be required to share for the duration of that activity. The single supplement does not cover any Activity Package items and these are booked on a shared basis, regardless if you are on a camping or accommodated tour.
Only a maximum of 4 Single Supplements are allowed per tour. Any extra Single Supplements are on requests basis only.
When is a single supplement required?
All of our tours are priced on twin share accommodation. If you are booking one of our accommodated tours and you are travelling on your own, you are required to pay the single supplement. There are a maximum of 4 single supplements available on all tours.
If you require accommodation before or after your tour we can arrange this for you. We can also arrange airport transfers – contact your travel agent or Nomad to make these bookings.
Pre-Accommodation
Hillside Plaza Hotel, Kampala, Uganda
Post-Accommodation
Hillside Plaza Hotel, Kampala, Uganda
Nomad has a non-profit Trust that looks after the people, animals and places that we visit. We realise that a footprint is left where we travel and for this reason, the Nomad Africa Trust was established. Your donation to the Trust is called a “Green Seat”. If you would like to help Nomad making Africa Greener, simply choose the tick box during your booking process (or contact us afterwards to add it) and we will take care of the rest. The Nomad African Trust is responsible for the administration of the funds collected from the sale of the green seats and these funds are distributed to various projects as identified by the Trust.
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