What May Stop You From Seeing Chimpanzees In Uganda And Rwanda

Things that may stop you from seeing chimpanzees in Uganda and Rwanda.

We know chimpanzees as the closest cousins of humans in the animal kingdom, Their behavior is slightly similar to what humans do because of their DNA resemblance to humans.

Several chimpanzees before the 1990s were being ferried to do circuses, act, as pets, and much more which altered their natural behaviors. They were being harassed and forced to adapt to human practices until when the world conservation bodies put a ban on wild animal trafficking without proper documentation.

Most Popular Safaris

• 3 Day Uganda Gorilla Trekking
• 5 Day Gorilla and Chimp
• 8 Day Gorilla Tracking
• 2 Day Bwindi Gorilla Via Kigali
• 3 Day Uganda Gorilla Via Kigali
• 5 Day Chimp and Gorilla Habituation
• 3 Day Fly in Gorilla Habituation
• 3 Day Fly in Safari to Murchison Falls National Park
• 3 Day Bwindi Double trek via Kigali
• 5 Day Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda

In Uganda, Kibale national park is the largest home of habituated chimpanzees, and in Africa too. More Uganda chimpanzee destinations include Kaniyo pabidi forest in Murchison Falls National park, Kyambura gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Ngamba Chimpanzee sanctuary, Kalinzu forest, Toro wildlife Reserve in Semliki and so many more.

Rwanda gorilla trekking happens in Nyungwe National Park with two communities of chimpanzees that are still under habituation. Cyamudondo is one of the chimpanzee trekking sites in Rwanda although its close to Nyungwe National Park.

Even when you have secured a chimpanzee trekking permit in Uganda or Rwanda, you may not be allowed to view the mountain gorillas because of the below factors.

Highlight Of What May Stop You From Seeing Chimpanzees

• Having no chimpanzee trekking permit
• Contracting a communicable disease like Covid-19 during or before chimpanzee trekking
• Being Under age before chimpanzee trekking
• Missing briefing before chimpanzee trekking
• Not showing up for chimpanzee trekking
• Breaking the rules of chimpanzee trekking
• Getting a bad Injury while in the forest before seeing the chimpanzees.
• Failing to pay for a chimpanzee permit
• Out Break Of A communicable Disease amongst the chimpanzees that can be transmitted to  humans

Having no chimpanzee trekking permit as per your preferred date

For anyone to be allowed to do chimpanzee trekking, you must have a valid chimpanzee trekking permit as per your preferred date. In case you hold no permit, you will not be allowed to join others in the search.

Secure a chimpanzee trekking permit for everyone you are traveling with. The Uganda chimpanzee permits are sold according to where you trek the chimpanzee. A Uganda chimpanzee permit to Kibale National Park cost $200, a Kyambura gorge chimpanzee permit cost $50 per person, and Toro Semliki wildlife Reserve costs $30 per person per trek.

In Rwanda, the cost of a chimpanzee trekking permit for Nyungwe National Park is $100 per person per trek.

Contracting A Communicable Disease Before Or During Chimpanzee Trekking

Chimpanzees are susceptible to human infectious diseases like covid-19, flu, diarrhea and so many others. You are requested to volunteer and stay behind in case you catch or have signs of this infection. This may save these endangered apes from catching a communicable infection that may massively claim their lives. A lot of energy has been put in to secure the lives of these human relatives the chimpanzees.

In case you don’t report this and leave for the forest but halfway show the signs, you are not allowed to meet the chimpanzees in Uganda or Rwanda. You may not be considered for a refund based on the authority’s terms and conditions.

Being Under Age Before Chimpanzee Trekking

12 years above is the age limit for chimpanzee trekking because of the conditions in the forest that a child below this age may not withstand.

Even if a chimpanzee permit is secured for a child under age, he or she may not be allowed to visit the chimpanzees.

While in the forest, there biting bugs that a child below this age may not withstand but make noise. The chimpanzees are generally afraid of unfamiliar noises in their vicinity. This may push most chimpanzee communities that listen to this noise into hiding.

Keeping your voice low is one of the rules of chimpanzee trekking for this reason you may be stopped from trekking the chimpanzees with your child.

In Uganda, children have some activities they can do while parents go chimpanzee trekking. In Kibale, children’s activities like educational forest walks where they learn about the ecosystem and its inhabitants can be arranged. The children also have some games and creative activities too like pond dipping, cyanotypes and so much more.

