How to process chimpanzee permits credit note from UWA
How to process chimpanzee permits credit note from UWA?
The outbreak of covid 19 pandemic affected global travel also affected chimpanzee trekking tourism in Uganda and it also affected those who had booked chimpanzee trekking safari to Uganda in advance making them not do their treks and use the originally booked chimpanzee trekking permits for their dates. Due to this many travelers were forced to cancel their chimpanzee trekking trips to Uganda to see chimpanzees in Kibale National Park and many opted to request for a refund of their money paid to secure the chimpanzee permits in advance which Uganda Wildlife Authority found not tenable at that moment. With this Uganda Wildlife Authority offered an option to process credit notes for those who had booked their chimpanzee trekking permits for Kibale National Park in advance and then once you have your credit note processed you will use it to purchase new chimpanzee permits up to a period of 31st December 2022. The information below will guide you on how to process chimpanzee trekking permits credit note from Uganda Wildlife Authority –UWA.
What is a Credit Note from Uganda Wildlife Authority?
A credit note is a statement issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority for the canceled chimpanzee permits with a refund and you can use this statement to make new bookings in the future upon presentation of the statement.
We can use money held by UWA in the credit note arrangement for chimp permits to purchase any product or service including entrance fees and those products on discount during the promotional period that ends on 30th June 2021. Top-up on other existing permits can also be done using the money on the credit note arrangement.
Permits purchased at the old rate (USD 150) that were rescheduled or converted into credit notes will remain at that rate that is USD 150. All chimpanzee permit credit note requests have to go through the UWA central registry or via email. Contact us here, we will advise you accordingly.
Why is UWA allowing tour operators to process chimpanzee credit notes?
Uganda Wildlife Authority is allowing tour operators to process credit notes for them to easily manage the chimpanzee permits that were not used by tourists who did not travel to Uganda because of covid-19 restrictions and various uncertainties. Given the fact most of the chimpanzee permits are purchased through tour operators not directly to UWA, it is easy for them to request and follow up credit note requests.
They require tour operators to submit details of their clients for the permits booked in advance to the UWA Reservation Office to ensure that permits for these clients canceled from the system at least seven days before the tracking date.
What is the procedure of processing a chimpanzee permits credit note?
You will need to write a headed paper letter to Uganda Wildlife Authority, duly signed by the allowed signatory, with details of chimpanzee permits you need to be canceled off the Uganda Wildlife Authority system as this will involve canceling the current permits from our system and holding onto your money for future bookings. The letter should show the details of the breakdown and totals, as shown in the table below. Please use the attached excel sheet, and also attach it to your email to UWA. In addition, also attach the proof of payment for the permits in question.
Can a credit note be transferred from one tour operator to another?
It is not possible to transfer a credit note from one tour operator this decision was made by the Uganda Wildlife Authority because of internal financial management policies, the tour companies with a credit note and will transfer the credit notes are therefore advised to use these statements to purchase new permits and thereafter at their own liberty transfer these permits to any other tour company but the name of the original tour company will not change in the Uganda Wildlife Authority System.
What is the time flame allowed to process and use a chimpanzee permits credit note?
Once the UWA finance team reconciles, the chimpanzee permits will then be removed from their system and a credit note/statement will be issued to you for the said amount, for use at a future date, not exceeding December 31st, 2022.
What is the Covid booking and cancellation policy of chimpanzee permits in Uganda?
To go for chimpanzee tracking they require you to have a chimpanzee permit, with this they prefer that one who books a chimpanzee permit should be able to use it for the trek on a given date. Chimpanzee permit cancellation penalty and policy in Uganda, when you cannot make it to the trek from 0 to 8 days, to the day of tracking and with this, you don’t get the refund for the permits. For the last 6 months chimpanzee permits cancellation policies have changed a lot because of the outbreak of the Corona Virus which has forced both countries to relax the cancellation policies, in Uganda all chimpanzee treks that were affected by the pandemic have been given an opportunity to changed their dates of trekking twice up to 2022 December. Contact us here for details.
What you need to know about Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda
Uganda is commonly known as the primate capital of Africa, notably because of the so many primates, including chimpanzees, in Kibale National Park, Budongo forest, Kalinzu forest and Kyambura forest. Kibale National Park remains one of the best places to see habituated chimpanzees in the wild for one hour. For one to trek a community or party of habituated chimpanzees, he or she needs a chimpanzee permit issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority. The chimpanzee permit you will hold will entitle you to one hour with chimps in their natural set-up before returning to your overnight Lodge.
