Our 5 days Uganda primate safari is a 4 nights/5 days primate safari in Uganda which offers amazing primate trekking encounters in Semuliki and Kibale National Parks. This 5 days Uganda primate safari tour includes chimpanzee trekking encounter, an optional full-day Chimpanzee Habituation Experience (CHEX), and a nocturnal walk in Kibale Forest National Park, the primate capital of Africa hosting up to 13 primate species including the over 1,500 Chimpanzees; human’s closest cousins in the forest.
From Kibale, we head to Semuliki National Park, a beautiful 220km² forest park for a thrilling primate walk. Semuliki which is the easternmost extension of Congo’s great Ituri Forest is home to 10 species of nocturnal primate and 53 other species of mammals including the very rare Water chevrotain, Bush pigs, and White-bellied duikers. The park also offers phenomenal birding, hosting about 40% (441) of the 1,073 bird species recorded in Uganda including 35 Guinea-Congo biome species found nowhere else in East Africa such as Nkulengu rail, Cong serpent eagle, Black-bellied malimbe and Lyre-tailed honey guide.
At Semuliki area, you will also visit the Batwa pygmies of Ntandi and the Sempaya hot springs where boiling water of up to 100 °C bubble out of the ground to reveal the powerful subterranean forces that have been shaping this part of Albertine rift valley over the past 14 million years. The Bamba people use them for rituals as they communicate to their ancestors for blessings and protection.
Highlights
- Track a troop of wild chimpanzees and other primates in Kibale National Park on foot.
- Adventurous night walks in Kibale Forest in search of amazing nocturnal creatures
- Whole day primate walk in magnificent Semuliki National Park
- Hike through the monkey-filled forest to the bubbling Sempaya hotspring
- Cultural tour to the Batwa pygmy community to learn about their hunter-gatherer lifestyle
- Photo shoots at the Uganda Equator
Day 01:
These breast-like features in the caves are believed to have belonged to Nyinamwiru, the daughter 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 in order to make her less attractive. But even this proved to be insufficient to deter Nyinamwiru many admirers, so the king hid her away in the cave now known as Amabere. Here, she was discovered by the Batembuzi King Isaza, who impregnated her with a son. Because Nyinamwiru lacked breasts, she stayed on in the cave with her baby, feeding him on the cloudy limestone ‘milk’ that drips from its stalactites. The child nurtured by the stalactite formation grew up and became king Ndahura, founder of the Bachwezi dynasty that ruled over the Bunyoro Kitara Empire centuries ago.
We will continue to Kibale National Park for relaxation and dinner. After dinner, we embark on a nocturnal walk through the darkened forest using powerful torches to seek nocturnal creatures such as the potto, bushbaby, nightjar, cricket and tree hyrax, with its chilling shriek, as well as the occasional civet or serval cat. Night walks leave the camp at 7.30pm and last between one and a half and two hours.
Highlight of the day: – The nocturnal walk in Kibale Forest National Park.
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Crater Safari Lodge/Kyaninga Lodge/Ndali Lodge
Midrange: – Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse/Kibale Forest Camp/ Turaco Tree Tops
Budget: – Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse/Kibale Forest Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: – Approx. 350km or 7-8 hours
Activities & Services:-
• Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
• Visit Amabeere Caves
• Nocturnal walk
Optional activities you can choose to do on this day:-
• Cycling in Mpanga tea estate.
Day 02:
After breakfast at around 6.00am, we connect to Kanyanchu Tourism Center to catch up with briefing before embarking on the chimpanzee tracking expedition which starts at 8.00am. Kibale Forest Park is a natural habitat and a popular destination for those looking for a close encounters with our closest non-human relatives. Kibale’s chimps have been tracked since 1993 and the chances of locating them are excellent. They are accustomed to human presence – some have been observed for over 25 years – and the chance of locating them is over 95%. Walks last between 2-5 hours. Contact time with chimpanzees is limited to one hour; group size is limited to 6 visitors; participants must be aged 12 or over.
Note: One can opt for a full day Chimpanzee Habituation Experience (CHEX) at only US$250. The Chimpanzee Habituation enables visitors to accompany researchers and habituators into the forest. The chimpanzee groups involved are less accustomed to human presence than those visited on the chimpanzee tracking expedition and following and viewing them is both exciting and challenging. You will watch chimpanzees leaving their overnight nests between 6:00 – 6:30am before feeding, copulating, hunting, breastfeeding, resting, patrolling and displaying until it is time to build new nests at around 7.00pm.