At the Uganda Wildlife Education Center just before the start of the safari or on return day, children can have an excursion to the center and enjoy the chimpanzees in their exhibits. It’s a fun activity too.

Missing briefing before Chimpanzee trekking

Every chimpanzee trekking adventure starts with a briefing. In Kibale National Park Kanyanchu is the briefing visitor center. In Rwanda Nyungwe National Park chimpanzee trekking briefing in Uwinka. Carry your chimpanzee trekking gear to have fun in the forest.

Chimpanzee trekking is scheduled for the morning or afternoon shift and so is the briefing. Missing out on briefing for chimpanzee trekking may call for your disqualification.

Chimpanzee trekking has rules that were set to save the chimpanzee and trekkers too. All these and more are explained in detail according to the prevailing forest. Some of the rules include no spitting on the vegetation, no smoking while in front of the chimpanzees, feeding the chimpanzees is prohibited and so much more.

 If you miss out on briefing you may misfire and cause a forest rampage in case you violate any of the rules.

Not Showing Up For Chimpanzee Trekking

Absconding from chimpanzee trekking is possible for reasons best known to you. This means you do not attend chimpanzee trekking even when you have booked a chimpanzee permit.

This, however, doesn’t call for a refund unless you have outstanding reasons with evidence and you present it before the day of the chimpanzee trekking.

A refund for your chimpanzee permit cost for a show can only be processed based on the terms and conditions of the governing authority. Uganda wildlife Authority and Rwanda Development Board is responsible for all the permit refund issues.

Breaking Rules Of chimpanzee Trekking

Trekking chimpanzees is guided by regulations cutting across Uganda and Rwanda. Some of the rules include no littering in the forest, avoiding provoking the chimpanzees, no feeding the chimpanzees, keeping a distance of about 8 meters apart from the chimpanzees, no noise making while trekking to locate the chimpanzees and so much more.

Carelessly breaking any of the chimpanzee trekking rules calls for dismissal from this activity. This is because not only the troupe of chimpanzees that you are a signed to trek will be affected but several others. If the chimpanzees retreat into the wilderness, the rest of the tourists will not see them causing chaos in the forest.

These rules were set to protect the chimpanzees and you. Abide by the chimpanzee trekking rules as explained during the briefing and your dreams will come true.

Getting A Bad Injury While In The Forest Before Seeing The chimpanzees Gorillas.

Accidents are unexpected injuries and it’s possible to injure yourself during chimpanzee trekking. You need to walk carefully and follow your ranger guide’s steps, especially the one in front. He or she ushers you into new directions to take while in the forest searching for chimpanzees.

You may slide, fall, and twist your ankle while in the wilderness and you are incapable of continuing with chimpanzee trekking. This may cause you to not see the chimpanzees in Uganda or Rwanda

Failing To Pay For Your Chimpanzee Permit

Although you may appear at the briefing point without evidence showing full payment for your chimpanzee permit, you are not allowed to join the rest of the trekkers.

You may forget to secure the chimpanzee permit up to the last moment but to be safe carry some cash on you. A no-show may give you space and you join the chimpanzee trekker crew.

Out Break Of A Communicable Disease amongst the chimpanzees that can be transmitted to humans

 Some of the pandemics that have affected the world are thought to have been transmitted by wild animals. Diseases like Ebola, covid-19, and more are thought to have been acquired from eating and interacting with wild animals.

In case such a deadly infection is detected amongst the chimpanzees, you are not allowed to see the chimpanzees even if you have secured a permit.

The authorities responsible may call for rescheduling the chimpanzee permits till further notice or offer a refund based on the terms and conditions prevailing.

What Are The Regulations Of Chimpanzee Trekking

• No using Flash photography during chimpanzee trekking. It stresses them and this may cause the chimpanzee to go into hiding.
• Avoid eating near the chimpanzees because they may be tempted to grab and share it too.
• No feeding the chimpanzees because they are wild animals that need to search for their own food.
• Follow the instructions from your ranger guide
• Never enter the forest without a ranger’s guide even if you are familiar with it. The forest also has other forest inhabitants that may view you as another prey.
• Ask your ranger guide to ding about 30 meters deep hole in case you wish to do a long call and cover up beyond recognition.
• Never provoke the chimpanzees because this may irritate them causing them to rage.
• Volunteer stay behind in case you catch or have signs of a communicable infection like flu, covid 19, and more.

For more information about what May Stop You From Seeing Chimpanzees In Uganda And Rwanda please contact us via our website and also visit our trip advisor