Chimpanzee tracking is one of the unforgettable and unmatched safari experiences especially when trekking chimpanzees in their natural habitats. This has consistently drawn many eager travellers to the verdant jungles of Uganda, in the East African region.
It is undebatable that the majestic chimpanzees are a sight to behold and can only be enjoyed in the wild within few places in Africa, Uganda being one of them. While it’s a dream come true for travellers to see mankind’s closest relatives, it should also be noted that they are endangered and at the verge of getting extinct because of poaching, habitat loss and encroachment as well as diseases.
Chimpanzee trekking safaris in both Uganda and Rwanda are becoming more popular, but care has to be taken to ensure safety of these great apes, in their natural environment. Trekking makes it possible for travellers to step into the small natural world of chimpanzees, with the help of experienced team of park rangers, so, visitors are offered nothing short of magical.
Typical chimpanzee trekking experiences in the natural environment take anywhere between one and three hours, or more. This is followed by the magical one hour spent watching and photographing the wild chimpanzees.
Where to do chimpanzee tracking in Uganda and Rwanda
Are you wondering about the different destinations where you can trek the chimpanzees in Uganda? So far five amazing safari destinations in Uganda offer the opportunity of trekking chimpanzees in the wild. These are Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve, Kibale Forest National Park, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Budongo and Kalinzu forests near Murchison Falls National Park. Visitors interested in seeing chimpanzees in captivity can visit the popular Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary as well as the Uganda Wildlife Education Center.
Kibale Forest National Park has about 1,500 of the 5,000 chimpanzees in Uganda, which makes it the top destination for chimpanzee trekking experiences in Uganda. Tours are done twice; morning and afternoon and permits cost about $200 per person.
Another wonderful safari destination to enjoy this once in a lifetime opportunity of trekking chimpanzees in Uganda is Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve, marked by dry and sparsely forested areas. These great apes were habituated by a Japanese Research project.
Budongo Forest is also wonderful for chimpanzee trekking experiences in Uganda and is situated within the wooded south of Murchison falls National Park and permits cost only $85 per person.
In the extreme eastern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park is Kyambura Gorge, an isolated forest at the underground of the sweeping savannah bordering this Protected Area. About 29 chimpanzees are trekked here and permits cost only $50 per person.
Chimpanzee trekking Experiences within Kalinzu Forest offer the opportunity to come face to face with the 40 individuals in the dense forest and the permits cost $50 per person, and can be booked through National Forestry Authority.
While chimpanzee trekking experiences in Uganda are enjoyed throughout the year, the dry season (June to September and December to February) are known for offering the most unforgettable experiences because of the clearer sunny weather that make treks less challenging.
In Rwanda, chimpanzees can be tracked in Nyungwe Forest National Park, where the forest setting is still so amazing, for a lifetime experience.