OVERVIEW OF 4 DAYS / 3 NIGHTS KIBALE AND QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARKS
Kibale National Park is located in the western part of Uganda in Fort Portal, it’s home to approximately 13 different primate species. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale is the tracking down of chimpanzees in their natural habitat that is amidst the forest in their habituated form. This national park is home to approximately 1,450 individuals of chimpanzees within four families. Chimpanzees share 95% of our DNA so watching these creatures is an amazing experience! The park also harbors other mammals like red colobus, blue monkeys, olive baboons, and much more plus plenty of bird species.
Queen Elizabeth National Park was originally called Kazinga National Park and renamed Queen Elizabeth National Park after the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1954. The park is home to over 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species. The Katwe explosion craters mark the park’s highest point at 1,350m above sea level, while the lowest point is at 910m, at Lake Edward.
It is understandably Uganda’s most popular tourist destination. The park’s diverse ecosystems, which include sprawling savanna, shady, humid forests, sparkling lakes, and fertile wetlands, make it the ideal habitat for the classic big game, ten primate species including chimpanzees and over 600 species of birds.
Set against the backdrop of the jagged Rwenzori Mountains, the park’s magnificent vistas include dozens of enormous craters carved dramatically into rolling green hills, panoramic views of the Kazinga Channel with its banks lined with hippos, buffalo and elephants, and the endless Ishasha plains famous for the tree-climbing lions.
DAY 1: Pick up from place of residence – travel to Kibale National Park
Our driver-guide will pick you up from the hotel/place of residence after breakfast at 7am drive through Mityana and arrive at Kibale National park in time for lunch. Check in to your reserved safari lodge, refresh and have lunch. After lunch go for a hike at Lake Nkuruba to view crater lakes plus the beautiful scenery later return to the safari lodge for dinner and overnight
Meal plan: Lunch and dinner
Overnight
High-end option: Chimpundu lodge
Mid-range option: Kibale Forest Camp
DAY 2: Chimpanzee tracking – Queen Elizabeth National Park
After an early morning breakfast, transfer to the park offices for a briefing by the rangers. After briefing, you will go to the starting point by 8 am to start the trek in the forest. Later return to the lodge for lunch and thereafter transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Meal plan: Breakfast Lunch and Dinner
Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge
Mid-range: Park View Safari Lodge
DAY 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
After having a cup of tea/coffee at 6 am, you will proceed for a game drive where you will view the wildlife of this park-like Elephants, Hippos, Buffalos, lions, Leopards, Uganda kob, Topi, waterbuck, hyena e.tc after return to the lodge for breakfast and lunch. In the afternoon at 2 pm you will set out for a boat ride on the Kazinga channel. Kazinga channel is a natural string of water joining lakes Edward and George. Here you will be able to see many birds (approximately over 600 species here with some endemic ones found in the rift valley), crocodiles, hippos, buffaloes, and elephants among others. Return to your Lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meal plan: breakfast lunch and dinner
Overnight:
High-end option: Mweya Safari Lodge
Mid-range option: Park View Safari Lodge
DAY 4: Breakfast – checkout – transfer to Kampala / Entebbe
After breakfast, check out and set off for Kampala. Lunch en route in Mbarara plus another stopover at the equator for a photo opportunity. You can also purchase some gift items here.
