Best off season primate experiences in Uganda

Best off season primate experiences in Uganda. The best off season primate experiences in Uganda are gorilla safaris, chimpanzee safaris and golden monkey safaris. These Uganda primates' experiences happen in forested areas where rain is expected to fall any time without warning but the off season rain is more as this is the rainy season too. The off-season tourism period in Uganda is March, April, May and November when less people are expected to visit the country.

Most Popular Safaris

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All primate safaris in Uganda are open all year around with none stopped because of climate change. The Uganda primate experiences include:

Gorilla safaris that are gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation experience. For gorilla trekking maximum of 8 clients are allowed to visit a fully habituated gorilla family for one hour. The gorilla habituation experience is an adventure where a maximum of 4 tourists in the company of a team of researchers are permitted to visit a semi-habituated gorilla family for four hours. 

During chimpanzee, safaris in Uganda tourists can either do chimpanzee trekking or chimpanzee habituation experience. During chimpanzee trekking safari, tourists are allowed to visit a fully habituated chimpanzee troop for one hour. The Chimpanzee habituation experience is an adventure where a maximum of 4 clients with a team of researchers follow a semi-habituated chimpanzee community for four hours.

Golden monkey safaris in Uganda also include golden monkey trekking and the golden monkey habituation experience. For Golden Monkey trekking, a maximum of 8 tourists visit a fully habituated troop of golden monkeys but only one hour is allowed with them. Golden monkey habituation experience is a safari where a maximum of four tourists in the company of a team of researchers are allowed to visit a fully habituated golden monkey community for a maximum of four hours. Contact us for more information.

Where To Do Primate Experiences In Uganda

Bwindi impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a vast tropical rainforest situated in the southwestern part of Uganda. Bwindi Impenetrable Nations park was divided into four administrative areas that is Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. For gorilla trekking in this park, the gorilla permits are booked according to these areas. For gorilla

For gorilla trekking in Bwindi, over 19 gorilla families are open but these are booked according to areas under which the park is partitioned. Some of the gorilla trekking families of Bwindi include Rushegura, Mubare, Nshongi, Kahugye, Bikyingi, Mishaya, Bweza, Busingye, Mucunguzi, Bitukura, Muhozi and others. Before booking accommodation to use during the gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi, you must now under which area your gorilla permits is booked.

At the moment, four gorilla families are open for gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi forest but all are on the southern part of the park to be specifically the Rushaga area.

Bwindi forest is home to other primate species too that is Black and white colobus, blue monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, olive baboons, L’hoest, red tailed monkeys to mention but a few.  Bwindi forest is a birder’s haven as so far about 350 bird species have been recorded as residents of the park including Albertine rift endemics.

Kibale National Park

Kibale National Park is the home of chimpanzee habituation experience in Uganda. Kibale forest is a tropical rainforest situated in western Uganda. This park hosts over 1500 chimpanzees and so far, the largest number of habituated chimpanzee communities in Uganda. For chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest, tourists escort a team of researchers to find and spend four hours with a semi-habituated chimpanzee community.

Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale National Park is best enjoyed in the rainy season even though the ground may be soggy. During the dry season, the chimpanzee communities tend to feed from the deeper ends of the forest and it is worse with the wild or semi-habituated chimpanzees that are still not familiar with human presence. During the wet season, there is plenty to feed on by the chimpanzees.

Tourists are expected to wake up earlier to start the chimpanzees habituation experience as these primates start their day.

For the chimpanzee trekking experience in Kibale National Park, two sessions that is the morning and afternoon take place in this Park each day. A maximum of 6 tourists are allowed to visit a chimpanzee troop per session.

Budongo Forest

Budongo Forest is another habitat where chimpanzee habituation experience happens in Uganda. Budongo forest is managed by the Institute of the Jane Goodall. During chimpanzee habituation experience in Budongo forest, tourists follow a team of researchers to have four hours with a semi-habituated chimpanzee community. Follow the trails constructed by the regular visitors to this park.

One needs a chimpanzee habituation permit to be allowed to participate in this primate safari.

Chimpanzee trekking also happens in Budongo forest, especially in Kaniyo Pabidi forest which is part of this forest. You can join the morning or afternoon chimpanzee trekking session.

From chimpanzee habituation experience or chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest, you can connect for a game drive in Murchison Falls National Park, enjoy a boat trip to Murchison Falls, do birding and much more.

Mgahinga National Park

The golden monkeys are some of the famous residents of Mgahinga National Park. Mgahinga National Park lies in the southwestern part of Uganda and it topography was influenced by three volcanoes that is Mountain Gahinga, Muhavura and Sabyinyo.

The Golden monkeys are an endangered monkey specie with a bigger body structure compared to other monkeys and brown hairs on the lower bottom. Even though they are habituated, they still possess there natural characters of being restless. These primates keep you on your toes all the time you are with them. The Golden monkeys live in communities under the headship of an alpha male.

During golden monkey habituation, experienced tourists with researchers follow a community of these primates for atleast four hours observing them, taking notes and collect some samples where necessary.

The golden monkey habituation experience in Mgahinga National Park is done from a quite steep area because of the nature of the terrain of this park.

