What are the chances of seeing chimpanzees in Kibale National Park during the rainy season?

There is a 99.9% chance of seeing chimpanzees in Kibale National Park during the rainy season. Kibale is home to over 1500 chimpanzees, which can be tracked all year round, even during the rainy season. The national park is also home to 13 different primate species. Some of these include Lhoest monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, and grey-cheeked Mangabeys, among others. Kibale National Park is located in the southwestern part of Uganda and is considered the best chimpanzee trekking destination in the country.

Most Popular Safaris

8 day Uganda safari via Kigali

5 days gorillas and chimp safari

8 days gorilla tracking tour

19 day best of Uganda safari

15 days Uganda Rwanda safari

18 day Uganda Ultimate Safari

16 day primate game and culture

11 days gorilla tracking safari

5 days gorilla and Nile river source

17 day Uganda birding and wildlife

Chimpanzees have a 98% chance of being close to humans, and some of their behaviors mimic human behaviors, like taking care of the young ones and grooming. They are aggressive primates once they are provoked, but with the introduction of the chimpanzee habituation process, the primates have been trained to get used to the presence of humans, and only the habituated chimps are open for tracking. 

Chimpanzees weigh 35 to 75 kg and live in groups of 10 to 100 under the leadership of the dominant male. They sometimes stand on their two legs and sometimes move from one place to the next, searching for food and caring for their young. Chimpanzees can also live up to 60 years.

The chimpanzee trek permits in Kibale.

Chimpanzee trek permits are legal documents issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to all trekkers who wish to participate in chimp trekking in Kibale. The permits can be purchased through a trusted local tour operator or directly from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, and since they are always in high demand, they must be booked in advance at least 3 to 6 months before the trek date. After getting in touch with us with your trek dates, we check for the availability of the permits and get back to you in case they are available. After confirming, an invoice will be sent to you to pay for the safari, and once this has been done and the money has been received, the chimpanzee permit will be purchased, and proof of purchase will be sent as a scanned copy.

As you plan on purchasing a chimp permit in Kibale, note that the Uganda Wildlife Authority introduced guidelines for acquiring the permits, and these are:

• If you purchase a chimp trek permit, you cannot exchange it with a chimp habituation permit and vice versa.
• You have to pay at least 50% of the total cost of the Chimp permit if you book six months before the trek date, and the balance has to be paid 90 days before the trek date.
• You need to pay at least 100% of the total cost of the chimpanzee permit if you wish to trek in Kibale.
• One reschedule is allowed. If you make more than one, a surcharge of 25% will be added to the original cost of the chimpanzee permit.
• You must pay the balance 90 days before the trek date; otherwise, no permit will be purchased.
• The cost of other activities is not eligible for canceling and rescheduling
• All the chimpanzee trek reschedules should be made within a year from the original date booked.

Chimpanzee trekking experience in Kibale

The chimpanzee trekking experience in Kibale National Park is one that every tourist should engage in with the large number of chimpanzees found in the national park. Before you start chimpanzee trekking, you will undergo a briefing, and trackers who are familiar with the terrain will be sent out to ensure that the chimpanzees can easily be seen and tracked. The exercise starts early in the morning with a briefing from the lead guides, and after you are put into groups, the trek begins. Depending on where the chimpanzees are located, the tracking can take between 30 minutes to 6 hours, and after locating the chimpanzees, you have an hour with them.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority determines the cost of chimpanzee permits, which was recently updated. Below is the updated price of the chimpanzee permit in Kibale National Park.

Foreign non-residents $250

Foreign $200

EAC citizens UGX 180, 000

The chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale

Chimpanzee habituation is the process of training chimpanzees to get used to the presence of humans by researchers. The chimpanzee habituation process is a bit different from chimpanzee trekking because instead of an hour, with the habituation process, you spend more than 4 hours with the primates, following them around with researchers, and you get to ask all the necessary questions that you might have about the chimpanzees. You get to follow the semi-habituated chimps, observing their behaviors, taking photos, watching them feed, caring for their young ones, and recording videos.

Chimp habituation starts early morning at around 6:00 am from the Kanyachu headquarters, with guides briefing you about the rules and regulations of gorilla habituation and what to expect from the trek. Only four people are allowed to participate in chimpanzee habituation per session. During the habituation process, you get glimpses of different primate species, including butterflies, bird species, and several monkeys, including Lhoest monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, and black-and-white colobus monkeys.

Chimpanzee habituation is also carried out in Kibale National Park, and the cost of the chimpanzee habituation permit is as follows:

Foreign non-residents $300

Foreign residents $250

EAC citizens UGX 250 000.

