What to Expect on a Kibale Forest Chimpanzee Trek

What Should You Expect on Kibale Forest Chimp Trek  : Chimpanzees thriving in the dense rainforest jungle of Kibale National Park are the closest relative to humanity and the one of the most iconic endangered primates in the world.

Kibale Forest National Park is home to approximately 1,500 wild chimpanzees living in 13 communities including groups that have been successfully habituated, some for scientific study and others for chimpanzee trekking tourism.

On a Uganda safari, you can see these social, intelligent tailless apes in person on an extension on a Uganda Chimpanzee Trekking Safari. It is one of the nature’s rarest, most emotionally – charged experience and one that should be included on any Uganda Safari.

Here is what to Expect

What’s It Like To Go Chimp Trekking in Kibale?

Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest is an incredible-awe inspiring adventure, you wake up at round dawn and after a breakfast, you transfer to the Kanyanchu Visitor Center in Kibale Forest National Park for your chimpanzee trekking activity which begins promptly at 8 am.

The encounter commences with a briefing, during which you will learn a little about the Great Apes you are about to see as well as being given some dos and don’ts. One of the critical is to avoid getting too close to chimpanzees, this is not only for your safety but also for theirs as our viruses and diseases can easily spread to them due to our shared DNA.

Also, it is not wise to imitate chimpanzee calls. Although it might seem fun to mimic them, if you are not careful you might unintentionally end up recreating a battle cry and bring more than 120 angry chimpanzees down upon you.

Once you have been briefed, you are separated into groups of not more than 7, each accompanied by a local ranger guide who is armed in case of emergencies. Then it is time head into the forest.

Trekking through the tangled jungle undergrowth, ducking under low branches and watching your step for twisted roots, you will move in the direction where the chimpanzees were last seen, all the time listening for their calls deep in the tree canopies.

If you are lucky, you will soon hear pant-hoot calls. Normally it is difficult to think of any sound more spine-tingling than the explosive pant-hoot call with which chimpanzees announce their presence. As you follow the direction of the calls, you should soon find one of the community sub-groups.

They may be high up in the treetops, grooming, playing or feasting on fruits.

But if you are lucky, some will come to the ground and it is when the real magical encounter happens.

Face To Face with Wild Chimpanzees

No encounter beats that first, up-close encounter with chimpanzees in their natural habitat, you will be thrilled by how intelligent they are, with their expressions, poses and their almost humanlike interactions.

You will be mesmerized by the way they look right at you with their bright eyes and even pose for your camera. You may wonder if they are enjoying your interaction even more than you are. Coming face-to-face with a chimpanzees in the wild is breathlessly exhilarating.

In fact, this wildlife encounter may be better as the trekking terrain is much easier and the price for the experience is significantly cheaper. All good reasons why you might want to consider including a chimpanzee trekking tour right at the top of your Uganda Must visit destination list.

On this experience, you have a full hour to enjoy being with these precious creatures and you are free to takes as many photos as you wish.

Are Chimpanzee Sightings Guaranteed?

The answer is No, chimpanzee sightings are not guaranteed in Kibale. However, the odds of seeing chimpanzees on any given trekking excursion stands at around 95% which is far higher than any other place that offer chimpanzee trekking in the whole world.

The main reason why sightings are less certain than is the case with gorilla trekking is that chimpanzees are a lot more mobile. To improve your chances of seeing chimpanzees on your Uganda Wildlife Tour, you can consider booking two trekking excursions.

Also, you can book one in the morning and one in the afternoon, or visit two different chimpanzee trekking locations in Uganda.

What Fitness Level Is Required?

Usually, you will spend 2 to 4 hours on the move. First looking for chimpanzees, then moving with them. So you need to be fit enough to manage that sort of time on your feet easily.

If you are not, then it would be a good idea to do a bit of light training before your trip.

But Kibale Forest National Park is relatively flat, you will spend most of your time on clear trails.

