Chimpanzee trekking holidays in Uganda and Rwanda

Chimpanzee trekking is an underrated safari exercise that takes you around the national parks where it is carried out. Chimpanzee trekking involves tracking the chimpanzees in their natural habitat, following them around, and spending an hour with the primates as you study their behaviors and learn more about their natures. During a chimpanzee trek, small groups go on a hike with trained rangers and experienced guides to spend time with the chimpanzee communities in the wild. Chimpanzees are similar to gorillas in various ways and after spending time with the chimpanzees, you will be able to notice the differences.

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Chimpanzee trekking holidays in Uganda and Rwanda are popular among tourists as this gives them a chance to spend time with the chimpanzees for one hour with the chimpanzees during a normal chimpanzee trek and a full or half day when it comes to chimpanzee habituation.

Uganda

Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda is a popular safari activity that is carried out in different safari destinations some of which include Kibale National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kalinzu Forest, and Murchison Falls National Park.

Kibale Forest National Park is considered to be the best chimpanzee trekking destination in Uganda with over 1500 chimpanzees. Located in southwestern Uganda, Kibale can easily be accessed from Entebbe or Kampala via road. Tourists in Kibale have a 90% chance of seeing the chimpanzees while in Kibale, unlike other destinations in the country. The national park offers two sessions of chimpanzee trekking one starting at 8:00 am and the last one at 2:00 pm but tourists should note that the morning excursions are the busiest and the best time to for chimpanzee trekking because chimpanzees are more active in the morning and the afternoon finds them resting and grooming each other. It is also only in Kibale National Park where chimpanzee habituation is carried out and it starts at 6:30 am till late in the evening when the chimpanzees go back to their nests. The cost of the chimpanzee trek permit is $250 for foreign non-residents, $200 for foreign residents, and EAC citizens UGX180,000. The habituation permit is UGX250,000 for EAC citizens, $300 for foreign non-residents, and $250 for foreign residents.

Kyambura Gorge is the only area in Queen Elizabeth National Park to have a chimpanzee safari destination in Uganda. Kyambura also known as ‘’the valley of apes’’ is home to a sizeable number of habituated chimpanzees (17) which can be seen all year round, however, the best time is during the dry season. Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura can easily be combined with a game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park and the cost of the chimpanzee permit in Kyambura Gorge is $100 for foreigners , $80 for foreign residents (who have resident or work pernits) and Uganda and EAC citizens UGX50,000 per person.

Budongo Forest is located in Murchison Falls National Park and is home to habituated chimpanzees which are tracked throughout the year. Tourists have an 80% chance of spotting the chimpanzees in Budongo forest and the forest is in association with the Goodall Institute which has increased the population of the chimpanzees in the forest. The cost of the permit for foreign non-residents is $230, $120 for foreign residents, and $85 for EAC citizens. Get in touch with us for more information.

Rwanda

Chimpanzee tracking in Rwanda is one of the most exciting safari activities and one of the most popular wildlife tours in the country. Chimpanzee tracking is done in Nyungwe Forest National Park and during the exercise, tourists get to track and meet the chimpanzees in their natural habitat. Located about 5 to 6 hours from Kigali in the southwestern part of Rwanda, Nyungwe is the only place in Rwanda where chimpanzee tracking is offered. Nyungwe is also home to other 13 primate species some of which include blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, Ruwenzori monkeys, baboons, and chimpanzees among others. Rwanda is home to about 500 chimpanzees with two habituated chimpanzees, the Cyamudongo and the Uwinka group.

The first bituated chimpanzee family/group in Nyungwe is the Cyamudongo group which is found in the Cyamudongo forest east of the national park. Cyamudongo is detached from the main forest and has about 30 chimpanzees offering tourists the most successful chimp sightings in the park because of the small size which makes it easy to track the chimpanzees.

The second chimpanzee group is the Uwinka group found in the main forest of Nyungwe near the park headquarters in Uwinka Area. The Uwinka community has more than 60 chimpanzees and even though they are located near the park headquarters, the sightings are minimal because of the magnitude of the chimpanzee community.

There is a new habituated chimpanzee community that has been introduced in Nyungwe and this is the Gisovu group located in the northern part of Nyungwe near Kibuye town. Since the Gisovu group is still new, it is not yet used to strangers and large crowds of people running away from guides as well. With time, the group will be tracked like the Uwinka and Cyamudongo groups after they become comfortable.

Chimpanzee experience in Nyungwe: Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park starts early morning after a briefing from the Gisakura station for tourists tracking the Cyamudongo and Uwinka groups and for the Gisovu group, the trek starts from Gisovu which is near Kibuye. Tourists have to arrive at the station to meet the guides from 4:30 am to 5:00 am for the briefing before transferring to the briefing point in the park. Note that Nyungwe Forest National Park only offers the morning session and all tourists have to attend the briefing because this is where tourists are divided into groups, told what to expect during the trek and the rules to follow when trekking. When planning chimpanzee trekking, make sure that the accommodation chosen is closer to the trek location.

