5 Days Kibale & Queen Elizabeth Safari – Wildlife & Primates
The 5 days Kibale and Queen Elizabeth safari combine great chimpanzee tracking adventure in Kibale Forest National Park and game viewing experience in the vast savannas of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Kibale Forest National Park is situated in Western Uganda, approximately 4-5 hours’ drive away from Kampala capital city.
This national park sits in an area of about 795 square kilometers and inhabits over 13 species of primates making it a capital of primates on planet earth. Over 1500 of the 5000 chimpanzees that Uganda prides herself of are all confined within the jungles of Kibale National Park which makes it a premier chimpanzee tracking safari destination. Kibale Forest National Park was gazetted in 1993 and straddles at elevation of about 1590 meters. It features an extensive tropical rain-forest, wild pigs, over 375 bird species and over 70 species of mammals.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is found in Kasese district, western Uganda about 6 hours’ drive from Kampala. It was established in 1952 and sits in an area of about 1978 square kilometers. It hosts over 10 species of primates, 620 bird species, four of the big five African game, hippos, crocodiles and many more. Queen Elizabeth National Park is a distinct tourist site of its own the fact that it is a home to the tree climbing lions. On your 5 days Kibale and Queen Elizabeth safari, your journey will begin and end in Kampala.
Activities to do on 5 days Kibale and Queen Elizabeth safari
• Game drive
• Boat cruise
• Chimpanzee tracking
• Guided nature walks
• Stopover at Uganda Equator crossing
Brief itinerary
Day 1: Transfer from Kampala to Kibale Forest National Park
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking and guided nature walks in Bigodi wetland
Day 3: Transfer from Kibale to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 4: Game drive and afternoon launch trip
Day 5: Drive back to Kampala/Entebbe
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Transfer from Kampala to Kibale Forest National Park
Wake up early to prepare, take your tea or coffee at your hotel or place of residence in Kampala and after, meet your safari leader. He will give you a warm welcome and also brief you on what you should expect on your 5 days Kibale and Queen Elizabeth wildlife safari. Thereafter, drive to Kibale Forest National Park starting from Kampala via Mityana-Mubende to Fort Portal. Arrive at Fort Portal early to have lunch and then connect to the lodge. You will embark on an afternoon guided nature walk which takes you through different habitats where diversity of Kibale National Park’s natural wonders are confined. On a guided nature walk, you will come across different primate species including red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, L’Hoest monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, bush babies, butterflies, birds to mention but a few. Return to the lodge to relax, dine and spend a night.
Journey: 5 hours
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation in Kibale National Park
Budget: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse
Mid-range: Kibale Forest Camp, Chimps Nest Lodge
Luxury: Ndali Lodge, Papaya Lake Lodge
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking and guided nature walks in Bigodi wetland
Trekking chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park begins with an early morning breakfast at your respective safari lodge and later, you get to Kanyanchu Visitor Center to be cleared then you join or be joined by other visitors for morning briefing on guidelines for chimpanzee tracking. It is today that the park office will put you in a group of about 6 trekkers and assign you to an experienced park guide to take you through your chimpanzee exploration. At 8:00am, you will be driven to a point to kick start your adventure or start hiking from the visitor center.
The length of your chimpanzee trek can last for about 2 to 4 hours and once you have found the chimpanzees, you are given one hour to learn how and what they feed on, how they make nests, mate, body gestures and take as many photos as you can. Interestingly, you will also come across other primates including L’Hoest monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, and many bird species. Return thereafter your thrilling chimpanzee tracking experience to have lunch in a lodge.
At 2:00 pm, you will transfer to Bigodi Wetland to kick start your guided nature walk. On a guided nature walk, you will come across diverse species of primates including the olive baboons, L’Hoest monkeys, black and white colobus, red-tailed monkeys and many bird species.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation in Kibale National Park
Budget: Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse
Mid-range: Kibale Forest Camp, Chimps Nest Lodge
Luxury: Ndali Lodge, Papaya Lake Lodge
Day 3: Travel from Kibale to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Get up to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and later, check out of the lodge ready to begin your 3 hours’ road trip to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Get here early to have lunch at the lodge and in the afternoon, you will embark on 3 hours’ launch/boat cruise via Kazinga Channel which links Lake Edward and Lake George. On a launch trip, you will be amazed by incredible sights over diverse water birds including cormorants, malachite kingfishers, saddle billed stork, pink backed pelicans, egrets and many more; hippos and crocodiles to mention but a few. You then get back to the lodge to spend the rest of your night.
Journey: 3 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Budget: Mweya Hostels
Mid-range: Kingfisher Lodge, Jacana Safari
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge, Ishasha Wilderness Camp
Day 4: Game drive and afternoon visit to Lake Katwe tourism center
On the 4th day, you will have breakfast and then you embark on an exciting morning game drive via Kasenyi Plains. This part of Queen Elizabeth National Park is blessed with enormous wildlife species and on a game drive, you will come across the African bush elephants, lions, leopards, buffaloes, antelopes such as bushbucks, Uganda Kobs, waterbucks; warthogs and many bird species. This game viewing experience may last for you about 3-4 hours and it is perfectly done in a 4×4 drive safari vehicle with an open roof. You will then drive back to the lodge to have lunch.
Your afternoon will be spent exploring and experiencing Lake Katwe Tourism Center. This will reward you with amazing sights at the flamingos especially around Lake Munyanyange. Other birds to spot out include African hoopoes long-tailed starlings, black-headed gonoleks and many more. You will also visit and explore the salt mining center and the fishing village then return to relax, dine and spend a night.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Budget: Mweya Hostels
Mid-range: Kingfisher Lodge, Jacana Safari
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge, Ishasha Wilderness Camp
Day 5: Game drive and return to Kampala/Entebbe
Rise up early in the morning to have breakfast and later, set off for game drive for you to explore more wildlife species. After, return to check out of the lodge then drive back to Kampala or Entebbe. On the way, you will make a stopover at Uganda Equator crossing for photography and relaxation.
End of your 5 days Kibale and Queen Elizabeth safari
Trip inclusions
• Boat cruise
• Park entry fees
• Chimpanzee permits
• 4 nights and meals
• Bottled drinking water
• All activities in your travel plan apart from optional ones
• Travel in 4×4 drive safari vehicle
• Service of an English-speaking driver-guide
Trip exclusions
• Tips
• Alcoholic drinks
• Laundry service
• Telephone bills
• Insurance
• Hotel fees in Kampala