Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda; Chimpanzee trekking is the second most popular activity on Uganda safaris after gorilla trekking and trekking involves moving on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of chimpanzees and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which helps you to learn more about their behaviors.
Where to do chimpanzee trekking in Uganda
Kibale forest national park
Kibale forest national park also known as the primate capital is located in western part of Uganda. Kibale national park is a home of 13 primate species including 1500 chimpanzees, red tailed monkeys, grey checked mangabey, black and white colobus monkeys among others which makes it the most visited chimpanzee destination in Uganda. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale national park is done in two sessions that is the morning session which starts at around 8:00am and the afternoon session which starts at around 12pm.
Kibale forest national park also offers chimpanzee habituation experience where the wild chimpanzees are trained to get used to human presence for trekking.
Kalinzu forest
Kalinzu forest is another destination in Uganda where you can go for chimpanzee trekking. Kalinzu forest is located in southwestern Uganda in Bushenyi district close to Maramagambo forest and Queen Elizabeth national park. The forest is a home of about 320 chimpanzees and 50 chimpanzees are habituated and open for trekking on a daily basis.
Kyambura gorge
Kyambura gorge is located in eastern part of Queen Elizabeth national park in western part of Uganda. Kyambura gorge is a home of more than 29 chimpanzees which are open for visitors on a daily basis. Trekking of chimpanzees in Kyambura gorge can either be done in the morning or in the afternoon depending on your schedule.
Budongo forest
Budongo forest is the largest natural forest in East Africa located in Murchison falls national park. Budongo forest is the second best visited chimpanzee destination in Uganda after Kibale national park and it’s a home of over 600 chimpanzees and other primates like blue monkeys, red tailed monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons among others. Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest can be done in the morning or in the afternoon with an experience park guide. Bundongo forest also offers chimpanzee habituation experience which is only available during the wet season and allows visitors to spend 4 hours with the chimpanzees under habituation process.
Chimpanzee trekking experience
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda tours starts in the morning with a briefing at the park headquarters where after you will be allocated a chimpanzee family to trek and a park guide who is knowledgeable about chimpanzees as well as conversant with trails to follow. Chimpanzee trekking takes about 30 minutes to 4 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 primates like grey cheeked mangabey, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, view different bird species, tree species among others. Once the chimpanzees are located you will be able to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you a chance to learn about their habits, lifestyle, behaviors, watch them feed, breastfeed, play, hunt, fight, take photos and record the beautiful moments to show people back home after the safari.
Best time to go for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda can be done all year round though the best time is during the dry season also known as the peak season in the months of June to September and December to February. During the dry season there is little or less rainfall in the tropical rainforests therefore vegetation will be thin which helps you to have clear views of chimpanzees and chimpanzee trekking trails will be passable compare to the wet or low season when the trekking trails are wet, muddy and slippery which make trekking difficult.
Cost of a chimpanzee trekking permit in Uganda
A chimpanzee trekking permit is a card or document that is issued to any visitor above the age of 15 years allowing him or her to visit any habituated chimpanzee family. A chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale national park costs 250 USD per person for foreign non residents, 250 USD per person for foreign residents and 150,000 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 during the high/ peak season and 120 USD per person for foreign non residents, 110 USD per person for foreign residents and 80 USD per person for East African citizens during the low season.
A chimpanzee trekking permit in Kyambura gorge and Kalinzu forest costs 50 USD for foreign non residents, 50 USD for foreign residents and 30,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
How to book chimpanzee trekking permits in Uganda
Chimpanzee trekking permits in Uganda can either be booked directly through Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) by contacting the head offices through telephone calls or email. Chimpanzee trekking permits in Uganda can also be booked through a tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris. When booking through a tour operator you will contact us with your names, dates and destination which you wish to visit. After contacting us we will check for permit availability and if there are permits available you will be asked to make a deposit for the permit. Once we have received the money we will purchase the permit on your behalf.
For more information about chimpanzee trekking in Uganda, you can contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website for affordable chimpanzee trekking packages.
