The 3-Days Chimpanzee Tracking Safari will offer an up-close trekking experience along the closest of man’s relative, the chimpanzee in their tropical rainforest home. On this safari, you will trek along the habituated chimpanzee communities within Kibale Forest National Park an expansive tropical forest popularly known as a “primates capital” hosting up to 13-species of primates.
The Chimpanzee Tracking Day
On a tracking day, ranger guides will lead you on various forest trails towards the feeding ranges of the habituated chimpanzee communities while interpreting various plants, calls and tracks on the trails. Upon locating the chimpanzee, you will be given only One full hour (longer on a habituation trek) to record the moment or just observe and learn the social behavior of these apes. Chimpanzee communicate through various calls and displays including human-like and recognizable facial expressions that reflects the status, mood and excitement of an individual or group. Watching the warm and tender care of a nursing mother, the vigor and energy of displaying youngsters and above all the unforgettable heart piercing hoots, pants, drumming, chaos and cries that occur as the community feeds makes this encounter memorial and personal, sticking for a life-time!
Difficulty and Duration on Chimpanzee Tracking
Kibale Forest is a medium-altitude moist tropical rainforest with a moderate terrain across 1110m-1200m of altitude. Visitors ought to have average fitness for chimpanzee tracking activity.
The 3-Day Uganda Chimpanzee Safari Includes
- 1 Chimpanzee tracking permit
- A 4WD car with a tourist guide/driver
- Bigodi swamp walk fees
- Bottled drinking water
- Accommodation and meal plan as mentioned
Excluded
- Tips and gratuities
- Porter fees
- Optional activities fees as mentioned
- Accommodation and meal plan on arrival day and last day
- Items of personal nature like laundry and so.
- Other meals and drinks other than those mentioned
Detailed Itinerary
Day One: Transfer to Kibale
This morning your guide/driver will pick you from your hotel/residence for a transfer to Kibale NP west of the capital Kampala/ Entebbe. The 4hr drive passes through a typical rural Uganda characterized by bustling small towns, interesting colorful food and fruit markets to reach the green city of Fort Portal. Arrival will be in time for lunch at your booked accommodation set on the Kibale Forest edge with outstanding views of the expansive tea estates and the towering Rwenzori Mountain ranges on the western horizon.
Accommodation and Meal Plan: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge/Isunga Lodge Medium Range, FB. Drive Time: 4.5hrs
Day Two: Chimpanzee Tracking Day and Bigodi Swamp/Community nature Walk
After an early breakfast, your guide driver will drive you to the visitors briefing center where ranger guides shall take you through the conservation and experience briefing including important safety guidelines regulations. Thereafter you will be split into smaller units to be guided along trails to the feeding range of the habituated community.
Be sure to have a snack, rain jacket and a minimum of 2ltrs of drinking water. On locating the group, you will be afforded One-hour or more on habituation treks to learn about these apes. Duration solely depends on where the group has been encountered, but anything 3-5hrs is normal. Back at the trail head you will be awarded a souvenir certificate appreciating you support towards the much-needed conservation efforts to these endangered species.
Late afternoon extend your primate experience on a 2/3hr nature walk through the riverine swamp of Bigodi. Along this community protected reserve, Red-Colobus monkey and Uganda Mangabey both of which are near Uganda endemics occur. Other primates include, red-tailed, guereza, blue, vervet monkeys and olive baboon are seen alongside a rich bird-list. The walk extends through the local community offering you insights into diverse cultural traditions, lifestyle, food and cash crops.
Accommodation and Meal Plan: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge/Isunga Lodge Medium Range, FB
Day Three: Optional Crater Lakes walk and transfer to Kampala.
This morning after your breakfast you can choose optional trek through the sparkling crater lakes near Fort Portal to enjoy the inspiring scenic landscape shaped by the violet volcanic explosions responsible of the creation of the rift valley. The regions pleasant weather aided by high altitudes makes this moderate trek worth-while as you pass through community farms and gardens on these fertile regions.
Ranging from 2-3hrs, this trek will bring you across and through forest rimmed edges of these deep craters and also offer a 360 degrees views of this beautiful Toro kingdom lush landscape. Thereafter have a hot lunch and transfer to Kampala /Entebbe.
Drop point: At your hotel or another preferred point in Kampala/Entebbe
Drive Time: 5hrs