Uganda SafariMost British travellers who want to see chimpanzees in Uganda book Kibale Forest and stop there. Budongo Forest, on the southern edge of the Murchison Falls Conservation Area, is the quieter alternative, and it has one big advantage: you can track chimps in the morning and be on a Nile boat cruise or a game drive by the afternoon. This guide explains what Budongo chimp tracking is really like, how it compares with Kibale, how to get there from London and what a realistic four-day plan looks like.
Budongo is Uganda’s largest mahogany and ironwood forest, covering several hundred square kilometres of the Albertine Rift escarpment above Lake Albert. It holds several hundred chimpanzees, and one community has been studied by researchers for decades, which is why the apes here are well used to people. Two sectors matter for visitors: Kaniyo Pabidi, on the road towards the southern gate of Murchison Falls National Park, and Busingiro, close to Masindi. Both run guided chimp tracking in the morning and afternoon, and both have simple, comfortable places to stay nearby.
The forest is also one of the best birding spots in Uganda. A broad, straight track called the Royal Mile is famous for forest specialists such as the Puvel’s illadopsis and several hornbills and kingfishers, so even a quiet morning with the chimps is rarely wasted.
Kibale is the better known of the two and is usually described as the primate capital of East Africa, with a very high chance of finding chimps and a wide range of other monkeys. Budongo is smaller in reputation but easier to fit into a trip that is mainly about big game. Here is the honest comparison.
If you only have time for one chimp forest and you are building a gorilla trip in Bwindi, Kibale is the sensible partner. If you are heading north to Murchison Falls anyway, add Budongo and skip the long drive west.
You meet a ranger-guide at the sector headquarters for a short briefing, usually around 7:30 to 8:00 in the morning. Small groups then walk into the forest following trackers who have located the chimps that day. Expect 2 to 4 hours in total, of which the time with the apes themselves is limited to one hour once you find them. The terrain is mostly flat to gently rolling, so it is easier on the legs than a Bwindi gorilla trek, although it can be muddy and humid. Minimum age is 12.
Tips from our guides: wear long trousers tucked into socks against ants, bring a rain jacket in any season, carry at least a litre of water, and keep a distance of about 8 metres from the animals. Do not go if you have a cold or other infection, since chimpanzees can catch human illnesses.
There are no direct flights from the UK to Entebbe, so you will connect once. The usual routes from Heathrow or Gatwick are via Brussels, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Doha or Dubai, with total journey times of around 11 to 14 hours. Return fares vary a lot by season; expect roughly £600 to £900 in the shoulder months and more at Christmas and in July and August. British passport holders need an e-visa, which is about $50 and should be applied for online before you travel. You also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate, so check your NHS or travel clinic appointment well in advance.
Our drivers collect you at Entebbe airport. The road north to Masindi is tarmac for most of the way, and a stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is easy to fit in if you leave early.
Drive north, stopping at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a morning on foot with white rhinos if you land early. Continue to Masindi and check in to a lodge near Budongo. Total driving is about 5 to 6 hours with the stop.
Track chimpanzees at Kaniyo Pabidi or Busingiro in the morning. After lunch, walk the Royal Mile with a birding guide, or drive on to the Nile’s north bank if you prefer a longer evening in Murchison Falls.
Take the early game drive for lions, giraffe, elephant and buffalo, then board the afternoon boat cruise to the base of the falls. Hippos, crocodiles and, with luck, a shoebill add to the day. Climb to the top of the falls before dinner if you have the energy.
Set off after breakfast and allow 5 to 6 hours for the drive back, which suits an evening flight home. If you are continuing to Bwindi or Queen Elizabeth, you can fly from Kihihi or Kasese instead of driving the whole way.
Costs depend on the season, vehicle and lodge standard. As a guide, our 3-day chimpanzee trekking safari starts from about $950 per person, and our 7-day Uganda adventure itinerary starts from $1,800 per person for land arrangements. Murchison Falls park entry is about $40 per person per day, and the boat cruise is charged separately. Add international flights, visa, travel insurance and tips. We send a priced quote in pounds on request so you can see everything in one place.
Pros: a lower permit price than Kibale, easy to combine with Murchison Falls and Ziwa, flatter walking, excellent birding and fewer people on the trail.
Cons: chimps can be high in the canopy and harder to photograph, the experience is less famous so facilities are simpler, and the road from Masindi to the northern gate can be rough after heavy rain. Visit between December and February or June to August for the driest conditions.
Kibale has the stronger reputation and more reliable sightings. Budongo is cheaper, quieter and easier to combine with Murchison Falls, so it suits travellers going north for big game.
Plan for 2 to 4 hours in the forest, including up to one hour with the chimps once they are found.
It is possible but tiring, with 4 to 5 hours of driving each way. Staying at least one night near Masindi is far more comfortable.
Long trousers, sturdy walking shoes, a light rain jacket, insect repellent and binoculars. Our Uganda safari packing list covers the rest.
Browse our Uganda safari packages, or start from one of these itineraries: the 3-day chimpanzee trekking safari, the 7-day Uganda adventure or the 7-day birding safari on Murchison Falls. For more on the park itself, read our Murchison Falls guide for UK travellers, and see the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary guide for the stop on the way.
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