3 Days Chimpanzee Trekking Safari in Kibale Forest
Duration
Overview
3 Days Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale national park takes you to one of Africa’s primate hubs for wonderful encounters with chimps and other 12 primates. Kibale National park is located in the western part of Uganda and covers an area of 795 square kilometers. The park consists of mainly tropical rain-forest with vast woodlands and Savannah. The rain-forest is an extension of those found in central Africa although time and human activity has reduced its size considerably. Kibale National Park has a population of over 1,500 chimpanzees, 12 other primates, 60 mammals, 375 species of birds and 351 of trees. Some of the trees in the forest can grow up to 55 meters in height while others are over 200 years old. Before we go further, it is important to mention that Kibale forest is also home to forest elephants, leopards, lions (from Queen Elizabeth), warthogs, hippos and giant forest hogs. Kibale forest is the best place to track chimpanzees in the world. It’s unfortunate that Kibale doesn’t have mountain gorillas because if it was the case, it would probably be one of the most visited national parks in Africa.
This tour has option of going for the chimpanzee habituation experience. Chimp habituation experience involves tracking the chimps with researchers as they go about habituating wild chimpanzees. The experience is more comprehensive than standard chimpanzee trekking and requires following the chimps throughout the day. You have a greater chance of witnessing rare chimp behavior like hunting other animals for meat. If you choose to go for the 3 day chimpanzee habituation in Kibale forest, then you will spend the whole day taking part in the habituation of chimps. Chimpanzee habituation requires waking up earlier than usual to reach the chimps before they start moving out of their nests. You then follow them with the rangers and researchers throughout the day. During this time, you watch the chimps begin their day, feed, interact and finally make their nests for the night.
The 3 days chimpanzee trekking tour in Kibale includes a primates walk in Kanyanchu, birding and a visit to the local community. Those who opt for the full day chimpanzee habituation experience will have to forego afternoon activities on the second day.
Highlights
Day 1: Pickup and transfer to Kibale National Park – Nature walk at the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary.
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking (or chimpanzee habituation experience), primates walk in Kanyanchu and birding excursion
Day 3: Visit the Community – transfer back to Entebbe or Kampala
NOTE:
- Travel by
- These rates are subject to change if not booked on time.
Included/Exclude
- Transportation by 4x4 tourist vehicle
- Professional English speaking guide
- All entrance fees
- Chimp permits
- Drinking water onboard
- Government taxes
- All hard drinks, including the drinks for the sundowners
- Uganda Entry Visa fee
- International air flight
- Any optional activity not indicated in above program
- Laundry Services
Tour Itinerary
Our driver will pick you from the airport to start your 4-hour journey to Kibale National Park. You will continue to Fort Portal town via Mubende where your will have lunch. Fort Portal is one of the most beautiful towns in Uganda. If time allows, the Guide will take you to spot the ‘Amabeere ga nyina mwiru’ caves, the King (Omukama’s) palace and the royal tombs in Karambi. During your journey, you will be impressed by the beautiful sites of the crater lakes and the Rwenzori Mountains.
Once you arrive at the park, you will be taken to your lodge then continue for a guided nature walk in Bigodi swamp. Bigodi wetlands sanctuary is one of the best places to see birds in Uganda. It is also host to several primates and creatures like the swamp antelope (Sitatunga), Bush bucks, Mongooses, Bush pigs and Otters. The Bigodi Swamp is home to the Papyrus Gonolek, Hornbills, and Weaver birds, Waxbills, Kingfishers, Cuckoos, Flycatchers and the Great Blue Turaco.
Dinner and overnight at Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse, Isunga Lodge or Kyaninga lodge
Meal Plan: Full board
Wake up early and ensure that you take heavy breakfast in preparation for a long day of activities. The key activity will be chimpanzee tracking during the Kanyanchu primates walk. The walk will expose you to the thirteen primates found in Kibale National park and beautiful rain-forest, trees and butterflies. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale starts with a briefing at the park office. The Rangers will locate the group by following their hoots and calls. Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale is more predictable compared to the ones in Nyungwe in Rwanda or Budongo forest in Murchison Falls National Park. They are easier to find than anywhere else in Uganda. 3 large communities of chimps have been habituated in Kibale forest. An advance team is sent to locate them before letting the lead ranger know using radio call. Chimpanzee trekking takes between two to four hours depending on the location of the particular group you are assigned.
Chimpanzee communities have complex social structures with the large males acting as protectors of the group. Unlike mountain gorillas, the reign of a dominant chimp alpha male is short-lived because he has to deal with far more challenges especially when you consider the size of chimp communities. Moreover, chimp communities tend to split into smaller groups to feed during times of scarcity. During your one-hour encounter with the Chimps, you will notice that they are very mobile primates. They tend to move a lot and do not stay on the ground most of the time like mountain gorillas. You have to prepare to follow them for a while as they swing from tree to tree. Chimps are also very noisy and vocal compared to mountain gorillas. Apart from the chimps, the primates walk in Kanyanchu will expose you to all of the primates in the park including pottos, Grey Vervet Monkeys, baboons, Colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, grey checked mangabey, blue monkeys and Red Tailed Monkeys.
After being with one chimp family for an hour, you will continue to see the other primates in the park before returning back to your hotel for lunch. In the afternoon, you will go to the boardwalk trail for birding. The Guide will share with your information about the forest, its history and the creatures that call it home. The afternoon boardwalk is only for those who would be doing chimpanzee trekking. If you are booked for the chimpanzee habituation experience, then you will have no time for birding.
Dinner and overnight at Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse, Isunga Lodge or Kyaninga lodge
Meal Plan: Full board
Wake up at your leisure and take breakfast. Prepare to go for a village walk before starting the journey back to Kampala in the middle of the day. While with the community, you will learn about their customs and cultural heritage. You will walk through the village or visit one of the homes to meet the elders who have vast knowledge about the area and its history. You could even visit the church, school and eat some of the local food. It should not be all about the wildlife. Ugandans are super friendly to foreigners. If you missed visiting the Palace of the King of Toro or the Karambi tombs for some reason, this is the time visit. Lunch will be along the way. The scenery around Fort Portal and this part of Uganda is breathtaking. Look out for the rugged hills, tea plantations, local farms of Ankole cattle and peasants working in their gardens. The driver will drop you at a location in Kampala or at the Airport.
End of Safari
Related Tours
