Facts About Chimpanzee Trekking In Kibale National Park

Looking for facts about chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park? Kibale National Park is the prime chimpanzee safari destination of Uganda, with over 1500 chimpanzees and more than 15 chimpanzee communities fully habituated. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park is the major activity of this Park. Kibale National Park lies in the western part of Uganda, covering about 795 square kilometers of forested land.

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Two chimpanzee trekking sessions happen in Kibale National Park that is early morning from 0800 hours and afternoon from 1500 hours which takes about 2 hour to 3 hours. During chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park, tourists follow a fully habituated chimpanzee troop and spend one hour with the chimpanzees.

Other than chimpanzee trekking, you can engage in chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale National Park which last four hour when you find the semi-habituated chimpanzee community. You are in the company of researchers and ranger guides. Maximum four tourists are allowed to do chimpanzee habituation experience per session.

During chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park, you may spot other primates from the 13 primate species that the forest hosts like blue monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, vervet monkeys, red tailed monkeys, L'Hoest's, pottos, bush babies, olive baboons and so many others.

More than 325 bird species are residents of Kibale National Park including Albertine rift endemics some of which include African Pitta, Yellow spotted nicator, Little greenbul, Blue-breasted kingfisher, Abyssinian ground thrush and so many others. These and many more can be spotted during or after chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park.

How To Book Chimpanzee Trekking Permits In Kibale National Park?

Choose a date when you hope to do chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park and the number of chimpanzee trekking permits you wish to book. This helps with checking the availability of chimpanzee permits and not moving back and forth.

At Encounter Africa Safaris, we can assist you in booking the chimpanzee permits for Kibale National Park when you provide us with these details. Upon receiving your enquiry, our tour consultant checks availability from the list of Uganda Wildlife Authority.

Upon finding the availability of the chimpanzee permits, we get back to you as soon as possible.

We advise clients to purchase their chimpanzee permits as soon as possible because they sell out fast especially during the high season. Demand for chimpanzee permits gets high during the high season, which is June, July, August, September, December, and January.

Avail us with some personal details to be added to your chimpanzee trekking permit card that is your full names as presented on your passport, date of birth, nationality, and passport expiry date.

What is the cost of a chimpanzee trekking permit for Kibale National Park?

Currently, the chimpanzee trekking permit for Kibale National Park costs $300 per person for foreign nonresidents, $250 for foreign residents, and 150000shs for East African residents.

The chimpanzee trekking permit cost for Kibale covers park entrance fees, ranger guide fees, security, local community support, one hour with chimpanzees, government tax.

Exclusions in the cost of chimpanzee trekking permit for Kibale are tips, porter hire, accommodations and other personal expenses.

Is The Cost Of Chimpanzee Permit For Kibale National Park Worth The Money?

The cost of a chimpanzee trekking permit is worth the money as you get to share the same area with the closest human cousins in the animal kingdom that have about 98% human DNA. Chimpanzees are some of the endangered primates in the world and are highly protected.

Conserving the chimpanzees is the number one priority that surpasses chimpanzee trekking. To collect more funds to support the sustainable existence of the chimpanzees, a porting of the money collected from the sale of chimpanzee permits is used for this purpose. You get to support chimpanzee conservation.

When you hire a porter to help carry your chimpanzee trekking gear during chimpanzee trekking, you contribute to creating awareness about the chimpanzees in the community around. The chimpanzees' number one risk is human interference so as porter from the community, they get back to the community to tell other about the relevancy of having the chimpanzees amongst them plus there habitat.

How sure can I be to See chimpanzees in Kibale National Park?

There is a 98% chance of seeing chimpanzees in Kibale National Park. Kibale has the largest population of chimpanzees in Uganda and the largest number of fully habituated chimpanzee communities.

Before the chimpanzee community is opened to the public to visit, they are first habituated for unknown time and then taken through mocks till proven ready for public visits. These chimpanzees get to tolerate humans for the time allocated, which is one hour, and then they are left to carry on with their day-to-day activities.

Each day, a team of ranger guides wakes up early in the morning to check where the chimpanzees may have nested and establish their possible destination for the day. These clues are what rangers escorting tourists use to find the chimpanzees in the wilderness.

Rangers also follow the trail head leading where the chimpanzees where last seen the previous day because they rarely feed far from there unless when they are attacked.

As tourists, you are requested by the ranger guides to help trace the chimpanzees as part of the chimpanzee trekking experience. Look out for fresh dung, footprints, freshly eaten foliage and so much more that can lead you where the chimpanzees are.

Failure to find the chimpanzees under any circumstance, the Uganda Wildlife Authority invokes its chimpanzee permit refund policy terms and conditions apply.

What Accommodations Can I Use During Chimpanzee Trekking Safari In Kibale National Park?

Accommodation for Kibale National park are categorized into Luxury, Mid-range and budget facilities.

Some of the Kibale National Park accommodations include:

Ndali Lodge, Primates Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, Kibale Safari Lodge, C.V.K, Chimpanzee Guest House, Chimps Nest Lodge

How Long Is Chimpanzee Trekking In Kibale National Park?