Gorilla trekking is the highlight of Mgahinga National Park with so far one family open to the public. This family is called Nyakagezi. In the past, this gorilla family used to wander into Rwanda but currently it is steadily a resident of Mgahinga forest.

How much is the cost of the Uganda Primate Experience Permits in the Off Season

The costs of the primate experience permit for Uganda the off season include

Gorilla safari permit cost

The cost of the Uganda gorilla trekking permits at the moment is $800 for international nonresidents, $700 for foreign residents, $500 for other Africans and 300,000shs for East Africans

Cost of Uganda Gorilla habituation experience permits is $1500 for international nonresidents, $1000 for foreign residents and Other Africans and 750000shs for East Africans.

Uganda Chimpanzee safari permit cost( Kibale)

The current cost of Uganda chimpanzee trekking permit is $250 for foreign nonresidents, $200 for foreign residents and 180,000 shs for East Africans.

Uganda chimpanzee habituation experience permits cost $300 for international nonresidents, $250 for international residents, and 250000shs for East Africans.

Cost Budongo Forest Chimpanzee permit cost

The cost of chimpanzee trekking permits for Budongo forest is currently $130 for foreign nonresidents, $120 for foreign residents and $85 for East Africans

Chimpanzee habituation experience permit for Budongo forest is currently $230 for foreign nonresidents, $160 for foreign residents and $90 East Africans.

Cost of Uganda Golden monkey trekking permits for Mgahinga Forest

Golden monkey trekking permit cost is $60 for international nonresidents, $50 for international residents and 40000shs for East Africans

Golden monkey habituation permit cost is $100 international nonresidents, $80 for foreign residents and 100,000shs for East Africans.

What is included in the cost of the Uganda primates permit

The cost of the Uganda primates permit includes ranger guide fees, four hours ( for the habituation experience), One hour (primates trekking adventure), park entrance, security, conservation fund support and other expenses.

The cost of the Uganda primates permit excludes tips, accommodation, transport and other expenses of personal nature.

Are primate safaris in Uganda safe in the off season

All Uganda primates destinations are safe no matter the season. The security of Wildlife destinations in Uganda is managed by well well-trained ranger guide from Uganda wildlife Authority (UWA) who often patrol these destinations. On the ground are other Uganda security organs to keep law and order in and out of these Uganda safari destinations

For every primates safari in Uganda, tourists must be in the company of a ranger guide. These Uganda safari activities involve walking in the forest where other inhabitants that may be harmful are present.

Every Uganda safari destination has rules expected to be followed by tourists for the safety of the wildlife and the tourists. Abide by every detail given during briefing before any primate safari in order not to cause disruption.

Try not to carry your precious belongings to the wilderness during the primates safari because you can lose it along the way yet tracing it may be hard.

The walk in search for these primates during Uganda safari is quite rough so you need to carry and wear the right gears to protect yourself. Contact our team for more information.

Is the Uganda Primate safari worth the money and Time during the Off Season

To get the chance to go intimate with the primates of Uganda the best time is the off season when fewer tourists are expected on ground. You have less disturbance from fellow tourists so you capture the best moments with these primates.

Sometimes there are chances of getting discounts from service providers during Uganda safari in the low season who often try to break even.

If you are tired of crowded holiday destinations and want to experience a change, the Uganda primate safari may provide that opportunity.

Contribute to the conservation of the Uganda primates in their habitat as the number of these destinations is declining worldwide over time.

Mountain gorillas are some of the most highly endangered primates in the world and just a few are left in the world and Uganda is one of the only three destinations that provide a natural home to these primates. By taking a gorilla safari in Uganda, you are one of the lucky tourists for the day to be part of this adventure.

In the low season, most primates normally spend time not deep in the forest as there is plenty of food available so, you may not take much time searching.

What are the Guidelines Of Primate safaris In Uganda

• Eating or smoking before the Uganda primates is forbidden. Do this at least 200 meters away from them so that they are not enticed to pull what you are eating from you. They are wild animals that must search for their own food.
• Only children 12 years and above are allowed to do Uganda primates because of the nature of the environment. The time of locating the mountain gorillas is unknown because of their movement.
• Spitting on the soil or vegetation may spread germs to the mountain gorillas so it is forbidden. Uganda primates can easily catch human infectious diseases like COVID-19, cough, flu, cholera.
• In case you have a communicable infection volunteer to stay behind and protect the Uganda primates from such infectious diseases. The extent to which this disease may spread and kill the primates is unknown.
• Wearing a clean mask before the Uganda primates tour is one of the preventive measures adopted to prevent spreading covid-19 virus to mountain gorillas and other forest inhabitants.
• Keep a gap of at least 8 meters from the g Uganda primates when you locate them to prevent spreading of any infection.
• Loud noise is forbidden in the forest because this may scare the Uganda primates and other forest dweller. They are very sensitive to unfamiliar noise in their presence.
• Even using flash photography is prohibited because the Uganda primates and other inhabitants may go into hiding because of unfamiliar light.
• Feeding these primates on Uganda safari is forbidden because it changes the nature of their characters. They are wild animals that must search for their own and not depend on human supply.

Get in touch with our team for more information.