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Kibale Budget Chimpanzee Trekking Tours
Kibale National Park is renowned for its monkey diversity. More than a dozen primate species inhabit this vast rainforest, most visibly red-tailed monkey, red colobus, black-and-white colobus and the endemic Uganda mangabey. Kibale is also a stellar bird-watching destination, with a checklist of 370 bird species that includes the glamorous likes of great blue turaco, double-toothed barbet and papyrus gonolek. But for most visitors, Kibale’s main attraction is a chimp community that was habituated in the 1990s and is now incredibly relaxed around people. Visiting humankind’s closest relative in Kibale is a truly thrilling bucket-list experience. For budget travelers, it’s also a relatively affordable goal compared to gorilla trekking.
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Top Rated Operator
8-Day All-Inclusive Vacation Package, Custom Tour Uganda
$2,283 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge & Guest House
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Lake Bunyonyi, Lake Mburo NP, Entebbe (End)
Home To Africa Tours and Travel
5.0/5 – 246 Reviews
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10-Day Safari Adventure in Uganda
$2,790 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge & Guest House
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls NP, Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Lake Mburo NP, Equator (Highlight), Entebbe (End)
Dav Safaris
5.0/5 – 48 Reviews
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10-Day Uganda Deluxe Safari
$3,100 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetCamping & Lodge
You Visit: Kampala (Start), Murchison Falls NP, Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Kazinga Channel (Queen Elizabeth NP), Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Entebbe (End)
Bushman Safaris
5.0/5 – 34 Reviews
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Best Seller
12-Day Gorillas, Chimps & Wildlife Adventurous Safari
$3,380 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetCamping & Lodge
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Murchison Falls NP, Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Lake Mburo NP, Jinja (Town), Entebbe (End)
Kajie Safaris
5.0/5 – 83 Reviews
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7-Day Gorilla Trekking, Chimps & Uganda Wildlife Safari
$1,999 pp (USD)
Uganda: Shared tour (max 7 people per vehicle)BudgetLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Kalinzu FR (Chimps), Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Lake Mburo NP, Entebbe Airport (End)
Big Apes Africa
5.0/5 – 20 Reviews
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6-Day Gorillas, Wildlife and Chimpanzees
$3,000 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge & Guest House
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Kazinga Channel (Queen Elizabeth NP), Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Entebbe Airport (Entebbe), Kisoro (End)
Myler Africa safaris
4.9/5 – 12 Reviews
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4-Day Gorilla and Kibale Chimps Trekking Safari
$1,750 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Lake Bunyonyi, Kibale NP (Chimps), Entebbe (End)
East African Jungle Safaris
4.8/5 – 107 Reviews
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6-Day Game Drives and Primates Tour
$2,445 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Entebbe Airport (End)
Nsavi Safaris
5.0/5 – 11 Reviews
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13-Day Wildlife Adventure Trip to the Pearl of Africa
$3,485 to $3,677 pp (USD)
Uganda: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)BudgetLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Kampala (City), Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls NP, Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Ishasha (Queen Elizabeth NP), Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Lake Mutanda, Lake Mburo NP, Entebbe Airport (End)
Tubale Safaris
5.0/5 – 6 Reviews
