Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park is one of the captivating primate walk expeditions awaiting for you on your next primate tour in Uganda. Kibale National Park lies in Western Uganda and is East Africa’s leading chimp trekking destination. A guided chimp trek in Kibale Forest National Park takes you on an active walking excursion to search for an already habituated chimpanzee community in the wild.
The unique bit of engaging in the chimpanzee tracking experience in Kibale is that visitors get a chance to enjoy close interaction with a community of chimpanzees in their natural habitat. About 4 chimpanzee communities have been designated for tracking and luckily, visitors can take part in any of the two tracking sessions available each day.
The first session of Kibale chimpanzee tracking starts in the morning at around 8:00 am then the last session begins at 2:00 pm. All the sessions of the Kibale chimp trek begin with a briefing on the chimpanzee tracking guidelines and allocation of park ranger guides. The briefing exercise is always performed by a professional park official and each group comprising of 6 visitors is escorted by the assigned experienced ranger guide.
Length of Kibale chimp trek
Unlike other primate adventures, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale takes between 2 and 4 hours. The short trek adventure starts from Kanyanchu Visitor Center and you navigate via the lush rainforest. Interestingly, expect to find other abundant primate species including the red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, galago, Uganda mangabey, red colobus monkeys, and baboons.
Keen nature lovers also get incredible treat to bird sights –Kibale protects over 375 species of birds. Top bird species to spot in Kibale Forest include the purple-breasted sunbird, pin-tailed whydah, western nicator, black bee-eater, blue-breasted kingfishers, African pygmy-goose, African green-breasted pitta, and red-headed bluebill, etc.
Kibale chimpanzee permits
A visit to Kibale to track chimpanzees requires everyone to have a valid permit. The cost of Kibale chimpanzee tracking permits varies depending on the visitor category. A chimp permit for Kibale can be booked at USD 250 per person for foreign nonresidents, USD 200 for foreign residents, and UGX 180,000 for all Ugandans plus East African citizens. A permit can be secured through a reliable tour operator in Uganda. The same tour operator or company does the overall planning and booking of your chimpanzee tracking safari to Kibale National Park.
What are the chimpanzee tracking regulations to be followed?
Anyone with plans to engage in a trek to see chimpanzees in Kibale National Park must observe the set rules and guidelines. The set guidelines are intended to protect guests and primates. Here are some of the chimpanzee tracking regulations to expect to observe in Kibale National Park.
- No participating in a chimpanzee trek when sick.
- A distance of 8-meters must be maintained away from chimpanzees.
- Observe the guide’s instructions right from the moment you start your trek.
- When in need of assistance in the middle of the park, all the poop must be buried at least 30 cm deep.
- Avoid as much as you can to feed chimpanzees or any primate/animal in the forest.
- A maximum of 6 pax are allocated to one park ranger guide.
- When it is the time to take pictures, ensure that your camera doesn’t have a flashlight.
- To be allowed to track Kibale chimps, you must be within the acceptable age limit that is above 15 years.
- A valid Kibale chimp permit is essential for you to be cleared to participate in the search for chimpanzees.
- Do not make loud noise which can irritate chimpanzees and they charge at you.
- Avoid body contact with chimps –even if they rub themselves on you, try as much as you can not to touch them.
- Keep the chimp habitat clean or in a better state than you found it.
When to travel to track Kibale chimpanzees
Chimpanzee tracking expedition can be conducted at any time of the year. But the dry months of June, July, August to September, December, and January to February present favorable weather conditions for tracking chimpanzees. The dry months receive very low rainfall with the ground kept relatively drier thus making it easier to navigate through as you search for chimpanzees. The wet months (March to May/October-November) usually come with heavy rains and support abundant forage growth for chimps to depend on.
Chimp trekking Vs chimpanzee habituation
Chimpanzee tracking/trekking and habituation are slightly different whereas normal chimp trek involves searching for an already habituated community of chimps. The chimp habituation is typically a raw experience where you embark on the search for unhabituated chimp community. Habituation marks the initial stages of converting chimpanzee community to get used to the presence of humans in their habitat.
The complete process of habituating chimpanzees takes about 2 years or less depending on how quickly they can be converted.
Overall, a normal trek with chimpanzees takes between 2 and 4 hours while habituation takes half a day or an entire day.
Unique facts about chimps
Chimpanzees are our closest relatives in the jungle because they share up to 98% of their DNA with humans. They are playful creatures and can be spotted jumping from tree to tree. In terms of weight, females weigh from 30 to 50 kg then males’ weight ranges from 35 to 75 kg. A single community of chimpanzees comprises 10 to 100 members with an alpha male being the dominant leader. They are among the very few most intelligent mammals in the wild.
What to take on chimpanzee tracking in Kibale
Pack light for your Kibale chimpanzee trek and begin with essentials. Among the essentials to include on your packing list include insect repellent, long-sleeved shirts, waterproof hiking boots, a camera, a daypack, strong gardening gloves, a pair of binoculars, bottled drinking water, long trousers, a safari hat, and others.
Where else can I track chimps in Uganda?
Besides Kibale National Park, additional places to consider for chimpanzee tracking include Budongo Forest, Kyambura Gorge, and Kalinzu Forest.
Where to stay
When you think about a chimpanzee tracking tour to Kibale, do not forget to find a place to stay. Kibale National Park consists of budget, midrange, and luxury safari lodges. They include Chimpundu Lodge, Primate Lodge, Ndali Lodge, Isunga Lodge, Chimpanzee Guesthouse, Kyaninga Lodge, Kibale Forest Camp, Crater Safari Lodge, Turaco Treetops, and others.
Getting to Kibale for a chimpanzee tour
Kibale National Park can safely be reached by road whereby visitors can drive for about 5-6 hours starting from Entebbe or Kampala. Visitors navigate via the beautiful Fort Portal and then take the Kamwenge route.