Chimpanzee Tracking is one of the best wildlife safari experiences in the world. This is one of the ommissible activities that you cannot enjoy while traveling Uganda.
Places to Enjoy Chimpanzee Tracking in Uganda
- Budongo Forest and Kaniyo Pabidi Forest in Murchison Falls National Park
- Kibale Forest National Park
- Kyambura Gorge and Kalinzu Forest in Queen Elizabeth National Park
About chimpanzee trekking & Habituation in Kibale Forest National park
Chimpanzee habituation is a life time experience which allows trekkers to stay with the chimps for a whole day and watch them as they carry out their daily activities, this also makes them get used to the presence of humans without changing their natural environment. In course of the tour, you will also come across the chimp de nesting between 5: 30 to 6:30 before them throughout the day until they make the new nests at night. The habituation adventure by the tourists for the low season months of May, April and November is cheap.
There is also a primate walk that is known as chimpanzee tracking and it’s the most favorite of Kibale Walks that start from Kanyanchu visitor centre at 8:00 am in the morning and this lasts for 2 to 3 hours. These chimps are also the most sought after primates by the guests and you will also look out for the black and white colobus , the red tailed monkeys, the grey cheeked Mangabey, and many more. The guide will be able to show you some birds and the plant species with in the forest. This walk is taken by only 6 people in a group. And booking in advance is important most especially during the peak season.
Chimpanzee trekking has got rules and regulations that are to be followed and some of these include; avoiding eating near the chimps, keeping a distance of 8 m between you and the chimps, the children below the age of 12 are not allowed to engage in the trek, the guide is the only one to be able to access the forest, the flash photography is also not allowed with in the park, chimpanzees also need freedom and provoking then is not good.
Chimpanzee trekking is a very enjoyable adventure and its prepared today and also sets out to Kibale Forest and you will spend some time with them. You will also see them as they swim from one tree to another, play on the ground in front of you. These also share 98%of their DNA with the Humans, though they are wild animals, their chances of seeing them is not guaranteed even though they are wild animals. This makes it the most perfect destination in East Africa for chimpanzee watching safaris. You can also get an opportunity to take part in the habituation process that means that you can get chance to spend your whole day with the chimps.
Since the number of tracking permits are restricted, you are therefore advisable to book in advance prior to the safari dates. The lunch boxes will be given to the trekkers that are taking part in the habituation adventure since it needs the whole day. It’s also vital to note that 15 years is the minimum age that is allowed to carry out chimpanzee trekking. The requirement needed for chimpanzee trekking include; the shoes, wearing the long sleeved clothes, the rain gears, drinking water, cameras, and the Binoculars.
It’s also known that the average weight of an adult chimpanzee is between 35 and 70 kilometres and have a height of 3m while the adult female chimpanzee weighs between 26 and 50 kgs between 2 to 4 feet. These chimps are the closest relatives to the humans and they are sociable, so intelligent as well as communicative and the ability to use the tools like the rocks for crushing the nuts. These chimpanzees also stay in groups of 10 to 100 individuals and can take care of their young ones and these become independent at 4 years. These also feed and do make their sleeping nests in the trees.