Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park

Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park; Chimpanzee habituation experience is an interesting and adventurous activity where tourists move into the forest of Kibale national park in search of the chimpanzees and once found spend four hours with them in their environment. Chimpanzee habituation experience is only carried out in Kibale forest national park which is located in western part of Uganda. Chimpanzee habituation is a process where the wild chimpanzees are trained to get used to human presence for trekking and it takes about 2 years to be compete. The habituation process takes a whole day and involves a team of researchers, scientists, park guides, park rangers among others.

Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park takes a whole day and it 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 wild chimpanzees and during trekking you will be able to view different wildlife species including mammals like elephants, buffaloes, view other primates like grey cheeked mangabey, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, view different bird species among others. Once the chimpanzees are found you will be allowed to spend four hours with them in their habitat which helps you to monitor and record their behaviors, take photos, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, grooming young ones, fighting, hunting, building nests, patrolling, copulating, resting among others.

Cost of a chimpanzee habituation permit in Kibale forest national park

A chimpanzee habituation permit in Kibale forest national park costs 250 USD per person for foreign nonresidents, 250 USD per person for foreign residents and 150,000 UGX per person for East African citizens. A chimpanzee habituation permit is valid for one day and gives tourists an opportunity to spend four hours in the presence of the chimpanzees in their habitat.

A chimpanzee habituation permit in Kibale forest national park should however be booked 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because the permits are few and usually get sold out quickly especially during the dry season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February.

How to book a chimpanzee habituation permit in Kibale forest national park

A chimpanzee habituation permit in Kibale forest national park can either be booked directly through Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) by contacting the head offices in Kampala via telephone calls or email to check for permit availability. A chimpanzee habituation permit in Kibale forest national park can also be booked through a tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris. When booking through a tour operator, you will contact us with the dates, month and year when you wish to engage in an adventurous chimpanzee habituation experience. We will check for permit availability and once there are available permits, you will be asked to make a deposit for permit. Once we receive the money we will purchase the permit on your behalf and send you a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation.

Best time to go for chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park

Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park can be done all year round though the best period is during the wet season also known as the low season in the months of March, April, May and November. During the low season there will be less crowds in the park and chimpanzees will be easily located due to plenty of food compared to the dry season where chimpanzees move deep into the forest in search of food.

Where to stay in Kibale forest national park

There are several accommodation facilities in Kibale forest national park where you can stay during your chimpanzee habituation safari. The accommodations range from budget, midrange and luxury including Primate Lodge, Ndali Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, Kyambura Lodge, Crater Safari Lodge, Isunga Lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Guest House, Aramaga Rift Valley Lodge, Kanyachu River Camp, Kibale Forest Lodge, Kibale Forest Camp, Chimps Nest, Crater Valley Kibale, Nyinabulitwa Resort and Safari Camp, Mountains of the Moon Hotel, Chimpundu Lodge among others.

How to get to Kibale forest national park

Kibale forest national park is located in western part of Uganda and can be accessed by road transport means whereby you will drive from Kampala or Entebbe through Mubende, Fort Portal or Mbarara, Kamwenge to the park headquarters which takes about 5 to 6 hours’ drive.

Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park is an incredible activity that shouldn’t be missed during your safari in Uganda. The habituation experience can be combined with wildlife viewing in Queen Elizabeth national park gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park. For more information about chimpanzee habituation experience you can contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website for several chimpanzee habituation packages.