How to book Chimpanzee permits for Kibale National Park
A chimpanzee permit is a card issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority that allows you a half day excursion to see and photograph habituated chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park is a half day activity and once can choose to trek in the morning or afternoon. For more information on this, please contact Encounter Africa safaris before booking.
To book a chimpanzee trekking permit, we require you to send us dates, months, and year, when you intend to trek chimps in Kibale and we will check availability. Once we find that there permits on the requested date, we will reserve them and secure them for you upon making payment. We always send scanned copies to our clients for records and perusal. A chimpanzee permit includes one hour with chimps, park entry fees, and services of an armed ranger guide.
Managing Chimp trekking Expectations in Uganda
Having paid your chimpanzee trekking permits, transport, and accommodation costs to see habituated chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, high expectations will absolutely be there but there is a way one can manage his or her expectation bearing in mind that chances of seeing chimpanzees in Kibale National Park is way beyond 95%. Kibale National Park is one of the best places to visit habituated chimps in Africa. A chimp trek normally starts with driving from your overnight lodge to Kibale National Park headquarters for registration and briefing. After the briefing, we will assign each group of 6 people an armed ranger guide who will lead and guide you into the forest. UWA ranger guides are very knowledgeable in as far as primates, birds, trees, plants, and shrubs are concerned and you will realize that your walk to find chimpanzees will be highly rewarding. Once you find the chimps, you may spend one-hour taking pictures and simple videos while observing a 20ft or 7-meter distance. UWA emphasizes one hour with these endangered apes because, in their habituation process, they are kind of programmed to accept human beings for one hour so that privacy is maintained as well as giving them enough time to feed and make their nests.
Unlike mountain gorillas that live in a well-organized family set-up, chimpanzees live in large communities of about 50-200 individuals. During the day, these chimpanzees break up into small parties of about 8 or so individuals to avoid competition for food. They will later link up in the evening to make their overnight nests. What is important to note is that these parties keep on mingling and at one time you will find three parties that distinct groups of tourists have followed merging up resulting in many people watching one community that has just merged? It’s because of this that many people complain of the big numbers surrounding a community or party of chimps.
Why book your chimpanzee trekking permits with Encounter Africa Safaris?
Encounter Africa Safaris will help you book your chimpanzee trekking permits in Uganda and help you process a credit note for your permits in case you cannot make it for the trek because of uncertainties contact us and we advise you on the booking process. We as well have different chimpanzee trekking safari packages ranging from budget, mid-range to luxury options that we can book for you including the chimpanzee permits. Check out our trip advisor reviews and read from a community of happy satisfied clients. With us, you can rest assured of a memorable Uganda chimpanzee trekking tour. We are devoted to providing excellent service and customer satisfaction. Our team of excellent tour consultants is always willing to help answer all your safari questions. We guarantee you a great chimpanzee tour in Uganda with us.
Kibale NP Chimpanzee trekking FAQ
What is chimpanzee trekking?
Chimpanzee trekking is an out-door activity involving hikes in the forest to find habituated communities of chimpanzees in the wild. Only one hour is allowed for observation and photography once you find them. To trek chimpanzees anywhere in Uganda, one needs a valid chimpanzee trekking permit issued by Uganda wildlife Authority or National Forest Authority.
Where can I get or book chimpanzee permits to see chimps in Uganda.?
Chimpanzee permits for chimps in National Parks are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority while permits to see chimps outside national park but in forest reserves are issued by National Forest Authority. Those interested in trekking Chimpanzees in Kibale National Park and Kyambura gorge should contact UWA while those interested in trekking chimps in Kalinzu and Budongo forest should consider contacting Agents assigned by NFA to issue out chimpanzee trekking permits on their behalf. Encounter Africa safaris assists clients who book through us. Contact us for more information.
How much is a chimpanzee trekking permit for Kibale National Park?
The price of Kibale Chimpanzee permit keeps changing as UWA revisits tariffs. Currently, the price of Kibale chimpanzee permit is UDS$200 for foreign none residents and USD$150 for foreign residents with a working permit. This cost includes one hour with habituated chimps, park entrance fees, and services of an armed UWA ranger guide.
Why is chimpanzee permit for Kibale National Park expensive?
We consider the cost of a chimpanzee permit to trek chimps in Kibale Forest National Park to be expensive because we consider chimpanzees worldwide endangered and to reduce the number of visitors per day means making the activity expensive. Besides this, they need money to protect these primates by paying workers, investing in research, and assigning some money to community development projects around Kibale National Park.
Why is chimp trekking in Kibale National park one hour?
