What To Do And See In Budongo Forest

Budongo forest is a natural forest in Uganda under the care of the National Forest Authority with Uganda Wildlife Authority. Chimpanzee trekking and chimpanzee habituation experience are some of the main activities done in this park.

Chimpanzee habituation experience is an adventure here maximum 4 tourists accompany a team of ranger guides and research to follow a semi-habituated chimpanzee community for four hours. Chimpanzees trekking safari is an adventure where tourists follow a fully habituated chimpanzee communities have one hour with them.

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Budongo forest is home to several primates including black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, grey cheeked mangbey, red tailed monkeys, olive baboons and others.

An array of birds find safe haven in Budongo forest especially forest birds as there is food supply in the forest for them almost all year around. Ornithologists have so many bird species to identify while in Budongo forest but having a professional birding guide is an added advantage.

Budongo forest is close to Murchison Falls National Park which is a super game park in Uganda hosting a number of countries.

What To Do And See In Budongo Forest Include

Chimpanzee Trekking in Budongo Forest

Chimpanzee forest in Budongo forest is a once in a lifetime experience where tourist have the chance to spend one hour with a fully habituated chimpanzee troop. You can do the morning or afternoon chimpanzees trekking adventure. The nature of the environment of Budongo forest is quite moist most of the day because of the dense canopy that permits less sunrays into the forest. The forest is a water catchment area with a number of streams and rivers that crisscross the forest.

Even though time of locating the chimpanzees is quite hard to determine, having some level of patience is very important in case you are to push through to the end. Tourists are required to participate in helping find the chimpanzees by listening carefully to the murmurs they make watch out for the clues they leave behind and others.

Upon finding the chimpanzees, one hour is allowed with them as a conservation measure because they are habituated to be before humans for that one hour. They need to carry on with the running of there day today activities.

To do chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest, one needs to have a chimpanzee trekking permit which is the entry ticket to being part of this adventure. The validity of the chimpanzee permit is until the date for which it was booked and none transferable in case you fail to attend the adventure without reporting to the authorities in advance.

Chimpanzee Habituation Experience In Budongo Forest

Chimpanzee habituation experience is an adventure where maximum 4 tourists accompany a team of researchers to follow a semi-habituated chimpanzee community four hours. These chimpanzees still posses there natural traits so expect them to move into the forest any time. They are very suspicious because they are still getting used to human presence.

Before proceeding to search for the chimpanzees, all tourist are required to attend briefing at the ranger station. Time of finding the chimpanzees is hard to determine because they are very mobile primates that must search for a meal to support there bodies throughout the day and night.

To assist with finding the chimpanzees during chimpanzee habituation experience tourists can help trace there foot prints, listen carefully to the calls they make, look for fresh foliage they leave behind and others.

Guided Forest Walks In Budongo Forest

Take guided forest walks in Budongo forest suing the trails used by regular visitors in the forest. Budongo forest has a network of trails throughout that enable you find different features in the forest. Never enter the Budongo forest without a ranger guide because the forest has others inhabitants that may be dangerous when you solely encounter them.

During forest walk in Budongo, you may come across forest elephants, birds, a number of primates, different tree species and others. Cross the various streams that crisscross the forest conditioning it keeping it moist most of the time. Some of the rivers in Budongo forest include River Kamirambwa, River Waisoke, River Siba and River Sons

Birding in Budongo forest.

Keen birders on a visit to Budongo forest get the chance to spot a variety of birds that spend time in the forest premises. The rich bird life on Budongo forest is best experienced early morning as they emerge from there night hide outs and face the day. Having a birding guide is very helpful when identifying the various resident bird species in the forest.

Some of the residents birds of Budongo forest includes yellow throated leaf love, Grey capped Warblers, long toed plover, silverbirds, Chestnut Crowned Sparrow weaver and others.

When is the best time to Do A Safari in Budongo Forest

Even though Budongo Forest is open all year, the dry season which is December to February and June to September is most preferred because most of the activities in the forest include moving in the wilderness. The chimpanzees keep most of there time closer to the ground during the dry season since up in the tree there is less food supply  as competition for food is high.

The ambience in Budongo forest is beautiful in the dry season as more sunlight penetrates through the dense canopy into the quite dark forest creating a favorable environment to take nature inspired photos with great texture and lighting.

Note that more tourists are expected in Uganda during the dry season since it is the peak tourism season of the country too. This creates high competition for chimpanzee permits yet there supply is restricted a conservation measure. Even competition for other amenities that support tourism is high during this season.

The wet season which is March to May and November are low tourism seasons in Uganda too so you my get the chance to visit the chimpanzees with no disturbance or obstructions from other tourists. Even those with a limited budget may take advantage of the circumstance as some service providers may offer discounted costs.

