The Kyambura Gorge is a strip of underground forest located within Queen Elizabeth National Park, stretching 16km long,1 kilometer wide and 100m below the golden grasslands of the rift valley floor. This unique and diverse ecosystem is characterized by an ever-green typical moist tropical forest and wetland, a sharp contrast of the surrounding hot savanna woodland. The sunken moist tropical forested gorge is continuously shaped by the fresh water river Kyambura as it runs from the steep escarpment walls following a soft rock along the fault-line to drain into the Kazinga channel and is frequented by elephants and buffalos and utilized by hippos.
What to do in Kyambura Gorge
Chimpanzee Tracking and Birdwatching Walks
A major highlight is trekking to a 28-strong and increasing habituated chimpanzee community within this underground forest that got isolated when the forest corridor linking the gorge to the expansive Imaramagambo forest was cleared by agriculturists along the rift valley escarpment walls.
The ranger guided-walks follow a network of trails beginning at Fig-tree camp to descend into the moist forested gorge crisscrossing the Kyambura river extending into feeding range of the resident Chimps. On locating the chimps, a standard One-hour is given to observe the social structure and behavior plus an opportunity to take beautiful shots. As in other tropical forests settings, a complex variety of life occurs throughout this riverine ecosystem that incudes variety of butterflies, insects and birdlife.
The fresh water river of Kyambura a major water source in this ecosystem, attracts several hippo pods, large herbivores like elephants, buffalos, forest duikers and giant forest hog. The tropical forest other resident primates including Guereza and Red-tailed Monkeys with Vervet and Olive Baboons patrolling the edges.
Birdwatchers will enjoy a prolific bird checklist in this vast gorge include typical forest specialists like Blue-breasted, Shinning-blue Kingfishers, Toro Olive, Cameroon Sombre and Joyful Greenbul among other cast of greenbuls, Forest Robin, Black bee-eater, Western Nicator, Crowned and Pied hornbills, Cassin’s Hawk-Eagle, Great-blue and Ross’s Turacos among others.
These nature guided activities stretch anywhere between 3-5hrs scheduled in morning and afternoon exposing the visitors to diverse eco system of this underground tropical forests a sharp contrast of the above savanna setting.
What you need to note as you visit
To track the Chimpanzee in Kyambura Gorge ones must acquire a 50$ permit for a foreign non-resident plus a park entrance fee valid for 24hr on your visit to this park.
Good walking shoes, a rain gear regardless the season, nature blending clothes are recommended, long trousers and shirts/browse, carry that insect repellant, drinking water (it gets hot down there), binoculars and your camera gear.
Where else to track Chimpanzee in Uganda
Major forests along the western Uganda protect communities of Chimpanzee however the listed forests here host habituated groups and are some of the best places to track close near mans cousin:
- Kibale Forest National Park
- Budongo Forest
- Kalinzu Forest