The gorilla trek itself is usually one morning of a much longer trip, yet plenty of travelers build their whole itinerary around that single hour and leave the rest of Uganda unexplored. That’s a shame, because the country packs an unusual amount of variety into a relatively small area. Here are eight experiences worth the extra days.
1. Cruise the Kazinga Channel and spot tree-climbing lions
Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Kazinga Channel connects Lake Edward and Lake George, and a two-hour boat cruise along it puts you closer to hippos, buffalo and elephants than most game drives ever manage. Afterward, head to the Ishasha sector, where lions have picked up the unusual habit of lounging in the branches of fig trees — nobody’s entirely sure why, but it makes for one of the more memorable sightings in East Africa.
2. Track chimpanzees in Kibale Forest
Kibale has one of the highest primate densities on the continent, and its chimpanzee trekking is genuinely different from gorilla trekking: chimps move fast, climb high, and communicate with loud, echoing calls that carry through the forest long before you see them. A morning or afternoon session here pairs naturally with a gorilla trek, since the two experiences barely resemble each other.
3. Raft the Nile in Jinja
Jinja, near the source of the Nile, is East Africa’s adventure hub. Grade 4 and 5 rapids make for a full day of white-water rafting, and calmer stretches suit kayaking or a sunset boat ride if adrenaline isn’t the goal. It’s also an easy stop between Kampala and Uganda’s eastern or northern parks.
4. Walk with the Batwa near Bwindi
The Batwa lived inside Bwindi’s forest for generations before it became a national park. A guided cultural walk, often led by Batwa elders themselves, covers traditional hunting techniques, medicinal plants, and short performances of music and dance. It’s a worthwhile way to spend an afternoon either side of your trekking day, and the fees go directly to Batwa community projects.
5. Search for the shoebill at Mabamba Swamp
Bird-watchers travel from around the world for one bird: the prehistoric-looking shoebill stork, with its enormous clog-shaped bill. Mabamba Swamp, a short drive and canoe ride from Entebbe, is one of the most reliable places on earth to see one in the wild, standing motionless in the papyrus for hours at a time.
6. Canoe on Lake Bunyonyi
Unlike most East African lakes, Bunyonyi has no hippos or crocodiles, which means it’s genuinely safe to swim in. Wooden dugout canoes are available for hire, and paddling between the lake’s 29 small islands at sunset is a quiet contrast to a morning spent trekking through dense forest.
7. Cruise and hike Murchison Falls
Uganda’s largest national park is built around the point where the entire Nile River is squeezed through a gap barely seven metres wide before exploding into a waterfall. A launch cruise gets you close to the base, and a short hike to the top puts you right beside the churning water — both are worth doing if time allows.
8. Meet rescued chimps on Ngamba Island
For travelers with only a day or two around Entebbe before or after their trip, Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary is an easy boat ride from the mainland. It’s home to orphaned and rescued chimpanzees, and a small number of overnight visitors can even join the keepers for a supervised morning walk with the resident troop.
Building it into your trip
Most of these pair naturally with a gorilla trekking route: Kibale and Queen Elizabeth sit along the road between Kampala and Bwindi, Lake Bunyonyi is a short detour from southern Bwindi, and Murchison Falls suits an extension in Uganda’s north. Tell us how many days you have, and we’ll build an itinerary around your gorilla permit dates.
