3 Days Chimpanzee Trekking Safari in Kibale Uganda Tour is a private 2 nights/3 days Chimp trekking in Uganda safari in Kibale Nationa Park Forest that takes you for a close face-to-face encounter with Chimps on foot. This 3 days Chimp trek safari in Uganda also offers unique community tours, beautiful scenery viewing, and birding.
The 795km2 Kibale National Park is made up of dense tropical rainforest, which dwells the highest density of primates in Africa. Kibale has the highest percentage of viewing Chimpanzees in the wild than any other place in the world, and besides over 1,500 chimps, contains 12 other primate species, a total of 70 mammal species, 375 bird species, 250 species of butterflies, and 351 tree species, some rises to over 55 meters and over 200 years old.
Our 3 days Uganda Chimpanzee trekking safari in Kibale also goes ahead to feature tours to the Amabere caves and Nakayima tree−the cultural heritage sites with a remarkable history, and an adventure tour to the scenic Fort Portal Crater field to marvel at the volcanic activity-induced crater lakes via hiking, and an exciting swamp walk in the community-run Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary to see birds and primates, coupled with an amazing community village walk deep into the amazing Bigodi community as they go on with their farming, cooking, making local brew and juice. On this 3 days tour, you’ll be amazed by the breadth of life and culture and the beauty of nature gracing this spectacular East African country.
Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest National Park on foot
The scenic hike to dramatic Fort Portal Crater Lake field
Cultural and heritage tour to Amabere Cave and Nakayima tree
An exciting Swamp walk in the community-run Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
Community village walk in the Bigodi Community
Day 1 & 2: Fort Portal Area, Kibale National Park & Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
Day 3: Mpanga Tea Estate (optional) & Nakayima tree
Day 1: Travel from Kampala to Fort Portal Area, visit the Amabere Caves, hike the Fort Portal Crater Lake field & transfer to Kibale National Park.
Day 2: Morning Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale & afternoon Swamp walk in Bigodi Wetland.
Day 3: Cycle in Mpanga tea estate (optional) & transfer back to Kampala with a visit to the Nakayima tree en route.
After breakfast at your place of stay in Kampala (at around 6.30 am), we’ll embark on a 300km (5-6 hours) drive to Fort Portal Area. We’ll drive through the impressive countryside landscapes of Uganda with impressive scenic views including the scenic Mubende inselbergs not forgetting the small towns en route including Mpigi, Mityana, Mubende, and Kyenjojo. We’ll arrive in the town of Fort Portal, a very scenic area of the country at around lunchtime. We will enjoy lunch at one of the best restaurants in town.
After lunch, we’ll visit the Amabeere Caves which are named after the live stalactite formation, Amabeere ga Nyinamwiru (literally, Breast of Nyinamwiru). These breast-like features in the caves are believed to have belonged to Nyinamwiru, the daughter of King Bukuku who is said to have been so beautiful that no man could leave her alone. When Nyinamwiru father King Bukuku became weary of receiving marital requests from unsuitable suitors, he took the extreme measure of cutting off his daughter’s breasts to make her less attractive.
From the caves, we then embark on the hike to the dramatic Fort Portal Crater Lake field where you traverse the challenging slopes of Kyeganywa hill, surrounded by a range of picturesque crater lakes and crater hollows (some of them over 400 meters deep) presenting one of the beautiful scenic sites in Uganda. The top of Kyeganywa hill offers spectacular views of the Rwenzori Mountains on a clear day.
Retreat from the activity and connect to Fort Portal town from where you will drive 26km to Kibale National Park for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
The highlight of the day: – A heritage tour to Amabere Cave and a hike to the scenic Fort Portal Crater Lake Field.
Accommodation:-
Luxury/Upmarket: – Crater Safari Lodge/Kyaninga Lodge/Primate Lodge Kibale
Midrange/Standard: – Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse/Kibale Forest Camp/Turaco Tree Tops
Budget/Basic: – Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse/Kibale Forest Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: – Approx. 326km or 6 – 7 hours
Activities & services of the day:-
Optional activities you can choose to do on this day:-
After an early morning breakfast (at around 6.30 am), we’ll drive to Kanyanchu Visitor Centre where you’ll meet the expert local ranger guide who will lead you into the magnificent rainforest of Kibale on your unforgettable Chimpanzee tracking encounter which starts at 8 am. In fact, beforehand you’ll be given a short briefing on the chimpanzee tracking experience as well as do’s and don’ts. After the briefing, you’ll embark on a trek in search of the chimps.
