Is it possible to trek chimpanzees twice in Uganda and Rwanda?
Is it possible to trek chimpanzees twice in Uganda and Rwanda?
Doing chimpanzee trekking in Uganda and Rwanda is possible and you can decide to have the same experience in both countries. You need to secure a chimpanzee trekking permit in Uganda from the Uganda wildlife authority and Rwanda from the Rwanda development board.
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What Is Chimpanzee Trekking
Chimpanzee trekking is the activity of following a fully habituated chimpanzee troop in the wilderness. Every trekker is allowed only one hour of viewing the chimpanzees in their natural habitat. One needs a chimpanzee trekking permit to have access to this incredible adventure.
What Is The Cost Of Chimpanzee Trekking Permit In Uganda Or Rwanda
The Uganda chimpanzee trekking permits vary with destination where the cost of Kibale national park permits is $200 per person per trek for foreign nonresidents, $150 for foreign residents, and 150000shs for East African residents.
Kyambura Gorge Chimpanzee trekking permit costs $50 per person per trek for foreign residents and nonresidents, and 30000shs for East African residents.
Nyungwe national park chimpanzee trekking permits in Rwanda cost $90 per person per trek for foreign nonresidents, $60 for foreign residents, and $10 for East African residents.
What is included in the cost of a chimpanzee trekking permit for Uganda and Rwanda?
The Kibale national park chimpanzee trekking permit is the only one in Uganda that includes park entrance fees.
Other costs included in the chimpanzee habituation permit in Uganda include ranger guide service, security during chimpanzee habituation, chimpanzee conservation support, community support,
What Is Excluded In The Chimpanzee Trekking Permit For Uganda And Rwanda
Apart from chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park which includes park entrance fees, other chimpanzee trekking destinations whether in Rwanda or Uganda exclude park fees from the permit cost.
Other exclusions in the cost of chimpanzee permits in Uganda or Rwanda are:
Transport to the destinations, accommodation to use during the adventure, tips, and any other items of personal nature.
Where To Do Chimpanzee Trekking In Uganda And Rwanda?
IN UGANDA
Kibale National Park
Kibale national park is the largest home for chimpanzees in Uganda hosting about 1500 chimpanzees. This tropical rainforest covers an area of about 795 kilometers squared, with over 13 primate species as residents.
Some of the resident primates of Kibale National Park include olive baboons, L hoest’s, grey cheeked mangabey, red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys and so much more.
On the day of chimpanzee trekking, you gather at Kanyanchu visitor center or Sebitoli for briefing, then follow ranger guides into the forest to search for the chimpanzees. When you locate them you have just an hour of observing and taking photos. Do not use flash photography during chimpanzee trekking.
Kibale is a Uganda birding haven too with forest habitants that are homes to a variety of birds including Albertine endemics. Some of the birds you may get to see include Little Greenbul, Black-Eared Ground Thrush, African Pitta, Yellow Spotted Nicator, Blue-Breated Kingfisher, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Shoe Bill Stock, And Others
Kyambura Gorge
This forested chimpanzee trekking habitat is home to a community of chimpanzees. River Kyambura formed the gorge as it eroded into the Kazinga channel at the rift valley floor in Queen Elizabeth National Park. You have to be with some level of fitness to move down this slope and find the chimpanzees.
The severe rain season makes the slopes of this gorge slippery at times which makes the way to locate the chimpanzees fun but challenging.
Kaniyo Pabidi Forest
Kaniyo Pabidi forest lies in Murchison Falls National Park close to Budongo forest. The forest harbors a community of fully habituated chimpanzees that you can trek during the Uganda safari. Kaniyo Pabidi forest is about 8 kilometers from Kicumbanyombo gate.
You get to meet other primates in Kaniyo Pabidi forest, like olive baboons, blue monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, red-tailed monkeys, and others.
An array of birds live in this forested part of Murchison Falls National Park. You may get to spot them during the walk in the forest and when you do chimpanzee trekking too.
IN RWANDA
Nyungwe National Park
Nyungwe national park is home to a number of chimpanzees in Rwanda. The forest has its headquarters in Uwinka, from which briefing happens. On the outskirts of Nyungwe national park is Cyamudongo, where a chimpanzee community lives.
The chimpanzees in Nyungwe national park are still semi habituated so expect some odd behavior like running into hiding, pipping and so much more. Have some patience and be very obedient with these chimpanzees.
The park also has other residents primates like blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, red tailed monkeys, olive baboons, black and white colobus to mention but afew.
A wide ranger of birds are residents of Nyungwe forest so keen birders may have this double opportunity of spotting Red-Collared Mountain Babbler, Shelley’s Crimisonwing, Dusky Crimsonwing, Rwenzori Nightjar, White-bellied Robin Crested Flycatcher and others.
How to book chimpanzee trekking permit for Uganda and Rwanda
You can book chimpanzee trekking permits for either Uganda or Rwanda through a tour operator or directly from Rwanda Development Board or Uganda Wildlife Authority.
When you select a date when you wish to do chimpanzee trekking in Uganda and Rwanda. Remember, both Rwanda and Uganda are connected by a border at either Kyanika or Gatuna, so you need to allow some days or days of crossing from one country to another.
Upon enquiring from Encounter Africa Safaris, our safari consultants have to enquire from the Rwanda development board or Uganda Wildlife Authority list of chimpanzee permits.
When it is positive availability, we advise our clients to pre-purchase their chimpanzee trekking permits as soon as possible because they are limited yet demand is high.
