Chimpanzee Trekking in Uganda

Trekking with chimpanzees allows you to experience that incredible moment when the mysterious scene in this world’s natural splendour becomes visible to you for the first time. In total, Uganda is home to around 1500 chimpanzees, which are dispersed among three national parks: Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale National Park, and Murchison Fall National Park.

Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale National Park

Kibale National Park may be reached by car from Kampala, the country’s capital, in five to six hours. It is situated in the Kabarole and Kamwenge district. Three habituated communities of chimpanzees inhabit the area, two of which go on daily treks. A permit is required for each visitor who wants to go chimpanzee trekking. This allows you to spend an hour with the tamed primates and covers the cost of park entrance as well as a guide. The best area in Africa to trek with chimpanzees and see other 12 primates and birds in the bush is Kibale bush National Park.

Aside from chimpanzees, Kibale National Park has additional attractions like forest birds, elephants, and buffaloes. Because of the topography and its closer proximity to Kampala than other chimpanzee trekking locations, Kibale Forest National Park continues to be the greatest area in Uganda to hike chimpanzees. The primary activity at Kibale National Park is chimpanzee trekking; permits cost $150 per person every trek, and treks can be done in the morning or the afternoon. Other activities include nature walks, bird watching, village visits, and tours of crater lakes, among many more.

Chimpanzee Trekking in Budongo Forest in Murchison Falls National Park

Chimpanzee tracking in Uganda also takes place in Budongo Forest, which is part of Murchison Falls National Park. The closest place to do chimpanzee tracking is Budongo Forest, which is around five hours from Kampala. You may also go on a chimpanzee tracking safari there. The experience of trekking chimpanzees in Budongo Forest is comparable to that of Kibale Forest National Park, making it the second-best spot to trek chimps in the world. However, one must obtain a permit that enables one hour of trekking time. The only lodging in the area is the Budongo Eco Lodge, a dependable low-cost option located in the forest. Ape permits in the Budongo Forest cost eighty dollars per person for each journey, with the option to hike in the morning or the afternoon.

Chimpanzee Trekking in Kyambura Gorge

The Kyambura Gorge is located in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Because of the steep terrain, chimpanzee trekking here can be quite taxing, as most of the animals constantly move around and hop from tree to tree. The journey takes around 6 hours across 382.9 km, with some challenging terrain. Crossing rivers and creeks is a thrilling experience when visiting the chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge. Chimpanzee tracking at Kyambura Gorge takes three hours, however it’s usually less expensive here than in Kibale Forest. Trekking in the morning or afternoon is possible with a $50 per person chimpanzee permit in Kyambura Gorge.

Best time to do chimpanzee trekking in Uganda

The best months to go chimpanzee trekking in Uganda are June, July, August, September, December, January, and February. Because Uganda is an equatorial country with two distinct seasons of precipitation, people often associate these seasons with the best times to trek chimpanzees. Since the trail is dry and making chimpanzee trekking in Uganda simpler, these are the dry months or season that are best for chimpanzee trekking in their native habitat.