13 Days Uganda Primates Safari

After breakfast, your guide will collect you from your hotel for the journey north to Murchison Falls National Park. Before checking into your lodge, you’ll stop at the top of the falls where the Nile is squeezed through a seven-meter-wide gorge and crashes 43 meters into the river below. Afterward, cross the Nile by ferry to your lodge. Keep an eye out for hippos, crocodiles, and buffalo gathered at the river’s edge.

Overnight: Paraa Safari Lodge / Nile Safari Lodge / Sambiya River Lodge / Red Chilli Camp

With an early start, head into the Kaniyo Pabidi section of Budongo Forest—one of the few places in Uganda where wild chimpanzees thrive. As you walk under towering ironwood and mahogany trees, listen for rustling leaves and distant hoots. The forest is alive with birds, including Puvel’s illadopsis and chocolate-backed kingfishers.
Later in the afternoon, cruise the Victoria Nile and drift past pods of hippos and crocodiles basking on sunlit banks. Elephant herds sometimes come down to drink, while kingfishers and herons patrol the water’s edge.

Overnight: Paraa Safari Lodge / Nile Safari Lodge / Sambiya River Lodge / Red Chilli Camp

Rise early for a game drive on the northern plains of the park. Giraffes, waterbucks, oribis, hartebeest, and lion prides roam this area. After breakfast and a relaxed lunch back at the lodge, return to the river for a second cruise, this time to the base of the falls. The boat ride offers close-up views of crocodiles and an impressive range of birdlife, with a chance to spot the elusive shoebill.

After breakfast, depart for Kibale National Park. This long but scenic drive passes through the Albertine Escarpment, small towns, and tea plantations. Arrive in Fort Portal late in the afternoon and check in to your lodge nestled near the edge of the forest.

Overnight: Ndali Lodge / Primate Lodge / Rwenzori View Guest House / Kanyankyu Ecological Bandas

Start early at Kanyanchu Visitor Centre where guides will brief you before heading into the forest. Unlike standard tracking, the habituation experience allows more time with the chimps as they go about their daily routines. Keep watch for red colobus monkeys, pottos, blue monkeys, and countless butterflies. In the afternoon, explore Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, where local guides lead you through lush swamp trails home to more primates and over 200 bird species.

Overnight: Ndali Lodge / Rwenzori View Guest House / Kanyankyu Campsite

After an early breakfast, journey toward the Semliki Valley, descending through dramatic rift escarpments to reach the reserve by midday. This remote wilderness features forests, savannahs, and wetlands. After settling in, set off for a night game drive—the only one permitted in Uganda—where nocturnal creatures such as genet cats, white-tailed mongooses, and nightjars often appear.

Overnight: Semliki Safari Lodge

Today begins in the forest, searching for Semliki’s chimpanzees. Researchers track these elusive groups at dawn and dusk, when they’re most active. Later, relax at the lodge before heading out for a sunset game drive. As the sun sinks behind the rift valley, the silhouettes of buffalo or elephant might appear in golden light.

Overnight: Semliki Safari Lodge

Depart Semliki and drive south to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Arrive in time for an optional walk on the Mweya Peninsula. This region of Uganda boasts a rare variety of ecosystems—wetlands, crater lakes, savannahs, and forests. Wildlife is equally diverse: elephants, hippos, leopards, and over 600 bird species thrive here.

Overnight: Mweya Safari Lodge / Jacana Safari Lodge / Institute of Ecology

Begin your day in Kyambura Gorge, where steep forested walls hide a family of habituated chimpanzees. This six- to eight-hour trek is immersive and often rewarding, with sightings of other primates and forest birds. After lunch, enjoy a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, teeming with hippos, crocodiles, and dozens of bird species.

Wake early for a game drive through the Kasenyi Plains. Lions and leopards are often spotted here, as well as kob, waterbuck, elephants, and flocks of birds. After a mid-morning break and lunch, return to the Kazinga Channel for a second boat trip. No two cruises are alike, and the light at different times of day creates a constantly shifting scene.

After breakfast, begin your journey back to Entebbe. Stop at the Equator for photos and lunch en route. Arrive in the evening and settle into your hotel in preparation for the next day’s visit to Ngamba Island.

Overnight: Boma Guest House / Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel

From the Lake Victoria shores, take a one-hour boat ride to Ngamba Island—a refuge for orphaned chimpanzees. A short orientation is followed by feeding time, when the chimpanzees come to the forest edge. Their intelligence and personalities are on full display, often clapping or calling out for food.

Overnight: Ngamba Island G&C Camp

In the morning, participate in a guided forest walk on the island. This close encounter brings you into direct contact with semi-wild chimpanzees. They might tug your clothes, climb onto your shoulders, or simply stroll beside you. Afterward, return to Entebbe by boat and transfer to the airport for your departure flight.