Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale forest national park
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park; Chimpanzee trekking is a fascinating and most famous activity in Kibale forest national park that involves moving on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of chimpanzees and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. Kibale forest national park also known as the primate capital is located in western park of Uganda and famously known for harboring 13 primate species including chimpanzees, grey cheeked mangabey, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, mammals like forest elephants, buffaloes, bush pigs, warthogs, duikers, different bird species among others.
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park
The Trekking of Chimpanzees starts early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations at Kanyachu park headquarters. After the briefing you will be allocated a habituated chimpanzee family to trek and a park guide who is conversant with trails to follow. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located and during trekking you will be able to view variety of bird species, plants, other primates like black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, l’hoest monkeys, olive baboons, view some mammals among others. Once the chimpanzees are located, you will be able to spend one hour with them in their environment which gives you an opportunity to learn about their habits, watch them feed, breastfeed, play, hunt, fight, groom young ones, rest, take photos and record moments.
The park also offers chimpanzee habituation experience an adventurous activity where the wild chimpanzees are trained to get used to human presence for trekking. Chimpanzee habituation process involves a team of researchers, scientists, park guides, rangers and takes a period of 2 to 3 months to be complete. Visitors who engage in the habituation experience get and chance to spend four hours with the chimpanzees.
Cost of a chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale forest national park
A chimpanzee trekking permit is a legal card that is issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority to any visitor above the age of 15 years allowing him or her to visit chimpanzees in the park. A chimpanzee trekking permit in the park costs 200 USD per person for foreign nonresidents, 150 USD per person for foreign residents and 150,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
A chimpanzee habituation permit in Kibale forest national park costs 250 USD per person for foreign nonresidents, 250 USD per person for foreign residents and 150,000 USD per person for East African citizens.
How to book a chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale forest national park
A chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale forest national park can either be booked through Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) a government body in charge of tourism by contacting the offices via email or telephone calls. You can also book a chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale forest national park through a tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris by contacting us with the dates when you wish to visit chimpanzees. After contacting us we will check for permit availability and if there are permits available you will be asked to make a deposit for the permit. Once the payment has been made, we will purchase your chimpanzee trekking permit on your behalf.
Best time to go for chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park can be done all year round though the best time is during the dry season in the months of June to September and December to February because that’s the best period when the chimpanzee trekking trails are dry and passable compared to the wet season when the trails are slippery and muddy which make chimpanzee trekking difficult.
How to get to Kibale forest national park
The park is located in western part of Uganda and can be accessed by road transport means whereby you will drive from Kampala or Entebbe through Mubende, Fort Portal or Mbarara, Kamwenge to the park headquarters which takes about 5 to 6 hours’ drive.
Where to stay in Kibale forest national park
There are a number of accommodation facilities in the park where you can stay during your chimpanzee trekking safari. The accommodations are categorized into 3 types namely budget, midrange and luxury including Primate Lodge, Ndali Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, Kyambura Lodge, Crater Safari Lodge, Aramaga Rift Valley Lodge, Chimpundu Lodge, Isunga Lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Guest house, Papaya Lake Lodge, Chimps Nest Lodge, Kibale Forest Camp, Mountains of the Moon Hotel, Ruwenzori View Guesthouse among others.
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park is a once in a lifetime experience that can be combined with wildlife viewing in Lake Mburo national park. For more information, do not hesitate to contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website for interesting and affordable chimpanzee trekking packages.
