Chimpanzee trekking holidays are the next best thing after gorilla trekking and Uganda has been declared as one of the best place to trek wild but habituated chimpanzee in the whole world. Chimpanzees, the closed cousins to human beings are endangered species as most forests have been cleared to create land for settlement. Uganda thus provides an opportunity to trek chimpanzees on your safari.

Chimpanzee trekking holidays

Kibale National Park chimps

Kibale National Park is the first choice for many chimpanzee lovers where other 12 primates can be spotted as well. Kibale has three habituated chimpanzee communities which can be accessed for chimp trekking in the morning and afternoon. Another chimpanzee community is for research and sometimes used as for chimpanzee habituation experience. Kibale National Park is located in western Uganda and is approximately 5-6 hours drive from Capital city Kampala.

Kaniyo Pabidi Chimps

Budongo Forest is the next best place to Kibale National Park for chimpanzee trekking holidays. Over 1500 chimpanzee live in this forest and habituated chimpanzees are located in Kaniyo Babidi a section of Budongo Forest. Two communities are also habituated for chimpanzee trekking. Budongo Forest is part of the Murchison Falls Conservation Area and is located in Northern Uganda. Chimpanzee trekking can be combined with boat cruises and game drives in Murchison Falls National Park

Kyambura Gorge

Kyambura Gorge is another place where one can trek chimps in Uganda. It is located in Queen Elizabeth National Park and only one gorilla community of eight members are available for tourists. Kyambura Gorge trek is highly recommended for the more energetic and physically fit hikers as the trek involves hiking up and down in search of chimpanzees known for their speed movements and being high in trees. Chimpanzee trekking in Chambura can be combined with boat cruise on Kazinga channel and game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Cost of Chimpanzee permits.

Currently, Kibale chimpanzee permits cost $150.00 for a half day chimpanzee trek (Morning or afternoon), Kaniyo Pabidi chimp permit cost $80.00 while Kyambura Gorge chimp permits are at $50.00 per person per trek. We can easily book these permits and design a Uganda tour as long as you tell us when you intend to trek chimpanzees in Uganda.

Just so you know

Chimpanzees live in big communities of about 50 to 200 individuals and during the day, they will break up into small parties of 7 to 20 members to avoid competition on food. Each party will move to a different area for feeding but will return back together in the evening to construct their nests. According to Uganda Wildlife Authority, each party is supposed to be trekked by 6 people but because of their behaviours, these parties may join and separate meaning that clients will find them selves joining each other as they try to follow their party. Chances are that at the end of your chimpanzee trek, you may end up being about 18 people instead of 6 people. This is sometimes blamed on Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers but it is not their fault