Chimpanzee tracking is your must participate activity you should not miss while in Uganda and Rwanda rated to be among the major boosting tourism activities, it involves trekking in a group of about eight people following the established routes or trails leading you into the jungle with interest of seeing these primates playing with their young ones, feeding, swinging in the tree branches and taking photos of them for memories, during this trekking it’s the trackers to go first such that they locate presence of these primates after they will communicate with the ranger guides who are leading the group in the Jungle.
These Chimpanzees are ranked to be the closest to human being features which makes most of the visitors to develop more interest in visiting these primates such that they can witness this 98.7 % DNA close feature. Chimpanzees are Omnivorous but mostly feed on young bamboo shoot, Sugar canes, tree leaves, grass, and fruits like Jack fruit, Mangoes, Oranges, Cabbages, Water melon, Sweet bananas, grapes and more. To add on Chimpanzees are black in Color some with black faces and some with brown faces; they are tailless with their forelimbs longer than the lower limbs.
What’s the price for Chimpanzee tracking permits in Uganda and Rwanda?
Chimpanzee tracking permits vary according to the destination, when it comes to Uganda there are several destinations to go for chimpanzee tracking and their prices vary which include Kibale Forest National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison.
Tracking Chimpanzees in Kibale costs $150 USD per person and that of Queen Elizabeth National Park cost $50 USD person but here during some seasons Chimpanzees are rarely seen which is not the same case to Kibale Forest National Park where you are 100% sure of seeing these primates.
For Rwanda the amazing Chimpanzee tracking is only done in Nyungwe Forest National Park which is located in the South western corner of Rwanda, the permit for this activity costs $100 USD per person.
Where to go for Chimpanzees in Uganda and Rwanda?
These human closely related primates are one of the major attractions in Uganda and Rwanda, below is a list of gazetted places where you can go for the magical Chimpanzee tracking Safari.
Kibale Forest National Park. This is the major destination in Uganda specializing in offering an amazing, lifetime and discoverable Chimpanzee tracking Safari; it is located in the western part of Uganda on your way to Fort Portal bordering Queen Elizabeth National Park on its Southern wing and Rwenzori Mountains National Park on its Western wing.
It’s about 358 kms from Kampala up to Kibale Forest National Park, this park is characterized with tropical rain forest, Savannah grassland and some parts covered with swamps.
Chimpanzee tracking, bird watching, are the bespoke activities offered by Kibale Forest National Park, Bigodi wetland walk is the best option of sighting different bird species including the rare shoe bill plus other species sighted in the jungle while on Chimpanzee tracking walk.
Nyungwe Forest National Park. This destination is among the destinations which have put Rwanda’s tourism on board with its sounding Chimpanzee primates plus the Canopy walk which every visitor to Rwanda would like to do before leaving, Nyungwe is located in the South western corner of Rwanda, the section of Nyungwe Forest National Park where chimpanzees are tracked begins in Cyamudongo, a 4 and half hour drive from Kigali.
This forest is also Africa’s oldest montane forest and its home to over 13 species of primates including over 500 chimpanzees. As you pass through the forest, you will hear the whoops and the cackles of L’Hoest’s and the black faced vervet monkeys. Although it’s mostly known for Chimpanzees but it’s also a good paradise for bird watching which are mostly sighted crossing while on Canopy walk or Chimpanzee tracking in the jungle.
Queen Elizabeth National Park. This is Uganda’s wildlife scenery with different primates and species in its diversity, it’s located in the South western part of Uganda bordering Kibale Forest National Park in its North Eastern part. It is made up of four major sectors which include the Ishasha sector, Maramagambo forest, Kyambura gorge and the Kazinga Channel, although it’s popularly known for the famous tree climbing Lions in the Ishasha sector this park is also a good site for chimpanzee tracking mostly in the Kyambura gorge side but during some seasons these primates are rarely seen.
Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary. This is another place to go on your tours in Uganda where you can go and see the Chimpanzees; it is a protected area which was established to provide home to the rescued orphaned and uncared chimpanzees. It is located on the shores of Lake Victoria in Kome islands characterized with tropical rain forest, savannah grasslands and some areas covered with swamps.
Currently over forty nine primates are residents in this Sanctuary, you can better reach it by use of Speed boats, local canoes starting from Entebbe- Nakiwogo or arrange private charters from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi airport, When you reach Ngamba Island Chimpanzee sanctuary activities to engage in include Chimpanzee feeding, Care giving plus Volunteering and you are free to take a lot of photos for these primates such that it is left as a mark to remember.
