Chimpanzees are a species of the great apes that inhabit the forests and savannas of tropical Africa.  Chimpanzees have four known and confirmed species with a 5th proposed one. They grow up to about 40 to 60 kilograms in male adults while female adults grow up to 32 to 47 kilograms. 

Chimpanzees are covered in coarse black hair coats, have bare faces, fingers, palms of the hands, toes and soles of the feet. Chimpanzees can be found in various forests in Uganda. The most vibrant forests to see chimpanzees in Uganda encompass; 

Kibale forest. 

Lying along the western edge of Uganda – the pearl of Africa, Kibale National Park is a renowned home to thousands of chimpanzees. It takes a visitor from Kampala roughly a 5 hours drive to access the forest covering a distance of approximately 348 kilometers.  It is roughly 26 kilometres in the southeast of Fort Portal the tourism city. The forest spans up to approximately 776 square kilometres made-up of mostly moist and evergreen forests containing a diverse combination of landscapes which form a favorable habitat for the primates to flourish. 

Kyambura gorge.

Kyambura Gorge showcases the beauty of a thick natural rainforest engulfed in a valley. It lies in the east of Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is served by the river Kyambura tributaries that help maintain the green look of the forest, feeding the diverse species of flora and fauna within especially the chimpanzees which are the main highlights. Kyambura Gorge is a renowned chimpanzee habitat hosting a variety of families both habituated and non habituated. 

The families in this forest live in groups of about 35 to 80 individuals. The gorge can be accessed through the Kampala – Mbarara – Kasese highway. 

Budongo forest.

The gigantic Budongo forest is perched in the northwest of Kampala on the outskirts of the magnificent Murchison Falls National Park which is the largest of all national parks in Uganda. The forest lies on the escarpment in the northeast of Lake Albert that gives visitors the breathtaking views of the African Savannah miles away. It occupies an area of approximately 825 square kilometres comprised of thick tropical rainforests and diverse landscapes. It is a celebrated primate capital in the country hosting several chimpanzee families.

The forest feeds, shelters and is a playground for the chimpanzees that makes it easier for visitors to access them and spend time watching them enjoy their lives in their habitat, an experience that is indeed worth the efforts 

How much does it cost to trek chimpanzees per destination?

Travelers must note that for the opportunity to trek chimpanzees in Uganda, one requires a chimpanzee trekking permit that is obtained from the authorities. Travellers can obtain chimpanzee trekking permits through registered tour operators who can help them check for the available permits and book in time.

For the opportunity to trek chimpanzees in Budongo forest, one needs to acquire a trekking permit which goes for $130.00 for the foreign non-residents, $120.00 for the foreign residents and $85 for the East African citizens.

In Kibale forest on the other hand, the chimpanzee trekking permits can be obtained at $200 for the foreign non-residents, $150.00 for the foreign residents and Uganda shillings 150,000 for the East African citizens.

The chimpanzee trekking permits to Kyambura Gorge can be obtained at $50.00 for foreign non-residents, $40.00 for foreign residents and Uganda shillings 30,000 for East African citizens. The prices are directly proportional to the prospective experiences since all the destinations give uniquely interesting moments.

When to visit?

The dry months are the best seasons in which one can embark on chimpanzee trekking adventures to have the most remarkable moments. The dry months are characterized by stable grounds that allow the visitors to maneuver through the dense rainforests and shrubs with limited interruptions from the weather. 

Therefore the visitors have the opportunity to have the best moments and explore more of the diverse flora and fauna in the forests.

The dry months are categorized into two that is to say the long dry season which runs from the times of June to September and the short dry season which runs from December to early February.

However, it’s substantial to note that chimpanzee trekking can be done even in the wet seasons and they could turn out to be the best since the chimpanzees do not tend to move long distances based on the fact that they usually have food surrounding them.