Uganda is a haven for chimpanzee trekking, with Kibale National Park being the chimpanzee haven. The forest so far has over 1500 chimpanzees. Other chimpanzee trekking destinations in Uganda include Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kaniyo Pabidi Forest in Murchison Falls National Park, Kalinzu Game Reserve, Semuliki National Park, and others.

You must purchase the chimpanzee trekking permit from Uganda Wildlife Authority for the parks under its supervision.

Ensure you wear chimpanzee trekking gear when going into the wild to locate these primates in the jungle.

Attending a briefing before chimpanzee trekking is compulsory as you get to know more about the dos and don’ts of meeting these gentle primates.

Visit Ngamba Chimpanzee Sactuary

Take an excursion to Ngamba Chimpanzee Island, the rescue home for chimpanzees. Here, a number of chimpanzees rescued from snares, orphaned, abandoned, and cannot be returned to the community are given a second home.

When you arrive in time for feeding, you can stand at the feeding platform and watch every chimpanzee struggle for food. Enjoy the chimpanzees as they entertain you with their acrobatic styles and so much more.

Game Drives In Uganda

A number of wild animals live in the national parks around Uganda, some of which include Kidepo Valley National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Murchison Falls National Park. Each of these national parks is unique, with the animals within it.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

This park lies in the western part of Uganda at the floor of the Rift Valley. Its backdrop is composed of jagged masses of Rwenzori ranges. During the game drives in the tracks to the Kasenyi area and north Kazinga, you may spot herds of elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, bushbucks, and others.

Murchison Falls National Park

River Nile bisects Murchison Falls National Park into two parts: the northern part and the southern sector. During the game drive in the Buligi sector, you may be capable of seeing wild animals like lions, giraffes, waterbucks, bushbucks, hartebeest, herds of elephants, herds of buffaloes, and so much more.

Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park lies on the northeastern border of Uganda. You can enjoy a game drive through this park, which gives you a chance to see animals like black-backed and side-striped jackals, Burchell’s zebras, bushpigs, cape buffaloes, elands, bushbucks, oribi, klipspringer, defense waterbucks, mountain reedbucks, and others.

Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park lies in the western part of Uganda and is the center of most safari activities in Western Uganda.

During the Lake Mburo National Park game drive, you may see impalas, elands, waterbucks, bushbucks, zebras, and so much more.

Water Activities On Uganda Safari

Launch Trips

Queen Elizabeth National Park

The launch trip on the Kazinga channel is exciting as you see several wild animals moving down the shoreline to quench their thirst. You may get to see a number of wild animals like lions, waterbucks, bushbucks, topis, lions, leopards, herds of elephants, herds of cape buffaloes and others.

Look over the floor for amazing wet and dry craters; the Rwenzori Mountain is stunning, and others.

Murchison Falls National Park

From the pier, you sail to the most potent part of the River Nile called Murchison Falls. On the way, look for riverine visitors like herds of elephants, waterbucks, hartebeest, crocodiles, hippos, bushbucks, giraffes, and others.

As you approach Murchison Falls, you feel the power of the river Nile as water from the falls powerfully joins the rest of the course to continue to Egypt. Watch River Nile water squeeze through the narrow bend to vigorously burst out and form a cloudy appearance before cascading down the 43-meter-high cliff.

Hike To The Top Of The Falls

You can witness the point where river Nile water staggers over a bed of rocks and pushes its way through the 6-meter-wide cliff. The power felt at this point is frightening, but you dare to try this wonderful experience. You may reach this point by driving or get off the boat on arrangement.

Sport Fishing On Uganda Safari

Uganda has a number of water bodies with both fresh and salty water. It would be best if you got a fishing permit from the Uganda Wildlife Authority to allow you to participate in this activity. You can carry your fishing equipment and lures that you are familiar with. Hire a boat and boat captain during the sport fish adventure.

Some fish types you may catch include catfish, lungfish, Nile perch, tilapia, and others. It is a catch-and-release adventure so that fish sustainability can be maintained.

Sun Set Cruise On Uganda Safari

Enjoy a sunset cruise on Lake Victoria, plus the provided treats upon request. Watch the sun slowly hide behind the horizon on a clear day and relax. Watch an array of birds grace the shores, feel the cool breeze from freshwater Lake Victoria, visit some fishing communities, and so much more.

Bungee jumping on Uganda Safari

A rope securely holds your feet as you are thrown over the high cliff to touch the River Nile. A boat awaits you at the bottom of the cliff. This adventure is adrenaline-stimulating too.

White Water Rafting

This thrilling activity is on the Itanda Falls River Nile. You do not need experience; instructors are there to take you through all necessary procedures. Securely buckle your safety gears and keep peddling through heavy tides. This activity has a number of levels, but you can stop where you wish, too, as the tides get stronger at every level. If you are not interested in white water rafting, you can do kayaking and tubbing on River Nile.

Birding In Uganda

Uganda is one of the best birding destinations in Africa, with over 1000 bird species recorded, including foreign migrants. You can hire a professional birding guide with a well-tailored itinerary.

A number of Albertine rift endemics are residents of different Uganda birding destinations. Some Uganda birding destinations include Mabamba Swamp, Lwera Swamp, botanical gardens, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Kibale National Park, and Musambwa Island.

