There is no doubt, Uganda is the best country as far as chimpanzee trekking is concerned. Chimpanzee trekking is one of the most popular tourist activities in Uganda alongside Gorilla trekking. There are over 5,000 habituated chimpanzees in Uganda, which offers tourists a 1-hour visit to see the chimps or enjoy a full day of chimpanzee habituation in Kibale National Park and Budongo Forest.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Chimpanzees are sociable animals and their groups can be comprised of anywhere between 10 and 100 members. They are very intelligent animals and have utilized traits and actions that have been passed on from generation to, such as using rocks for crushing nuts and using empty pods for collecting water. Most of all, they are fun and playful, so trekking to see them is a really great experience. You can watch them interact, play and even squabble and fight with one another (this is much more interesting than watching a pride of lion sleep all day on safari)!
From a logistics point of view, the chimpanzee permits currently cost US$200 per person, including the park entrance on the day of the trek. Persons below 12 years are not allowed to trek with chimpanzees in Uganda.
There are five centers where tourists can go chimpanzee trekking; Kibale Forest, Budongo Forest, Kalinzu forest, Toro- Semuliki Game reserve, and Kyambura Gorge. The best chimpanzee experience, by far, is done in Kibale National park which is located in the southwestern region of the country. This forest is home to approximately 1,500 chimpanzees and there is a 99.5% chance of seeing chimpanzees in KNP.
Rules and Regulations For Chimpanzee Trekking in Uganda
Though chimps look and act like people, they are still wild animals and for the safety of the trekkers and the chimps, the following rules and regulations should be followed:
- Keep a distance of 7 meters between trekkers and the chimpanzees. It’s done to avoid the spread of diseases from animals to human beings and the reverse is true.
- Do not feed the chimps or eat near the chimps. They are stronger than you and can harm you in the process of grabbing the item from you.
- Only one hour is given to the trekkers to stay with the chimps and thereafter, leave the wild animals.
- Avoid Flash photography. It can scare chimpanzees and stage a fight with the trekkers.
- Chimpanzees require a great deal of freedom to move about. Do not corner them.
- When chimps get annoyed please leave them and return to your respective accommodation.
- Children under the age of 12 are not allowed to trek with chimpanzees.
Things to wear when you are going chimpanzee trekking in Uganda
It’s a bit strenuous to walk through the jungle to meet chimpanzees so, it is important to dress as recommended by your tour operator on the ground.
- It is advisable that you wear a long-sleeved shirt, trousers, and a good pair of lightweight hiking boots to protect against scratches. You may also wish to wear protective gloves, although these are not necessary.
- As temperatures can vary greatly during the day, it is also important to bring along a light jumper and a light, breathable rain jacket or poncho.
- Also carry along a small backpack in which to store your extra clothing, water, lunch, and your photography equipment.
- While on your trek, you should wear neutral-colored clothing that is comfortable.
- You may also wish to bring your own first aid kit. While all of our Shadows of Africa vehicles have their own onboard first aid kit, it never hurts to be prepared.
Where is the best place to track chimpanzees in Uganda?
Kibale National Park offers the best chimpanzee trekking experience in Uganda. Other chimp trekking destinations like Kyambura Gorge, Toro-Semuliki Game reserve, Budongo Forest, and Kalinzu Forest also offer chimpanzee trekking but in comparison, KNP offers the best because of the following reason;
- High chances of spotting chimpanzees. Kibale National Park hosts a variety of chimpanzees. A recent census concluded that KNP protects more than 1000 individual chimpanzees waiting for you.
- Chimpanzee habituation. This activity allows a guest to spend a full day in the forest with chimpanzees. Chimpanzee habituation is more detailed than normal trekking.
- Kibale National Park offers two shifts of chimpanzee trekking per day based on availability. There is morning and afternoon shift in which guests are free to choose the shift they prefer.
- Many chimpanzees in Kibale National park are easily found. The last census shows that Kibale National Park protects over 1000 chimps.
- Other primates in Kibale National Park make it the best place for chimpanzee trekking. On the way to and from chimpanzee trekking, Colobus monkeys, Red-tailed monkeys, Olive baboon, and Vervet monkeys among others.
- Chimpanzees are more exciting than other primates. It’s because chimps have 98.7% human DNA.
Alongside chimpanzees, you may see other primates on the way to meet chimps and they include 12 other primate species, including the black and white colobus monkeys, the red-tailed monkey, and the grey-cheeked mangabey, so definitely keep an eye out for these species.
Other Places to Track Chimpanzees in Uganda
There are three other major chimpanzee tracking locations in Uganda, these include:
Kalinzu Forest
Kalinzu Forest is situated in southwestern Uganda. The forest is near Queen Elizabeth National Park and maramagambo forest. The forest protects over 379 species of birds and 6 species of primates including baboons, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, I’heest monkeys, ververt monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, and so on.
Kalinzu forest also keeps nocturnal mammals like potto, Galago, and Bush babies, 261 species of butterflies, 414 species of trees, 98 moths, flowers, and reptiles. The mammals like lions, wild pigs, antelopes, leopards, buffaloes, and so on.
The chimpanzee is the key attraction in Kalinzu forest. The chimps give birth every after 5 years. The chimps are very intelligent and capable of using tools. Chimpanzees hunt small primates, insects and antelopes.
Chimpanzee Trekking in Kalinzu Forest
Chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu forest is one of the best experiences in Uganda. The forest offers the second-best chimpanzee trekking after Kibale National Park. Kalinzu forest hosts a total of 320 chimps and close to 50 chimps are habituated (that means they are ready prepared for trekking).