All over Africa, visiting habituated chimpanzees and observing them, is restricted to one hour once you get to find them. Naturally, chimpanzees are wild animals and their interaction with human beings is supposed to be minimal. In order to keep this habituated, they program chimpanzees to meet human beings daily for one hour to give them time to feed and go about their day-to-day activities like making their nests with minor disturbance.
Is it possible to spend more time with chimps in Kibale National Park?
Normal chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park allows you to spend one hour with habituated chimps once you have found them with the help of an armed ranger guide. It is however possible to spend more time with Chimps in Kibale National Park if you book a gorilla habituation experience permit instead of the normal chimp trekking permit. Chimpanzee habituation experience allows you to spend half a day with chimpanzees still under habituation. For more information about chimpanzee habituation experience, please contact Encounter Africa Safaris.
What is included in the price of my chimp trekking permit?
A chimpanzee trekking permit to see habituated chimps in Kibale includes one hour with chimps where you can observe, record videos and take pictures, park entry fees for Kibale and services of UWA armed ranger who will be with you during the trek.
What is excluded in the price of my kibale chimpanzee trekking permit?
The price of chimpanzee permit to trek in Kibale National Park excludes accommodation, meals, transport to and from Kibale National Park which should be booked through a credible tour operator such as Encounter Africa safaris.
What is the best time to trek chimpanzees in Kibale?
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park is an all-year round activity and can take place any day anytime. The best time to visit Kibale National Park for gorilla trekking is the drier and warm season of June, July, August, September then December to February. Unfortunately, this season in
How long does it take to habituate chimpanzees?
Habituating a community of chimpanzees in Uganda takes 2-3 years to be completed. A group of researchers and expert will keep on visiting wild chimps until they get used to human beings. Before a community is opened up for tourists or visitors, a mock exercise if first conducted until they are satisfied. Kibale National Park has three habituated communities of Chimpanzees that can be visited from Kanyanchu UWA headquarters.
What is the best time to trek chimpanzees in Kibale National Park?
Chimpanzees in Kibale National Park can be trekked or visited anytime of the year but the best time to visit Kibale is the dry or warm season of June, July, august, September then December to February. This season however coincides with summer and peak seasons where chimpanzee permits tend to sell out.
Is money spent on chimpanzee trekking in Kibale worth it?
Its true Kibale National park chimpanzee trekking is slightly expensive to a normal tourist and one would ask if the money paid for such is worth it. The first thing to appreciate is that the experience of seeing and photographing chimpanzees in their natural habitat is breathtaking and an everlasting memory to enjoy. This money paid for chimpanzee permits assist in paying salaries of Uganda Wildlife Authority staff and also investing in community-based projects to help people around Kibale National Park. By paying and trekking chimps in Kibale National Park, you will be contributing to conservation of the endangered chimpanzees and community development at the same time.
The minimum age for chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park is 12 years and above. All children below the age of 15 years are not allowed. In some instances, a child who is almost achieving his/her 12th birthday but not yet, may be allowed to trek chimps as long as he or she looks mature and is physically well built. Nevertheless, those who love to travel with kids below age of 12 can do other activities in Kibale Forest such as forest walk to identify birds and other primates or go for Bigodi Swamp walk in the nearby community swamp. Encounter Africa safaris can assist in arranging activities for your child as you go for gorilla trekking. For more information, do not hesistate to contact us on Phone or email.
Is it possible to reschedule my chimpanzee permit?
It is possible to reschedule your chimpanzee permit to another date as long as you inform UWA intime. When you book your chimpanzee permit with Encounter Africa safaris, we will take care of everything.
What is the difference between chimp trekking and chimp habituation experience?
The difference between chimpanzee trekking and Chimpanzee habituation experience is that chimpanzee trekking is a one-hour activity while habituation offers more hours with chimpanzees.
What is the best time to book my chimpanzee permit?
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park is the next hot thing after gorilla trekking and permits tend to sell out quickly. It is better to book your permit 3-4 months in advance much as we do so on short notice as well.
Where else can I see chimpanzee in Uganda?
Apart from Kibale National Park, once can trek chimpanzee in Budongo forest in Murchison Falls Conservation area, Kalinzu forest in Bunyaruguru and Kyambura gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
What are the chances of seeing chimpanzees in Kibale National Park?
Chances of seeing habituated chimpanzees in Kibale forest National park is 95% and above due to the fact that the experience is highly organized and chimps full habituated and not afraid of people.
How many chimpanzee communities are in Kanyanchu?
At the moment, there three communities of habituated chimpanzees open for tourism. Kanyanchu is a prime location of chimp trekking in Kibale.