Some of the birds in Uganda include Handsome Francolin, Shoebill Stork, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Saddle bill Stork, Yellow Backed And Lesser Masked Canary, Grey Headed King Fisher, African Skimmer, Papyrus Gonolek, Grey-Capped Warbler, Rwenzori Batis, Collared Apalis, And Others.

Mountaineering in Uganda

Test your fitness level with a mountaineering adventure on Mountain Rwenzori in Uganda, “the mountains of the moon,” with its iced top throughout the year. Mountain Elgon in Mbale is an extinct volcano you can test with your fitness level at the border of Uganda and Kenya.

Try an excursion with an 8-hour return hike on Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhavura, and Mountain Sabyinyo. When at the top of Mountain Sabyinyo, you can simultaneously view the border of Uganda, Rwanda, and D.R.Congo

Hiking some of the highlands around the crater volcanoes within the Kyaninga area is scenic in ortportal. The hikes may take 3 hours return hike.

Golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga National Park

GoldenGolden monkeys are a special species of monkeys with golden brown hairs on their bodies. They are charming to watch in the forest while hopping from one branch to another. They live in communities under the leadership of an alpha male who is democratically chosen.

You must purchase a golden monkey trekking permit from the Uganda Wildlife Authority to access these primates. Although they are habituated to human presence, their charming nature is evident because of their restless nature.

What Rwanda Safari Activities to Combine with gorilla trekking?

Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda

Nyungwe National Park is home to the semi-habituated chimpanzees of Rwanda. There is another chimpanzee habitat at the periphery of this park called Cyamudongo. The headquarters of Nyungwe National Park is in Uwinka.

You must purchase a chimpanzee trekking permit from the Rwanda Development Board in advance, as they are limited to 6 per troupe per session.

Chimpanzees in this park co-exist with other primates like olive baboons, vervet monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, blue monkeys, and black and white colobus, to mention but a few.

Birding in Rwanda

Rwanda is endowed with several habitats that favor several birds’ existence. The forest areas of Rwanda and swamps are the common home for birds in Rwanda. Some of the birding destinations in Rwanda include Volcanoes National Park, Nyungwe National Park, and Akagera National Park, to mention but a few.

When you book a professional and knowledgeable birding guide during your birding adventure in Rwanda, you get to identify a number of birds, including Albertine endemics. Some of the birds you may get to spot on Rwanda birding adventure include Shelley’s crimsonwing, Dusky’s crimsonwing, barred long-tailed cuckoo, white-bellied robin chat, Rwenzori nightjar, Rwenzori turaco, and others.

Game Drives in Akagera National Park

Akagera National Park is the only game park that Rwanda has. During the game drive, you may spot animals like lions, waterbucks, bushbucks, herds of buffaloes, elephants, zebras, rhinos, and impalas.

Boat trip on Lake Ihema

Taking a relaxing boat trip on Lake Ihema in Akagera National Park helps you wind and unwind about your meeting with the great apes of Rwanda, the mountain gorillas when you make this combo. Look for the fantastic views around the park, especially the green shade on the highlands’ slopes.

Beautiful birds love spending their day around the shoreline of Lake Ihema.

Canopy Walk over Nyungwe National Park

You can walk over the Nyungwe National Park forest canopy while hanging by a suspension bridge. Look over for the amazing views and wonderful sceneries that you may need to be in a position to see clearly while on the ground.

This suspension bridge is the only one of its kind in East Africa. You can commemorate some of your special moments while up in the air. It may stimulate some adrenaline in case you are afraid of heights.

Genocide Memorial of Rwanda

Rwanda faced a horrific moment when thousands of its citizens killed themselves in 100 days of terror. These genocide memorials contain some remains of the victims of the genocide to teach the community and visitors about the past of Rwanda and how the country is recovering. Some Rwanda genocide memorials include the Blue Beret, Gisozi Genocide Memorial, St. Familie Church, and more.

Kigali City Tour

Rwanda’s capital is Kigali, one of the cleanest cities in Africa. You can tour museums like the Natural History Museum Nyarugenge, Presidential Palace Museum Kanombe, and the business center, including Markets.

Visit The Dian Fossey Grave in Volcanoes National Park

The remains of Dian Fossey, the mountain gorilla heroine who fought for the mountain gorillas until her last breath. She visited Rwanda in 1967, set up a research center at Karisoke Research Station, and defended the mountain gorillas with all she could, but in 1985, she was massacred brutally.

Her remains were buried amongst the mountain gorillas, and with a hike to where she lay, you support the continued research about the mountain gorillas and how to protect them from extinction.

Golden monkeys trekking in Volcanoes National Park

The golden monkeys live in Volcanoes National Park, a special monkey species. They are some of the most endangered primates in the world, with about 2000 to 4000 golden monkeys believed to be living in the world.

The body structure of the golden monkeys is larger than the normal monkeys but very charming to follow, although habituated to human presence. You need to book a golden monkeys permit from the Rwanda Development Board to access these gentle giants.

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A List Of Things To Add On Your Gorilla Trekking Safari In Uganda And Rwanda