Chimpanzee tracking in Uganda; Uganda’s western rainforests and mid-altitude forests host a diversity of primates including the closest man’s cousin, the chimpanzee and offers the most wholesome primate experience in the region. The populations scattered across these rainforests, mid-altitude forests and woodlands in Uganda are of an Eastern Common Chimpanzee (Pan. t. schweinfurthi), a different race from the central African nominate race.
Charismatic, agile and the most intelligent of the big apes, Chimpanzee occur in well organized communities numbering over 150 individuals led by a dominant male with his “gang of subordinate males”. This closest to man ape exhibit recognizable human-like traits like facial expressions, organization structure making this experience one-of-a-kind and personal!
A typical day in this complex community, starts with a male-only troop setting off to patrol, defend and protect the home range and raiding outside territories while the female and young spread out in individual family units to feed within the range in protection of the dominant male.
Ugandan rainforests protects the biggest population of this ape in the region with one location hosting more than 500 individuals, offering the richest experiences to trek along several habituated communities in their natural forest home ranges.
A typical day on a Chimp tracking Experience.
Unlike the gorilla trekking experience, Chimps occur in a less strenuous forests spread across a mid-altitude forest belts along the eastern walls of the rift valley in western Uganda. The quality of experience varies with each site with several offering over 80% chances of encountering these species.
Experienced ranger guides lead sets of 8-visitors on a trek to where the local chimp communities are feeding and there one get to spend one hour with the chimps. Scheduled ranger-guided treks leave early every morning and afternoon, stretching anywhere between 3-4hrs but really this depends on a day.
Ordinary Chimpanzee or Habituation Tracking Experience
Ordinary Chimpanzee tracking experience offers visitors one-hour interaction with the species while the trek can last up 3hrs. The longer and richer habitation experience (CHEX) stretches up to 4hrs a day trekking with researchers and rangers along a semi-habituated chimpanzee family.
Tracking permits for the ordinary tracking vary with each site at Uganda’s primate capital of Kibale NP ordinary costs 200 USD pp while habituation costs 250 USD per person.
Important to note is minimum age for chimpanzee tracking is 12 years.
Where to Track Chimpanzee in Uganda.
While all the western Uganda forests hosts chimpanzee, tracking experience occurs from the following sites.
Kibale National Park. The 760sq km of medium-altitude forest is the primate capital where up to 12 species are encountered along with the Common Chimpanzee. Communities of habituated Chimpanzee are tracked every morning and afternoon where ranger guides lead out groups to different feeding grounds of these species and get to spend an hour watching and learning about them. Chimpanzee Habituation Experience is available for those who seek more insights into these specie’s life styles and have time on their hands. The activity takes more than 4 hours.
Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The Kyambura Gorge was cut out in the savanna plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park by the Kyambura River flowing from escarpment ridges to the Kazinga Channel. The unique underground rain-forested gorge extends 40km long and up to a kilo-meter wide in some areas and harboring a community of habituated Chimpanzee and several primates including Vervet, Red-tailed and Guerezza Monkeys. Plus, the Gorge is frequented by several Big game including Elephants, Buffalo and Hippos.
Activity also is Morning and Afternoon.
Kalinzu Forest is another place located east of Queen Elizabeth NP and hosts several Communities of Chimpanzee but Blue, Red-tailed and the shy L’hoest Mokeys occur. This Medium Altitude Forests is an extension of the greater Imaramagambo Forest and hosts several same flora and fauna. Activities start in mornings and afternoons.
Budongo Forest is the largest intact mid-altitude forest lies north-west from Kampala and is part of the Greater Murchison Falls Conservation Area. The forest hosts the largest population of Chimpanzee in Uganda estimated to be about 5000 strong with a fraction of those habituated.
Ngamba Island is located just 30km off Entebbe landing site where rescued Chimpanzee from pet traders are given a new life and restored. Established in 1998 with only 19 orphaned individuals, now the numbers have really flourished in this natural forested island home. The chimps are regularly monitored and occasional come over the camps for fresh fruits and play. Activities on the island include a behind-the-scenes tour with staff or just a nature walk on the sand beaches.