On your tour, you are likely to see numerous bird species as Kibale is home to over 375 bird species as well as many of the 12 other primate species in the park including black and white colobus, Uganda red colobus, Grey-cheeked mangabey, Red tailed monkey, vervet monkey, and L’Hoest’s monkey. You retreat from the activity and connect to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Highlight of the day: – Encountering the Chimpanzees in Kibale National Park on foot.
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Crater Safari Lodge/Kyaninga Lodge/Ndali Lodge
Midrange: – Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse/Kibale Forest Camp/ Turaco Tree Tops
Budget: – Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse/Kibale Forest Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services:-
• Chimpanzee tracking
Optional activity
• Chimpanzee Habituation Experience (CHEX)
Day 03:
Drive to Semliki National Park after breakfast at your lodge 78km about 2 – 3 hours’ drive. You drive passed the town of Fort Portal which is one of the organized beautiful towns of Uganda before proceeding to Bundibugyo area welcomed by the views of the Mount Rwenzori block.
On arriving in Semliki National Park, you undertake the famous Sempaya Nature walk to explore the hot springs both the female and the male hot springs. The male hot spring also known as Bitente has a wider pool while the female hot spring Nyansimbi features hot boiling geyser that sprouts up to 2m high and boiling to more than 100 degrees Celsius.
You can boil some plantain or eggs to have picnic bites. The walk to the hot springs also exposes to the lush flora of Semliki Forest which is an extension of Congo forest biome. The Primate species like red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and black-and-white colobus monkeys can also be viewed. Among the more interesting birds regularly seen here are various forest hornbills, blue-breasted kingfisher, red-rumped and yellow-throated tinkerbirds, Frasier’s ant thrush, and honeyguide greenbul.
Retreat from the activity and connect to Ntandi to visit the Batwa people who are initially forest dwellers that were evicted to pave way for conservation. They dance for you and tell you stories of their ancient hunter gatherer culture. Retire for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Highlight of the day: – Exploring the Sempaya hotspring and a visit to the Batwa people.
Accommodation:-
Up market/Luxury: – Semuliki Safari Lodge
Moderate/Mid-range:- Nyati Game Lodge
Basic/Budget: – UWA Bandas Ntoroko/UWA Bandas Bumaga
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: – Approx. 78km or 2-3 hours
Activities & Services:-
• Visit Sempaya hot springs
• Visit Batwa pygmies
Day 04:
After breakfast at around 7.00am, embark on a full day primate walk in Semliki National Park to explore a range of primates including Grey cheeked mangabey, Olive Baboons, Black and white colobus Monkeys, Blue and red tailed monkey, Central African red colobus, De Brazza monkey, Dent’s Mona Monkey, Red-tailed monkeys, Grey-cheeked mangabeys, Blue monkeys, Vervet monkeys, and may be Chimpanzees.
As you search for the primates, you will also encounter several bird species. Of the 1073 birds recorded in Uganda, 441 bird species (41%) are found in Semuliki National Park including 35 Congo-Guinea biome species found nowhere else in East Africa such as Nkulengu rail, Congo serpent eagle, Gabon woodpecker, Spotted-breasted ibis, Hartlaub’s duck, Chestnut-flanked goshawk, Red-thighed sparrowhawk, Long-tailed hawk, Black-throated coucal, Chestnut owlet, Black-wattled hornbill, White-crested hornbill, Black dwarf hornbill, Red-bill hornbill, Red-rumped tinkerbird, Spotted honeyguide, Lyre-tailed honeyguide, Zenker’s honeyguide, African Piculet, Palm swamp greenbul, Simple greenbul, Sassi’s olive greenbul, Lowland akalat, Black-winged oriole, Maxwell’s black weaver, and Blue-bellied malimbe. Retire for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Highlight of the day: – The whole day primate walk in Semuliki National Park
Accommodation:-
Up market/Luxury: – Semuliki Safari Lodge
Moderate/Mid-range:- Nyati Game Lodge
Basic/Budget: – UWA Bandas Ntoroko/UWA Bandas Bumaga
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services:-
Primate Walk
Optional activities you can choose to do on this day:-
Birding.
Day 05:
On this last day of our 5 Days Uganda primate safari, you will be served breakfast at around 7.30 am and then check out of the lodge. We will transfer back to Kampala with a stopover for lunch and another stopover at the Equator. Once you arrive in Kampala, you will tour around the city briefly and then be driven to Entebbe International Airport for departure.
Highlight of the day: –
Meal Plan: – Breakfast & Lunch.
Activities & Services:-
• Transfer to Kampala
• Photo shoots at the equator
End of the 5 Days Uganda Primate Safari.
