Organizing a flying safari to Mweya and Kibale Forest National Park is for those interested in visiting Queen Elizabeth National Park for wildlife viewing, boat cruise on Kazinga channel, and community visits among other activities and Kibale Forest National Park for Chimpanzee Trekking by a domestic flight. You will fly to Mweya or Kasese Airport from where you will start your safari from you will either first visit Kibale Forest National Park or Mweya, Queen Elizabeth National park for the above activities depending on your itinerary. 

What to do and see on a flying safari to Mweya and Kibale Forest National Park.

Our Mweya sector and Kibale Forest National Park Safari will take you to the Northern part of Queen Elizabeth National park popularly known as Mweya for wildlife viewing and game drives, you will as well have time to do a boat cruise on Kazinga channel, Those interested in primates, you are free to trek chimpanzees in Kyambura gorge which can either be in the morning or afternoon hours. From Mweya you will visit Kibale Forest National park for Chimpanzee trekking having time as well to do the Bigodi wetland walk and a community walk, in both parks you can as well opt for birding given the fact they are one of the great places for birding in Uganda.

Game of Drives–Mweya Sector

In the Mweya sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, also rich with wildlife, visitors will find vast numbers of Uganda’s unique Euphorbia or “candelabra” tree.  The many nearby crater lakes and mountain ranges provide a beautiful backdrop for your journey as you view the wildlife. You will see various wildlife including Large herds on Buffaloes, Elephants, Uganda Kobs, Antelopes, waterbucks, Topis, and depending on your luck that day you will as well see the lions and leopards.

Boat Cruise – Kazinga Channel

Enjoy a leisurely boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park.  You may encounter herds of elephant, buffalos and antelopes, families of warthogs, sizeable groups of hippos, and crocodiles basking on the shore. Kazinga’s shores are a haven for many birds, including many migratory species as they make their way south to warmer climates. The cruise also provides a spectacular view of the beautiful Mweya Peninsula and life in local fishing villages set along the banks. 

Cultural Tour

While on your Queen Elizabeth wildlife safari, you may visit Lake Katwe and witness how the local communities are harnessing park resources to earn a living. It is also a sign why Queen Elizabeth National Park was voted as one of the Parks where wildlife co-exists with human beings. For those who want to visit the local communities, we have the Kasoga community experience project where the local community will share with you the hard experience of living near the park and how they have managed to co-exist peacefully with wildlife you will as well enjoy the cultural encounters and traditional dances.

Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge

Chimpanzee tracking is among the major activities done in Queen Elizabeth National Park. This is done in Kyambura Gorge is within the Park. Chimpanzee tracking is done in the morning and afternoon and we can book you the permits and organize this trek for you depending on the itinerary and timing of the activities. To take part in all the mentioned activities, you will need more time to spend in Queen Elizabeth National Park and have a great memorable experience. Send us an email and we shall share all details and tailor this for you as per your interest.

Birding

For those interested in Birding safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park, it is among Uganda’s best birding spots with over 600 bird species which include; Albertine rift endemic birds, water birds, and savannah birds, most of the birds can be spotted on the boat ride on Kazinga Channel and during game drives in the park. Some Birds include Collared pratincole, Palm-nut vulture, Pel’s fishing-owl, Rare Swamp flycatcher, Gray-crowned crane(Uganda’s National bird), Giant Kingfisher, Giant Heron, Shoebill stork, Abyssinian Ground Hornbills, Nightjars, Marabou stork, Black-headed Lapwing, Back-bellied Bustard, Swamp Flycatcher, Giant Heron, African Jacana, Secretary Bird among others.

Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest National park

Experienced guides, researchers, and trackers will accompany your party on an early morning trek into the forest to view wild chimpanzees and several other species of primates in their natural habitat.  You will be within meters of these amusing and very social apes for one hour, sharing in their daily lives and experiencing their day-to-day activities, and they will take you through the entire tracking process.  Chimpanzees are our closest cousins and are extremely endangered, with only about 5000 remaining in Uganda. Tracking chimpanzees may be fairly strenuous as they are highly mobile as they search for food throughout the forest. Also, chimpanzees are wild animals, and we cannot guarantee sightings however viewing success rates are over 80%.

Bigodi Wetland Walk and Community walk

Bigodi wetland walk takes place at the Bigodi wetland sanctuary in Magombe swamp, the swamp is an array of attractions with prime attractions being the primates and birds, primate species include the red colobus monkey, baboon, black & white colobus monkey, blue monkey grey cheeked, mangabey, vervet monkey, red-tailed monkey, and the L’Hoest monkey. Additional Mammals such as chimpanzees, Sitatunga, mongooses, bush pigs, otters plus bushbucks. Bird species so we will expect to encounter specialties that include; Green-breasted Pitta, Red-chested Owlet, Scally-breasted, Pale-breasted and Brown Illadopsis, Red-caped and Blue-shouldered Robin-chat, Fire-crested and Brown-chested Alethe, Forest Robin, Buff-spotted, Brown-eared, and Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Red-winged Francolin, Black-billed Turaco, White-naped and Afep Pigeon, Red-tailed Ant-thrush, Rufous Flycatcher.

