For 5 days and 4 nights, enjoy fun safaris in Kibale National Park and Semuliki National Park in western Uganda. You will have a great chance to see chimpanzees, which are the closest animals to humans. This tour also includes a game drive to see some of Uganda’s well-known wild animals.
The 5-day Kibale & Semuliki tour also gives you a chance to visit the Bigodi community. You will explore 34 crater lakes and visit Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru in Fort Portal. You will also visit the Sempaya hot springs in Semuliki National Park. These activities are included along with a city tour and views of the Rift Valley escarpment.
This tour starts and ends in Kampala or Entebbe. Our guide will make sure your tour is fun and helps you learn. You will travel in a 4×4 safari Land Cruiser, drone, minivan, saloon car, or a similar vehicle from our group. You can choose your place to stay from mid-range, budget, or luxury options. Meals will be given based on what you prefer during the trip.
5-Day Kibale & Semuliki Safari Highlights
- Day 1: Transfer to Kibale National Park and Fort Portal City Tour
- Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking & Bigodi Community Tour
- Day 3: Transfer to Semuliki National Park, Sempaya Hot Springs, and Game Drive
- Day 4: Boat Trip, Return to Fort Portal & Crater Lakes Hike
- Day 5: Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru and Return to Kampala
Detailed 5-Day Kibale & Semuliki Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Kibale National Park & Fort Portal City Tour
On the first day, our driver guide will meet you at your hotel in Entebbe or Kampala. After giving you information about the 5-day Kibale & Semuliki tour, you will start your 276.3 km trip from Kampala to Kibale National Park in western Uganda. Kibale is known as the best place for primates, with over 1,450 chimpanzees living in its 795 km² forest.
You will stop in Fort Portal for lunch and take a drive through the city. You will also visit Mpanga Market, where you can talk to local sellers and buy fresh fruits. After that, go to the park, check in at your lodge, have dinner, and rest for the night.
Day 2: Chimpanzee Tracking & Bigodi Community Tour
After breakfast, go to the Kanyanchu Visitor Center in Kibale National Park. At around 7:00 AM, a ranger will tell you how to stay safe and have a good chimpanzee trek. With a ranger guide and an armed ranger, you will go into the forest to look for a group of chimpanzees that are used to people.
Besides chimpanzees, you may also see other monkeys like olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, and Angolan colobus monkeys. You can also see many birds. When you find the chimpanzees, you will spend up to one hour watching and taking pictures of them.
After the trek, return to the visitor center and meet your driver. The trek usually takes 2 to 5 hours, or a bit more. Go back to the lodge, freshen up, and have lunch.
In the afternoon, visit Bigodi village. This is a good time to meet the Batooro and Bakiiga people and learn about their culture and way of life. You may enjoy their music and dances and join women as they make baskets, mats, and other handmade things. You can buy these items as souvenirs to help the local community.
You can also take a guided walk through the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary to see more monkeys, birds, and swamp animals. Visit Rest in Banana to see banana farms and taste banana gin. Return to your lodge for dinner and sleep.
Day 3: Transfer to Semuliki National Park, Sempaya Hot Springs, and Game Drive
After breakfast, check out of your lodge and drive to Semuliki National Park, which is 57 km northwest of Kibale. Enjoy the views of the Rift Valley escarpment on the way. When you arrive, take a tour of the Sempaya Hot Springs.
This is a good chance to learn about the stories and science behind the hot springs. You will see how the hot water can boil a chicken egg. Take pictures, then go to your lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, take a game drive in the 542 km² Toro-Semuliki Wildlife Reserve. Look for animals like cape buffaloes, savannah elephants, warthogs, and Uganda kobs. You may also see birds like the Abyssinian ground hornbill and red-necked falcon. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Boat Trip, Return to Fort Portal & Crater Lakes Hike
Wake up early, have breakfast, and check out. Go to Lake Albert for a boat ride. This guided 2–3-hour ride is a nice way to see animals. Look out for birds like the shoebill, African pygmy goose, and blue-cheeked bee-eater. You may also see hippos in the water or resting near the shore.
Then go to Fort Portal for lunch. After that, take a hike to explore the crater lakes. This walk gives you a good chance to take photos and watch birds. You can also choose to go cycling. Later, check in at your lodge, have dinner, and rest.
Day 5: Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru and Return to Kampala
On the last day, have breakfast and check out of your lodge. Visit the Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru caves. These are special rock shapes with cultural stories and science facts. Take photos and enjoy your visit.
After that, start your journey back to Kampala with a lunch stop along the way. You will travel about 300 km through Mubende and Mityana. Your driver will drop you at your hotel or at Entebbe International Airport.
This is the end of your 5-day Kibale and Semuliki tour. We wish you a safe trip back home.
Visit Kibale National Park in Uganda with these recommended Uganda chimpanzee companies or inquire with us below to book your tour directly through this website.
