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Budongo Forest Chimpanzee Trekking Tours
A southern extension of the popular Murchison Falls National Park, Budongo Forest ranks among Africa’s best and most underrated chimp tracking destinations. Comprising some 790km²/305mi² of medium-altitude rainforest on the edge of the Albertine Rift, this vast reserve is home to a diverse assemblage of forest monkeys, butterflies and birds. The main attraction of Budongo, however, is tracking chimps, which share almost 99% of their DNA with humans, and have many decidedly humanlike traits. True, it can sometimes be challenging to locate chimps in the wild, but that’s part of the adventure. And for those who do get lucky, watching these fascinating apes forage and interact in the jungle interior will be a highlight of a holiday in Uganda.
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17-Day Uganda Birding and Wildlife Safari
$11,746 to $12,333 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Guest HouseYou Visit: Entebbe (Start), Lake Mburo NP, Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Queen Elizabeth NP, Kibale NP (Chimps), Murchison Falls NP, Budongo Forest (Chimps), Entebbe Airport (End)
Legit Holidays and Travels
5.0/5 – 6 Reviews
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3-Day Uganda Budget Safari with Big Five and Primates
$2,171 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetTented Camp
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch, Murchison Falls NP, Budongo Forest (Chimps), Entebbe (End)
Beautiful Safaris Uganda
5.0/5 – 36 Reviews
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20-Day Primates and Wildlife Uganda Safari
$6,380 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetMountain Hut & Camping
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch, Murchison Falls NP, Budongo Forest (Chimps), Kibale NP (Chimps), Rwenzori Mountains (Mountain Range), Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Lake Bunyonyi, Lake Mburo NP, Entebbe Airport (End)
Pamoja Tours and Travel (Entebbe, UG)
4.8/5 – 48 Reviews
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8-Day Kidepo Valley NP & Murchison Falls NP Budget Tour
$2,420 pp (USD)
Uganda: Shared tour (max 7 people per vehicle)Lodge & Hotel
You Visit: Kampala (Start), Greater Murchison Falls, Budongo Forest (Chimps), Murchison Falls NP, Kidepo Valley NP, Entebbe (City), Kampala (End)
Safari 2 Gorilla Tours
4.8/5 – 47 Reviews
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4-Day Murchison Falls Wildlife Tour Uganda
$1,230 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Entebbe (Start), Murchison Falls NP, Budongo Forest (Chimps), Entebbe Airport (End)
Simba African Expeditions
4.9/5 – 60 Reviews
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10-Day Primates of Uganda - Luxury
$5,750 to $5,950 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourLodge & Resort
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Murchison Falls NP, Budongo Forest (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Lake Mburo NP, Entebbe (End)
let's Go Travel: Silverback Expeditions
5.0/5 – 21 Reviews
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4-Day Murchison Falls National Park & Budongo Tour
$1,496 pp (USD)
Uganda: Shared tour (max 20 people per vehicle)Lodge
You Visit: Kampala (Start), Murchison Falls NP, Budongo Forest (Chimps), Kampala (End)
Bugoli Adventures
5.0/5 – 10 Reviews
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10-Day Uganda Highlights with 4 National Parks
$3,300 pp (USD)
Rwanda & Uganda: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Kigali (Start), Lake Bunyonyi, Mgahinga Gorilla NP (Gorillas), Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Queen Elizabeth NP, Kibale NP (Chimps), Budongo Forest (Chimps), Murchison Falls NP, Lake Victoria, Entebbe (End)
Shoebill Safaris
4.8/5 – 20 Reviews
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3-Day Chimpanzee & Wilderness Safari Murchison Falls NP
$875 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Kampala (Start), Murchison Falls NP, Budongo Forest (Chimps), Entebbe (End)
Safaris By Jon
5.0/5 – 21 Reviews
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5-Day Murchison Falls Wildlife, Chimpanzee & Boat Tour
$1,982 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Entebbe (Start), Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch, Budongo Forest (Chimps), Murchison Falls NP, Entebbe (End)
Magical Gorilla Adventures
5.0/5 – 8 Reviews
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18-Day Birding Tour with Chimpanzee and Gorilla Trekking
$9,640 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Lake Mburo NP, Ruhija (Bwindi NP), Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Buhoma (Bwindi NP), Queen Elizabeth NP, Kazinga Channel (Queen Elizabeth NP), Kibale NP (Chimps), Masindi (Town), Budongo Forest (Chimps), Murchison Falls NP, Kaniyo Pabidi (Budongo Forest), Lake Victoria, Entebbe (End)
