Why seeing Chimpanzees in Uganda is Africa’s best primate tracking experience

Why seeing Chimpanzees in Uganda is Africa’s best primate tracking experience. Uganda is home to several primates and chimpanzees (about 98% DNA) are top on the list for tracking safaris.

Chimpanzees are man’s closest relatives after bonobos and really intriguing to see in the wild. Africa as a continent has about 300,000 chimpanzees left in the equatorial forests and Uganda has a big population in the wild.

Watching chimps in their natural habitat is a great and unique treat. One of the best places to see chimpanzees in Africa is in Uganda’s Kibale National Park. The park hosts habituated chimpanzee groups that are usually trekked by tourists at very affordable costs.

Trekking chimpanzees in Uganda’s natural habitats offer a great jungle experience as one gets an opportunity to closely see these old floral species and the wild animals that inhabit them. The chimpanzees are within a walking distance and therefore easy to find on a trekking trip.

Chimpanzees are social primates that live in communities of up to 150 individuals that are further divided into smaller subgroups each led by an alpha male. Chimpanzees spend most of their day high in the treetops, sleeping, grooming, and feeding.

Their diet contains mainly fruit, leaves, and barks. They also descend from the canopies and it’s during this time when you have the best chance of closely seeing them.

Why seeing Chimpanzees in Uganda is Africa’s best primate tracking experience

Where to see chimpanzees in Uganda? – Africa’s best primate tracking experience

There are several destinations in Uganda that are wild habitats to chimpanzees. The chimpanzee trekking spots or places to trek chimps in Uganda include Kibale Forest National Park, Budongo Forest, Kyambura Gorge, and Kalinzu Forest.

Just to see chimpanzees in Uganda, tourists can visit Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary to the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre. Here are a few details on the best places to see chimpanzees in Uganda;

• Kibale National Park

Kibale Forest hosts the highest total population of chimpanzees. The park has over a thousand chimpanzees and is still home to over 13 primate species, that’s why it’s dubbed the primate capital of the world.

Kibale National Park is very accessible for chimpanzee trekking and a 3 days chimpanzee trekking safari is a good itinerary.

You can also tailor along the trip with a visit to other parks like Murchison Falls National Park or Queen Elizabeth National Park.

• Budongo Forest

Budongo forest is the closest spot from Kampala-Uganda’s capital for tourists to trek chimpanzees. The forest is part of the Murchison Falls Conservation Area.

There are 2 habituated chimpanzee families that can be trekked by those interested in the activity.  You can choose to have a trip to the forest just for chimp trekking or take a 4 days safari to Murchison Falls National Park.

• Kyambura Gorge – Queen Elizabeth National Park

Kyambura Gorge is the only destination in Uganda where you will have to visit the chimps below sea level. The chimpanzees live in a gorge that is about 100m deep at its deepest spot.

Unlike other chimpanzees, this population lives below within the gorge and makes it an extraordinary experience to trek them. However, the chimpanzees here are few and therefore sightings are not that marvelous.

If you want to have a magical experience, then trek in Kyambura you may never find this experience anywhere else. The trekking safari can be tailored with a visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

• Kalinzu forest

Kalinzu Central Forest Reserve is situated in southwestern Uganda in the district of Bushenyi. The forest is close to the Maramagambo forest of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The forest is host to numerous wildlife species with chimpanzees being the star attraction. Chimpanzee trekking in the forest is one of the top activities as it has a habituated group of chimps with about 50 individuals.

There are also other chimps within the forest that are not habituated. Armed guides will lead each group of tourists to the forest for the trekking experience either for the morning or afternoon session.

Chimpanzees are made familiar to humans and therefore making it possible for people to visit them at a very close distance.

Aside from primate tracking in Uganda, other popular tour activities include Uganda gorilla safaris, birding, wildlife safari game drives, and many more well-customized itineraries.

For East African trips, we have also been plan primate tours among our top packages for Rwanda gorilla tours, Kenya safaris, and Tanzania wildlife safari packages.