8 days exclusive chimpanzee safari in Uganda (Ngamba, Budongo, Kibale, Kyambura, and Kalinzu)

Overview

This 8-day exclusive safari takes you deep into Uganda’s premier chimpanzee destinations. Besides watching the orphaned chimpanzees in Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary, you will track others in their natural homes. The safari will ensure that you explore the chimpanzees in Budongo Forest, Kibale National Park, Kyambura Gorge, and Kalinzu Forest.

This is an opportunity to witness unique chimpanzee behavior up-close and moreover in their natural homes. Other experiences to have include enjoying a boat cruise, cultural encounters, and special moments on or by the lakes and river Nile. The 8 days exclusive chimpanzee safari in Uganda starts and ends in Kampala or Entebbe.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Day tour to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary

In the morning, our driver will pick you up from your accommodation in Kampala/Entebbe and take you to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary. This is situated on Lake Victoria, and reaching there involves water transportation. You will have an opportunity to observe the orphaned chimps in the sanctuary. Take photos.

Enjoy a nature walk in the forest while soaking in the cool, fresh air. There are lots of birds and butterflies to see in there. You will have lunch and meet new people. Return to the Lake Victoria shores to board a boat. Head back to your lodge. Relax and later have dinner at the lodge. Have a much-needed overnight stay.

Day 2: Transfer to Budongo Forest. Enroute tour at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

After a morning breakfast, check out of your accommodation. Your driver will transfer you to Budongo Forest via Masindi. The scenic trip to Budongo is around 242 kilometers, with a pause at the Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch. This ranch offers the only opportunity to track and see white rhinos in the wild.

Proceed to Budongo Forest, but with enroute lunch in Masindi town. You will arrive at your destination. Check in at your pre-booked lodge and relax. In the evening, you will enjoy a delicious dinner. Then spend the overnight here to ensure you are well-rested for the chimpanzee trek scheduled for the following day.

Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking at Budongo Forest. Boat cruise in the evening

Have an early breakfast before going to the ecotourism site. You will meet the forest personnel who will offer a short briefing on trekking chimpanzees in the forest. Under the leadership of a ranger guide, you will search for a chimpanzee troop in Budongo Forest. Once found, you will be allowed to watch the chimps for an hour.

Take photos and return to the starting point. Your driver will take you back to the lodge for a delightful lunch. There will be an afternoon boat cruise along the Nile River in Murchison Falls National Park. Enjoy cruising upstream towards the base of the mighty Murchison Falls. The experience also involves watching birds, Nile crocodiles, and hippopotamuses, among others. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 4: Transfer to Kibale Forest

Wake up and have breakfast. After checking out of your lodge, the next destination is Kibale National Park. This is in the southwestern direction, and the driver covers a distance of around 260 kilometers via Kyenjojo and Hoima. During the scenic drive, you will have enroute lunch in Fort Portal Tourism City. Proceed to your pre-booked lodge and check in. Have dinner and an overnight stay in the evening.

Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest. Bigodi wetland walk in the afternoon

After an early breakfast, proceed to Kibale Forest for your scheduled chimpanzee trek. As usual, attend the short briefing where the park personnel will inform you about the trekking rules. Follow the chimpanzee trail under the guidance of a seasoned tracker. Find a habituated chimpanzee troop and observe the primates for an hour.

Return to the start for debriefing before heading back to your lodge. In the afternoon, you will be driven to the nearby Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. Relish this opportunity to see unique wildlife species like the great blue turaco and shoebill stork. Meet the local people who will teach you some words in Lutooro and Lukiga.

Enjoy traditional music, instruments, and dancing. Buy some handmade items like mats, baskets, and stuffed animals as souvenirs. You will also get some practical lessons in making such items from the experienced craftspeople making them. You will return to your lodge again. Have your dinner and overnight stay.

Day 6: Drive to Kyambura Gorge near Queen Elizabeth National Park. Chimpanzee trekking in the afternoon.

After morning breakfast, check out of the lodge and head south-westwards to Kyambura Gorge. This is close to Queen Elizabeth National Park and covers only 96.6 kilometers. Once you arrive there, check in at your pre-booked lodge. Have some lunch and cool refreshments. In the afternoon, head to the gorge for a chimpanzee trekking adventure.

A short briefing will be made before you enter deeper into the forested ecosystem. You will search for the chimpanzees, and finding them is assured. Watch them for an hour and also take photos. Birds and black and white colobus monkeys could be spotted as well. Return to where you began for debriefing. You will return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 7: Morning chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu Forest. Evening Sundowner at the Twin Lakes

After an early morning breakfast, head to the Kalinzu Forest Reserve Visitors Center. You will be briefed about chimpanzee trekking in the forest and how to do it safely. A seasoned guide from the forest will lead you as you follow chimpanzee trails. Find the habituated chimpanzee troop and observe them for an hour.

Feel free to document every behavior the chimpanzees display through photography. Expect to see the chimpanzees foraging, fighting, grooming, and playing, among others. Upon returning to the starting point, you will attend a debriefing. You will be driven back to your lodge for lunch and refreshments.

Later in the day, head to the Twin Lakes of Katinda and Mirambi. While enjoying the sun going down, treat yourself to a drink of your choice, whether soft or hard, and soak in the fresh air. You will also watch birds and the lovely waters of the Twin Lakes. Also, enjoy listening to the stories about the legends surrounding the lakes. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 8: Return to Kampala. Departure.

