🌍 Uganda 🇺🇬
Budongo Forest Reserve in northwestern Uganda is one of East Africa's largest and most important mahogany forests, covering roughly 793 square kilometers of moist semi-deciduous forest on the Albertine Rift escarpment. It is home to one of Uganda's largest and best-studied chimpanzee populations, with multiple habituated communities available for trekking and a long-running research program that has contributed significantly to understanding chimpanzee behavior. Budongo forms the southern section of Murchison Falls National Park and is typically visited as part of a Murchison itinerary, though it can also be reached as a standalone from Masindi or Hoima. The forest is also Uganda's best location for certain Albertine Rift endemic birds.
Chimpanzee trekking with habituated communities in the Kaniyo Pabidi and Royal Mile sectors
The Royal Mile, a famous birding trail through dense mahogany forest with Albertine Rift endemic species including the chocolate-backed kingfisher, yellow-footed flycatcher, and white-thighed hornbill
Primate walks for red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, black and white colobus, and L'Hoest's monkeys
Forest hiking through towering mahogany, ironwood, and fig trees on well-maintained trails
Night forest walks for bush babies and potto
Community visits to Nyabyeya Forestry College area and surrounding villages
Budongo is the most convenient chimpanzee trekking option for travelers already visiting Murchison Falls, sitting adjacent to the park's southern boundary. A standard itinerary includes a morning chimp trek in Budongo followed by an afternoon Nile boat trip at Paraa and game drives on the northern bank.
🦍 With GorillaWise Collection & Safaris
We include Budongo as the chimpanzee component of a Murchison Falls itinerary, slotting in a morning trek before the Nile boat safari and game drives.
🗓️ Best Time to Visit
Year round. June to August and December to February are the driest months with the best forest conditions. The long rains (March to May) are the wettest period.
Uganda 🇺🇬