Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda and Rwanda; Chimpanzee trekking is the second popular activity in Uganda and Rwanda that attracts big numbers of tourists after gorilla trekking and it involves visitors moving on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of the habituated chimpanzees and once found pend one hour with them in their natural habitat. Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda is carried out in Nyungwe forest national park and in Uganda chimpanzee trekking is carried out in Kibale forest national park, Budongo forest in Murchison falls national park, Kalinzu forest and Kyambura gorge in Queen Elizabeth national park.
Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda
Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda is done in Nyungwe forest national park which is located in the southwestern part of Rwanda near the border with Burundi, Lake Kivu and Democratic republic of Congo. Nyungwe forest national park is a home of 13 primate species including over 400 chimpanzees, other primates like blue monkeys, owl-faced monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, Rwenzori colobus, l’hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, mona monkeys, silver monkeys among others.
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda is done in different destinations namely Kibale forest national park also known as the primate capital located in Kabarole district. Kibale forest national park is a home of 13 primate species including over 1,500 chimpanzees, other primates like black and white colobus monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, olive baboons, l’hoest monkeys, vervet monkeys, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys among others.
Kibale forest national park also offers chimpanzee habituation experience where the wild chimpanzees are trained to get used to human presence for trekking. Visitors who engage in the habituation experience spend four hours with the chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda is also done in Kyambura gorge also known as the valley of apes in Queen Elizabeth national park which is the second largest national park in Uganda, Kalinzu forest in Bushenyi district and Budongo forest in Murchison falls national park.
Chimpanzee trekking experience
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda and Rwanda starts very early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing, you will be allocated a habituated chimpanzee family to trek and an experienced park guide who is well conversant with different chimpanzee trekking trails. Trekking of chimpanzees in Uganda and Rwanda takes about 30 minutes to 5 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking, you will be able to view other primate species, birds, plant and tree species among others. Once the chimpanzees are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural environment which gives you an opportunity to learn about their behaviors, habits, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, playing, resting, jumping up in trees, grooming young ones, take photos and record videos to show people back home after the safari.
Cost of chimpanzee trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda
Cost of a chimpanzee trekking permit in Uganda and Rwanda varies depending on the destination you wish to visit for example a chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale forest national park costs 200 USD per person for foreign non residents, 150 USD per person for foreign residents and 150,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
A chimpanzee trekking permit in Kalinzu forest and Kyambura forest costs 50 USD per person for foreign non residents, 40 USD per person for foreign residents and 30,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
A chimpanzee trekking permit in Budongo forest costs 130 USD per person for foreign non residents, 120 USD per person for foreign residents and 85 USD per person for East African citizens.
A chimpanzee trekking permit in Nyungwe forest national park costs 90 USD per person for foreign non residents, 60 USD per person for foreign residents and 10 USD per person for east African citizens.
Cost of a chimpanzee trekking permit in Nyungwe forest national park will increase next year to 150 USD per person for foreign non residents, 75 USD per person for foreign residents and 25 USD per person for East African citizens plus entrance fee of 100 USD per person for foreign non residents, 60 USD per person for foreign residents and 10 USD per person for East African citizens.
How to book chimpanzee trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda
Chimpanzee trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda can either be booked directly through Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) a government body in charge of tourism in Uganda or Rwanda Development Board (RDB) a government body in charge of tourism in Rwanda by contacting the head offices via email or telephone calls.
Chimpanzee trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda can also be booked through a tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris where you will contact us with the date, month, year and chimpanzee destination that you wish to visit. After contacting us we will check for permit availability and if there are permits available on your desired dates, you will be asked to make a deposit for the permit. Once the payment has been made, we will be able to purchase the permit on your behalf and send you a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation.
Best time to go for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda and Rwanda can be done anytime throughout the year though the best time is during the dry season which is also known as the peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February. During the dry season, there is less or little rainfall in the chimpanzee destinations therefore access roads and chimpanzee trekking trails will be dry and passable which makes chimpanzee trekking easy compared to the rainy season when the trekking trails are muddy and slippery which make chimpanzee trekking difficult.
What to carry for your chimpanzee trekking safari
There are a number of items that you should pack/carry when going for your chimpanzee trekking safari in Uganda and Rwanda including long sleeved shirt and trouser, garden gloves, hiking boots, warm sweater, waterproof rain jacket, camera and extra batteries, insect repellent, a pair of binoculars, back pack, energy snacks and drinking water, walking stick among others.
For more information about chimpanzee trekking in Uganda and Rwanda, do not hesitate to contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website for several chimpanzee trekking safari packages.
