Looking for Uganda safari tours that bring you face to face with mountain gorillas? Then you are in the right place. Uganda, often called the Pearl of Africa, packs rainforest, savannah, crater lakes and the source of the Nile into one compact country. In fact, it is one of only three countries in the world where you can trek mountain gorillas, along with Rwanda and DR Congo. Because mountain gorillas are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, an hour with a gorilla family is a rare privilege. So we plan every trip around you, from a short gorilla trek to a two-week wildlife adventure.
Roots Tours & Travel is a Kampala-based tour company. We are registered with the Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO) and also affiliated with the Exclusive Sustainable Tour Operators Association (ESTOA). Because ESTOA promotes sustainable tourism, our trips benefit local communities and help protect Uganda’s natural beauty.
Our Uganda safari tours include tailor-made private trips, group holidays, short and long game-viewing safaris and dedicated gorilla trekking packages. Besides Uganda, we also plan trips across Rwanda and the rest of East Africa, all at competitive rates. If you want to compare ideas first, browse all our East Africa safari packages.
When you travel with us, you are not just exploring. Instead, you are making a real difference to the people and parks you visit. So let us plan your perfect safari today!
There are five main ways to see Uganda. However, most of our guests combine two or three of them in one trip.
These Uganda safari tours are starting points, not fixed packages. In other words, we can shorten, extend or upgrade every one of them.
Our 12 day Uganda safari gives you the bragging rights of having done it all. First, you enjoy game drives on the savannah of Murchison Falls and a dramatic boat ride to the falls. Next, you walk with chimps in Kibale Forest. Then, you search for lions and leopards in
Our 2 day Lake Mburo safari is a short, easy wildlife break from Kampala or Entebbe. In just one night away, you can enjoy two game drives, a nature walk and the open, rolling scenery of Lake Mburo National Park. As a result, it is ideal if you have a
Our 3 day Queen Elizabeth safari brings you to one of the most varied wildlife parks in Uganda. Imagine a cool afternoon game drive under a bright sun. You move slowly past herds of Uganda kob, giant forest hogs and warthogs, and you may even spot lions or leopards. Then,
Our 3 day Kibale chimpanzee safari takes you into one of the best primate forests in Africa. The famous chimpanzees of Kibale Forest National Park are wild. However, they have been habituated, so they are not afraid of people, and you can get close to them. In addition, you walk
Our 3 day Bwindi gorilla trekking safari is the quickest way to meet mountain gorillas from Kampala or Entebbe. Your trip to Uganda is not really complete without the full gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. If you are looking for a challenge, you have found it. The
This 4 day gorilla trekking and volcano hike takes you to Kisoro, in the far southwest corner of Uganda. First, you track mountain gorillas in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Then, you spend a full day exploring the sleeping volcanoes, forests and cultural trails of the area. You need to be
Our 6 day Mount Elgon and Sipi Falls tour combines a real mountain climb with the beautiful waterfalls of eastern Uganda. First, you relax and hike around Sipi. Then, you trek up to Wagagai, the highest peak of Mount Elgon at 4,321 m. Finally, you return to a hot shower
Uganda is the Pearl of Africa, and our 10 days best of Uganda safari shows you why. This feature trip links six top wildlife areas in one smooth loop from Kampala. You walk with white rhinos at Ziwa, cruise to the foot of Murchison Falls, track chimps in Kibale, take
Our 3 day Murchison Falls safari is an ideal escape if you want to get away and relax in the wild. On the way, you meet white rhinos at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Then, in Murchison Falls National Park, you enjoy a game drive, see the falls from the top and
Mountain gorillas are gentle and highly intelligent. For example, they use simple tools and talk to each other with calls and body language. As a result, you will never have a boring hour in the forest.
Because permits are limited, it pays to plan your gorilla safari well ahead. In fact, many travellers book up to a year before their trek. However, two to three months ahead can also work, especially outside the busy season.
To enter the forest, you first need a trekking permit from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the government body that protects the country’s wildlife. Since the authority sets permit prices and changes them from time to time, we confirm the current rate when you enquire. Meanwhile, our guide to gorilla permits explains how booking works.
In Uganda, gorilla trekking takes place only in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla Park in the south-west. Both parks also lie close to the borders with Rwanda and DR Congo, within the wider Virunga region.
On your trek, you visit one of the habituated gorilla families. Since each family has been habituated for more than two years, the gorillas stay calm around people and you can take photos while you watch. In total, the two parks are home to 17 habituated gorilla families. Bwindi’s families are spread across four sectors: Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. Because each sector offers a different trekking experience, we match yours to your fitness and lodge choice.
Every family is led by a silverback, the dominant adult male. He keeps the group safe, leads it to food and also chooses where it rests. As a result, the rest of the family follows him and treats him with respect.