Once you have had your morning breakfast, check out of the lodge. You will return to Kampala via the Mbarara-Masaka route. This scenic trip covers approximately 352.5 kilometers and has a duration of between 6 and 7 hours. There will be enroute lunch in Mbarara. Proceed to Kampala after pausing one more time at the Equator Crossing in Mpigi district.

Take photos of yourself right at 0 degrees latitude. Also, buy some pieces of handicrafts and fine art for your souvenir collection. Proceed to Kampala. Upon arrival in Kampala, you will be dropped off at Entebbe International Airport for your return flight. This is the end of your 8 days exclusive chimpanzee safari in Uganda.

Top Uganda Safari Packages 2026/2027

Uganda Safaris are highlights of all safaris in Africa. Being the pearl of Africa, the country has so much to satisfy almost all needs of adventurous and relaxed, old and young, plus solo and group tourists, there is nothing that Uganda cannot offer, ranging from gorilla trekking safaris, wildlife expeditions and cultural tours. See some of our top Uganda safari tours below.

Sándor Jakubinyi

14:31 22 Feb 24

2019 megigazulás

12:45 21 Feb 24

We went on a two-week trip with my family, organised by Coleb from Standard Safaris.

I had my concerns about organised trips, but this one didn’t justify any of those. Everything went very smoothly, even when some problems arose with one of the cars it got fixed by next morning, the accomodations were clean and comfortable, the programs were exciting and well-balanced - everything was done to a truly high standard.

If you plan to visit Uganda and are looking for a guide, I warmly recommend Coleb and his team. In case you have a choice of drivers, go for Godwin, his presence made this trip even more enjoyable - cheerful, helpful, good sense of humour, generally a great person. Just look for the guy with a big smile and big heart:)

Bert Simoens

09:38 08 Jan 24

We recently embarked on a safari adventure with Standard Safaris in Uganda, which was truly exceptional. Our guide, Yonah, was outstanding - his kindness, knowledge, and discretion significantly enhanced our experience. He was the heart of our trip.

The local company's planning was offering a tailor-made journey that matched our interests. We saw an array of wildlife in Murchison, enjoyed rafting at Jinja, and experienced mountain biking at Sipi. A visit to Kidepo National Park was a highlight and comes highly recommended.

The vehicle provided was comfortable and reliable. We highly recommend Standard Safaris for anyone seeking an unforgettable safari in Uganda. Their professionalism and the exceptional guidance of staff like Yonah make them an great choice.

Michał Kostrzewa

00:41 15 Nov 23

We are all extremely grateful Standard Safaris for an incredible East Africa experience. I recently booked a custom trip for group of 8 people, including an 8-year-old boy, from Kampala through Queen Elizabeth National Park and on to Rwanda and Burundi. Coleb delivered on everything that was discussed and agreed upon beforehand.

The car provided was in great condition and our driver Meddy went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, informed, and had the best possible time. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. All local services were inlcuded in (reasonable) price that we agreed, so there was no need to worry about payments during the 6 day trip. Also Standard Safaris agreed took care about safety and security by helping us organize armed ranger while in the park.

The whole trip was hassle-free and smooth. We saw amazing wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP, took in the sights of Rwanda and Burundi, and made lifelong memories.

I would happily book with Standard Safaris again in a heartbeat and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for the best East Africa trip. They provide top-notch service while ensuring you have an incredible, customized experience. If you want a hassle-free, flawlessly organized African adventure, Standard Safaris is the tour operator to book with.

Ivan Nammanda

18:31 27 Oct 23

Very organized travel operator who chose awesome guide to make our trip wonderful.

We booked a nine days trip with Standard Safaris and all was perfect from start to finish. Coleb was very prompt at replying and easy to liaise with ahead of the trip. We had done a lot of research and had an itinerary in mind and Coleb helped us to put everything together to make this happen for a very reasonable price.  On the trip we had a private vehicle for the whole tour which was exactly what we wanted. Bryan was our driver and an amazing guide - really friendly and knowledgable, working hard to find the things that we wanted to see and quickly understanding what was of interest to us/how much information to give.

Would highly recommend a trip to Uganda with Standard Safaris. We are definitely coming back soon!

MUGAIGA KENNETH

18:01 27 Oct 23

The company has very courteous tour guides with wide knowledge of fauna and frola in the whole of East Africa.
The choice of safari Lodges is good with first class treatment.
Game drive security is assured.
Almost The whole of September I was traversing through DRC, Uganda,and Rwanda on a gorilla tour and wildlife expedition.
Everything was arranged and booked perfectly by Standard Safaris.
The owner, Coleb was always helpful whenever we needed to ask questions about this gorilla safari in Uganda and beyond.
It was a complex expedition but Standard safaris and Coleb made it look amazingly easy.
I’ll recommend Standard safaris 200%, for all gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and wildlife tours in east africa.

travel uganda

16:35 27 Oct 23

This is so far the best gorilla trekking company in Uganda, and africa, by far. I had a wonderful time with Standard Safaris as a solo traveler.
My guide was excellent and our safari planner, Coleb was quick with responses and the prices were very friendly.
I’ll definitely book with Standard safaris on my next gorilla tour in Rwanda and Uganda.

8 days exclusive chimpanzee safari in Uganda (Ngamba, Budongo, Kibale, Kyambura, and Kalinzu)

Top Uganda Safari Packages 2026/2027

10 Days Best of Uganda Safari – Primates, Wildlife & Leisure Tour

7 DAYS UGANDA WILDLIFE SAFARI ADVENTURE

6 Days Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari in Uganda

5 Days Gorilla Trekking & Wildlife Tour In Uganda

3 Days Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tour in Uganda

2 Days Bwindi gorilla trek from Kigali