Expect the chimpanzees to keep most of there time up in the trees in the wet season but you still find them.

Is Budongo Forest Safe To Visit

Budongo forest is safe to visit because there are professional ranger guides to lead tourists in the forest. Briefing before the chimpanzee trekking adventure is very important as tourists get to know the details of the chimpanzee safari rules. Never try to enter Budongo forest without an escorting ranger guide because the forest has other inhabitants that may be dangerous to you.

As an individual your safety is your priority so never try to move far into the forest without a ranger guide. When with the chimpanzees, do not try provoking them because they also have mood swings and can charge when provoked.

Carry chimpanzee trekking or chimpanzee habituation gears because these primates live in the jungle which sometimes gets tough.

When you notice something odd about the chimpanzees don’t go into panic because you may escalate the situation throwing the forest into a stampede. Wait for the ranger guide to find out the main cause of the matter then get back to you with a reasonable solution which you need follow. Chimpanzees are very sensitive primates to intruders in there environment but you can still hang around them.

What is the return time after the chimpanzee safari in Budongo Forest

Whether on chimpanzee trekking or chimpanzee habituations experience, time of finding the chimpanzees is hard to determine. Some tourist find the chimpanzees in two hours while others spend more time in the forest. Time of finding the chimpanzees is influenced by factors prevailing in the forest including food location, weather conditions of the day, pace of fellow tourists and others.

Have some patience before finding the chimpanzees and to keep busy look for other primates that are residents in the forest including black and white colobus, red tailed monkeys, olive baboons, grey cheeked mangabey, blue tailed monkeys and others. No matter the time you take before finding the chimpanzees in Budongo forest, be sure to spot them.

Only one hours is allowed the chimpanzees during chimpanzee trekking and four hours of chimpanzee habituation experience. These chimpanzees are disrupted by human presence so time has to be minimized to allow them go about there day today activities.

What Is The Age Limit For A Chimpanzee Safari In Budongo Forest

The age limit for chimpanzee safaris in Budongo is 12 years and over to enable tourists move in the forest faster and when you find the chimpanzees you are expected to behave in a way that will not make you look suspicious before these primates. Moving in the forest means encountering some rough surfaces that a child below 12 years may be incapable of withstanding not make noise. Sometimes the first look at the chimpanzees may be quite scaring especially when they move close because they are curious too.

Is A Tour Of Budongo Forest Worth The Time And Money

When you visit Budongo forest, you may get the chance to spend time close to the endangered chimpanzees in there natural setting.  Keen Ornithologists have chance to find a number of birds in Budongo forest as numerous forest birds are residents here.

When you purchase a chimpanzee permits for Budongo forest, you contribute to the fund that supports the conservation of the forest and its inhabitants. The chimpanzees are some of the endangered primates in the world that have lost homes because of human encroachment and other natural causes.

The sustainable existence of the chimpanzees still needs support and by visiting them, you get to spread information about there presence which attracts more tourists.

Other than the chimpanzees, there are other interesting features you get to find in the forest while searching for birds, chimpanzees and other forest dwellers. A walk in Budongo forest is an opportunity to make peace with nature away from the normal life.

How sure can I Be To Find Chimpanzees in Budongo Forest

Chimpanzees are present in Budongo forest throughout the year and no matter the season so be sure to find them. The chimpanzees where first habituated before opening them to the public which gets them used to human presence so spending time atleast an hour with them may not be a challenge .

Each day chimpanzees spend feeding time in a particular location which they do not leave until food is no longer enough for the entire community.

What are the guidelines for time in Budongo forest

• If you want to eat or drink while before the chimpanzees, do it in at least 200 meters away from them. They are wild animals that must search for their own food.
• The age limit for gorilla safari is 12 years and over for chimpanzee trekking.  This is because the way to locate the chimpanzees requires you to walk in the dense forest sometimes in order to find these primates.
• Never go into the forest without an escorting ranger guide. Although the  chimpanzees are fully habituated to human presence, some forest dwellers are not and may be dangerous to you alone.
• When you need to defecate, ask the ranger guide to dig a hole for you a tleast 30 centimeters deep and cover well beyond recognition.
• Try to stay in a tight group when with the chimpanzees because surrounding them may cause them to feel ambushed.
• Don’t attempt to provoke the chimpanzees because they are wild animals that even though habituated to human presence. They still possess wild behaviors
• When taking photos, do it with a flash-less camera in order not to scare the chimpanzees, they are often scared by unfamiliar occurrences in their presence.
• When tracking the chimpanzees, keep your voices low so as not to scare these primates  and others forest dwellers that may be interesting to add on your wildlife photo collection.
• Never dump garbage in the wilderness as this alters the nature of the forest where chimpanzees live

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