14 Days Madagascar Wildlife and Uganda Gorilla Safari

Madagascar is renowned for being home to a cat-like primate called the lemur. There are 50 different types of lemur that live in the forests of Madagascar. Indri is the largest of all lemurs found on Madagascar Island.

Uganda is one of the most beautiful countries in Africa. With its dense misty forests, snow-peaked mountains, glassy lakes and sprawling savannas, it’s no wonder Winston Churchill dubbed this wonderful country the ‘pearl of Africa’. While mountain gorillas are the allure for many visitors, there’s an astounding variety of attractions for tourists.

Safari highlights

Lemur trekking
Mountain gorilla trekking
Chimpanzee trekking
Wildlife viewing in Queen Elizabeth national park

Detailed safari itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Antananarivo and transfer to your hotel for relaxation

You’ll be met on arrival at Ivato International Airport by our guide and transferred to Maison Gallieni, a restored colonial mansion with elegant décor in the upper town of Antananarivo. Relax in the pool, enjoy the views of the city or venture out to explore the colourful architecture of Antananarivo, locally known as ‘Tana’.

Day 2: Drive to Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

Enjoy breakfast before meeting your guide and making the four-hour drive east to Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, a stunning rainforest park with two protected areas including Mantadia National Park and the Perinet Special Reserve, renowned for its families of indri, the largest living lemur species in the world. The journey to Andasibe offers a great insight into rural life in Madagascar, with redbrick houses, rice fields and roadside stalls along the route.

You’ll arrive at Mantadia lodge in time for lunch and in the afternoon; you’ll visit Lemur Island, a private reserve with a population of habituated lemurs including the bamboo lemur, brown lemur, black and white ruffed lemur and the one diademed sifaka. Tonight, you’ll venture out on a thrilling night walk with your local guide to see the nocturnal creatures become active after dark.

Day 3: Full day exploration of Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

After breakfast, you’ll meet your guide and begin the 1.5 hour drive to Mantadia National Park, where you’ll go in search of lemur species including the indri lemur, grey bamboo lemur, white ruffed lemur, red-bellied lemur and diademed sifaka. The trails are slightly more difficult but well worth it as the rainforest here are more impressive and less crowded than Perinet. Keep watch for many rare species of mammals and reptiles and a myriad of birds including the scaly ground roller, the breasted coua and the pitta-like ground Roller; you’ll enjoy a picnic lunch by the beautiful Rianasoa Waterfall before walking back to the vehicle and returning to the lodge. Tonight, you’ll venture out on a night walk to see the region’s nocturnal lemurs including the mouse lemur, woolly lemur, fat-tailed dwarf lemur and white-footed sportive lemur.

Day 4: Morning Hike at Perinet Reserve and transfer to Antananarivo

Enjoy an early breakfast, before meeting your guide and driving to the Perinet Reserve, famous for its population of indri, the largest living lemur species on earth, characterised by its surprised teddy bear face. You’ll walk through this 180-hectare expanse of rainforest in search of 11 other species of lemur including the diademed sifaka, grey bamboo lemur, black and white ruffed lemur and common brown lemur. You can also spot many species of reptiles, orchids and birds including the velvet asity, blue coua and the Nuthatch vanga. You’ll have lunch in Andasibe before driving back to Antananarivo and checking into Maison Gallieni for the night.

Day 5: Flight from Antananarivo to Isalo National Park

After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to Ivato International Airport where you’ll board a domestic flight to Toliara. You’ll be met on arrival in Toliara airport by your driver and English-speaking guide, before making the four-hour drive to Jardin Du Roy. This afternoon you can relax in the pool and soak up the spectacular views of Isalo National Park. Jardin Du Roy is located on the edge of the national park, and you’ll catch a glimpse of the stunning sandstone rock formations, natural pools with sparkling water and deep canyons used for centuries by the Bara tribe as sacred burial sites.

Day 6: Full day exploration of Isalo National Park

Enjoy breakfast before heading out a day of guided walking through the vast plains and peculiar rock formations of Isalo National Park, one of Madagascar’s most diverse parks. Depending on your interests and fitness levels, your guide will recommend various trails. One of the most popular trails is the ‘Canyon des Singes’, which winds through the lush forest and colourful rock formations before reaching an enchanting rock pool known as the ‘Piscine Naturelles’. Isalo National Park is also renowned for its rare endemic plants such as the local Aloe and it’s resident wildlife including the ring-tailed lemur, brown lemur, sifakas, 14 nocturnal lemur species, 35 reptile species, several endemic frogs and 80 bird species including the crested ibis and the rare Benson’s rock-thrush.