The cost of the chimpanzee trekking permit in Nyungwe Forest National Park is as follows: foreign non-residents/international visitors pay $150, foreign residents in Rwanda and East Africa pay $75, and Rwanda and EAC citizens pay $25 per person. On top of purchasing the permit, tourists have to pay for the park entry fees costing $100 for foreign non-residents, $60 for foreign residents in East Africa and Rwanda, and $10 for East Africa and Rwanda citizens. Contact us for more information.

Tips for preparing for the chimpanzee trekking holiday in Uganda and Rwanda

The best tip is to be physically fit and patient to have a good chimpanzee trekking experience in Uganda and Rwanda. The essential items to carry when going for a chimpanzee trek in Uganda and Rwanda include the following:

• Long pants and long-sleeved shirts to protect your skin from scratches and insect bites.
• Hiking shoes that have ankle support, are waterproof and comfortable, and sneakers that have good traction.
• A waterproof rain jacket for when it rains.
• Sunscreen, insect repellent, and a sunhat
• Warm sweaters, ponchos, and scarves
• First aid kit
• A camera, extra batteries, lenses, and memory cards
• Day backpack
• Snacks
• Refillable water bottle
• Binoculars
• Garden gloves
• Socks
• Gaiters.

How long does it take to find chimpanzees and what is the time spent with the chimpanzees?

Chimpanzees are primates that are always on the move in search of food and sometimes keep on making new nests in different parts of the forest, you will never find a permanent address for the chimpanzees in the forest and after making the new nests, this is where they end up spending the whole day. This means that the time taken to find the chimpanzees is unpredictable and can take between 2 to 3 hours for tourists to find the chimpanzees. The chimps are on the move once they wake up however some trackers are sent out early morning ahead of the trek group to find the chimps before they leave their nests and the trackers communicate to the guides who have stayed back with the tourists about the location and this makes it easy for the guides to find the easiest route to locate the chimpanzees that are always on the move.

After locating the chimpanzees in their natural habitat, visitors have an hour with the chimpanzee communities and this is the best time to observe the chimpanzees, their features and actions and take photos.

Chimpanzee trekking rules and regulations:

The chimpanzee trekking rules and regulations in Uganda and Rwanda have to be followed by all tourists during the chimpanzee trekking holidays in both countries. The rules to be followed are put in place to protect both the trekkers and chimpanzees. Since chimpanzees share DNA with humans, they can easily be attacked with human diseases that are fatal to them. Below are the chimpanzee trekking rules and regulations that have to be followed in Uganda and Rwanda.

• The minimum age for chimpanzee trekking is 15 years and 12 years in Rwanda and Uganda respectively. Children are harder to control, especially when they have flu and cough which is dangerous to the chimpanzees and they cannot follow all the rules and regulations and this is the reason why the minimum age was set.
• Travellers with cough and flu should not trek chimpanzees in Uganda and Rwanda. Chimpanzees are highly prone to human diseases that might affect the whole chimpanzee community and are fatal. If you are sick, make sure that you volunteer for chimpanzee tracking.
• Littering in the forest while on a chimpanzee tracking trail is prohibited. Ensure that all the rubbish is taken out park to protect the chimpanzees.
• A group of 6 or 8 people is allowed to visit the habituated chimpanzee communities at a time. This reduces the number of people tracking chimpanzees per day which in turns reduces on overwhelming the chimps in their habitat.
• Speak in low tones/voices while on a chimpanzee trekking safari. Loud voices interrupt the chimpanzees and other wildlife in the national parks and this is why tourists have to communicate in low tones to be able to encounter other species including bird species, forest elephants, and bushbucks among others.
• Visiting the chimpanzees is limited to an hour only. Visitors after locating the chimpanzees have only an hour with the chimpanzees.
• Never use the flash on your camera when you are taking photos of the chimpanzees.
• It is illegal to chase and touch chimpanzees when tracking gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda. You are in their natural habitat and you have to respect the chimpanzees at all times.
• It is prohibited to eat, drink, and smoke when you are near the chimpanzees. Chimpanzees can easily grab food from your hands and this is not safe because this can easily transmit diseases from humans to the chimpanzees.
• Always make sure that you stay in groups when encountering the chimpanzees and avoid making noise when you are near them. Surrounding the chimpanzees can scare them off and some might attack. Avoid wandering from the group because there are other wild animals found in the park.
• It is prohibited to mimic chimpanzees because you do not know what you are communicating. You might end up angering the chimpanzees forcing them to attack.

What is the best time to go for chimpanzee trekking holidays in Uganda and Rwanda?

Chimpanzees in Uganda and Rwanda can be tracked and spotted all the time, however, the best time is defined by the weather/seasons. Uganda and Rwanda experience two seasons that is the dry and wet season and these very much determine the level of difficulty when trekking chimpanzees. The dry season June to September and December to February are the best times to trek chimpanzees because of the dry trek routes which are easier to use and walk on. The wet season of March to May and October to November is characterized by, mud, and slippery routes which sometimes makes it hard to trek chimpanzees. The rainy season however is a good time to travel because there are few tourists, it is much cheaper and chimpanzees can easily be spotted since there is a lot of food for the chimpanzees which means they are always nearby unlike the dry season when they move deeper into the forests.

Encounter Africa Safaris is here to help you organize chimpanzee trekking holidays in Uganda and Rwanda.