Destinations for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda : Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda is among the activities which are done in different destinations around the country. During chimpanzee trekking in Uganda, tourists engage in searching for the chimpanzees in the forests and spending time with them in their natural habitat. The activity can be done in the morning and in the afternoon across the different destinations where many other primates can be seen in the forests such as black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys and also different bird species.
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda is done by individuals above the age of 12 years and tourists require permits to engage in the activity across the different destinations and they are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).
Other rules to be followed during chimpanzee trekking in Uganda include maintaining a distance of about 7 meters from the chimpanzees, not feeding the chimpanzees, not mimicking sounds made by the chimpanzees, avoiding noise, no littering, no feeding the chimpanzees and also avoiding use of flash photography.
Tourists during chimpanzee trekking tours in Uganda enjoy 1 hour with the chimpanzees in Kibale national park, Budongo forest and Kyambura gorge and watch as they swing in the trees, or as they walk around the forest. Groups of 8 individuals visit a habituated chimpanzee group daily during the chimpanzee trekking experience.
Some of the destinations where chimpanzee trekking is done include Kibale forest national park, Budongo forest and also Kyambura gorge. Chimpanzees in Uganda can also be seen in the Ngamba island sanctuary, Kalinzu forest and in Semuliki national park.
- Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale national park is among the popular to do activities during safaris around Uganda. Kibale national park is located in the western part of Uganda and is home to many habituated groups of chimpanzees.
Over 1500 chimpanzees are found in Kibale forest national park which is also home to about 13 primate species including chimpanzees. The national park also offers higher chances of seeing the chimpanzees during chimpanzee trekking experiences in Uganda.
Permit cost for chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park is 250 USD for foreign nonresidents, 200 USD for foreign residents and 180,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens. This permits allows individuals to engage in one chimpanzee trek in the national park and spend 1 hour with the chimpanzees.
Where to stay during chimpanzee trekking tours in Kibale forest national park
There are different lodges found around Kibale national park where tourists can spend their nights during the chimpanzee tours in Uganda and they include budget lodges, midrange lodges and luxury lodges such as Kibale forest camp, Turaco treetops lodge, Kyaninga lodge, Mountains of the moon hotel, Primates lodge and many others.
Other activities to do in Kibale forest national park
Chimpanzee habituation is also carried out in the forests of Kibale national park where tourists can enjoy a full day experience of spending time with the chimpanzees and participating in getting the chimpanzees used to human presence in their natural habitat.
Tourists visiting Kibale Forest National Park can also engage in activities such as Bigodi tour, forest walks, bird watching, butterfly watching and also community tours.
How to get to Kibale national park
Kibale national park is located about 5 to 6 hours drive from Kampala and the destination can be accessed via the Kampala-Fort Portal route.
- Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge
Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge is done during tours around Queen Elizabeth national park which is among the safari destinations located in the south western part of Uganda.
Kyambura gorge is also referred to as the valley of apes and it consists of forests where the chimpanzees can be seen and is also crossed by the Kyambura river. The gorge is part of the Kyambura forest reserve which is home to various wildlife and bird species.
Permit cost for chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge is 100 USD for foreign nonresidents, 80 USD for foreign residents and 50,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens. These chimpanzee permits can be booked through licensed tour operators and are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).
Where to stay around Kyambura gorge
There are different lodges around the Kyambura gorge and they include Kyambura gorge lodge, Parkview safari lodge, Queen Elizabeth bush lodge, Elephant hab lodge, Elephant plains lodge, Buffalo safari lodge among others.
Other activities to do around Kyambura gorge
Tours around Kyambura gorge also involve different activities such as guided forest walks, bird watching, game drives in Queen Elizabeth national park, boat rides on the Kazinga channel and also community tours.
Guided forest walks around the Kyambura gorge involve treks through the forest with ranger guides as tourists explore the surroundings and see different primates and bird species and follow different trails at the destination and get closer to nature.
Game drives can also be done around Queen Elizabeth national park during tours around the Kyambura gorge and some of the wildlife species which can be seen during the activity include lions, elephants, buffalos, antelopes, hippos, hyenas, warthogs among others.
How to get to Kyambura gorge
Tourists can get to the Kyambura gorge by driving from Kampala via the Kampala-Mbarara-Kasese route or Kampala-Mubende-Fort Portal-Kasese route.
Another way to access Kyambura gorge is by flights from Entebbe international airport to Kasese airstrip or Mweya airstrip.
- Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda can also be done in Budongo forest which is located in the north western part of Uganda.
The Budongo forest is among the attractions found around Murchison falls national park making it a perfect destination to combine wildlife safaris and chimpanzee trekking when visiting Uganda. The chimpanzee treks are done in the morning and afternoon when visiting Budongo forest.
The cost of a chimpanzee trekking permit in the Budongo forest is 140 USD per person which allows tourists to have 1 hour in the presence of the chimpanzees and spend about 4 hours exploring the forest in search of the chimpanzees.
Where to stay around Budongo forest
Some of the lodges found around Budongo forest include Budongo eco lodge, Pakuba safari lodge, Murchison river lodge among other budget, midrange and luxury lodges in Murchison falls national park.
Other activities to do around Budongo forest include safaris in Murchison Falls National Park where tourists can enjoy game drives, boat safaris, viewing and hiking to the top of the falls, bird watching and also guided nature walks.
How to get to Budongo forest
Budongo forest can be accessed when driving from Kampala to Murchison falls national park using the Masindi route which takes about 5 to 6 hours.
Tourists can also fly from Entebbe international airport into the airstrips in Murchison falls national park such as Chobe airstrip, Pakuba airstrip and Bugungu airstrip and continue their journey to Budongo forest.