Its however recommended to have some level of fitness to be able to walk for 3-4hrs which involves climbing up hills and slopes down in the process of searching for chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
Chimpanzees in the wild are not as welcoming as Gorillas which is why it’s advisable to move with an experienced ranger guide through the process.
Like in Kibale National Park, Kalinzu forest offers two chimpanzee trekking shifts:
- The morning shift starts at 8 am – This is when chimpanzees are so active.
- The second shift is scheduled to start at 3 pm.
Kalinzu forest offers one of the cheapest chimpanzee trekking experiences at US$35 per person
Other tourist activities in Kalinzu Forest National Park
Forest Walks, Research, Conservation Education, Birding, Butterfly Identification, Chimp Tracking, and small Mammal viewing.
Budongo Forest
Budongo Forest in the Murchison Falls National Park. The mahogany trees in the Budongo Forest provide perfect shelter for these intelligent chimpanzees, as well as other species of primates. There are approximately 100 habituated chimpanzees available here, and visitors can also opt for the whole-day chimpanzee habituation experience (CHEX) in Budongo.
Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo offers a 7 am morning session, and an afternoon session at 2 pm. The best time to track chimpanzees in Budongo is between the months of May and August which are rainy seasons (which may sound contradicting to most safari destinations).
This is because, during the dry season, the chimpanzees move deep into the forest looking for scarce food, water, and shelter and this migration/movement reduces the chances of seeing them significantly because you have to trek a lot further to try and find them. The chimpanzee permits cost $85 in Budongo and because you are in the area of Murchison Falls, it is usually combined with a safari and an experience at Murchison Falls.
Kyambura Gorge
Kyambura gorge is located in queen Elizabeth national after Katunguru town.
Chimpanzee Tracking Budongo Forest Vs Kyambura Gorge
Budongo forest is a tropical rainforest that is dominated by Mahogany trees. It is situated in the Murchison Falls conservation area. The forest is famous for protecting a number of primates but above all chimpanzees.
Kyambura Gorge is a magnificent valley of apes situated in Queen Elizabeth National Park- the second-largest National Park in Uganda. The valley is dominated by savanna grassland on which primates feed. The Valley is famous for protecting many apes but above all chimpanzees.
We are comparing Kyambura Gorge and Budongo Forest thus giving similarities and differences:
Similarities between Budongo Forest and Kyambura Gorge
- Chimpanzee trekking is the major tourist activity in both destinations through Budongo forest keeps many chimps compared to Kyambura Gorge.
- Kyambura Gorge and Budongo forest are both game reserves situated in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park respectively.
- Both destinations keep other primates like black-and-white colobus, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, black-and-white colobus monkeys, and vervet monkeys.
- Both destinations are gazetted and protected areas under Uganda Wildlife Authority. The security officials from UWA do patrol those places to scare away poachers.
Differences between Budongo Forest and Kyambura Gorge
Each destination is situated in a different location; Budongo in Murchison Falls National Park (Northern Uganda) and Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park (Western Uganda).
- Budongo Forest is larger than Kyambura gorge
- Kyambura Gorge hosts more apes than Budongo forest.
- There is chimpanzee habituation in the Budongo forest while Kyambura Gorge offers only chimpanzee tracking.
- Unique flamingo birds can be sighted in Kyambura Gorge which is not the case in budongo forest.
- Budongo forest is dominated by tropical rainforest which is made up of Mahogany trees. Kyambura Gorge is dominated by tropical and riverine forest trees.
Similarities Between Gorilla And Chimp Trekking In Uganda
In Uganda Gorilla trekking is the top tourist activity. Gorilla trekking is a daily and all-year-round activity in Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National park. On the other hand, Chimpanzee trekking is the second sought Gorilla trekking. If you miss Gorilla trekking at least don’t miss chimpanzee trekking because they are both lifetime events you shouldn’t miss before death.
Chimpanzee trekking is a major tourist activity in Kibale National park, Budongo Forest, Kyambura Gorge, Kalinzu Forest, and Toro- Semuliki game reserve. Being a lifetime event, Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking share the following similarities:
- Begins with a briefing. In Uganda, Gorilla and Chimpanzee briefing starts at 8 am after 30 minutes briefing led by the game rangers from the Uganda Wildlife Authority. During the briefing, trekkers are equipped with Dos and Don’ts while with the primates. Among the dos include taking photos, one hours view, keeping in groups when near gorillas, maintaining 7 meters between you and Gorillas, etc. Among the don’ts include shouting near the gorillas, don’t feed gorillas, avoiding close range with gorillas, and so on.
- Trekkers are grouped. Both gorilla and chimpanzee trekking puts trekkers in groups for a proper experience. A maximum of eight people are allowed to trek with a gorilla family and a troop of chimpanzees.
- Early morning start. Both Gorillas and chimpanzee trekking starts early morning at 8 am which means guests wake up earlier for a 7:30 am briefing and thereafter, each group is given rangers to guide.
- Seven meters distance is given between humans and primates (Chimps and Gorillas). This is done to control the spread of diseases from humans to primates and the reverse is true. Gorillas and chimps are wild animals and can change at any time so keeping a reasonable distance between them can save you.
- The rules and regulations governing Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking are the same. They are emphasized by rangers throughout the trek. Among the rules include: one-hour views, 7 meters distance between the primates, trekkers are groups into 8 people, and so on.
- Similar tracking gear. All trekkers are requested to carry hiking shoes, waterproof clothes, sunglasses, hats, long-sleeved pants, and shirts among others.
- A permit is a major requirement. You must be having a permit to trek with Gorillas and chimpanzees. Chimpanzee trekking permit costs between US$50 to US$200.
In conclusion, if you miss Gorillas- don’t miss chimpanzee trekking but it’s very important to trek both.