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6-Day Gorillas, Primates & Wildlife Budget Tour
$2,450 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge & Cottage
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Ishasha (Queen Elizabeth NP), Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Entebbe (End)
Green Zones Safaris
5.0/5 – 4 Reviews
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10-Day Uganda Safari with Gorilla Trekking
$3,050 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge & Resort
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Murchison Falls NP, Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Lake Bunyonyi, Lake Mburo NP, Entebbe Airport (End)
Africa Adventure Vacations
5.0/5 – 85 Reviews
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5-Day Gorilla, Chimpanzee Trekking and Wildlife Safari
$2,088 pp (USD)
Rwanda & Uganda: Private tourBudgetCamping & Lodge
You Visit: Kigali (Start), Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Ishasha (Queen Elizabeth NP), Queen Elizabeth NP, Kibale NP (Chimps), Entebbe (End)
Primate Safaris
5.0/5 – 2 Reviews
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6-Day Unmissable Gorillas, Chimps Tracking and Wildlife
$2,580 pp (USD)
Uganda: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)BudgetLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Entebbe Airport (End)
Lionhead Tours and Travel
5.0/5 – 2 Reviews
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3-Day Memorable Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale NP
$700 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Kampala (Start), Kibale NP (Chimps), Kampala (End)
Kenlink Tours And Travel
4.9/5 – 20 Reviews
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10-Day Uganda Wild Life Safari Experience
$2,820 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge & Resort
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Murchison Falls NP, Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Lake Bunyonyi, Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Lake Mburo NP, Kampala (City), Entebbe (End)
Mambo Gorilla Safaris Uganda
5.0/5 – 22 Reviews
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7-Day Explore the Pearl of Africa Tour
$2,200 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetCamping & Lodge
You Visit: Kampala (Start), Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Entebbe Airport (Entebbe), Kampala (End)
Bright Safaris Uganda
5.0/5 – 43 Reviews
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7-Day Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi and Chimpanzee Trekking
$2,675 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge & Guest House
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Entebbe Airport (End)
African Rock Safaris
4.9/5 – 17 Reviews
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7-Day Gorilla & Chimpanzee Trekking /Game Drive Safari
$2,772 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge & Guest House
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Kampala (City), Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Entebbe Airport (End)
Adroit Safaris
5.0/5 – 2 Reviews
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Best Seller
9-Day Uganda Wildlife & Primates Safari
$2,380 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetCamping & Tented Camp
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Murchison Falls NP, Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Lake Bunyonyi, Entebbe (End)
Ecovic Tours & Travel Uganda
5.0/5 – 32 Reviews
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14-Day Uganda Rwanda Educational Tour & Gorilla Trekking
$2,200 pp (USD)
Rwanda & Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge & Guest House
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Kampala (City), Jinja (Town), Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Lira (City), Gulu (City), Murchison Falls NP, Hoima (Town), Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Lake Bunyonyi, Bwindi NP (Gorillas), Kigali (End)
Safari 2 Gorilla Tours
4.8/5 – 34 Reviews
7 Questions About Kibale Budget Chimpanzee Trekking Tours

