Murchison Falls National Park Kibale Forest National Park

5 days wildlife and chimpanzee trekking safari Uganda takes you through Murchison Falls National Park which is Uganda’s largest national park and a prime destination for wildlife and big game viewing safaris in Uganda. The park protects a large concentration of wildlife including a remarkable 87 mammals, and over 451 bird species. You will therefore have an opportune time doing game drives to observe diverse savannah wildlife, a boat cruise on the mighty River Nile which offer sights of plenty of animals and birds lined along its banks such as elephants, crocodiles, buffalos, and many more, and eventually hike to the top of the spectacular Murchison Falls, the world’s most powerful waterfall. We then leave Murchison Falls, driving along the scenic escarpment of the Albertine Rift Valley and visit Kibale National Park which is one of Africa’s greatest rain forests and home of Uganda's largest population of Chimpanzees (approximately 1500) and world's biggest concentration of primates, with margins reaching over 13 different primate species. The park’s rich ecosystem is highlighted by diverse populations of butterflies, 60 species of mammals and around 350 species of birdlife. The park covers 795 square kilometers of rain forest, swamps, rivers and dispersed areas of grassland.

This 5 days wildlife and Chimpanzee trekking safari Uganda will create a memorable adventure that is punctuated with experiencies that only you and those who experience them with you can access! The itinerary includes game drives in the savannah grassland and a boat safari on the Nile, activities that will expose you to lots of animals such as lions, elephants, hyenas, giraffes, monkeys, hippos, crocodiles, antelopes, buffaloes, lots of birds and wonderful scenery. 5 days wildlife and Chimpanzee trekking safari Uganda altogether offers a wonderful experience for those looking to learn about the primates in Uganda. If you seek to see the best of Uganda's big game and combine it with a thrilling encounter with the Chimpanzees, then this is the perfect safari for you!

We give you a range of accommodations to choose from, ranging from budget, moderate to luxury.

Day 1

Murchison Falls

Transfer from Kampala/Entebbe to Murchison Falls National Park with a Stopover at the Top of the Falls (depending on accommodation choosen)

  • Journey time: 6 - 7 hours
  • Accommodation: Bakers Lodge (Luxury), Murchison River Lodge, Kabalega Wilderness Lodge or Fort Murchison (Midrange), Murchison River Lodge or Fort Murchison (Budget)
  • Meal Plan: Lunch, Dinner

  • Pick up time for the safari is set at 7 am and location is either around Kampala or Entebbe. The tour guide shall pick you up from your hotel and set off to travel to Murchison Falls. You will take the Kampala – Gulu road, a smooth tarmacked (paved) road and by around mid-day you will be in Masindi town. Stopover for lunch and thereafter continue the journey, and in less than an hour to reach the southern entrance of the Murchison Falls park. Check in with the park staff and continue into the park driving on the dirt through the dense Budongo Forest. You will be welcomed by hundreds of baboons lined along the road. However, endeavor to keep the windows closed as the baboons will be attracted to snatch items from the car. For bird lovers, be on the lookout for some species. Wood doves hoover in front of the car, and the Saddle-billed Stork is a common sight along the road. Enjoy panoramic views across the thick forest.
    Depending on the accommodation you selected, you shall get to the ferry to cross over the Nile and transfer to your accommodation where you shall spend the rest of the evening relaxing.

Day 2

Game Drive

Boat Cruise

Game Drive through the Northern Side of the Park in the Morning & Boat Cruise on River Nile to the Bottom of the Falls in the Afternoon

