The Kibale Forest National Park in Uganda is the leading Chimpanzee destination in East Africa. This is also the place where we participated in the Chimpanzee habituation experience on our trip to Uganda. This jungle rain forest is home to about 30% of the Uganda Chimpanzee population, to nearly 1500 chimpanzees.
Kibale Forest National Park is one of the best safari destinations in Africa for chimpanzee trekking safaris and has the highest number and diversity of primates in East Africa. The gazetted Kibale National Park is an attractive park in Uganda with varied tracts of tropical rain forest and a multiplicity of animals located in western Uganda slightly off the Equator. The annual temperature ranges between 14-27C and is generally cool. It is the ultimate place for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda. It is known as the “primate capital of East Africa” with 13 different primate species. Kibale forest is home to more than 1,450 chimpanzee protected within its borders of 795km2 area covered. It is by far the best place to see Chimps in East Africa.
Chimpanzees are man’s closest relatives sharing about 98.7% of the DNA with man. They adapt to their environments over time developing tools for survival much like humans. You can spend an hour with these creatures in their natural habitat by visiting one of the areas where chimpanzee tracking happens in Uganda. You will be able to follow them with your ranger guide to get great pictures and learn more about the chimps.
What to expect from the Chimpanzee Tracking Experience?
Although the chimp tracking and habituation experience are different, a lot of factors are similar. In short, both experiences start with the dividing of participants into small groups of (8) followed by a briefing. After this briefing with information and rules, you will meet your guide who is armed in case of emergencies. Furthermore, free walking sticks are provided to keep your balance. Next, you will walk or drive to the starting point near the place where the chimps were last spotted.
From here the guide leads you through the forest and you will be listening for the chimp cries in the trees. Once you hear them, you will be extremely excited to see them. Immediately you will get in the direction of the sounds and finally, you’re about the stand face to face with chimpanzees. If you participate in a chimp tracking in Uganda, this is the moment when the 1 hour of staying near the chimps begins. Furthermore, when you participate in the habituation experience you will follow the chimps and trails till they make up their nests for the night (in the late afternoon).
After this wonderful primate safari experience, you head back to the starting point and will be extremely satisfied. Meeting our closest genetic relatives is an experience you will never forget.
Is Chimpanzee Tracking Safe?
A chimpanzee experience in Uganda is perfectly safe. Uganda is a safe country for tourists and chimp trekking and habituation experiences are a valuable source of income, so there are high-security levels to maintain the safety of tourists and the chimpanzees. You don’t have to worry about chimpanzee attacks as long as you listen to your guide and follow the park rules of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (see number 19 of things to know for tracking chimpanzees in Uganda).
And yes, there are a few disturbing cases in which chimpanzees attacked Ugandan people, and Ugandan families killed chimps, mostly because of crop loss. The primates had been coming closer throughout Kayamajaka village, searching for food, ripping bananas from the trees, and grabbing mangoes. In Uganda, these primates are protected by law, meaning that it’s illegal to hunt or kill chimps.