Kibale’s chimps have been tracked since 1993 and there are over 95% chances of locating some of Kibale’s 1500 Chimpanzees. The trek to see these intelligent apes lasts between 2-5 hours. Contact time with chimpanzees is limited to one hour; group size is limited to 6 visitors and participants must be aged 12 or over.
While tracking in the depths of the lush green forest, you’ll be surrounded by bird song, and colorful butterflies and can expect to see at least 5 or 7 other types of monkeys, most probably the Black and white colobus, Uganda red colobus, Uganda mangabey, Red-tailed monkey, Vervet monkey, L’Hoest’s monkey, and Olive baboons.
Finally, you approach the common chimpanzees which have been fully habituated and thus offer you an opportunity to draw closer, watching them (from a safe but the intimate distance of 8-10 meters) and take pictures. Coming face to face with your closest relatives in the animal kingdom is a surreal experience.
You will feel a fascinating sense of familiarity as the chimpanzees mirror distinctly human behaviors and emotions. Whether you witness a mother’s love for her baby or the mischief of a younger sibling, chimpanzee trekking is the ultimate adventure.
You have 1 hour availed to you to encounter these precious apes and you are free to take as many photos as you can.
Retreat from the activity and connect to the starting point where you connect with your company guide, and settle for your packed lunch. After lunch, we’ll connect to community-run Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for a 2 hours swamp walk. The wetland sanctuary is a major eco-tourist attraction and shelters a count of 200 bird species but importantly features a heritage encounter with the local people and a craft center that enables you to explore the local way of life. Retreat from the activity for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
The highlight of the day: – Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park
Accommodation:-
Luxury/Upmarket: – Crater Safari Lodge/Kyaninga Lodge/Primate Lodge Kibale
Midrange/Standard: – Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse/Kibale Forest Camp/Turaco Tree Tops
Budget/Basic: – Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse/Kibale Forest Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & services of the day:-
Optional activities you can choose to do on this day include:-
After breakfast at around 8.00 am, embark on the transfer back to Kampala. You connect 26km to Fort Portal town and then 300km about 5 hours’ drive to Kampala. You can opt to take Mpanga Tea Estate Cycling where you explore the beautiful tea plantation on the bike in the company of the local guide. Another stop can be made in Mubende to visit the Nakayima Tree, the best-known Bachwezi-associated sacrificial site in Buganda.
The tree is estimated by scientists to be between 500 and 1,000 years old. It is a compelling piece of natural engineering towering almost 40m above its park-like surrounds like an oversized surrealist sculpture whose fin-shaped buttresses fan out from the base to create around a dozen cavernous hollows, each of which is dedicated to a particular spirit.
The most popular spirit dedicated to the tree is of course Nakayima (fertility and various illnesses) and Ndahura (smallpox), but others with their buttressed ‘rooms’ include Nabuzana (marriage), Walumbe (death and diseases) Mukasa (lakes and rivers), Bamweyana (madness). The tree remains an active shrine visited by Bachwezi cultists from all around Buganda and Bunyoro to pay homage or leave sacrifices (coins, cowrie shells, gourds, food, etc) to relevant spirits.
Every so often, a group of cultists will spend a night by the tree, where they might roast a goat or pig in honor of the incumbent priestess, who claims to have left below the tree and serve in that role since the 1960s.
We will have our lunch in Mubende after which we will continue on the drive to Kampala and this marks the end of our 3 days on Chimpanzee Trekking Safari in Kibale Uganda Tour.
Meal Plan: – Breakfast & Lunch
Activities & Services of the day:-
Drive distance & time: – Approx. 326km or 6 – 7 hours
Optional activities you can choose to do on this day:-
Chimpanzee Permit (for chimpanzee trekking safaris)
Full Board Accommodation on Safari
Transportation in either 4X4 Safari Van or 4X4 Safari Land Cruiser all with Pop up roof & AC
Fuel
Professional English Speaking driver guide. Any other foreign language speaking guide can be arranged on request.
Entrance fees to the tourist sites including Protected areas mentioned
Activity fees of the tourist activities mentioned
Bottled water while on safari
Border crossing fees (for cross border safaris)
General tips for the driver guide, site guides and service staff at the lodges
Laundry Services
Other Beverages/drinks of personal nature like Alcohol
International Flights (Arranged on request)
Domestic Flights (Arranged on request)
Visas
Optional Activity fees
Other extras not mentioned in the Itinerary
Airport Transfer (Arranged on request)
Accommodation in Kampala or Kigali unless it is part of the Itinerary (Arranged on request)
Cate
Samuel
Robert
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