  • Accommodation: Bakers Lodge (Luxury), Murchison River Lodge, Kabalaega Lodge or Fort Murchison (Midrange), Murchison River Lodge or Fort Murchison (Budget)
  • Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • You should be up by 6.00am, take a quick cup of coffee or tea with a snack to warm your tummy and set out for the early morning game drive. The early start is a better time and offers more chances for the great sightings of the nocturnal animals and elusive predators such as Lions, Hyenas, Leopard and Jackal, as they are still out actively hunting in the morning hours and haven’t returned to their hideouts. Murchison Falls National Park is divided by River Nile into the south and northern region. The northern part is largely covered by savannah and woodland and supports a lot more volume and variety of animals compared to the southern region which is mainly covered by forest. Therefore, the game drives are done in the northern area of Murchison Falls. If your lodge is found in the southern section, you will thus get a ferry to cross to the northern section for your game drive. Explore the game trails towards the Lake Albert delta where big game such as the Elephants, Buffaloes, Giraffes, and many Antelopes are seen. Murchison falls is the main stronghold in Africa for Rothschild Giraffes. Therefore, you’ll be blown away by these beautiful creatures as you enjoy the beautiful savannah landscape that is immersed with plenty of life and wonderful scenery. The game drive will last for approximately 3 hours, and you have the choice of having a packed breakfast on the game drive or return to the lodge for breakfast. Back at the lodge there is some time to relax. After lunch set out for a 2-hour Launch Cruise (boat safari) on River Nile which sets off at Paraa, going upstream to the bottom of the Murchison Falls. Boat ride offers an array of wildlife sightings - crocodile, hippos, and lizards are a common sight throughout the cruise. As you reach the falls, you notice a lot of huge crocodiles amongst the largest ever seen amassed together. The place is called “Croc Bar.” Big game such buffaloes, elephants and antelopes can also be sighted drinking and cooling off the heat by the river banks and with a little luck, you might even spot a leopard resting in a tree close by the water. It is easy to see the animals at a close and clear encounter for many animals come to drink, bathe, and as well to eat some grass. Herds of hippos can be witnessed playing in the waters, all of which offers a wonderful opportunity to take photographs of the various animals. Since the Nile is a bird magnet, it offers an opportunity for one to tune in and listen to the melodious twitters of various birds that find the river environment an haven of rest. This birdlife is vey impressive, and keeps you constantly entertained, with a profusion of colours and species. You will also be totally blown away by a spectacle of sheer power and beauty with which the water squeezes through the devil’s cauldron. Reaching the bottom of the Murchison Falls, you will leave the boat and set out for a 45-minute hike rocks adjacent the Murchison falls and thereby accessing great views of the falls at different spots along the trail. If your reserved lodge is in the northern section, you will get a ferry to cross to the southern for a hike or to go to the top of the falls. Once reached the top you will find the tour guide waiting to drive you back to the lodge for dinner and overnight. You will have the opportunity to watch the sunset over the River Nile at dusk.  


Day 3

Leisure Time

Transfer from Murchison Falls National Park to Kibale Forest National Park & Afternoon at Leisure

  • Journey Time: 8 hours
  • Accommodation: Kyaninga Lodge or Papaya Lake Lodge (Luxury), Isunga Lodge or Kibale Forest Camp (Midrange), Kibale Forest Camp or Chimpanzee Guesthouse (Budget)
  • Meal Plan: Breafast, Lunch (en-route), Dinner

  • After breakfast check out and embark on the journey to Kibale National Park. Travel along the Albertine Rift Valley as you enjoy the wonderful views of the rift valley escarpment and the lush countryside. You will stopover in Hoima town for lunch. Continue to Kibale, travelling through Fort Portal town and enjoy good views of the Rwenzori Mountain ranges. You willbe welcomed by a sense of traditional due to great sightings of traditional villages and landscapes. Check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 4

Chimpanzee Tracking

Bigodi Swamp Walk

Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest in the Morning & Nature Walk through Bigodi Wetlands in the Afternoon

  • Accommodation: Kyaninga Lodge or Papaya Lake Lodge (Luxury), Isunga Lodge or Kibale Forest Camp (Midrange), Kibale Forest Camp or Chimpanzee Guesthouse (Budget)
  • Meal Plan: Breafast, Lunch, Dinner

