9 Days Tree-Climbing Lions, Wildlife & Chimpanzee Safari (Uganda)
Uganda · Ishasha, chimps & savannah
No-obligation proposal with named lodges, included permits and a complete safari price.
Tour overview
This 9-day safari is built around Ishasha’s tree-climbing lions — one of only two places in Africa where lions routinely rest in fig branches — combined with Queen Elizabeth wildlife, Kibale chimpanzees, and optional Lake Mburo zebra country on the return leg. The southern QE–Kihihi corridor is less crowded than Mweya and pairs naturally with primate forests to the north.
Ideal for photographers who want lions at eye level, hippos at close range on the Kazinga Channel, and a full chimp morning in Kibale’s cathedral forest.
Places you visit
Key stops along this itinerary — customise dates and lodges when you enquire.
- Entebbe (Start, End)
Day-by-day itinerary
Entebbe / Kampala — Lake Mburo National Park
Drive southwest from Entebbe or Kampala with a stop at the Equator at Kayabwe for photos. Continue to Lake Mburo National Park (approx. 4–5 hours) — Uganda’s smallest savannah park but rich in zebra, impala, eland and the only giraffe population in western Uganda.
Afternoon game drive on the park tracks — topi, warthog and bushbuck are common; leopard are occasionally spotted at dusk. Lake Mburo is Uganda’s only park with impala and eland, and the acacia woodland makes wildlife viewing rewarding despite its compact size. Check in at Mihingo, Rwakobo or similar lakeside lodge.
Drive time: Approx. 4–5 hours
Meals: Lunch & dinner
Day 1 | AccommodationMburo boat cruise — transfer to Ishasha
Morning boat trip on Lake Mburo — hippo, crocodile, African fish eagle and pied kingfisher along the papyrus-fringed shoreline. The lake holds the park’s highest hippo density.
After lunch, continue to Queen Elizabeth’s Ishasha sector (approx. 4–5 hours). Afternoon game drive scanning acacia and fig trees for tree-climbing lions — Ishasha is one of only two places in Africa where lions routinely rest in branches.
Drive time: Approx. 4–5 hours after boat
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Accommodation: Enjojo Lodge or Ishasha Jungle Lodge
Safari activity | Lake Mburo boat cruise
Morning launch on the park’s central lake — close-range hippo, crocodile and waterbird viewing among papyrus and acacia woodland.Ishasha tree-climbing lions
Full day in Ishasha with dawn and late-afternoon game drives, scanning fig and acacia trees for lions draped over branches. Buffalo, elephant and topi graze the open plains along the Ntungwe River; the sector is quieter than Mweya and ideal for photographers who want lions at eye level.
Midday rest at the lodge during the heat. Your guide knows the fig-tree hotspots along the Ntungwe and Ishasha river circuits where prides are most often found — patience and repeated scans pay off.
Overnight at Enjojo Lodge or Ishasha Jungle Lodge, both positioned for quick access to the main lion territories.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Safari activity | Ishasha tree-climbing lion tracking
Dedicated drives in the southern Queen Elizabeth sector — scan fig trees for lions resting in branches, a behaviour unique to Ishasha and Tanzania’s Lake Manyara.Ishasha to Mweya — Kazinga Channel boat
Morning drive north through Queen Elizabeth National Park to the Mweya Peninsula (approx. 2 hours). Check in and lunch at the lodge.
Afternoon 2-hour Kazinga boat cruise on the natural waterway linking Lakes George and Edward. This is one of Africa’s densest hippo populations; buffalo and elephant herds drink at the banks.
Drive time: Approx. 2 hours
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Safari activity | Kazinga Channel boat safari
Two-hour boat cruise on the channel linking Lakes George and Edward — dense hippo pods, elephant and buffalo on the banks, and outstanding birding.Day 4 | AccommodationKasenyi Plains game drive — Kibale transfer
Pre-dawn game drive on the Kasenyi Plains — Queen Elizabeth’s prime predator territory. Lion prides stalk Uganda kob at first light; leopard, spotted hyena and elephant are regular. Return for breakfast, then check out.
Afternoon drive to Kibale National Park foothills (approx. 2–3 hours). The route passes through Kasese with the Rwenzori range visible on clear days. Arrive at your forest lodge by evening — tomorrow is chimp day.
Drive time: Approx. 2–3 hours
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 5 | AccommodationChimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest
Early briefing at Kanyanchu Visitor Centre, then join UWA rangers for a chimpanzee trek through Kibale’s mature rainforest. Tracking typically takes 2–4 hours with one hour observing grooming, feeding and social calls — often surprisingly loud.
Afternoon optional Bigodi Wetland walk or crater-lake tour near Fort Portal. Evening at leisure.
Trek duration: 2–4 hours typical
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Safari activity | Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale
Track a habituated chimp community through mature rainforest with UWA rangers — one hour with the group once located, with excellent chances of loud pant-hoots and close-up social behaviour.Kibale to Queen Elizabeth — Kyambura Gorge
Morning return to Queen Elizabeth National Park (approx. 2–3 hours). Check in and lunch at the lodge near Mweya or Kyambura.
Afternoon chimp tracking in Kyambura Gorge (permit included) or a relaxed sundowner drive on the crater rim. The gorge’s steep walls and riverine forest offer a completely different primate experience from Kibale — chimps here are harder to find but the setting is spectacular.
Drive time: Approx. 2–3 hours
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Safari activity | Chimp tracking in Kyambura Gorge
Descend into the 100-metre-deep gorge for a forest-floor chimp trek among fig trees and riverine habitat — a dramatic contrast to Kibale’s canopy forest and your third primate encounter of the trip.Day 7 | AccommodationCrater lakes & wildlife drive
Morning exploration of Katwe crater lakes and traditional salt pans — local communities have harvested salt here for generations. Flamingo and other waterbirds gather on the lakes when water levels suit.
Afternoon game drive on the park tracks or community visit near Katwe village. Your guide may visit Lake Munyanyange for seasonal flamingo concentrations or drive the channel track for elephant and buffalo at close range.
A gentler day before tomorrow’s long return drive — ideal for reviewing photos of Ishasha lions and Kibale chimps.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 8 | AccommodationReturn to Entebbe / Kampala via Equator
Breakfast and scenic return through Mbarara (approx. 7–8 hours) with Equator stop at Kayabwe for photos and lunch. Tree-climbing lions at Ishasha, Kazinga hippos, Kibale chimps and Kyambura gorge in nine days — Uganda’s richest primate-and-savannah combination in the southern circuit.
The Ishasha sector is less crowded than Mweya and pairs naturally with Kibale’s primate forests to the north. Ideal for photographers who want lions at eye level in fig branches and chimps in both canopy and gorge-floor habitats.
Airport drop-off in Entebbe or overnight in Kampala on request.
Drive time: Approx. 7–8 hours
Meals: Breakfast & lunch
What's included
- Kibale chimp permit and Kyambura Gorge permit
- All park fees, Ishasha and Kasenyi game drives
- Kazinga boat cruise and Mburo boat trip
- 8 nights accommodation, 4×4, guide
- Meals as indicated
What's not included
- Bigodi walk fee
- Visa, insurance, tips
Accommodation & comfort level
Mburo: Mihingo or Rwakobo. Ishasha: Enjojo Lodge or Ishasha Jungle Lodge. QE: Enganzi or Bush Lodge. Kibale: Primate Lodge area.
Request Pricing & booking information
Request Quote: Fill in the contact form below.
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