5 Days Uganda Wildlife & Chimpanzee Safari : If you are looking for short wildlife and chimpanzee Uganda safari, this is a suitable package option for you. It takes you to two of Uganda’s top wildlife destinations; Murchison falls national park for wildlife and scenic viewing and Kibale National Park for chimpanzee tracking.
Murchison falls national park is the largest park in Uganda covering up to 3,983 sq.km. It hosts four of the Big Five animals, i.e. elephant, buffalo, leopard, and lion. The Nile River bisects the park into two separating the savannah plains in the northern part from the woodland forests in the southern. The game drive and boat cruise are enough to give a highlight exploration of the park.
Kibale National Park is home to 13 primate species including chimpanzees, several bird species and other mammals. The tour gives a chance to visit Isunga community where you will learn about the Bakiga and Batooro people who live here.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Kibale national park
You will be picked up from your residence in Kampala or Entebbe or from the airport and transfer to Kibale national park. The park is 5 to 6 hours’ drive from Kampala, on a road trip passing through verdant forests, sweeping tea plantations, roadside markets and much more. Take a break in Mubende Town or Fort Portal for lunch and proceed to Kibale. On arrival, you will check in to your booked logde and relax.
Optional activity: tea and coffee experience with Isunga Cultural Community at the edge of Kibale national park
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking and visit Isunga Community.
Have a morning breakfast at your Lodge and drive to Kibale headquarters where you will attend a briefing about the etiquette of chimpanzee tracking. This will take about 20 minutes, covering the dos and don’ts while in the forest. Head into the forest to start the search for the chimps, taking about 3 to 4 hours including an hour that will be spent with these apes. While in the forest, you have a chance to spot other primates like black and white colobus monkeys, Vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, red colobus monkeys among others. You will then trek back and meet your driver who will drive you back to the lodge for hot lunch.
In the afternoon, visit the neighboring Isunga community where you will interact with locals in their homes. The tour involves a cultural entertainment of the Bakiga and Batooro traditional music and dances plus attending storytelling sessions by elders. You can also head out for a local brew experience. Learn how the bananas are squeezed to get local gin and spirits.
Day 3: Transfer to Murchison falls national park.
Leave Kibale National Park and head to Murchison Falls National Park on a lazy drive, with an enroute lunch in Hoima town. You will arrive at the park in the late afternoon or evening depending on the departure time from Kibale. Check in to your lodge, have dinner and relax.
Day 4: Full day in Murchison Falls National Park.
Explore the savannah plains of this park with a morning game drive where you have an opportunity to spot several animals like elephants, lions, leopards, giraffes, buffalos, oribis, bushbucks, waterbucks, warthogs, olive baboons and many others. The 4-5 hours game drive also offers a chance to see savannah birds including the Abyssinian hornbill. A break time will be at the hippo pool where you will be able to spot numerous hippos and buffalos.
In the afternoon, embark on a boat cruise on the Victoria Nile and this will be another adventure to watch countless hippos and crocodiles. Monitor lizards, waterbucks and various species of water birds are present. The boat cruise will be accompanied by a magical scenery of Murchison waterfalls from the bottom. Thereafter, enjoy a hike to the top of the falls with several scenes photography, and witness the rainbow that is formed as water squeezes into the narrow gorge.
Back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5: Transfer back to Kampala and stopover at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary.
Set off for Kampala early in the morning after breakfast, with a stopover at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for rhino trekking. This adventure will take about two hours, hence making this a complete Big Five safari if you spotted the other four animals in Murchison Falls National Park. Your safari driver will drop you at the airport or your residence in Kampala or Entebbe.