Arcadia Safaris
5.0/5 – 2 Reviews
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5-Day Murchison Falls National Park
$4,785 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Murchison Falls NP, Budongo Forest (Chimps), Entebbe Airport (End)
Vast Gorillas Safaris
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11-Day Uganda Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps & Big Five Safari
$3,416 pp (USD)
Uganda & Rwanda: Shared tour (max 3 people per vehicle)
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Entebbe (Start), Entebbe Airport (Entebbe), Budongo Forest (Chimps), Murchison Falls NP, Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Volcanoes NP (Gorillas), Lake Kivu, Entebbe (End)
Epic Uganda Vacation
4.7/5 – 23 Reviews
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16-Day Cultural Safari in Uganda and Kenya
$7,524 pp (USD)
Kenya & Uganda: Private tourLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Mt Kenya, Shaba NR, Maralal National Sanctuary, Lake Baringo, Sipi Falls (Highlight), Mt Moroto, Kidepo Valley NP, Kitgum (Town), Murchison Falls NP, Kaniyo Pabidi (Budongo Forest), Entebbe Airport (End)
Primate Journeys Africa
4.8/5 – 15 Reviews
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2-Day A Journey into the Heart of Primate Country
$1,100 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge
You Visit: Kampala (Start), Budongo Forest (Chimps), Kampala (End)
World Blossom Safaris
5.0/5 – 6 Reviews
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18-Day Uganda Birding Tour (Albertine Rift and Mabamba)
$6,406 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Guest HouseYou Visit: Entebbe (Start), Mabamba Swamp, Ruhija (Bwindi NP), Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Ishasha Sector (Queen Elizabeth NP), Queen Elizabeth NP, Kibale NP (Chimps), Semuliki NP, Masindi (Town), Budongo Forest (Chimps), Murchison Falls NP, Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch, Entebbe (End)
African Rock Safaris
4.9/5 – 17 Reviews
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17-Day Lux Uganda Birding and Wildlife Safari
$12,408 to $13,023 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Lake Mburo NP, Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Queen Elizabeth NP, Kibale NP (Chimps), Murchison Falls NP, Budongo Forest (Chimps), Entebbe (End)
Legit Holidays and Travels
5.0/5 – 6 Reviews
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3-Day Murchison Falls NP Wildlife Tour & Rhino Tracking
$1,155 pp (USD)
Uganda: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)Lodge
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch, Murchison Falls NP, Budongo Forest (Chimps), Entebbe (End)
Safari 2 Gorilla Tours
4.8/5 – 47 Reviews
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2-Day Chimpanzee Safari Uganda
$1,650 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Budongo Forest (Chimps), Entebbe (End)
World Blossom Safaris
5.0/5 – 6 Reviews
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2-Day Uganda Chimpanzee and Rhino Tracking Experience
$693 pp (USD)
Uganda: Shared tour (max 12 people per group)Hotel
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch, Budongo Forest (Chimps), Entebbe (End)
Safari 2 Gorilla Tours
4.8/5 – 47 Reviews
4 Questions About Budongo Forest Chimpanzee Trekking Tours
Answered by
Philip Briggs
Philip Briggs is an Africa-specialized travel writer who first visited Uganda in 1988 and has returned regularly to research his Bradt Guide to Uganda (now in its 9th edition). He has frequently tracked chimps in Budongo and many other chimp trekking destinations in East Africa.› More about Philip
4 Questions About Budongo Forest Chimpanzee Trekking Tours
How does Budongo compare with other Ugandan chimp trekking reserves?
“Budongo is one of the best places in Uganda to track chimps. The success rate for locating chimps is not quite so high as it is at Kibale National Park, but it compares favorably with most other chimp watching sites in Uganda. As with its counterpart in Kibale, the chimp community visited in Budongo was first habituated in the 1990s, so it is very used to tourists and relaxed in their presence. Of all the chimp tracking reserves you might visit on a Uganda safari tour, Budongo probably has the flattest terrain and the best network of footpaths. This is a plus for relatively unfit travelers, as it means they are less likely to need to scramble long distances through the undergrowth or to be challenged by steep, slippery slopes when following the chimps. Another advantage of Budongo is that despite being about 40% cheaper than Kibale, it is more remote and attracts far fewer visitors, so you are unlikely to come across too many other chimp trekkers on any given day.”
1Which other places are recommended to visit before or after chimp trekking in Budongo?
