One of the most exciting safaris to do in Uganda is chimpanzee tracking at Kibale National Park. This 4 days chimpanzee tracking safari in Uganda leads you to chimpanzee capital of East Africa. Actually, Kibale is the best forest to consider tracking habituated chimpanzees for a close-up encounter. On this trip shall do both chimpanzee tracking, visiting the surrounding community and nature walks. This is a relaxed unhurried safari which gives you a lot of time to relax off. This chimpanzee safari to Kibale starts from Kampala going to western Uganda via Mityana-Mubende-Fort Portal to Kibale which is located in Kabarore about 30km from Fort Portal.
The means of transportation is road using the land cruiser 4×4 safari vehicle and the accommodation is midrange lodges/hotels. Every day of the trip starts with breakfast, has lunch en-route and ends as planned in the detailed itinerary.
Summary of the trip
- Day1: Transfer to Kibale, Fort Portal
- Day2: Track chimpanzees and Nature Walking
- Day3: Amabere cave visit
- Day4: Bigodi Community and drive back to Kampala
Major activities
- Chimpanzee tracking, Fort Portal city drive
- Bigodi community Visits, Nature walks
- Amabere cave visits and crater lake hiking
Destinations;
- Kibale National Park, Bigodi community, Fort Portal city, Amabere caves
Accommodation;
- Midrange
Transportation;
- 4×4 Land Cruiser with rooftop pop-up
Trip Details
Day1: Transfer to Kibale & Fort Portal
Upon arrival at Entebbe suppose you reach in the morning hours, or from your lodge/hotel an experienced guide from Entale African Safaris will pick you for a transfer to Kibale. It’s about 6 to 7hours of driving for Kampala to Kibale, however, along the drive shall have two stopover for lunch en-route either at Mubende or Fort Portal depending on the time of travel.
Reaching Fort Portal shall first take a city drive around the city one of the most beautiful cities in Uganda. Visiting the local Mpanga market is one of the things to miss out on the drive. Then in the afternoon hours continue on a drive of about 30km reaching Kibale National Park, check-in at your lodge and rest for the next day.
Accommodation: Primate Safari Lodge (half-board)
Day2: Track chimpanzees and Nature Walking
This morning drive to Kanyachu center the starting point for chimpanzee tracking. The tracking starts at 7:30am with a briefing on tracking etiquette, get grouped 8 assigned to a habituated chimpanzee community. By 8am with an armed ranger guide will start a search for the apes which can last between 30 minutes to 3 hours and finding chimpanzees you have an hour in their presence. This is a rare moment bringing you close to chimpanzee in their natural jungles. Then walking back to the starting point, find your driver and back to your lodge to relax and refresh.
Following lunch refreshments, in the afternoon hours will nature walk at Bigodi swamp to track over 13 primate species which call Kibale their home. This is the biggest number of primates to be found one forest including baboons, L’Hoest’s monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, bush babies, mangebays, blue monkeys among others, the nature walks are backed up with many other encounter including many birds species, duikers, bushbucks, forest elephants among others.
Accommodation: Primate Safari Lodge (half-board)
Day3: Amabeere Cave
Today morning drive to Amabere cave, these are historic site for the legendary bachwezi dynasty. The natural ambiance at these cave where you climb into the cave and walk within the fumes of sounding waterfalls accompanied by legendary tales makes these caves one of the special culture sites to visits.
Then will take hike to Crater Lake Kigere northeast of caves in Nyakasura. This walk offers a stunning views several craters, Mountain of the Moon University, Fort Portal city among other sites. The walking can last betwee 30 minutes to an hour depending on the hiking speed, and slope the crater finding the vehicle with guide across the volcano.
Accommodation: Primate Safari Lodge (half-board)
Day4: Visit Bigodi Community & back to Kampala
This morning after a delicious breakfast, visit Bigodi community which is a tourist center with a lot of activities done within the community. Will visit the CAFRED spot where the local engage in the chimpanzee conservation through several engaments, and can even buy some of the crafts they make.
Then will take an afternoon drive back to Kampala with lunch en-route at Mubende. Reaching by evening hours drop off at designated hotel/lodge in Kampala or Entebbe International Airport for your next flight back home.
Trip inclusive;
- 4×4 safari vehicle
- All trip fuel
- All meals and soft drinks
- All Park entrances and activities
- Chimpanzee permits
- Accommodation
- Driver guide
Exclusive;
- Visa and air ticket
- Laundry
- All hard drinks
- Souvenirs
- Tips
- All international flights