Chimpanzee trekking destinations in Uganda
Chimpanzee trekking destinations in Uganda; Chimpanzee trekking is an exceptional and he second best done activity in Uganda that attracts many tourists after gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park. Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda involves travelers moving on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of the habituated chimpanzees and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda is done in different destinations namely Kibale forest national park, Kalinzu forest national park, Kyambura gorge and Budongo forest.
Chimpanzee trekking destinations in Uganda
Kibale forest national park
Kibale forest national park is one of the best chimpanzee trekking destinations located in western part of Uganda in Kabarole district. The national park is also known as the primate capital due to the fact that it’s a home of 13 primate species including about 1,500 chimpanzees, grey cheeked mangabey, black and white colobus monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, red tailed monkeys, olive baboons, vervet monkeys among others. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park is done on two sessions that is the morning session which starts at 8:00am and the afternoon session which starts at 2:00pm and each session takes about 2-5 hours.
Kibale forest national park also offers chimpanzee habituation experience where the wild chimpanzees are trained to get used to human presence. Chimpanzee habituation experience takes about 2 to 3 years to be complete and tourists who engage in the habituation experience are allowed to spend four hours with the chimpanzees in their habitat.
Kyambura gorge
Kyambura gorge also known as the valley of apes is a chimpanzee destination in Uganda located in the eastern part of Queen Elizabeth national park which is the second biggest national park in Uganda. Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge can either be done in the morning or in the afternoon and it starts early in the morning at around 8:00am with a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations at the park headquarters.
Kalinzu forest
Kalinzu forest is another chimpanzee trekking destination in Uganda located in Bushenyi district. Kalinzu forest is a home of 6 primate species including about 350 chimpanzees, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys among others. Chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu forest is done in two sessions that is the morning and the afternoon session.
Budongo forest
Budongo forest is another chimpanzee trekking destination located in Murchison falls national park which is the largest national park in Uganda. Budongo forest is a home about 700 chimpanzees and it offers chimpanzee trekking and chimpanzee habituation experience which is only done in the low season.
Chimpanzee trekking experience
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park, Kalinzu forest, Kyambura gorge and Budongo forest starts early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations at the park headquarters. After the briefing, you will be allocated a habituated chimpanzee family to trek and a park guide who is conversant with the trekking trails. Trekking of chimpanzees takes about 2 hours to 5 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking, you will be able to view other primate species like the black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, baboons, view bird species among others and once the chimpanzees are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to watch them feed, play, breastfeed young ones, hunt, fight, rest, mate, learn more about their behaviors, take photos and record videos to show people back home.
Cost of chimpanzee trekking permits in Uganda
Chimpanzee trekking permits are legal cards that are issued to visitors above the age of 15 years allowing them to visit habituated chimpanzee families and spend one hour with them in their habitat. Cost of chimpanzee trekking permits in Uganda vary according to the chimpanzee destination you wish to visit for example a chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale forest national park costs 200 USD per person for foreign non residents, 150 USD per person for foreign residents and 150,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
A chimpanzee trekking permit in Kyambura gorge and Kalinzu forest costs 50 USD per person for foreign residents, 40 USD per person for foreign residents and 30,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
A chimpanzee trekking permit in Budongo forest costs 130 USD per person for foreign non residents, 120 USD per person for foreign residents and 85 USD per person for East African citizens.
How to book chimpanzee trekking permits in Uganda
Chimpanzee trekking permits in Kibale forest national park, Kyambura gorge, Kalinzu forest and Budongo forest can either be booked directly through Uganda wildlife Authority (UWA) where you will contact the head offices via email or telephone calls. Chimpanzee trekking permits in Uganda can also be booked through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris where you will contact us with the date, month, year and chimpanzee destination that you prefer. After contacting us we will check for permit availability and if there are permits available on your desired dates, you will be asked to make a deposit. Once the payment has been made, we will be able to purchase the permit on your behalf.
Best time to go chimpanzee trekking in Uganda
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park, Kalinzu forest, Kyambura gorge and Budongo forest can be done all year round though the best period is during the dry season also known as the peak season in the months of June to September and December to February because during this period there is less or little rainfall in the national parks therefore chimpanzee trekking trails will be dry and passable which make chimpanzee trekking easy compared to the rainy season when the trekking trails are wet, muddy and slippery hence making chimpanzee trekking difficult.
What to pack for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda
There are a number of items that travelers should pack when going for chimpanzee trekking safari in Uganda for example hiking shoes, light waterproof rain jacket, long sleeved shirt and trouser, long socks, garden gloves, insect repellent, drinking water, camera and extra batteries, a pair of binoculars, a hat, walking stick, backpack among others.
Chimpanzee trekking is an adventurous and one of the exciting activities that shouldn’t be missed during your safari in Uganda. Chimpanzee trekking safari can be combined with wildlife viewing in Kidepo valley national park for and for more information about chimpanzee trekking destinations in Uganda, you can contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website for affordable chimpanzee trekking packages.