Budongo Forest
A large mahogany forest south of Murchison Falls, with habituated chimpanzees and long-running research.
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Budongo is one of the largest surviving mahogany forests in East Africa, covering around eight hundred square kilometres on the escarpment south of Murchison Falls, and it holds a chimpanzee population of several hundred with communities habituated for research since the 1960s. Tracking runs from the Kaniyo Pabidi site inside the park boundary. The Royal Mile at Busingiro is a straight forest track that is among the best-known birding spots in the country.
What you actually see
- The chimpanzee tracking - habituated communities followed on foot from Kaniyo Pabidi.
- The mahogany trees - very large specimens surviving from before commercial logging.
- The Royal Mile - a straight forest track known as a top birding site.
- The research history - chimpanzee study running here since the 1960s.
When to go
June to September and December to February are the drier windows. Tracking runs in the morning and afternoon and permits are limited. The forest is humid year round.
Honest expectations
Tracking permits are limited and should be booked ahead. Chimpanzees range widely and finding them is not guaranteed. The forest is hot, humid and full of biting insects.
Nearby
Murchison Falls is north, and Masindi is south.
What to pack for Budongo Forest
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
