Chimpanzees can be found in Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Each of these countries is a popular safari destination in Africa. Travelers visit Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania for chimpanzee trekking. It is important to note that chimpanzee trekking safaris in Uganda are different from chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda and Tanzania.

Chimpanzees in Uganda

Chimpanzees in Uganda are found in places like Kibale Forest National Park, Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Kyambura Gorge (Queen Elizabeth National Park), and Budongo Forest. Taking on a Uganda chimpanzee trekking or habituation safari will allow visit any or all of these chimpanzee destinations. The most popular place for chimpanzee trekking tours in Uganda is Kibale Forest National Park. Located in western Uganda, Kibale forest is home to over 1000 chimps. During your Kibale Chimpanzee tour, you will spend an hour in the presence of chimpanzees upon encountering them.

Kyambura Gorge is a small forest located in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The forest gives travelers a chance to combine their Queen Elizabeth National Park trips with chimpanzee trekking adventures. Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge is somewhat easier compared to that of Kibale Forest National Park. A Chimpanzee trekking permit for Kyambura Gorge is slightly lower than that of Kibale National Park.

Other than Kibale National Park and Kyambura Gorge, chimpanzees in Uganda can be found in Budongo forest. This forest is located in northwestern Uganda near Murchison Falls National Park. You can easily combine your Murchison Falls National Park safaris with Budongo forest chimpanzee trekking tours.

The Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary is found in Lake Victoria a few kilometers from Uganda’s entry point – Entebbe International Airport. The sanctuary was put in place to rescue orphaned baby chimps. Chimps that lose their parents while they are still infants are usually brought here for nurturing before they are released back to the forests.

Travelers on a rush may as well pass by the Uganda Wildlife Education Center formerly known as Entebbe Zoo and see chimpanzees. You will visit the grave of Uganda’s famous chimpanzee – Zakayo.

In Rwanda, chimpanzees can be seen in Nyungwe Forest National Park. In Tanzania, you can visit the Mahale Mountains National Park and Gombe National Park for chimpanzee trekking experiences.

• A Chimpanzee trekking permit in Uganda goes for $250 for foreign non-residents, $200 for foreign residents, and Ugx 180,000 for the citizens of East African community in Kibale National Park. A Chimpanzee habituation permit in Uganda goes for $300 for foreign non-residents, $250 for foreign residents, and Ugx 250,000 for citizens of the East African Community in Kibale Forest National Park.In Kyambura Gorge, a chimpanzee trekking permit goes for $100 for foreign non-residents, $80 for foreign residents, and Ugx 50,000 for the citizens of East African Community.

  It is always advisable to book your Uganda chimpanzee tracking or habituation permits in advance to avoid last-minute inconveniences. These permits are given on a first come first serve basis. This implies that late booking may result in inconveniences and sometimes you may end up missing out on this great primate adventure. Booking your Uganda chimpanzee tracking or habituation permits through a reputable tour operator takes away the hassle.

The dry months of June to September and December to February are considered the best months to take on a Uganda chimpanzee trekking or habituation safari. During these months, the tracking trails tend to be dry and vegetation is not thick hence guaranteeing chimp views. During the wet months of October to November and March to May, there are high chances of heavy rains. The rain might affect chimpanzee tracking in one way or the other. Tracking trails tend to be slippery hence making the experience difficult. Vegetation becomes thick as well during the wet seasons and walking in the forests becomes equally challenging.

This does not however mean that chimpanzee tracking or habituation cannot be done during the wet seasons in Uganda. Wet seasons are generally considered low seasons for tourism in Uganda. This usually comes with a reduction in accommodation and transportation costs hence making it a potentially best time to track Chimps in Uganda. Additionally, numbers of tourists tend to reduce during the wet seasons. This implies that chimp trekking and habituation permits are available and national parks are crowd-free.

Generally, the best time to take on a Uganda chimpanzee trekking safari depends on the needs of the travelers. But the dry months of June to September and December to February remain standout times to visit the chimps in Uganda.

Chimpanzees are not dangerous animals and neither can they hunt human beings. Chimpanzees can only charge when provoked by humans or other animals. This is why travelers or trekkers are advised to strictly follow the chimpanzee tracking and habituation rules and regulations. Keep it at the back of your mind that however many chimpanzees share a bigger percentage of their DNA with human beings, they are still not humans. Chimpanzees are animals and thus their behavior might not be one hundred percent predictable. Male chimpanzees tend to be hostile once provoked as they are the protectors of their families. Mother chimps may also be tough once you try touching their babies.

Difference between eastern chimpanzees and western chimpanzees.

Eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) and western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) are two recognized subspecies of chimpanzees. While they share many similarities, there are some notable differences between them, including their geographic distribution, physical characteristics, and behavior.

Geographically, eastern chimpanzees inhabit the eastern and central parts of Africa. Eastern chimpanzees can be seen in places like Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania. They are found in woodland and rainforests. On the other hand, western chimpanzees can be spotted in West Africa. They dominate countries like Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, and parts of Nigeria. They are found in swamp forests and gallery forests.

