Best Three Chimpanzee Trekking Spots In Uganda

What is more charming than meeting the chimpanzees in Uganda in their original habitat? Chimpanzees are some of the closest human cousins, with a DNA of about 98% to that of humans. Worldwide, chimpanzees are kept in confines, and some are choreographed to perform for their visitors, unlike in Uganda, where they live a normal life.

In Uganda, chimpanzees are residents of the tropical forest Kibale National Park, Kaniyo Pabidi Forest in Murchison Falls National Park, and Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Uganda has more chimpanzee trekking destinations, but the best three are those mentioned prior.

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Everyone needs a chimpanzee trekking permit to have access to the habitats where these chimpanzees are residents. The chimpanzee's permits are limited to 6 per troop per session.

The growing chimpanzee population is owed to Uganda's natural forest cover that provides a haven and food supply that favors the survival of these chimpanzees. 

These chimpanzee habitats also provide a home to other primates, like olive baboons, blue monkeys, black and white colobus, red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, bush babies, potatoes, and others.

Keen birders may also take the double opportunity of doing gorilla trekking and chimpanzee trekking as a number of birds are residents of these forests, including Albertine rift endemics.

Where To Find Chimpanzee Trekking Destination In Uganda?

Kibale National Park is an extensive biodiversity national park protecting Uganda's largest number of chimpanzees. Kibale national park lies in western Uganda, sharing a migration corridor of about 180 kilometers with Queen Elizabeth National Park. Kanyanchu visitor center is the main administrative center for the park.

Currently, the population of chimpanzees in Kibale National Park is estimated to be about 1500. Each day two chimpanzee trekking sessions are carried out in Kibale National Park, which is the morning starting at 0800 hours and the afternoon at 1500 hours.

Kibale National Park hosts 13 primate species, some of which include chimpanzees, pottos, bush babies, blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus, honest, red colobus monkeys, and several others.

The abundant birdlife of Kibale Forest has a population of about 325 bird species recorded as residents of Kibale national park. Some of the birds you may get to spot include African Pitta, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Blue Headed Sunbird, Shoe Bill Stork, and others

How To Get To Kibale National Park

From Kampala To Fort Portal to Kibale National Park is 336 kilometers when you take the Mubende To Fort Portal route. This is also called the northern circuit.

Driving from Kampala through Mbarara to Kamwenge is the Southern circuit

You can fly from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi airstrip to Kaseseon on the daily domestic flights, but you need a transfer vehicle to your lodge. Charter flight services are available too.

Kyambura Gorge In Queen Elizabeth National Park

Kyambura Gorge lies 100 meters on the floor of the western rift valley. River Kyambura eroded this gorge as it flows towards the Kazinga channel. You must book a chimpanzee trekking permit for Kyambura Gorge from Uganda Wildlife Authority.

The starting point of every chimpanzee trekking adventure to Kyambura Gorge is Kyambura's fig tree camp at 0800 hours and 1400 hours.

While in Queen Elizabeth National Park, you can book either the morning or afternoon chimpanzees trekking session.

A community of chimpanzees lives in the forested Kyambura Gorge, so you need to be ready to hike and, on the way, expect some slippery slopes during the severe rainy seasons. You need the chimpanzee trekking gear to protect your body from harsh forest conditions.

How To Get To Kyambura Gorge

When in Queen Elizabeth National Park, you drive 3 kilometers from the main highway road to the gorge to Kyambura's fig tree camp, where briefing is done from.

Kaniyo Pabidi Forest In Murchison Falls National Park

Kaniyo Pabidi Forest is located in Murchison Falls National Park, 8 kilometers from Kicumbanyombo gate. The giant mahogany and ironwood trees where chimpanzees spend the day are amazing to walk through. These trees are some of the few leftovers of the fully-grown mahogany trees in Uganda.

This forest has a number of other primates like black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed monkeys, and olive baboons, to mention a few.

How To Get To Kaniyo Pabidi Forest

In Murchison Falls National Park, you drive 8 kilometers from Kicumbanyombo gate to Kaniyo Pabidi forest.

What is the cost of a chimpanzee trekking permit in Uganda

Since Uganda has a number of chimpanzee trekking destinations, each charges different rates depending on the management. Although Uganda Wildlife Authority manages the majority of these chimpanzee trekking habitats, some are privately managed.

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

What Is Included And Excluded In The Cost Of Kibale National Park Chimpanzee Trekking Permit

The Kibale National Park chimpanzee trekking permit cost includes park entrance fees for the day, security during chimpanzee trekking, ranger guide services, chimpanzee conservation, one hour with the chimpanzees, and local community support as the chimpanzees stray into the community at times. This is like compensation for the damages they cause in the community.

Some exclusions of Kibale National Park chimpanzee trekking permit cost; tips after chimpanzee trekking, transport, accommodation, snacks, and any other items of personal nature. When you contact Encounter Africa Safaris, we can make arrangements for your chimpanzee safari and lift off your shoulder the burden of planning for this African safari.

What Is The Cost Of Kyambura Gorge And Kaniyo Pabidi Chimpanzee Trekking Permit?

The current cost of the Kyambura Gorge chimpanzee trekking permit is $50 per person per trek.

The cost of the Kaniyo Pabidi forest chimpanzee permit is currently $90 per person per trek.

The cost of chimpanzee trekking permits for Kaniyo Pabidi forest and Kyambura Gorge includes ranger guide fees, security fees, community support, chimpanzee conservation support, and one hour with the chimpanzees.