Chimpanzees need to be protected at all costs, and Uganda Wildlife has come up with rules that are to be followed when tracking chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, some of which include:

• The minimum age for tracking chimpanzees in Kibale is 12 years.
• Eating when with the chimpanzees in Kibale is not allowed.
• You need to dig a hole 30cm deep and cover it up after you wish to use the toilet. It has to be covered well so that the chimpanzees cannot dig it up.
• Use of flash photography when taking photos of the chimpanzees has been prohibited.
• Touching and feeding the chimpanzees has been prohibited.
• Smoking is prohibited during the trek and when you find the chimpanzees.
• Minimize the noise made when tracking chimpanzees in the national park.
• Tourists who are sick will not be allowed to track chimpanzees in Kibale National Park.
• Leave 7 to 10 meters between the chimpanzees after locating them.
• Littering of the national park has been prohibited.
• Imitating what the chimpanzees do is risky and might cause the chimpanzees to attack.
• Take off your sunglasses when with the chimpanzees.
• Always ensure that your mouth and nose are covered when sneezing
• You have an hour with the chimpanzees after locating them
• Listen and follow all the instructions given to you by the guides.

What to pack for a Kibale Chimpanzee trek

Below is a list of things that you can pack for your chimpanzee trek safari in Kibale National Park, and these include the following:

Clothes: Clothes are very important when packing for a chimpanzee trek in Kibale. They should be neutral colors, not bright colors, and comfortable enough. When packing, avoid the color blue because it is associated with tsetse flies, and jeans are not recommended for trekking chimpanzees. 

• You should pack long-sleeved shirts and long trousers for a chimp safari. The extra layer of clothes provides warmth during cold weather and protects your skin from insect/bug bites during the trek. The pants should be lightweight for easy trekking.
• Knee-length hiking boots are needed to easily trek through the forest during the rainy season. The boots should be waterproof and comfortable to avoid blisters on your toes. They shouldn't necessarily be new; test-wear them to check their stability.
• A waterproof rain jacket is a necessity, and it should be worn in both the dry and rainy seasons. The rains in Kibale National Park occur throughout the year, and you need to be ready at all times.
• Garden gloves are used when trekking chimps in Kibale. These will protect your hands because you do not know what you will hold onto during the trek.
• Socks are necessary to keep you warm when it gets cold. During the trek, trousers are also tucked into the socks, which prevents insects from crawling up your leg.
• Warm sweater or fleece for the cold weather.

Insect repellent: to keep the bugs/insects away, especially mosquitoes and tsetse flies.

A camera and binoculars: These should be the first things to pack for a chimp safari in Kibale to help keep your memories alive. However, the flash on your camera should be turned off at all times, carry extra batteries, and ensure that you have enough storage for your photos. Binoculars help when spotting other wildlife in the national park, so do not forget to carry a portable adapter.

A waterproof day backpack: The day backpack will help you carry all the essentials needed for the chimpanzee trek, including insect repellent, a camera, snacks, water bottles, and sunscreen.

Water bottle and snacks: Snacks can include anything you wish to eat, and you should carry a refillable water bottle for your chimpanzee trek in Kibale National Park.

Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park can occur in the rainy and dry seasons. The best time to go is in the dry season because the vegetation is thin during this period, making it easy for tourists to spot the primates. The trek routes are also used.

Accommodation when trekking chimpanzees in Kibale National Park

Accommodation in and around Kibale National Park varies from budget to mid-range to luxury accommodation facilities, and you have a wide market area to choose the best option that fits your budget. Some of these lodges offer discounts, especially during the rainy season, but they must be booked in advance to get the best deals. When choosing a lodge to use during the chimpanzee trek in Kibale, it is advisable to consider the distance from the lodges to the beginning of the trailhead. The best available lodges in Kibale include Kyaninga Lodge, Ndali Lodge, Kibale Forest Camp, Isunga Lodge, Mountains of the Moon Hotel, Primate Lodge, Aramaga Rift Valley Lodge, Chimp Nest lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Guest House, Fort Motel, Kibale Guest cottages, Kibale safari lodge, papaya Lake Lodge, primate safari Lodge, Rwetera Safari Park, Turaco Treetops and Westend Motel among others.

Other activities carried out in Kibale National Park

Besides chimpanzee trekking, there are other activities that you can carry out during your chimpanzee trekking safari to Kibale National Park. These include guided nature walks through the forest, bird watching in Kibale (there are over 150 recorded bird species in the park), a visit to the Bigodi wetland sanctuary, a visit to the Amabere ga Nyina Mwiru, primate walks, and a Crater Lakes Tour, among others. The abovementioned activities can be carried out all year round and are to be booked and paid for separately from chimpanzee trekking.

Getting to Kibale National Park for chimp trekking

You can use road or air transport to get to Kibale National Park. The most commonly used mode of transport is road, and the drive is between 6 and 7 hours from either Entebbe or Kampala. The drive from Kampala will take you through Mubende to Fort Portal or using the Mbarara highway, then connect to Kamwenge and thereafter connect to the Park headquarters. 

The rainy season in Uganda is from October to November and March to May. During this period, there will be showers if it rains, and tourists have to get ready for the wet, muddy trek trails. Compared to the dry season, it is easy to spot mountain gorillas during this period because there is plenty of food, and chimpanzees do not trek further into the forest. The only downside is the rain and slippery routes.

Encounter Africa Safaris is the best tour operator to help plan your safari, please contact us for more information.