A guide to chimpanzee trekking in Uganda; Chimpanzee trekking is an adventurous and the second best done activity in Uganda after gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park. chimpanzee trekking involves tourists moving into the tropical rainforest in search of the habituated chimpanzees and once found spend one hour with them in their natural environment. chimpanzee trekking in Uganda is done in different destinations including Kibale forest national park, Kyambura gorge, Kalinzu forest and Budongo forest.
Where to go for 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 in Kabarole district. Kibale forest national park is a home of 13 primate species including over 1,500 chimpanzees, red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, olive baboons, l’hoest monkeys, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys among others. Chimpanzee trekking in kibale forest national park is done in two sessions that is the morning session which starts at 8:00am and the afternoon session which starts at 2:00pm and each session starts with a briefing at the park headquarters.
Apart from chimpanzee trekking, Kibale forest national park also offers chimpanzee habituation experience where the wild mountain gorillas are trained to get used to human presence for trekking.
Kalinzu forest
Kalinzu forest is another chimpanzee trekking destination located in western Uganda in Bushenyi district near Maramagambo forest and Queen Elizabeth national park. Kalinzu forest is a home of over 320 chimpanzees and about 50 habituated chimpanzees which makes it the second best chimpanzee trekking destination after kibale forest national park. Chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu forest is also done in two sessions that is the morning session which starts at 8:00am and the afternoon session which starts at 2:00pm with a briefing at the headquarters.
Kyambura gorge
Kyambura gorge also known as the valley of apes is located in the eastern part of Queen Elizabeth national park which is the second largest national park in Uganda. chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge is done in two sessions the morning session which starts at 8:00am and the afternoon session which starts at 2:00pm.
Budongo forest
Budongo forest is yet another chimpanzee trekking destination located in Murchison falls national park which is the largest national park in Uganda. Budongo forest is a home of 9 primate species including over 600 chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons among others. Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest is done daily and starts early in the morning at around 8:00am with a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations at the park headquarters.
Budongo forest also offers chimpanzee habituation experience where the wild chimpanzees are trained to get used to human presence for trekking. Chimpanzee habituation experience in Budongo forest is only carried out during the low/wet season in the months of March to May and October to November.
Chimpanzee trekking experience
Chimpanzee trekking in kibale forest national park, Kalinzu forest, Budongo forest and Kyambura gorge starts early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest in search of the habituated chimpanzees which takes about 2 to 5 hours’ drive 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 wildlife species, mammals, birds, primates, plant and tree species among others. Once the chimpanzees are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat which gives you a chance to learn more about their habits, behaviours, watch them feed, play, rest, hunt, fight, take photos and record videos.
Best time to go for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park, Kyambura gorge, Kalinzu forest and Budongo forest can be done all year round though the best time is during the dry season in the months of June to September and December to February because during this period there is less or little rainfall in the chimpanzee destinations therefore access roads and trekking trails will be dry and passable hence making chimpanzee trekking easy.
Cost of chimpanzee trekking permits in Uganda
Cost of chimpanzee trekking permits in Uganda vary according to the destination you wish to visit for example a chimpanzee trekking permit in Kyambura gorge and Kalinzu forest costs 50 USD per person for foreign non 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.
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.
How to book chimpanzee trekking permits in Uganda
Chimpanzee trekking permits in Uganda can be booked through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris where you will contact us with the date, month, year and destination you wish to visit. After contacting us, we will check for permit availability and if there are permit available on your preferred dates, you will be asked to make a deposit. Once we receive the payment, we will be able to purchase the permit on your behalf.
What to pack for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda
When going for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda, there are various essential items that you should carry including long sleeved shirt and trouser, garden gloves, insect repellent, hiking shoes, face masks, waterproof rain jacket, long cotton socks, camera and extra batteries, a pair of binoculars, drinking water, walking stick, back pack among others.
For more information about chimpanzee trekking in Uganda, you can reach out to us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website for various Uganda safari packages.