The cost of a chimpanzee permit excludes tips, transport to the destinations, accommodation, and any other items of personal nature.

Can I Purchase The Uganda Chimpanzee Trekking Permit In Instalment?

Purchasing the chimpanzee trekking permit in full is the best option, but at times, it is inevitable, so you may opt to pay for it in installments.

Uganda Wildlife Authority accepts installment purchases for chimpanzee permits as long as you purchase it at least 90 days before the chimpanzee trekking day and top up 90 days before the trekking day. You can do a 30% deposit and top up the 70% later.

Please top up your chimpanzee trekking permit to avoid a penalty.

Is Chimpanzee Permit Reschedule Accepted In Uganda?

You can reschedule your Uganda chimpanzee trekking permit, but the terms and conditions of the Uganda Wildlife Authority apply.

You must write to Uganda Wildlife Authority requesting to move your chimpanzee trekking permit to a future date. State the new date when you hope to do chimpanzee trekking again.

Once approved, your chimpanzee permit is moved to a new date according to prevailing chimpanzee permit availability.

Uganda accepts only two free times when you move the same chimpanzee permit, but the Uganda Wildlife Authority executive director is the only one to approve the third time.

Are Chimpanzees Aggressive During Chimpanzee Trekking In Uganda?

The chimpanzees are first habituated to human presence for some time, monitored, named, and mock tests done before being opened to public booking. 

Chimpanzee habituation is a process where a team of researchers and habituators follows a community of chimpanzees to get them used to human presence without altering their nature. This chimpanzee habituation process may take two years to more, depending on how fast they adopt.

During chimpanzee trekking, you are given a chance to be in the company of a fully habituated chimpanzee troop.

You need to attend the briefing and respect all the rules of chimpanzee trekking as set by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

Chimpanzee trekking is a wilderness activity; expect some biting nettles, rough surfaces, and others. You must carry your chimpanzee trekking gear to add more protection while you move in the forest.

Can I Do Chimpanzee Trekking More Than Once?

You can do chimpanzee trekking as often as possible if you wish to have more hours with the chimpanzees. If one hour is not enough, you can experience a chimpanzee habituation. Chimpanzee habituation is an adventure where you follow a team of habituators in the wilderness to 

spend four hours in the company of a semi-habituated community of chimpanzees.

How Long Is Chimpanzee Trekking In Uganda?

The time taken when doing chimpanzee trekking is still being determined except for the one hour allowed with the chimpanzees upon locating them. The time of finding the chimpanzees depends on factors like their feeding area, in case of a fight amongst themselves, the pace of other trekkers, prevailing weather conditions of the days, and others.

You are requested to be patient because chimpanzees are mobile creatures whose life depends entirely on the forest. Sometimes trekkers may take two hours while others more depending on the above factors. You may find the chimpanzees feeding or lounging after feeding.

Having some fitness level during chimpanzee trekking protects you from getting tired, as the chimpanzees keep on with their day-to-day activities despite your presence.

Depending on the above factors, chimpanzee trekking has an age limit of above 15 years because a person above this age can withstand the conditions in the tropical rainforest.

In case you are physically impaired, you may request sedan chair services where you are lifted to where the chimpanzees are.

Where Else In Uganda Can I Do Chimpanzee Trekking?

Kalinzu Forest 

 Kalinzu Forest lies on the outskirts of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The chimpanzees in this forest are mainly used for research purposes, but during the peak season, which is normally June, July, August, September, December, and January, the demand for chimpanzee permits is overwhelmingly high.

The community of chimpanzees in Kalinzu forest can be opened to public booking when the demand arises.

Uganda Wildlife Education Center 

The Uganda Wildlife Education Center is the former Entebbe Zoo. Still, the wild animals here are currently kept in exhibits with an environment similar to the wilderness where they are commonly seen.

The chimpanzees in Uganda Wildlife Education Center can be watched during a self-guided or guided walk in the center. You can also interact with this community of chimpanzees by participating in activities like a keeper for the day, caregiving and chimpanzee integration, chimpanzee up close, and others.

Ngamba chimpanzee island sanctuary

Ngamba chimpanzee sanctuary is located on Lake Victoria Koome Island. This chimpanzee sanctuary is a request home for abandoned and orphaned, saved chimpanzees from confinement; snares many others that cannot return to their original communities. Ngamba Island was formed to educate visitors and the local community about the relevance of conserving chimpanzees and their habitats.

You can hire a boat from the pier in Entebbe and then sail to the island. You can take part in other activities on the island, like forest walks, beach walks, overnight at the island, sunset cruises, and others.

Ngamba island chimpanzee sanctuary offers beautiful and lovely views of Lake Victoria, the largest freshwater lake in East Africa. It is a destination that offers tranquility away from the noisy city and the busy city center.

Semuliki National Park

Semuliki national park is a biodiverse ancient forest located in the western part of Uganda. This forest hosts a community of chimpanzees, which you can track with prior arrangement. A number of other primates are friends of the Semuliki forest, like black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, De Brazza, Dent's mona monkeys, and red colobus monkeys, are others.

You can visit the Sempaya hot springs with amazing geysers, where you may perform the egg boiling experiment.

Watch out for a number of birds, including Albertine rift endemics, that roam the Semuliki forest. Over 441 bird species have been registered as residents of Semukili National Park.

Contact us for more information about chimpanzee trekking in Uganda.