8 Days Chimpanzees & Wildlife Safari (Uganda)

Depart early north on the Gulu highway to Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch in Nakasongola (approx. 3 hours from Kampala). On foot with armed rangers, track southern white rhinos to within safe viewing distance — Uganda’s only place to see rhinos in the wild after local extinction in the 1980s. After lunch, continue to Budongo Forest Reserve and check in at Budongo Eco Lodge on the edge of Kaniyo Pabidi mahogany forest. Drive time: Approx. 5–6 hours total Meals: Lunch & dinner Accommodation: Budongo Eco Lodge

Morning briefing, then chimpanzee trek at Kaniyo Pabidi with UWA rangers through mature mahogany and ironwood forest. Budongo’s chimps are less crowded than Kibale; tracking typically takes 2–4 hours with one hour on contact. Chocolate-backed kingfisher and puvel’s illadopsis are birding targets along the trails. Afternoon forest birding walk on lodge trails or rest before tomorrow’s transfer into Murchison Falls National Park. Trek duration: 2–4 hours typical Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Short transfer into Murchison Falls National Park (approx. 1–2 hours). Visit the top of the falls viewpoint where the Nile forces through a 7-metre gorge and plunges 43 metres into the Devil’s Cauldron — the park’s defining spectacle. Check in at your Paraa-area lodge for dinner overlooking the Victoria Nile. Rothschild’s giraffe and elephant are often seen on the approach roads. Drive time: Approx. 1–2 hours Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Pre-dawn tea, then a morning game drive on the northern bank Buligi circuit — Rothschild’s giraffe, elephant herds, buffalo, Jackson’s hartebeest and Uganda kob are common; lion and leopard are possible at first light. Return for breakfast at the lodge. After lunch, board the 3-hour launch cruise on the Victoria Nile toward the base of Murchison Falls. Hippos yawning at close range, Nile crocodiles on the banks, and elephant coming to drink make this one of Uganda’s classic boat safaris. Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner Accommodation: Same lodge as Day 3

After breakfast, begin the long drive west via Masindi and Fort Portal (approx. 6–7 hours). The landscape shifts from northern savannah to tea plantations and crater lakes as you approach the Albertine Rift. Stop for lunch en route — often in Fort Portal with views of the Rwenzori foothills on clear days. Arrive at your Kibale lodge by late afternoon. Evening at leisure before tomorrow’s second chimp trek. Drive time: Approx. 6–7 hours Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Early briefing at Kanyanchu Visitor Centre, then your second chimpanzee trek in Kibale National Park — a different forest character from Budongo, with denser understorey and 13 primate species. One hour with the habituated group once located. Afternoon Bigodi community swamp walk for colobus monkeys, turacos and sitatunga if lucky. The walk supports local livelihoods and offers a gentler pace after the morning trek. Trek duration: 2–4 hours typical Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Morning transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park (approx. 2–3 hours) via Kasese. Check in near Mweya and lunch at the lodge. Afternoon 2-hour Kazinga Channel boat safari — buffalo and elephant herds drink at the banks, and the birdlist exceeds 600 species including African skimmer and malachite kingfisher. Drive time: Approx. 2–3 hours Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Dawn game drive on the Kasenyi Plains — lion prides stalk Uganda kob at first light; leopard, spotted hyena and elephant are regular. Return for breakfast, then check out. Drive north to Kampala/Entebbe (approx. 6–7 hours) with lunch en route and an Equator stop at Kayabwe. Two chimp permits in Budongo and Kibale, rhino tracking at Ziwa, Murchison Nile wildlife and Queen Elizabeth savannah in one week — without gorilla permit costs. The clockwise route links northern savannah giants with western primate forests in a proven loop with no backtracking between major parks. Drive time: Approx. 6–7 hours Meals: Breakfast & lunch