Some chimpanzee trekking tours turn out to be a great ideal less demanding than others, depending on how quickly the chimpanzees are located. The fitter and more agile you are, the more easily you will cope if you find yourself chasing the chimpanzees into the tangled jungle undergrowth.

What Other Wildlife Might I See in Kibale Apart from Chimps

Chimpanzee Trekking excursions tend to focus on their primary goat at the excursion of other wildlife, but there is of course other wildlife you can see in Kibale Forest’s lush flora.

Kibale Forest National Park protects one of the most biodiverse rainforest in East Africa, it is home to more than 60 mammals, 12 species of monkeys and over 375 bird species recorded to date.

The most commonly seen monkeys in Kibale Forest National Park are black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkey, red colobus monkey and the endemic Uganda Mangabey.

Bird species in Kibale National Park include African Pitta, Abyssinian ground thrush, Crowned eagle, Dusky crimsoning, Collared appalis, Black-capped appalis, Black bee-eater, Yellow spotted nicator, Little greenbul, Black-eared ground thrush, Brown-chested alethe, Yellow-rumped tinker bird and Blue-breasted kingfisher. Chubb’s Cisticola, Black-capped waxbill, Africa Shrike-flycatcher, African Black-headed Oriole, African Emerald Cuckoo, African green-pigeon, Black-crowned Tchagra, African wood owl, alpine swift, Ash flycatcher, Barn swallow, Black-and-white shrike-flycatcher, Black-billed Turaco, Black-billed weaver, African dusky flycatcher, Blue-shouldered Robin-chat, Blue-throated Roller, Zebra Waxbill, Brown-eared woodpecker, African-pied wagtail, Cameroon Sombre greenbul, papyrus canary, papyrus gonolek, and white collared olive among so many others.

The best way to see a good range of these forest dwelling bird species and primates is to take a guided walk in the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary – which is the swampy centerpiece of a community-based ecotourism project bordering Kibale National Park.

Is Chimpanzee Trekking Trip in Kibale Safe?

Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest National Park is widely regarded to be safe, there has been no incident where a guest gets injured by a chimpanzees.

However, note that a large chimpanzees is comparable in size to a human adult. It is also far stronger, so it is vital you follow your guide’s instructions to ensure your safety.

Children under the age of 12, being smaller and more vulnerable than adults are not allowed to go chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest.

For safety and comfort reasons, it is a good idea to put on good hiking shoes, long trouser and a long-sleeved short.  Tuck your trouser legs into your socks to minimize the risk of being attacked by safari ants, these insects are harmless. However, they quite common and have a nasty bite.

Also you are advised to put on neutral colors that blend into the bush, khaki, green and grey are recommended.

A walking stick might be useful for navigating through tricky areas.

How Much Does Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Cost?

A chimpanzee tracking permit costs US$ 250 for Foreign non-resident, US$ 200 for Foreign residents and UGX 18,000 for East African Citizens. This fee is levied by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

The cost for the Chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale includes park entrance fees and services of a guide. The permit is all you need to get access to make your way to the trekking trailhead at Kanyanchu.

A stand alone 3 or 4 day chimpanzee trekking packages to Kibale National Park leaving from either Entebbe or Kampala, the price generally ranges from US$ 750 to  US$ 2,000 per person sharing. The price largely depends on the quality of accommodation of your choice.

Most visitors on Uganda safari to Kibale National Park incorporate other Uganda parks in western Uganda such as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park to make there Uganda safari longer.

Where to stay At Kibale Forest National Park

There is a wide range of accommodation options in Kibale Forest National Park to suite all budgets, these include budget, midrange to luxury options and they include

• Kibale Forest Camp
• Kyaninga Lodge
• Ndali Lodge
• Isunga Lodge
• Primate Lodge
• Chimpanzee Forest Lodge
• Crater Safari Lodge

Let us plan your chimpanzee trekking safari, our tour consultants are available 24/7 to serve you.