The time of doing chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park may last about two hours to three hours. The duration of chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park varies with factors prevailing in the forest, like weather conditions prevailing in the day, location of feeding area, death of a community member, pace of fellow trekkers, and others.

You need to have same patience while searching for the chimpanzees because they are wild animals that move freely in the wilderness. Look out for other forest dwellers like black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, blue monkeys, olive baboons and so many others.

When you find the chimpanzees, only one hour is allowed with them for conservation reasons like the presence of humans interrupts the running of the day today life of chimpanzees. As you get away from the chimpanzees, do it slowly without notice so as not to appear suspicious before these highly sensitive primates.

How safe is chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park?

Kibale National Park is safe for chimpanzee trekking as Uganda Wildlife Authority's well-trained and experienced ranger guides are in place to offer protection to the chimpanzees, other forest dwellers, and visitors to the Park. They work closely with other Uganda security agencies to keep law and order in and around Kibale National Park.

Each day a team of Uganda Wildlife Authority Range guides patrol Kibale forest to establish the nesting spot for the chimpanzees and their possible day hangout spot. They also look around for any traces of snares that may have been set by poachers then disband them.

Tourists must attend briefing before the chimpanzee trek where they are given more detailed information about the current situation of the Park and its dwellers. They are given the guidelines to follow during chimpanzee trekking so as not to cause commotion in the forest.

Never walk in Kibale Forest without an escorting ranger guide, or you may land in the eyes of unhabituated forest dwellers like the dangerous forest elephants.

What Is The Age Limit For Chimpanzee Trekking In Kibale National Park?

15 years and over is the age limit for chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park. Children below 15 years may not withstand walking in the forest, where you need to follow the rules of chimpanzee trekking. At a glance, the chimpanzees may look scaring but when you sink into the hour with them since they are habituated, you realize the resemblance they have with humans. It's hard to leave their presence without falling in love with the charms of the chimpanzees.

The long search for the chimpanzees may not favor children below 15 years because they get so tired so they are not allowed to do chimpanzee trekking.

What can children do as parents go chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National park?

Children below 15 years are not allowed to do chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park. Kibale National Park has children's activities that are eco-related and can keep them busy as parents go chimpanzee trekking. With the well trained and professional ranger guide, children engage in activities that help them relate with the ecosystems like batik making, pond dipping, wildlife photography, cyanotype and others. 

The duration of the children's activities in Kibale National Park is about one hour to two hours.

Is The Chimpanzee Trekking Adventure In Kibale National Park Difficult?

The chimpanzee trekking adventure of Kibale National Park is quite tiresome as you have to walk in the jungle in search for the chimpanzees. The trails re sometimes obstructed by overgrown under growth which you need to creep under to where the chimpanzees may be. 

Although the nature of the topography of Kibale forest is fairly-flat, there are creepers on the trees that may obstruct the way. Since the chimpanzees are not stationed in one place, you need to walk for some time to find them, which is quite challenging. 

During the breaks while you search for the chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, you can munch on the energy treats but remember not to dump garbage in the wilderness because it alters the nature of the forest.

How Can I get to Kibale National Park from Kampala or Entebbe?

By Road

Kibale National Park can be reached from two directions from Kampala or Kibale National Park, forming almost a circuit.

From Kampala or Entebbe, you drive to the northern route to Mubende and Fort Portal then Kanyanchu Visitor Center in Kibale National Park.

From Kampala or Entebbe to Mbarara to Kamwenge to Kanyanchu Visitors Center in Kibale National Park. Sebitoli Forest Camp is the secondary visitor center of Kibale National Park

By Air

Daily domestic flights from Kajjansi Airfield or Entebbe Airport are available, but you must book a seat in advance. These flights land in Kasese Airfield where you need to hire a transfer vehicle to your lodge in or out of Kibale National Park

Charter flight services from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Airfield can be arranged in advance. Booking is necessary so that all necessary clearances are done.

What are the guidelines for chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park?

• Eating or smoking 300 meters closer to the chimpanzees is forbidden to prevent chances of the chimpanzees grabbing it from you. They are wild animals that must search for their own food and not depend on human provision.
•  Burry all fecal materials beyond recognition so that the animals in the forest cannot exhume them. Ask the ranger to dig a hole for you about 30 cm and cover well.
• In case you wish to sneeze or cough, do it away from the chimpanzees and use your handkerchief or elbow.
• Try not to talk loudly or make noise when going on a chimpanzee search because you may also scare the other forest dwellers that may be interesting to see.
•  Wearing a clean mask before meeting the chimpanzees is an added rule for all primate safaris after the Corona Virus Lockdown.
• The age limit for chimpanzee safaris in Uganda is 15 years and beyond because children below this age may not withstand the conditions in the forest. 
• When you locate the mountain gorillas only one hour for chimpanzees trekking is allowed with them. This is to let the chimpanzees go about there day to day activities. They have been habituated to be in the presence of humans for just that time.
• Keep a distance of about 8 meters from the chimpanzees when you locate them. This is to reduce the chances of passing an infection to the mountain gorillas. 
• Provoking the chimpanzees during the adventure is not accepted because you do not know how this will treat them. They are very sensitive to anything that happens to them.

Contact us for more information.