Physically, Eastern chimpanzees tend to be slightly larger and more robust than Western chimpanzees. They have longer arms and more pronounced brow ridges. Eastern chimpanzees also have a lighter coat color, which can range from black to brown, and their facial skin is often lighter. On the other hand, Western chimpanzees are relatively smaller and have shorter arms compared to their Eastern counterparts. They have darker coat color, ranging from black to dark brown, and their facial skin is darker.

Genetically, there have been notable variations in Eastern and Western Chimpanzees. These two subspecies have shown a difference in their evolutionary theories.

Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda and other parts of East Africa is an all-around activity. In other words, one can do chimp trekking any time of the year. Chimpanzee trekking and habituation permits in Uganda are available any time of the year. With the help of a reputable tour company, you can obtain your chimpanzee permit as soon as you wish. Booking your chimpanzee permit in advance is always an added advantage.

Chimpanzee trekking safaris in Uganda do not have specific days. This implies that one can do their Uganda Chimp tour any day of the week. Be it public holidays, weekends, or weekdays, every day can be a chimpanzee trekking day in Uganda.

Yes, chimpanzee trekking in Uganda is not an exclusive activity for pregnant women. It is only children below the age of 15 years who are not allowed to trek chimpanzees in Uganda. It is important to note that chimpanzees are close relatives to human beings and thus can easily spread and contract human diseases. Vomiting, while you are trekking chimpanzees, might put the chimpanzees at risk. However, with the help of expert guides, chimpanzee tracking or habituation in Uganda becomes easy even when you are pregnant. It is also important to talk to your gynecologist or doctor if you intend to take on a Uganda chimp tour while pregnant. You may hire a potter at the park headquarters to carry your luggage during your chimpanzee trekking. Potters may be for about $10 or $20 in all the chimpanzee trekking destinations in Uganda.

Breastfeeding mothers will have to leave their babies at your accommodation facility while you take on your chimpanzee trip.

A chimpanzee is completely different from a gorilla! You might be wondering about the differences between these species since they are all primates.  Gorillas and chimps are different in physical characteristics, behaviors, and habitats.

Physically, gorillas are larger in size and more robust. Gorilla adult males also known as silverbacks have broader chests and are taller compared to chimps. An adult male gorilla may reach up to 6 feet while standing upright.  Gorillas also have bigger heads compared to chimps. An adult male chimp may reach up to 4 feet while standing upright. Their arms are longer than those of gorillas in proportion to their bodies.

In distribution and habitats, gorillas occupy eastern and central parts of Africa. They can be found in countries like Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Gorillas occupy thick forests and sometimes lowland areas like Kahuzi-Biega National Park. On the other hand, chimpanzees occupy both East and West Africa. They can be found in countries like Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, and parts of Nigeria.

In terms of behaviors, gorillas live in more advanced groups known as families. A gorilla family is led by an adult male known as a silverback. Each family consists usually of one dominant adult male and some females as well as young ones. It is rare to find two adult males leading one gorilla family. Gorillas exhibit a hierarchical social structure, and interactions within the group are generally peaceful. On the other hand, chimpanzee families comprise several male leaders and quite many females per group. Generally, gorilla families tend to have fewer members compared to chimpanzee families. Battles and power struggles are common among gorilla families which is not usually the case with chimpanzee families. Chimpanzees are known for their tool use which is a rare case among gorillas.

In terms of feeding gorillas are predominantly herbivores. They entirely feed on leaves, roots, and shoots. Chimpanzees are predominantly omnivores. In addition to plants, they usually supplement their diet with insects. Chimpanzees have indeed been recorded hunting other animals like baboons and monkeys. This is however on rare occasions.

Chimpanzee trekking is generally not a difficult activity. However, the activity involves walking the forests and slippery trails in search of these human-like apes. This is a certain degree of physical fitness is required. The terrain of Uganda’s forest is usually a mixture of uphill and downhill. Trekkers therefore need to have the right chimpanzee trekking equipment for a greater experience.

Additionally, the difficulty of the chimpanzee trekking experience in Uganda depends on the location where one is doing the trek. As earlier stated, chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park is different from chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge – Queen Elizabeth National Park. The forests of Kibale are larger and thicker than those of Kyambura Gorge hence Kibale trekking might be more difficult.

Difficulty in chimpanzee trekking is also dependent on seasons. Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda is generally easier during the dry seasons (June to September and December to February). During this period, the trails are less slippery and forests are not as thick as they are in the wet seasons (October to November and March to May).

Lastly, Chimpanzee trekking difficulty in Uganda depends on the current location of a particular chimp family. Remember these are animals. Some chimp families tend to move to deeper parts of the park. Trekking such a chimpanzee family might be a difficult venture.

Conclusion

In conclusion, knowing the answers to the frequently asked questions about chimpanzee trekking safaris in Uganda and Africa is essential to anyone looking forward to having a greater experience. Thank God you are that person!