5 Days Uganda Chimpanzee Experience

5 Days Uganda Chimpanzee Experience (Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kibale National Park)

5 Days Uganda Chimpanzee Experience takes you to two of the best chimpanzee trekking destinations that are Queen Elizabeth national park and Kibale national park. While in Queen Elizabeth national park, chimpanzee trekking takes place in Kyambura gorge which is an underground dense rainforest and home to a variety of birds, animals and primates including the chimpanzees and other primates. However, Chimpanzee experience mainly takes place in Kabale national park as the best destination in Africa for both chimpanzee trekking and Chimpanzee habituation. This trip also features game viewing, a boat cruise on the Kazinga channel, a nature walk and birdwatching.

Safari highlights of the 5 Days Uganda Chimpanzee Experience

Day 1: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking – Queen Elizabeth national park
Day 3: Lion tracking and transfer to Kibale forest national park
Day 4: Chimpanzee habituation
Day 5: Transfer to Kampala

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

Transfer to Queen Elizabeth: Depending on your location in Kampala/Entebbe, you will meet with your safari guide and thereafter embark on your journey to Queen Elizabeth national park. This park is one of Uganda’s best travel destinations given its variety of attractions. The park is located in the western part of Uganda taking about 5-6 hours’ drive on the road with en-route stop at the Uganda Equator and lunch in Mbarara town. This drive is exciting with great views of the countryside and the people. Connect to visit the twin crater lakes before you proceed to check-in your accommodation for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation and meals (Full board)

Luxury option: Mweya Safari lodge/Kyambura Gorge Lodge
Mid-range option: Parkview Safari lodge/Elephant Hub lodge
Budget option: Pumba Safari Cottages/Engiri Game lodge

Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and Boat cruise – Queen Elizabeth national park

Chimpanzee trekking: After breakfast, meet your safari guide and connect to Kyambura Game Reserve for your chimpanzee trekking activity. You will report to the starting for the chimpanzee trekking, meet with the park rangers and start your trek. Chimpanzee trekking takes place inside the 100 meter and 1 kilometre gorge characterised by dense tropical rainforest surrounded by vast grassland on all sides. The search for the chimpanzees takes about 2-5 hours’ depending on the location of the chimpanzees. You will be allowed 1 hour to view the chimpanzees as they feed and play however; it is not guaranteed to see the chimpanzees given that they are quite shy and run away from people.
Boat cruise: After trekking, return to the lodge for lunch then connect for a boat cruise on the Kazinga channel. It’s a 2 hours’ boat trip with sights of different bird species, hippos, Crocodiles, Elephants, and Buffaloes to mention a few. Return to you lodge for dinner and overnight stay as above

Day 3: Lion tracking and Bigodi wetland visit – Kibale forest national park

Lion tracking: After breakfast, transfer to the Kisenyi area for your lion tracking experience. With this experience, you will be able to meet the lions at a much closer distance. Lions tracking is the only guarantee that visitors are able to see the lions in Queen Elizabeth national park.
Bigodi wetland visit: After tracking, transfer to Kibale national park. It’s a 3-4 hours’ drive from Kasese district with en-route lunch in Fort portal town. Later afternoon, connect to Bigodi swamp for a nature walk experience for birdwatching and other primates including the black and white Colobus monkeys, Red vervet monkeys to mention but a few. Later evening, connect to your accommodation for check-in, have dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation and meal (Full board)

Luxury option: Kyaninga Lodge/Ndali Lodge
Mid-range option: Chimpanzee Guesthouse
Budget option: Isunga Lodge/Rweteera Guesthouse

Day 4: Chimpanzee habituation experience

Chimpanzee habituation experience: After your breakfast, drive out of the lodge to connect to the park headquarters with your trekking gears and water. Meet with other trekkers and gather for a briefing from the park officials where you will be guided on the expectations of Chimpanzee experiences. Thereafter in only a group of 4 people and ranger guides/researchers, set off for Chimpanzee habituation experience. This is a full day activity were you will visit a semi-habituated chimpanzee group that in the process of training to get used to people. These chimpanzees are usually difficult to find however the research rangers will find them and allow you study and learn about the family for 4 hours maximum in their presence. After habituation experience return to meet your safari guide and receiving your certificate to return back to your lodge. Relax at the lodge with great memories of the chimpanzees; dinner will be served and overnight stay as above

Day 5: Transfer to Kampala

Transfer to Kampala: After breakfast, meet your safari guide on checking-out and saying bye to the lodge staff and embark on your 5-6 hours’ drive journey back to Kampala. You will be dropped off at a location you advise or depending on your departure flight schedule, you will be dropped of at Entebbe international airport for your flight back home.

End of the 5 Days Uganda Chimpanzee Experience