Day 7: Flight from Isalo national park to Antananarivo to connect your flight to Entebbe

After morning breakfast you will be transferred to the airstrip for your flight from Isalo national park to Antananarivo, upon arrival you will check in to connecting flight to Entebbe, depending on the time of your arrival you will be received and transferred to the your lodge in Entebbe.

Day 8: Full day relaxation in Entebbe

After long connecting flights you will spend the day exploring Entebbe, on this day you will visit the Mabamba swamp to search for the shoebill bird, which is one of the rear bird species in Africa, this will be a half day excursion after you will return to the lodge for relaxation.

Day 9: Domestic flight from Entebbe to Bwindi forest

After an early morning breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Bwindi, upon arrival you will be received and transferred to Bwindi impenetrable rainforest in south-western Uganda, which has more than half the world population of mountain gorillas. You will have a stopover at the Equator along the Kampala/Masaka highway for photographs and souvenir shopping accompanied with an enroute lunch in Mbarara town. Proceed to Bwindi, the home of gorillas in Uganda. Have dinner and an overnight stay at any of the booked safari lodges.

Day 10: Gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi impenetrable national park

Have an early breakfast and set out for mountain gorilla trekking in one of the four sectors (Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo) of Bwindi impenetrable forest National Park by 7:30am for briefing and eventual allocation of gorilla group to be trekked. Hike through the rainforest accompanied by a ranger guide and trackers, in search of the mountain gorilla family allocated for trekking. The walking can be challenging at times, but when you catch a glimpse of the humongous silverback with his family, any discomforts will quickly be forgotten. The lead guide keeps providing information about trees, birds, butterflies and other wildlife in the forest as you trek until you reach the gorilla family allocated for tracking. The gorillas are located in different parts across the forest and therefore, the time taken to find one group varies from a few minutes to several hours depending on location and movement of the Gorillas. Once with the gorillas, you will be allowed to observe them for an hour. At the end of the trek, you will return to the park headquarters and information Centre to be awarded your trekking certificates. You will then meet the driver guide and transfer back to the lodge for relaxation and overnight.

Day 11: Drive to Queen Elizabeth national park

You will wake up and have morning breakfast, then drive to Queen Elizabeth national park via Ishasha in the southern sector mainly known for the tree climbing lions and elephants for a game drive with a possibility of seeing the tree climbing lions and other wildlife. After the game dive, you will proceed to the northern sector of the park for Dinner and Overnight stay at a lodge of your choice.

Day 12: Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge and transfer to Kibale forest national park

After an early morning breakfast, you will drive for chimpanzee trekking in either Kyambura gorge or Kalinzu forest. Return for lunch after the tracking activity and then proceed for a boat cruise on the Kazinga channel after lunch. This is a very rewarding experience where you will see lots of animals in water and along the shores of the channel such as, crocodiles, hippos, elephants, buffalos and many bird species as pelicans, African fish eagles, pied kingfishers, African jacana, long tailed cormorants and many more.

Day 13: Chimpanzee trekking experience in Kibale forest national park

After morning breakfast you will transfer to the park for your chimpanzee trekking experience, the chimpanzee experience is a 3-4 hours activity depending on when you find the chimpanzees and you will spend one hour with the chimpanzees in their natural habitat and later return to the lodge for relaxation and later in the evening you will do a primate walk at the Bigodi wetland sanctuary.

Day 14: Drive back to Entebbe or Kampala

After breakfast, set out for another scenic journey through the beautiful terrain of the rolling hills with terraced landscapes. Observe the scenic beauty of the tea plantations as you drive back. Along the way, break off for hot a lunch, and proceed to Kampala/Entebbe, arriving late in the afternoon. Drop off at the hotel in Kampala / Entebbe airport for your departure flight.

Trip includes

Lemur trekking permits
Mountain gorilla trekking permits
Chimpanzee permits
Domestic flights
Vehicle, guide and Fuel
En route meals and drinking water
Park entrance fees
All airport transfers

Trip excludes

International flights
Madagascar and Uganda tourist visas
Travel insurance
Tips for guides and hotels
Alcoholic drinks

When to book this safari package

We recommend booking this package 1 year in advance to allow us secure all the trekking permits.

Best time for gorilla trekking in Uganda and Lemur trekking in Madagascar

The best time to trek gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda is during the drier months of June, July, August and early September. During these months, these months experience less rainfall compared to months such as April, May and November and between October and December for your best chance to see lots of cute baby lemurs. July and August, the middle of the Madagascar winter is the peak months for travel, so travelling between September and October is perfect.

OTHER SAFARI HOLIDAYS