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Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda - The African Encounters

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Chimpanzee trekking destinations in Uganda

● Kibale national park

Kibale National Park has gained fame for being the primate capital of Uganda because it has over 13 primate species including the Chimpanzees. Trekking in this park is done either in the morning at 8:00 a.m. or at 2 p.m. in the afternoon with the activity completed between 2-5 hours. The park boasts over 1500 chimps with a ticket permitting tourists to glance at them costing 200 USD for all foreign non-residents per person, 150 USD per person for all foreign residents, and UGX 150,000 for East African members.

● Kalinzu forest reserve

This is yet a virgin tourist attraction whose pool towards its chimpanzees is growing. Some tourists prefer spotting the primates from this reserve to Queen Elizabeth park’s Kyambura Gorge. The reserve has about 320 chimps with only 70 habituated into two families. Tourists acquire chimps’ permits to this reserve at 40 per person for foreign non-residents, 20 per person for all foreign non-residents, and UGX 30,000 for all East African citizens.

● Kyambura Gorge

The beauty of Queen Elizabeth National Park is countless and this includes the majestic chimps that reside in the Kyambura Gorge. There are 80 chimps all in one family and it is trekked either in the morning or afternoon. Chimpanzee trekking permits in the Valley of Apes cost USD 50 per person for foreign nonresidents, 40 USD for all foreign residents and East Africans pay UGX 30,000.

● Budongo forest

The pride of this forest lies in being the largest protected forest in the country. The forest has only one habituated chimpanzee family which has between 500-600 chimpanzees that roam in the trees. Foreign non-residents pay USD 120 per person for the permits, USD 110 per resident person, and 75 dollars for East Africans.

Chimpanzee habituation in Kibale National Park and Budongo Forest

Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale and Budongo forests is entirely an adventurous activity because of the nature of the environment these chimpanzees live in. The peak season of the year includes June to February. Trekking trails are generally dry during the peak seasons and the skies are also brighter.

The activity is kicked off very early in the morning with a briefing at the park headquarters about the rules and regulations of the adventure before it is done.

The habituation experience takes 7 hours to full-day depending on where the volatility of chimpanzees and tourists can spend more than six hours or the whole day learning how the chimpanzees eat, move, socialize and train them on how to tolerate humans.

Chimpanzee trekking packing list

Everything must be all set before the tourists actually get onto their toes to hit the forest. The following are some of the items that shouldn’t be missed on the list of what tourists need before trekking the chimpanzees.

Long-sleeved shirts and trousers

Long-sleeved clothes are paramount for tourists to go a long way while trekking because they protect the tourists’ bodies from scratches, shrubs, grass irritations, and itching. Hiking is usually tiring and sweat-generating hence tourists require a water bottle to rejuvenate their energy while on the chimpanzee search.

Insect repellants.

This will disarm the mandibles of the tropical insects that bite the trekkers.

Waterproof rain jacket

The weather changes in the country are unpredictable hence this is used as a protective measure in scenarios where the showers pour down while in the forest.

Sunscreen

On the other hand, however much chimpanzee trekking is best done in the rainy season, tourists who wish to trek during dry season shouldn’t miss smearing their bodies with sunscreen to limit the damage of the sun on their skins as they tend to move for long hours.

Hiking boots.

Light and fully covering boots are highly encouraged to navigate and take grip of the meandering landscape of the forests.

Cameras

A walk down memory lane is what all travelers do after a time period and this is best backed by memorable pictures that were taken while living the moment.

Pairs of binoculars

Tourists who wish to spot other natural features of the forest shouldn’t be shy about packing a pair of these dream-making pieces of eye support.

Walking stick

Trekking in the hilly forests can sometimes be challenging hence tourists need walking sticks to get full support from both the plants and land. By using the walking stick nature supports humans.

Long stocks

It is highly recommended to have cotton long stocks to give extra help and protection to the legs.

Extra batteries.

The process of keeping memory shouldn’t be disrupted hence tourists should move with spare camera batteries.

Waterproof backpacks.

This can be of any size managed by the trekker to store the tourists’ property.

Chimpanzee rules and regulations

  • ● Chimpanzee trekking doesn’t require tourists who take a law unto themselves because the activity can become trouble in paradise if tourists do not follow the rules and regulations that were established to govern the activity.
  • ● Tourists who visit chimpanzees should endeavor to strictly have one hour with them, for trekking and a full day for chimpanzee habituation.
  • ● Much as tourists are encouraged to come along with memory-keeping gadgets, they shouldn’t use cameras with flashlights. This can distract the primates just as humans get angry when a flash is sprayed into their eyes.
  • ● Keep a safe distance of at least 8 meters away from the chimpanzees. These are fantastic creatures but evil never dies hence they also remain with an element of being wild however much they are habituated. The distance gives tourists a chance to escape in case the mood of these primates changes.
  • ● Sick people shouldn’t be allowed to trek the chimpanzees. Chimpanzees share at least 99% of humans' DNA and this clearly portrays that they can contract human diseases for example contagious ones like cough and flu.
  • ● Visitors shouldn’t come along with food and other edibles while trekking or eating in the presence of the tourists. This can either be food, or smoking pipes as the primates may be tempted to feed on the leftovers which can affect them especially if they are allergic or the foods in question are poisonous to them.
  • ● Those who get the urge to either cough or sneeze should take safety precautions like holding their mouth and nose with a handkerchief, turning away while coughing, or keeping a good safe distance to prevent the amazing primates from catching a cold.
  • ● Visitors shouldn’t litter the pristine environments that the gorgeous chimpanzees leave. This is to prevent them from eating on the human leftovers and keep their habitats as natural as possible.
  • ● Visitors usually enjoy having a full blast while on expeditions but they shouldn’t go off while trekking the chimpanzees and during the one hour that tourists engage with the primates.
  • ● Trekking chimpanzees is a wild adventure that can turn into a nightmare for kids hence people below the age of 13 are not allowed into the thickets in search of the chimpanzees.
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