Updated
A 2-day chimpanzee safari from Kampala or Entebbe is best done in Kibale Forest National Park, near Fort Portal: drive out on day 1 (about 5–6 hours), stay near the park, track chimps on the morning of day 2 and drive back the same afternoon. The chimp permit costs US$250, rising to US$300 from 1 January 2027, and sighting rates in Kibale are very high, though never guaranteed. It is a tight but rewarding trip; with a third day, you can add the crater lakes or Bigodi Wetland at a gentler pace.
Day 1: Kampala to Kibale
Leave Kampala or Entebbe early, ideally by 6:30 am, to avoid city traffic; see our Kampala traffic guide. The road west through Mubende reaches Fort Portal in about five to six hours, through farmland and, near the end, tea estates with the Rwenzori Mountains on the horizon on clear days. Check in to a lodge near Kibale or around the crater lakes. In the late afternoon, take a guided walk in the community-run Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for red colobus, black-and-white colobus, other monkeys and the great blue turaco.
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking and return
Arrive at the Kanyanchu visitor centre for the morning briefing, usually around 8 am. Groups of up to eight follow a ranger into the forest to find a habituated chimp community, which can take from a few minutes to a couple of hours, and then spend one hour with the chimps as they feed, call and move through the trees.
Chimps are faster and noisier than gorillas, so expect to move quickly at times. After lunch, drive back to Kampala or Entebbe, arriving in the early evening. See our guide to chimpanzee tracking in Kibale.
Faster or slower options
To save time, fly from Entebbe to Kasese and drive about an hour or two to Kibale, though flights are pricier and schedules limited; see our guide to domestic flights. For a fuller experience, the Chimpanzee Habituation Experience lets you spend most of a day with a community still being habituated; it needs an extra day. See our guide to the chimp habituation experience.
Other places to see chimps
Kibale is the best choice for a short trip because it is easy to reach and has the most reliable tracking. Budongo Forest, near Murchison Falls, and Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park also offer chimp tracking, but are better combined with those parks on longer safaris. If you only have a day, Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary is a boat trip from Entebbe, though the chimps there are orphans living in a sanctuary rather than wild. See our itinerary combining gorillas and Ngamba Island.
What to bring and know
Wear long trousers, a long-sleeved top and sturdy waterproof shoes, and bring insect repellent, a rain jacket and water. Children must usually be at least 12 to join chimpanzee tracking; check when booking. Do not track if you have a cold or other infectious illness, as chimps catch human diseases. Book the permit in advance for the busy months of June to September and December to February. If you would like to add gorillas, our 7-day gorilla and chimp itinerary shows how.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, in Kibale: drive out on day 1, track on the morning of day 2 and drive back that afternoon.
About 5–6 hours by road.
US$250, rising to US$300 from 1 January 2027.
No, but in Kibale they are very likely, as habituated communities are tracked daily.