During the walk, you will as well visit the local communities where you will have cultural encounters including local dances, local way of life, local juices, and foods among others.

How to access Mweya and Kibale Forest National Park on a flying safari

A flight to Mweya or Kasese Airport is the easiest means of transport to access Queen Elizabeth and Kibale Forest National parks, which only takes you approximately 1hr 15minutes to get there. Both parks can be accessed by flying to Kasese Airport or Mweya Airstrip or Kihihi Airport; this will depend on the availability of the domestic flight operator and the routing available you plan to use. All the mentioned airstrips you will need to drive a short distance for you to access the parks, with approximate time from the airstrips to Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kibale Forest National Park being 1-2 hours from Kasese Airstrip, 45 minutes from Mweya Airstrip (this depends on the Lodge you are staying at) and then the long one is 3-4 hours drive from Kihihi Airport. We highly recommend flights to Mweya Airstrip and Kasese Airport give you will get to the park earlier that when you fly to Kihihi. All flights start their journeys from either Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airfield with this it will depend on the operator you have booked with to decide which place you will start your flight to Queen Elizabeth National Park from.

Booking a flying safari to Mweya and Kibale Forest National Park

We can organize and book for you a flying Safari to Mweya and Kibale Forest National Park. First, we will need you to share with us your planned dates of travel so we share with the local flight operators to check for availability of the routings to Mweya or Kasese Airport once we confirm availability we will tentatively book for you as we wait on you to confirm and make payment. There are as well charter flights available which you can book any time you want to visit Queen Elizabeth National park and Kibale Forest National Park, if you want privacy on your flight you can opt for this, then as well charter flights can even land in small Air Fields hence reducing on the drive time from the airfield to your Lodge. Among the major local operators with flights to Mweya and Kasese include flying Uganda and Aero Link Uganda. Flight fares range from the route you plan to take that is it is USD283 for a one-way flight and USD472 for a return flight. On arrival at the airport, one of our guides/vehicles will wait to transfer you to your Lodge and also take you for game drives and other activities there within.

Where to stay on a flying safari to Mweya and Kibale Forest National Park

On your flying safari to Mweya Queen Elizabeth National Park, we recommend you at least spend a night in either Entebbe/Kampala before the start day and at the end of your safari, this will help you catch up with the flight depart and return times then as well avoid the risk of missing the flight in case of uncertainties like loss of your luggage, missed connecting flight to Entebbe among others.

Lodges in Queen Elizabeth National Park range from budget, mid-range to luxury, Budget options include Pumba Safari Lodge, Elephant Hab Lodge among others fares range from 90 to 100 dollars a night per person, mid-range options include Buffalo Safari Lodge, Bush Lodge, among others fares range from 100 to 200 dollars a night per person and then Luxury options include Kyambura Gorge Lodge, Mazike Safari Lodge, Katara Lodge, and Mweya Safari Lodge among others fares range from 200 to 400 dollars a night per person.

Lodges in Kibale Forest National Park range from budget, mid-range to luxury, Budget options include Chimpanzee Forest Guest House, Isunga Lodge, Kibale Homestay among others fares range from 90 to 100 dollars a night per person, mid-range options include Kibale Forest Camp, Primate Lodge among others fares range from 100 to 200 dollars a night per person and then Luxury options include Ndali Lodge, Papaya Lake Lodge, Kyaniga Lodge among others fares range from 200 to 400 dollars a night per person.

What is the best time for organizing a flying safari to Mweya and Kibale Forest National Park?

Uganda being crossed by the equator which also crosses Queen Elizabeth National Park has a changed equatorial type of climate with two rainy seasons and because of this people associate drier seasons to be the best time to visit Queen Elizabeth National park and Kibale Forest National Park. This is true because when it is raining, it becomes hard to drive through the park for wildlife viewing because of the heavy rains that make the trails too slippery, this same during chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National park during the rainy season the forest cover becomes thicker making the viewing of the chimps not best compared to drier months. The best time for organizing a flying safari to Mweya and Kibale Forest National Park is during the months of December to February and then June to October which is relatively dry than March to May and November and with this it is easier to game drives and good for wildlife sightings as well good for chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National park.

About Encounter Africa safaris

Encounter Africa safaris started in 2011 offering amazing experiences to Uganda and Rwanda but has since expanded to offer safaris to Tanzania, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Our magic in organizing authentic experience stems from the fact that we have overtime assembled a team mixed with young and energetic staff guided by well experienced mature managers and directors who are Ugandans and passionate about what they do. If contacted, one of our staff will help provide accurate and timely information that you can rely on. Encounter Africa Safaris is highly rated and reviewed on trip Advisor and safari bookings.