Chimpanzee Tracking

Chimpanzee Trekking in Uganda

Chimpanzee trekking ranks as one of the premier primate safaris in Uganda, particularly in Kibale Forest National Park, which is renowned for its large population of both habituated and non-habituated chimpanzees. This park also hosts the unique CHEX experience, alongside other parks that are home to chimpanzees.

Chimpanzee trekking experience

The activity is one of the breathtaking experiences of meeting the primates in their playful environment in the forests. Chimps are stubborn, and noisy and spend a lot of their time on top of the trees, unlike mountain gorillas. This, therefore, implies that you have to be extra careful while on the trek to take beautiful pictures and as well enjoy the moments in the forest.

Chimpanzee trekking experience is conducted in two phases of the day either during morning hours or afternoon hours. The trekking experience, therefore, starts with a briefing at the headquarters on the do’s and don’ts while in the forest or while in the zoo/ sanctuary. After the briefing, you will start your trek in the forest to follow where the chimpanzees are.

Chimpanzee habituation

Commonly known as CHEX Experience, chimpanzee habituation is conducted in Kibale National Park where primates are undertaken into the habituation process which takes between 2-3 years for the primates to get used to human presence. With Safari Vacations & Travel Services, we take you through this adventure of having a full-day trek with chimpanzees and it’s worth it to spend more than an hour with the primates in their natural habitat. Upon CHEX Experience you get to enjoy a full day trek which not only limits you to watching chimpanzees but also other primates like the Black and White colobus monkeys, Elephants, Buffaloes, Bush Pigs, butterflies, and wildlife found in the park

Places of chimpanzee tracking is done in Uganda

Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda is done in different places in the country which include, Kibale Forest National Park, Budongo Forest, Kalizu Forest, and Kyambura Gorge. Tourists and other visitors have been tracking the primates since 1993 and the chances of seeing them are at 100%.

The Chimpanzee tracking areas described here are habituated, meaning that they are used to humans and will go about their days while you are near them.  Meanwhile, you can see chimpanzees in zoos or sanctuaries, there is nothing like seeing chimpanzees in their natural habitat in the wild. There are also chimpanzees in Bwindi (not habituated) and other degraded forest fragments on private land across western Uganda.

Chimpanzee trekking permit price

This is one of the frequently asked questions for any visitor on a chimpanzee trekking safari to Uganda, apparently, the cost of a chimpanzee permit varies depending on the trekking destination.

It costs 50 US dollars to trek in Kyambura gorge, $100 in Bundongo forest, $40 in Kalizu forest, and $150 to $200 in Kibale National Park for trekking.

The new Uganda Wildlife Authority tariffs for chimpanzee trekking and habituation increased by $50 starting July 1, 2020, raising the prices from $150 to $200 and $200 to $250, respectively. Additionally, filming activities now incur a charge of 40% of the activity’s cost.

Where to acquire chimpanzee trekking permits for your safari?

You can book permits directly from the Uganda Wildlife Authority head office in Kampala or through a tour operator/agent like us, At Safari Vacations & Travel Services we offer you the service of securing permits to have an encounter with the chimps at no cost once you secure booking with us and organizing for you the entire safari.

People allowed in chimpanzee trekking

Chimpanzee trekking involves travelers limited to a specified number of visitors per group though quite many than those who do gorilla trekking. A group of six people can trek with a chimp family daily. The treks occur in two shifts, with the first starting at 8:00 AM and the second at 2:00 PM.

Since the primates are playful and constantly move from one place to another, the trail may take several hours. However, once you encounter them, you can spend an hour experiencing their lifestyle, asking questions, and taking plenty of pictures. Chimpanzee habituation in Kibale National Park offers an exciting four-hour experience where you learn how the primates become accustomed to human encounters without aggression.

Contact us for more details upon your planned encounter with the closest relatives to humans which we share with 98% DNA for discounted permits, accommodation, and any other tailor-made safari in Uganda and Rwanda.