Besides gorilla trekking, you can enjoy birdwatching, hiking and nature walks in Bwindi and Mgahinga. You can also meet the Batwa, the forest’s original inhabitants, or join a village walk in Buhoma. Our community tours in Uganda make this easy to add to any of our Uganda safari tours.
Visits are strictly controlled, so only eight visitors may join a gorilla family each day. Once you reach them, you spend one hour together. During that hour, you watch the gorillas feed, play and rest. If you are lucky, you may even witness a rare moment that few people ever see.
Many guests start their Uganda safari tour with gorillas and then keep going. For example, you can trek mountain gorillas in Bwindi or Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, then fly or drive on to the Maasai Mara or the Serengeti. There, you look for big cats and the Great Migration, whose river crossings usually happen between July and October. Tanzania also adds the Ngorongoro Crater, which is busy with wildlife all year.
Closer to Kigali, Rwanda’s Akagera National Park has the Big Five within a few hours’ drive. Further off the beaten track, Congo’s Virunga also offers gorillas and the Nyiragongo volcano hike. Finally, most trips end with a few days on the beaches of Zanzibar.
Better still, we plan the whole route as one trip, including border crossings, regional flights and the East Africa Tourist Visa, which covers Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya on one visa. Above all, we build every itinerary around your dates and budget, whether you have ten days or three weeks.
Our 3 day Maasai Mara safari is a short, exciting trip from Nairobi to one of the best wildlife reserves in the world. The Maasai Mara National Reserve is famous for big cats and huge herds of game. So, in just three days, you can look for lions, buffaloes, elephants
Our 3 day Serengeti and Ngorongoro safari is a short but rewarding trip into true wilderness. In just three days, you visit two of Africa’s greatest wonders: Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater. Along the way, you have a good chance of seeing the Big Five: lions, elephants, buffaloes,
Our 6 day Tanzania safari is a classic Northern Circuit journey for wildlife and photography lovers. In under a week, you visit four famous parks: Tarangire, the Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara. Together, they offer spectacular scenery and unforgettable wildlife. Along the way, you can marvel
Our 6 day Kenya safari links three of the country’s best-loved parks in under a week. You start with the elephant herds of Amboseli National Park. Next, you visit the flamingo-fringed shores of Lake Nakuru National Park. Finally, you spend two full days in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya’s
Our 7 day Tanzania safari takes you to the great parks of the Northern Circuit. You start at Lake Manyara, then spend time on the vast plains of Serengeti National Park. Next, you explore the Ngorongoro Crater, which is packed with wildlife. Finally, you finish among the elephants and baobabs
Our 9 day Kenya safari is made for travellers who want superb game viewing and real cultural encounters. You explore the wild north of Samburu, meet rhinos at Ol Pejeta, cruise Lake Naivasha and spend three nights in the famous Maasai Mara. Along the way, you meet the semi-nomadic Samburu
Although Uganda is home to all of the Big Five, its parks stay far quieter than Kenya’s or Tanzania’s. As a result, you will often have a lion sighting to yourself. On our Uganda safari tours, we plan game drives for when animals actually move, early morning and late afternoon. In addition, we add boat safaris and walking trails so you see wildlife from more than one angle.
Uganda packs rainforest, savannah, crater lakes and the source of the Nile into a country you can cross in a day’s drive. Consequently, a single trip here can include a gorilla trek, a chimpanzee walk and a lion sighting. Most of our Uganda safari tours are built around these six parks. Moreover, each one offers something the others don’t.
Uganda is home, but many of our guests also combine it with a neighbour. Here are the most popular add-ons.
Gorilla trekking runs all year, so we run Uganda safari tours with gorillas in every month. Bwindi and Mgahinga are rainforests sitting between about 1,160 and 2,600 metres. Therefore, you can get a shower in any month, and mornings are cool even when the afternoons warm up. What changes from season to season, however, is how muddy the trails are, how hard permits are to get, and how many other travellers you’ll meet at the lodge. For a fuller breakdown, read our guide to the best time for gorilla trekking.
This is the busiest time of year. Because the trails are firmer, the hills are easier to climb, and photos also come out clearer. However, European and North American holidays fill the permits in these months, so book three to six months ahead.
The weather is warm and fairly dry, and the forest is green after the November rains. It is therefore a good choice if you want to spend Christmas or New Year in Uganda. Still, lodges near Bwindi fill up fast around the holidays, so book holiday Uganda safari tours early.
Dates, group size, budget and the one thing you must not miss. A rough idea is enough.
Within 24 hours you receive a day-by-day plan with lodge options at budget, mid-range and luxury level, and a clear price.
Gorilla permits sell out months ahead in peak season. Once you confirm, we book them with the Uganda Wildlife Authority straight away, along with your rooms.
Your driver-guide meets you at Entebbe or Kigali airport and stays with you until you fly home. Our office is on call the whole time.
Love to Travel? We are the whole Tool & Box that you need. At Roots Tours & Travel Uganda we look forward to speaking to you!