Chimpanzee Tracking in Uganda

Kibale National Park

Chimpanzee Tracking in Uganda

Chimpanzee Tracking in Uganda is among the adventurous activities that can be done during a safari around Uganda.

The three destinations in Uganda where chimpanzee tracking can be done include Kibale national park in western Uganda, Queen Elizabeth national park in south western Uganda and Murchison falls national park in north western Uganda.

In Uganda, chimpanzee permits are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority and they can be purchased through licensed tour operators.

The most popular destination of the three for chimpanzee tracking in Uganda is Kibale forest national park. Kibale national park is also referred to as the primate capital of the world and is home to over 1500 chimpanzees some of which are habituated.

There are some rules and regulations which are followed during the chimp tracking experience in Uganda including that person under the age of 15 years are not permitted to engage in the activity. Other rules include avoiding feeding the chimps, avoiding littering, keeping a distance of about 7 meters from the chimpanzees, avoiding use of flash photography and these rules are communicated during briefing.

Chimp tracking in Kibale national park

Chimpanzee Tracking in Uganda — Chimp tracking in Kibale national park

Kibale national park is also a rainforest with over 370 bird species and also 120 mammals which can be encountered during tours at the destination.

When visiting Kibale national park for a chimp tracking experience, the activity starts with a briefing at the Kanyanchu headquarters. Chimpanzee tracking in this national park can be done twice a day including a morning chimp tracking experience done at 8:00 am and an afternoon chimp tracking experience done at 2:00 pm.

The price for chimp tracking in Kibale national park is 200 USD for foreign nonresidents, 150 USD for foreign residents and 150,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans. Permits for chimpanzee tracking in the national park can be purchased from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) through a licensed tour operator.

Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale national park takes about 2 to 5 hours and an amount of 1 hour is allowed to the visitors to spend time with the chimpanzees.

Other activities carried out around Kibale national park apart from chimp tracking include the bigodi swamp walk, guided nature walks, bird watching as well as community tours or cultural tours.

Chimp tracking in Murchison falls national park

Murchison falls national park is another destination for chimp tracking in Uganda and also exciting wildlife viewing experiences throughout the year.

Chimp tracking in Murchison falls national park is carried out in Budongo forest which is located in the southern part of the national park. A chimpanzee tracking experience in Budongo takes about 3 hours and can also be done in the morning and in the afternoon and a permit costs 130 USD.

The chimpanzees can be seen around Kaniyo pabidi during chimp tracking in Budongo forest. various groups of chimpanzees can be seen in this part of the Budongo forest reserve which is made up of tree species such as mahogany and also ironwood.

The rift valley escarpment can also be seen when visiting Budongo forest. Apart from being home to about 600 chimpanzees, Budongo forest is also home to other wildlife species like black and white colobus monkeys, olive monkeys, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys and over 360 bird species.

Budongo forest is among the many attractions found in Murchison falls national park and other things to see around the national park include wildlife species such as elephants, lions, leopards, buffalos, giraffes, hippos, waterbucks, impalas, topi, kudu, warthogs, hyenas among others.

Murchison falls national park is also known for its strong waterfalls which can be seen during activities carried out during safaris such as top of the falls hiking, viewing of the top of the falls, bottom of the falls cruise, hot air balloon safaris and also during game drives which can be done in the morning or in the afternoon.

Chimp tracking in Queen Elizabeth national park

Chimp tracking in Queen Elizabeth national park is carried out in Kyambura gorge which is located in the eastern part of the national park.

The number of chimpanzees in Kyambura gorge is not as big as the chimpanzees in Kibale forest however the chimp tracking experience is worth trying out. A permit for chimp tracking in Queen Elizabeth national park costs 50 USD for foreign nonresidents, 40 USD for foreign residents and 30,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans.

A chimp tracking experience in Queen Elizabeth national park can be combined with other activities around the national park including morning and afternoon game drives, boat rides on Kazinga channel, lion tracking, birding and also community tours.

Some of the wildlife species which can be seen around Queen Elizabeth national park include elephants, hippos, lions, leopards, buffalos, warthogs, waterbucks, impalas, topi among others. In the ishasha sector of the national park, tree climbing lions can be seen during a safari.

Best time for chimp tracking in Uganda

When visiting Uganda, tours can be carried out throughout the year and for chimp tracking the best time to see the chimpanzees is around the dry season which takes place around June, July, August, September and October as well as in January, February and December.

The dry season is also a high season and a good time for various activities during safaris in Uganda due to the favorable weather. For travelers planning to travel during the high season however, booking of permits in advance is recommended to avoid missing out on availability of permits for chimpanzee tracking in Uganda.

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