Uganda Safari: Chimpanzee Trekking & Queen Elizabeth Wildlife
Walk into the forest at dawn to find chimpanzees moving through the canopy.
This 5-day wildlife safari from Kampala combines chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park with game drives and a boat cruise on Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park. You'll track primates on foot with a guide, watch wildlife from a vehicle along the Kasenyi plains, and cruise past elephants and hippos at the water's edge. Private transportation, accommodation and all park fees are included. Your driver-guide speaks English throughout.
Step-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
- Pick up at airport or hotel
- Drive through countryside to Fort Portal
- Stopover for lunch in Fort Portal
- Walk Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru Caves
- Visit waterfall near caves
- Climb hill for views of lakes and mountains
- Proceed to lodge for overnight
Day 2: Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Walk
- Early morning chimpanzee trekking
- Observe other primates in forest
- Afternoon guided bird watching in Bigodi Swamp
- Explore boardwalk trail and viewing platforms
Day 3: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Breakfast at lodge
- Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Drive Crater scenic route
- Visit Katwe Salt Lake and local communities
- Proceed to lodge for dinner and overnight
Day 4: Game Drive and Boat Safari
- Early morning game drive on Kasenyi trail
- Lunch at lodge
- Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel
- Return to lodge for dinner and overnight
Day 5: Return to Kampala with Stops
- Breakfast and check out of lodge
- Drive towards Kampala
- Stopover for lunch in Mbarara town
- Stop at Uganda Equator in Kayabwe for photos and souvenirs
- Continue to Kampala or Entebbe airport
What’s included
- Private transportation with a driver-guide for all five days.
- accommodation at a lodge in Kibale Forest and a lodge in Queen Elizabeth.
- all national park fees and entrance charges.
- the chimpanzee trekking permit and ranger station access.
- the Bigodi Swamp guided walk.
- the Kasenyi plains game drive.
- the two-hour Kazinga Channel boat cruise.
Times
- Every day 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00
Before you book
Operated by NSHEKA AFRICAN ADVENTURES
Prices and times updated 10 days ago
Traveler reviews
The experience
The itinerary starts with a drive from Kampala through the countryside to Kibale Forest, stopping in Fort Portal and visiting the Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru Caves and Lake Kigere on the way. You'll sleep at either Turaco Treetops or Chimpundu Lodge before the early wake-up on day two. That morning you report to the ranger station and walk into the forest with a guide to track chimpanzees in their natural habitat. You'll also see colobus monkeys, mangabeys, baboons and bushbabies as the guide points out both plants and animals along the trail. The afternoon takes you on a separate walk through Bigodi Swamp, a boardwalk sanctuary where 138 bird species have been recorded. The guide will help you spot them among the rare flora and fauna.
Day three is the drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, crossing through the Rift Valley Escarpment and a 24-kilometer crater drive where extinct volcanic craters hold lakes, forests and grassland. You'll visit Katwe Salt Lake to see how salt is still produced using traditional evaporation methods, then settle into either Marafiki Game Lodge or Kasenyi Safari Camp. The next morning starts with a game drive along the Kasenyi trail where elephants, water bucks, Uganda kobs, buffaloes, lions and warthogs appear on the grasslands, followed by lunch at the lodge. At 2pm you board a boat for a two-hour cruise on Kazinga Channel, the waterway connecting Lake George and Lake Edward: hippos and Nile crocodiles crowd the water while elephants, warthogs and buffaloes drink at the banks, and herons, fish eagles and kingfishers work the air above.
The final day is the return to Kampala with stops for lunch in Mbarara and photos at the Equator in Kayabwe before your driver drops you at Entebbe airport or your hotel by early evening.
Is this one for you?Book this if you want both chimpanzee tracking and diverse wildlife viewing in one trip: Kibale Forest gives you dedicated forest time for primates and birds, while Queen Elizabeth adds plains and water-based game drives for a wider range of animals.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (15 to 17 years); Child (13 to 14 years): free; Infant (under 1): free.
What's the difference between chimpanzee trekking and the Bigodi Swamp walk?
Chimpanzee trekking happens on day two morning in Kibale Forest. You walk forest trails with a guide searching for chimps and other primates in their natural habitat. The Bigodi Swamp walk that same afternoon is a separate guided walk on boardwalk trails and viewing platforms through a bird sanctuary, focused on spotting the 138 bird species recorded there rather than primates.
How much time do you spend on the Kazinga Channel boat cruise?
The boat cruise on Kazinga Channel lasts about two hours and departs at 2pm on day four, starting from the landing site near Mweya Safari Lodge. You'll watch hippos, crocodiles and drinking wildlife along the banks while aquatic birds work overhead.
What animals might I see during the game drive in Queen Elizabeth?
The Kasenyi plains game drive on day four morning offers chances to see water bucks, Uganda kobs, elephants, buffaloes, lions, warthogs and various bird species along the trail.
Does the tour include accommodation and meals?
Accommodation is included. You'll stay at either Turaco Treetops or Chimpundu Lodge in Kibale Forest on nights one and two, then at either Marafiki Game Lodge or Kasenyi Safari Camp in Queen Elizabeth on nights three and four. Meals are not listed in the inclusions.
What happens on the drive from Kampala to Kibale Forest on day one?
Your driver-guide picks you up and drives through the countryside, stopping in Fort Portal for lunch, then visiting the Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru Caves and waterfall, and Lake Kigere where you climb to a viewpoint overlooking three crater lakes and the Rwenzori Mountains in the distance before reaching your lodge.
Is the guide English-speaking?
Yes, your driver-guide speaks English throughout the five days and provides information on flora and fauna during walks and drives.
Uganda Safari: Chimpanzee Trekking & Queen Elizabeth Wildlife
5d · EN
from US$ 1,900 per person
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