We need some personal details later, like the full names indicated on the passport, passport expiry date, nationality, and others.
How difficult Is Chimpanzee Trekking in Uganda and Rwanda?
The topography of the chimpanzees trekking habitats of Uganda or Rwanda is not as steep as the homes of gorillas trekking where volcanic action left remnants. Expect to walk through a moist forest buy no densely moist.
The vegetation cover is not very thick, so expect limited undergrowth and visible trails. Even the water sources in these forest are normally contained in the boundaries of the rivers or steams.
Two ranger guides normally escort the party of trekkers into this expedition with one armed and another holding a machete to clear vegetation that overgrows to cover the trails.
How safe Is chimpanzee trekking in Uganda and Rwanda?
The chimpanzees in Uganda or Rwanda are habituated to accommodating human presence at least for an hour. You must follow the advice given by the ranger guide during a briefing before the chimpanzee trekking.
A team of rangers is in place to protect the chimpanzees and offer security to trekkers. They coordinate with other security organs in Uganda and Rwanda to protect the closest human relative in their natural habitat.
You need to pay tension to personal security by not carrying valuables you are afraid of losing to your chimpanzee trekking adventure in Uganda and Rwanda.
Do not eat street food during the chimpanzee trekking adventure because you may get a stomach upset and may not be allowed to go chimpanzee trekking.
Wear the right chimpanzee trekking gears to support your body from forest dwellers and surfaces like stinging nettles that may itch you.
Apply insect repellant to keep away biting insects in the forest that can cause skin irritation while you trek to locate the chimpanzees.
What Is The Best Chimpanzee Trekking Destination In Uganda And Rwanda
The chimpanzees being the closest humans relatives, are exciting to watch in the wild, so when you find them you may forget what you may have gone through to locate them.
Some of the differences in chimpanzee trekking in Uganda or Rwanda may include
The cost of a chimpanzee trekking permit
the Uganda chimpanzee trekking permits differ with destinations where Kibale national park permits cost $200 per person per trek, Kyambura Gorge chimp permit costs $60 per person, while Nyungwe national park chimpanzee trekking permit costs $90 per person per trek
The time you take to travel from Kigali airport to Nyungwe national park is about 6 hours to 7 hours, while the time you take driving from Entebbe airport to Kibale national park is about 5 hours to 6 hours.
Kibale National Park has more chimpanzee trekking communities compared to Nyungwe national park.
Kibale National Park chimpanzees are fully habituated for human presence so you may have settled chimpanzees, while the Nyungwe national park chimpanzees are semi-habituated, so expect them to hide at some point.
Chimpanzee gorilla trekking destinations have accessed a variety of other activities you can combine with it while Nyungwe national park chimpanzee trekking is limited with choices of what to combine it with in Rwanda.
What Else To Combine Chimpanzee Trekking In Uganda Or Rwanda With
IN UGANDA
Gorilla Trekking
Uganda is endowed with two gorilla trekking destinations that is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park, that you can add to your chimpanzee trekking itinerary. Uganda currently has 19 gorilla families open for gorilla trekking. You can add gorilla habituation to this adventure as it gives you a chance to have more time before the mountain gorillas.
You must purchase the gorilla trekking permits as soon as you can because they are limited in number, yet demand worldwide is very high.
Game Drives in Uganda
Endowed with a number of game parks where you can see numerous world animals on a game drive. You can visit Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison falls National Park, Lake Mburo National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park.
Some of the animals you may get to spot in these wild animals include giraffes, leopards, lions, hyenas, topis, impalas, zebras, waterbucks, bushbucks, warthogs, wild forest hogs, herds of buffaloes, herds of elephats, cheetahs, wild cats, hartebeests, and others.
Note that some of these wild animals are known to exist in particular parks, so in case you have particular animals you would like to see, state this before your itinerary is tailored or read about the Uganda game parks
Launch trips in Uganda
Uganda has two amazing launch trips in Murchison Falls National Park on River Nile and Queen Elizabeth National Park Kazinga channel. During the launch trip on Murchison Falls National Park, you enjoy a number of wild animals that quench thirst from the banks and cool off the day’s heat. When you get closer to the majestic River Nile, which squeezes through a narrow bend to burst out vigorously and form a cloudy appearance.
The launch trip on the Kazinga channel gives the best view of the rift valley and the amazing features around the banks. Watch the sunset in case you take the afternoon launch trip. Watch over for the wild animals that love feeding from the banks of this channel.
White water rafting in Uganda
Uganda is endowed with River Nile which is the longest River In the world. You can do white water Rafting, but you do not need to have any experience, as there are instructors in place to take you through this adventure.
Visit the source of the River Nile
Uganda has the source of the River Nile, which you can visit with a boat ride in Jinja. The River Nile water calmly separates from Lake Victoria water, and this is a lovely view.
Diverse cultural experience in Uganda
Uganda is a multicultural country with different cultures that you can learn about. Some have kingdoms, while others operate under chiefdoms. You can select which one to visit to learn about the ethnology of Uganda. Some of the present kingdoms include Tooro Kingdom, Buganda Kingdom, Bunyoro Kingdom, Busoga Kingdom, and others
IN RWANDA
Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes National Park is the only home for gorilla trekking in Rwanda. at the moment, the park has about 12 gorilla families open to tourist viewing. You need to book a gorilla permit to attend this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Game drives in Akagera National Park
You can do game drives in Akagera National Park, where you may get chance to spot animals like herds of buffaloes, herds of elephants, impalas, zebras, giraffes, and others
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