“Budongo slots well into any itinerary packages that also include Murchison Falls National Park and/or Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch. The package might be a shortish round trip from Kampala and Entebbe to Murchison Falls, or a longer safari tour that continues southwest from Murchison to Kibale, Queen Elizabeth and/or Bwindi Impenetrable National Parks. The reason why Budongo pairs so well with Murchison Falls is that, while the two are treated as separate destinations, the chimp tracking trailhead and associated ecolodge at Budongo lie right alongside the main road to Murchison Falls. Indeed, this trailhead now actually lies inside the main entrance gate to Murchison Falls, so chimp treks can be arranged en route to, or as a day trip from, any lodge or camp in the national park. Budongo and Murchison Falls also complement each other in terms of wildlife. Where Budongo is strong on chimps and other forest wildlife, Murchison Falls is a good place to see savannah dwellers such as lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and giraffe. The waterfall for which the national park is named is among the most spectacular anywhere in Africa, and it lies on a stretch of the Nile River where hippos, crocodiles and waterbirds are abundant. En route to or from Entebbe, it is also worth slotting in a visit to Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch, where Uganda’s only rhinos can be tracked on foot.”
2Are chimp sightings guaranteed in Budongo Forest?
“Chimp sightings cannot be guaranteed in Budongo, nor for that matter in any other destination where chimp treks are offered. However, Budongo has enjoyed a hit rate of around 85% in recent years, which within Uganda is bettered only at Kibale National Park and probably Kalinzu Forest. Odds of a good chimp sighting are highest in the relatively dry months of December to February and June to July, and the early morning outing (leaving at 7 AM) tends to be most productive. To improve your odds of seeing chimps, consider booking onto a second tracking excursion, either in Budongo or elsewhere in Uganda. This success rate at Budongo and other chimp trekking destinations is far lower than it is for gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and other places where gorillas can be seen. The reason for this is nothing to do with levels of habituation (the process of making the animals used to people and easy to view), but rather reflects the relative ease of locating the two great apes. Put simply, chimps are more restless than gorillas, and tend to move around a lot more, often at a pace no human could match in the thick jungle undergrowth. Chimps also tend to spend more time obscured by foliage in the high canopy.”
3Is chimp trekking in Budongo safe?
“Chimp trekking in Budongo and elsewhere in Uganda is a very safe activity. Habituated chimp communities such as those in Budongo are invariably very relaxed around people, and so far as we are aware, no visitor to Uganda has ever been injured by a chimp. That said, an adult male chimp is bulkier and far stronger than the average human adult, and there is also a very slight chance of bumping into other large mammals (for instance, elephant and buffalo) in the forest, so trekkers are urged to listen carefully at the pre-activity briefing and to follow their guide’s instructions at all times. Because young children are more vulnerable than adults (and less likely to obey instructions), the minimum age for a chimp trek in Budongo and elsewhere in Uganda is 12 years. The biggest danger associated with chimp tracking is probably slipping or twisting an ankle in the tangled forest undergrowth, so wear solid shoes and ask for a walking stick.”
4Budongo Forest Holiday Reviews
Alan is a travel writer and author of over 20 Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guides to Southern Africa and Zambia & Malawi.
Chimp tracking amongst forest giants
Walks here are about 3 hours and the tracks are easy to negotiate in the beautiful Budongo Forest. Your chances of seeing chimps (the main reason to come here unless you are a birder) are very high. The guides will often take you off the...
Ariadne is a renowned African wildlife photographer whose work is featured in many well-known guidebooks and magazines.
Chimpanzees en route to Murchison Falls
Budongo Forest can easily be visited en route to Murchison Falls National Park. In fact, the main road to Murchison runs through the forest. The main activity here is chimp tracking. We were lucky enough to see a chimp cross the road...
Superb
It took a while but the chimp trek was amazing. After 2hrs 45 minutes our guide heard from the tracker where the chimps were. It took us another half hour walk, then we heard an amazing racket. 30-40 chimps had cornered 3 colobus monkeys. 2...
We did chimp trekking. We did not even see their tail. My guide/drive later told me that he took tourist for the last four times, but none of them saw chimps....ummm I wish he told us before we did!
The major attraction here is the large population of chimpanzees which the closet primate related to man. There is also a very rich swamp with other primate species close to the park part located to the community giving visitors a unique...
A very green paradise!
Budongo Forest Reserve was a very good surprise i had heard about the conservation efforts for the budongo chimps, but it was better then i had imagined. The tropical forest is amazing, and i had never seen so many butterflies in one place....