Answered by
Philip Briggs
Philip is an Africa-specialized travel writer who first visited Uganda in 1988. He has returned on numerous occasions to research his Bradt Guide to Uganda (first published in 1993 and now in its 9th edition) and to lead wildlife tours and bird-watching safaris.
7 Questions About Kibale Budget Chimpanzee Trekking Tours

Can I go chimp trekking in Kibale National Park on a budget safari?
“Yes, you can. And for those on a tight budget, chimp trekking is quite a bit cheaper than gorilla trekking, so it is easier to incorporate into a low-cost safari without pushing the price up too much. What’s more, a wide variety of budget safaris including Kibale are available, from 2-day stand-alone dashes from the capital city of Kampala to relaxed countrywide itineraries with a duration of 2 weeks or longer.”
1Is Kibale the best place in Uganda to track chimps affordably?
“Kibale is statistically the best place in Uganda to track chimps. The habituated community here is very used to people, so your chances of locating them is greater than 95% and the quality of sightings is usually excellent. Having said that, Kibale is definitely not the most affordable place to track chimps in Uganda. That distinction belongs to Kalinzu Forest Reserve (on the border of Queen Elizabeth National Park), which charges US$50 per person for a permit as compared to US$200 in Kibale. Although Kalinzu is not as reliable for sightings as Kibale, it has a very decent success rate of around 90%. If you are on a really tight budget, it is certainly worth thinking about as a cheaper alternative.”
2What other activities can I do on a budget safari in Kibale?
“Although chimp trekking is by far the most popular activity in Kibale, there are many other possibilities for exploring this biodiverse park. If you only have time to do one other activity, a recommended option is the Bigodi Swamp Walk, which loops through a small community-run reserve immediately outside the park boundary. The guided walk through Bigodi is affordably priced and the sharp-eyed local guides will point out dozens of bird species along with several types of monkey. Guided forest walks in Kibale are also available, but they are more expensive than Bigodi and tend to be less rewarding unless you're serious about locating secretive forest interior birds. Other recommended options include guided night walks into the park to look for nocturnal creatures such as the sloth-like potto and exploring some of the region’s many beautiful crater lakes.”
3How many days are recommended for a budget chimp trekking trip to Kibale?
“It is possible to track chimps on a stand-alone 2-day Kibale National Park budget safari out of the capital Kampala or nearby Entebbe International Airport. This is quite a rushed option, as the driving time is around 6 hours in either direction. But it still leaves time to do the Bigodi Swamp Walk on the afternoon you arrive and a chimp trek the next morning. An advantage of a 2-day safari is that you only pay for 1 night's accommodation, which helps keep costs down. Budget and time permitting, however, we would recommend at least 3 days for a stand-alone visit to Kibale, and 4 days or longer if you also want to visit other nearby national parks.”
4Can I combine chimp trekking in Kibale with gorilla trekking elsewhere in Uganda?
“Yes, plenty of operators offer trips that combine chimp trekking in Kibale with gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The two parks are about 240km/150mi apart, a distance that can be covered in 6 hours. If you don't mind things being a little rushed you can squeeze both trekking activities into a 4-day safari. If possible, however, we would recommend 5 to 6 days for a combined gorilla and chimp trekking safari. This will make for a far more relaxed holiday. And it allows you time en route to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park and look for lion, elephant, buffalo and other plains wildlife.”
5What type of accommodation can I expect on cheap Kibale packages?
“Most budget tours accommodate clients in simple but clean tented camps or lodges, but a few prefer to use campsites, which tend to keep the price a bit lower. It is worth checking accommodation arrangements before booking any safari to make sure you're comfortable with what is on offer. Most tented camps and lodges provide full-board packages that include meals. On a camping safari, you will most likely travel with a professional cook who prepares all meals.”
6How much does a Kibale budget safari cost?
“The cheapest stand-alone 2-day chimp trekking packages to Kibale cost around US$600 to US$750 per person. This includes transport, 1 night’s accommodation and meals, as well as park and activity fees (including a US$200 chimp trekking permit). Longer budget tours that incorporate other parks will typically work out at around US$250 to US$300 per day if no gorilla trekking is involved. But they will be much more expensive if the package includes a gorilla trekking fee.”
7Kibale Reviews

Stuart is a travel writer and author of numerous Lonely Planet guidebooks, including Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania.
The World's Best Chimpanzee Encounter?
Although chimpanzees can be found in quite a number of parks and reserves in eastern Africa the four big ‘chimp parks’ are Tanzania’s Gombe Stream and Mahale Mountains, Rwanda’s Nyungwe Forest and Uganda’s Kibale Forest. I have...

Ariadne is a renowned African wildlife photographer whose work is featured in many well-known guidebooks and magazines.
The pant-hooting chimpanzees of Kibale Forest
I had one of my most memorable wildlife encounters in Kibale Forest. I arrived late and after paying my fees for next day’s guided chimpanzee tracking trip, I decided to take a stroll down the main road that runs trough the forest....

We found ourselves in another lush forest, hiking to get to the trackers who had spotted the chimpanzees. Our guide was so informative and her love for chimpanzees was contagious! We were a bit unfortunate because the chimpanzees we found...

Great place to see the chimps. I was lucky to see them 4 different times, as we hiked around the park. Sometimes they are high up on the trees, sometimes walking thepight the forest, it just depends on your luck. I also managed to see most...
Kibaale national park is blessed with nature
The park is blessed with nature for Example tropical rainforest, primates like baboons, monkeys. It has many bird species which can give a good experience to birders. The cool weather in kibaale national park is also amazing. Kibaale...

The same as for Bwindi: It was really impressive to see the animals up close. But in a smaller group it would be even better to really get a full score under bush vibe. Here the problem was also that at least 4 groups were close on each...