Chimpanzee trekking is a guided activity that involves walking through forests to locate and observe wild chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
It is one of the most popular ecotourism experiences in Uganda, as it boasts several prime locations, each providing a unique experience.
Chimpanzee trekking is a popular wildlife activity sought after by many tourists from outside and within Uganda and is done by individuals 15 years and above with one’s health and ability to track always considered. Below are some of the many different places where chimpanzee trekking can be done
As one of the most biodiverse areas in Uganda and the highest concentration of primates in Africa, a home to 13 species of primates with chimpanzees as the most popular, Kibale Forest is referred to as the ‘Primate Capital of the World’ with approximately 1,500 chimpanzees.
The park offers treks twice daily with the Kanyanchu visitor center as the starting point; the treks normally take between 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on the location of the chimpanzee family being tracked.
This is done with an experienced guide and ranger, and once the chimpanzees are located, visitors are given an hour to observe the primates in their natural habitats.
Visitors will learn about behaviors, feeding, hunting, playing, and nesting.
Expect to view other primates like black and white colobus monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, mangabeys, baboons, vervet monkeys, red colobuses, galagos, pottos, duikers, civets, giant forest hogs, bushbucks, sitatungas, warthogs, and many more with birds like green-breasted pitta, dusky crimsonwing, red-faced woodland warbler, black-capped apalis, colored apalis, blue-headed spinetail, masked apalis, nahan’s francolin, great blue turaco, little greenbul, flycatchers, kingfishers, pigeons, cuckoos and more.
On top of chimpanzee trekking, visitors can enjoy chimpanzee habituation experience, guided nature walks, community encounters, and birding.
Budongo Forest
Budongo Forest is northwest of Kampala, on the escarpment northeast of Lake Albert, and is part of the Murchison Falls Conservation Area.
Believed to be one of the oldest forests in East Africa with its ancient origins evident in its rich biodiversity and diverse ecosystem. Found in Masindi, Budongo forest is the largest natural forest in Uganda at 825km2, the biggest mahogany forest in East Africa, and is home to over 600 chimpanzees, offering an intimate and eco-friendly trekking experience, with fewer crowds.
Trekking begins at the Kaniyo Pabidi site, where visitors will receive a safety briefing and any other information they will need about the chimpanzees.
With experienced guides, and trackers, visitors will go deep into the forest in search of the chimps, and depending on their location and movements, it will take 1- 5 hours. Once located, visitors will observe them for an hour as they feed, groom, play, and communicate.
The guides will provide insights into the chimp’s behaviors, social structures, and conservation efforts. While trekking visitors will see other animals like monkeys, baboons, pottos, mangabeys, elephants, and many more, with birds like great blue turaco, eastern plantain-eater, white-crested turaco, grey crowned crane, African palm swift, lesser jacana, African woolly-necked stork, African openbill, African darter, and many more.
Trekking can be coupled with birding, guided nature walks, habituation, and community tours for a full experience.
Ngamba Island
Ngamba Island chimpanzee sanctuary, located on Lake Victoria a space meant for orphaned chimpanzees that have been rescued from poaching and illegal wildlife trading. The sanctuary offers a unique opportunity to observe the rescued chimpanzees in a natural setting spanning approximately 100 acres managed by the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust. The sanctuary is a haven for over 50 chimpanzees.
Ngamba Island is open to visitors and offers a more intimate experience different from the other trekking experiences in the wild as they get a chance to cater to the chimps, through feeding and cleaning them. With visitors opting to be caretakers for the day, they participate in the daily routines including preparing their food and assisting with feeding, and engaging in informative sessions about chimpanzee conservation and the challenges facing these primates in the wild. Visitors can spot other wildlife like monitor lizards, and birds like terns, cormorants, pelicans, and many more.
Kyambura Gorge is located on the outskirts of Queen Elizabeth National Park southwest of Uganda, it is another site that enables tracking and is also referred to as ‘The Valley of the Apes’. The landscape adds to the overall experience as the trackers will encounter other wildlife while tracking.
Trekking starts with a briefing at the visitor center with the duration of the trek varying from 1-4 hours, depending on the location of the chimpanzees. Once located, visitors are allowed to spend up to one hour observing the chimpanzees in their natural environment as they play, groom, nest, and forage. The chimpanzees are most active in the morning hours as they leave their nests to either forage or play, however, visitors can trek either in the morning or afternoon. Aside from the chimpanzees, expect to see baboons, vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, colobus money, hyenas, antelopes, and many more; birds like African broadbill, martial eagles, falcons, African Finfoot, African skimmers, black-headed bee-eaters, papyrus canary, gonoleks, and many more.
Kalinzu Central Forest Reserve is situated near Queen Elizabeth National Park in Bushenyi district at 147 km2 and is managed by Uganda’s National Forestry Authority. Kalinzu Forest is a biodiverse tropical forest renowned for its rich flora and fauna, which play a vital role in maintaining Uganda’s environmental health by acting as a carbon sink and water catchment area. The forest is home to over 300 chimpanzees and 50 habituated, Kalinzu is the second-best chimpanzee tracking destination in Uganda.
Trekking is one of the top wildlife experiences in Kalinzu Forest offering visitors a chance to observe these intelligent primates in their natural habitat.
Trekking starts early in the morning after a briefing at the Uganda National Forestry Authority, with rangers and guides offering safety guidelines about the chimpanzee.
The trek will take 1-4 hours, depending on the movement of the chimps, once located, visitors are given an hour with them and will witness them feeding, grooming, playing, and communicating.
Away from the chimpanzees, visitors will spot other mammals like vervet monkeys, olive baboons, colobus monkeys, forest hogs, bush pigs, and many more, with birds like great blue turaco, white-crested turaco, Verreaux’s eagle, crowned eagles, African emerald cuckoo, alpine swift, green-breasted pitta, African broadbill, yellow-billed barbet, black bee-eater, and many more, butterflies, and reptiles.
What is the best time to track Chimpanzees in Uganda?
The dry seasons, from December to February and June to August, are the best time to trek as they offer the best trekking conditions. During these months, the trails are more accessible, and the likelihood of encountering chimpanzees is higher.