  • After early breakfast, you will transfer to Kanyanchu, at the park offices and vistor information centre at 7am to meet the ranger guides for registration and pre-trek briefing about what to do and not during chimpanzee trekking. After briefing, you will be divided into groups and each group will be assigned a ranger, after which you will set off to trek into the forest to track a community of Chimpanzees. The trek usually lasts between 3-5 hours and varies due to the movement of the Chimpanzees. 3 large communities of Chimpanzees have been habituated for the tracking adventure. Each of these communities was designd for different kinds of visitors; one is for chimpanzee tracking, the other is for research and the last one was designed for the habituation experience. You will locate the Chimps without so much straining since the location of each of the Chimp community is known before hand by advance trackers and communicated to your guides. The trek highlights a variety of flora ad fauna and while you trek through the forest, you will observe plenty of other wildlife. Other primates which you may spot include Red Colobus Monkey, L'Hoest Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, and Vervet Monkeys. The bird lovers spot many forest species from a total of 335 bird species recorded in the forest. The trademark panthoots and loud screams of the Chimps can be heard from a distance and will lead you straight to their community. Once you reached them, you will spend one hour observing and following the chimpanzee through the forest. The Chimps which will be swinging through trees with so much speed, pant hooting, slapping the tree barks and screaming to locate each other. It is an adrenaline giving atmosphere and a memorable experience. After the experience, you will return to the visitor information centre and you will be given certificates. You will then return to the lodge for lunch. Later in the day you shall transfer to the Bigodi Wetlands, situated on the eastern edge of the forest in Magombe swamp. Bigodi is punctuated by biodiversity and beautiful scenery, and is a birder’s paradise with about 138 species. It also hosts eight species of primates including the black-and-white colobus, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed, l’Hoest’s and blue monkeys, and olive baboons. Bushbucks and mongooses can also be found here. The sanctuary was set up to preserve the exclusive environmental features along with the wetland and is managed by the local community. In this area, there are small establishments or groups of people that are prepared to take you through the two main activities, that is the Swamp walk and the community walk. In the swamp walk, you shall take a light walk in the wetlands to observe nature and wildlife including many monkey species. During this walk, you will have the oportunity to spot some wildlife species that you hadn't witnessed during the trek. These include certain species of primates, butterflies, plants and  spectacular birds. Some of such birds include; the green breasted pitta which is endemic to Kibale forest, the rare Papyrus Gonolek and the great blue turaco. Some primates include the Red colubus monkeys.
    You also have chances of viewing forest elephants, forest buffalos, sitatungas, serval cats, civet cats and mangoose. After the swamp walk, you will have the community walk which involves experiencing culture and a few things that are done by the local people. The include; Gin brewing from banana, coffee processing, craft making and having a visit to the local medicine man to see the use of local medicine.  Return in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Day 5


Transfer from Kibale Forest National Park to Kampala/Entebbe

  • Journey Time: 8 hours
  • Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch (packed, en-route)

  • After breakfast, check out and transfer back to Kampala/Entebbe. Drop off at your hotel or at the airport.

General Tips:

  • Please note the age limit of 15 years and above for chimpanzee tracking.
  • Book your permits well in advance as permits are limited. Children below 12 years can engage in an educative forest walk.
  • You should be free from infectious diseases such as Flue which can be passed to the gorillas since humans share 99% DNA with gorillas. If you are found to carry an infectious disease you will not be allowed to track.
  • Every participant has the chance to hire a trekking assistance (porter) who will help carrying the bags and support whenever it is needed. For the trekking assistant an additional fee of US$ 15 is charged.
  • OPTIONAL: As an optional activity we highly recommend a HOT AIR BALLOON SAFARI to make your safari at Murchison Falls NP to a truly unique and unforgettable experience.
  • OPTIONAL: BIG 5 SAFARI: If you want to do a Big 5 Safari, request for a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a memorable Rhino Trekking on foot(!) on your way to the park or when returning to Kampala. 

What to bring:

  • Walking boots, long trousers and rain gears as you will be hiking through Kibale Forest.
  • Sun screen is recommended.
  • Mosquito repellant is advisable.
  • At least 1-2 liters of drinking water per person during the trekking.
  • Binoculars are always useful, especially when booking the Hot Air Balloon Safari.