Chimpanzee Trekking And Primate Walk In Uganda
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How to Plan a Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trek in Uganda
The gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari in Uganda puts you up close to the two most famous primates in the world: the mountain gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and chimpanzees. Travelers widely praise the experience as one of the most endearing in Africa and a top item on their bucket lists. Uganda stands out as the top African safari location for gorilla & chimps trekking excursions because to it’s larger than 50% mountain gorilla population, robust primate conservation program, and good tourism infrastructure. Uganda is the best location on earth to observe habituated primates in their native habitat. We are going to discuss the top two places to see chimpanzees and gorillas, the logistics of booking a safari, example Itinerary, Accommodation and also best time to plan for a gorilla and chimpanzee safari in Uganda
Uganda Gorilla & Chimps Destinations
For a gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari, you have to visit two national parks in Uganda—Kibale National Park in the west of the country, close to the Rwenzori Mountains, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the southwest, in the highlands at the foot of the Virunga Mountains.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a wildlife haven and is situated in the hilly southwest of Uganda. It is flanked by terraced slopes, foggy mountain peaks, and heavily populated settlements. One of the largest concentrations of animal and plant species in the world can be found in the UNESCO World Heritage site. The mountain gorillas are its most well-known inhabitants. Bwindi is a premier gorilla trekking location in Africa since it has the biggest population of mountain gorillas of any protected region. The two parks, Kibale and Bwindi, are the best options available on the continent if you want to see gorillas and chimpanzees together. Bwindi is separated into four sectors, which have a significant impact on where you stay and where you choose to go on the gorilla trekking safari when organizing your gorilla and chimpanzee safari. There are numerous habituated gorilla groups in each region, and tourists trek with them in compact groups of eight people each. South of Bwindi, in the Nkuringo, Rushaga, and Ruhijja sectors, a smooth-surfaced road via Kamwenge-Mbarara-Kale provides a good connection to Kibale. Due to the rocky route through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, the Buhoma sector in the north presents a difficult link to Bwindi. Unless you want to stay the night in Queen Elizabeth for a wildlife viewing safari, the drive will take close to ten hours. Due to the early morning start times of the gorilla trekking expeditions, it is recommended to spend the night in Bwindi near to the starting location. The distance between Entebbe International Airport and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is considerable. A one-hour flight or a 10-hour drive from Entebbe would be required to reach a small airfield two hours outside the park. The distance is less between Bwindi and Kibale, though. Be aware that traveling to or from Bwindi will need long hours spent riding in a 4×4 safari Vehicle when arranging your gorilla and chimpanzee safari.
Tracking Chimpanzees in Kibale National Park
The biggest concentration of monkeys in Africa may be found in Kibale National Park, where thirteen (13) different kinds of primates can be seen scurrying among the trees. The mangabey, red colobus, L’Hoest’s monkey, black-and-white colobus, olive baboon, vervet, blue monkey, and common chimpanzee are among the primate species of Central Africa found in Kibale. The habituated chimpanzee troops, however, draw the majority of park visitors. Every time you travel to Kibale, you have a 100% chance of seeing chimpanzees, which makes it a fantastic location to search for chimpanzees in Uganda. To identify a chimpanzee family and spend at least an hour with them, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) guides organize daily small group excursions in the forest from the Kanyanchu tourist center for a fee of $200 per person. The Habituation Experience, which costs $300 per person, offers tourists a considerably more intense encounter with the chimpanzees in Kibale by allowing them to spend the entire day with a family of chimpanzees. Every day at 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., professional trackers take small groups of visitors into the jungle from the Knyanchu Visitor’s Center to locate a habituated troop of chimpanzees. After a quick briefing at the facility, the chimpanzee tracking adventure begins. The chimps are allowed to forage everywhere in the 296 square mile forest area, so sightings cannot be assured. However, there is a very good possibility that you will encounter the chimpanzee group and get to spend at least an hour with them (around 98 percent). It’s not as physically exhausting to track chimpanzees in Kibale as it is to track gorillas. Despite having a dense rainforest, the topography in the Kibale Forest is mainly level and simple to maneuver. Once you locate the chimps, however, keeping up with them requires effort and could leave you out of breath. Except when they have just finished eating and are reclining to regain energy for the next foraging expedition, the chimpanzees rarely remain motionless but are constantly moving. If you want to combine a gorilla and chimpanzee safari in Uganda, you can either start in Kibale and travel south to Bwindi after doing gorilla trekking in that region, either options are really satisfying.
Accommodation during Gorilla and Chimps Trekking Safari
Both parks provide a variety of lodging options, from budget homestays to luxurious exotic forest hotels. If you’re working with a tour company like Rashfatrackingsafaris, they’ll often arrange for your lodging, food, and transportation for the gorilla and chimpanzee package program. Budget lodging on the itinerary will run you less than $160 per person per night, midrange lodging will run you $160 to $370 per person per night, and luxury lodging will run you more than $400 per person per night. Transfers may cost between $60 and $310 each day, including the driver and gas/fuel, depending on the tour operator and your starting point. The gorilla permit is $800 per person (or habituation permit is $1,500) and the chimps permit is $200 per person (or habituation experience permit is $300) on the gorilla & chimps trekking safari. These are additional inescapable charges.
