UWA to habituate chimpanzees in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

A chimpanzee habituation experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda allows you to accompany researchers and habituates into the forest to be involved in the process of familiarizing the primates with humans. Uganda Wildlife Authority is soon beginning a chimpanzee habituation of a chimpanzee group in Ngoto-Bwindi tourism hub. This will make it possible for visitors to engage in chimpanzee trekking adventures that have never been experienced before in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Currently, a Uganda chimpanzee trekking tour can only be experienced in Kibale National Park, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Budongo Forest, Kalinzu Forest, etc.

Other Activities in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

As the Uganda Wildlife Authority is soon launching chimpanzee habituation in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, visitors can enjoy several tour activities that include the following.

Birding excursions

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has at least 350 recorded bird species including numerous Albertine endemic species like the Ruwenzori turaco, Ruwenzori batis, short-tailed warbler, regal sunbird, collared apalis, and African green broadbill among others. The guided birding adventure is done on several trails within the forest and a visitor can have at least 3 hours searching and observing the numerous and colorful bird species.

Forest hiking tour

With over 1000 flora species including at least 200 species of trees, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the best places to conduct a forest walk. Numerous trails can be walked on for travelers to view birds, animals, butterflies, waterfalls, views of the Rwenzori ranges, and volcanoes in the Virungas among others. These include the duiker, elephant, chimpanzees, olive baboons, buffalo, and mountain gorillas among others.

Gorilla trek

Gorilla trekking tours are the most popular tour adventures done in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and visitors are provided an opportunity to move on gorilla trails while locating a habituated gorilla family. When they encounter the gorilla family, the visitors are allowed an hour to experience the behavior of mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.

Gorilla habituation experience

This offers visitors an extended time of 4 hours to spend with a gorilla family that is in the process of being familiarized with human presence. This is generally done in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The visitor is accompanied by experts or researchers as they witness and document certain behaviors of the gorilla family.

Best time to visit Uganda for a chimpanzee habituation experience

In Uganda, a chimpanzee habituation experience can be done on any day of the year regardless of the season. However, since Uganda is within the tropics typically experiences 2 types of seasons, the dry season and the wet season. Both have their advantages and disadvantages for people with chimpanzee habituation experiences. The dry season offers conditions suitable for dry and warm weather conditions with minimal chances of showers. This makes chimpanzee habituation experiences uninterrupted. The access roads and chimpanzee trails are also drier and less muddy thus more navigable. The dry season is experienced in December, January, February, June, July, and August. However, the dry season is often the peak tourist season and the acquisition of a chimpanzee habituation permit is competitive.

Reaching Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

A traveler can reach Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by road or air transportation. From Kampala, the capital city of Uganda by road to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is about 502 kilometers south-westwards. Travelers can enjoy a 10-11-hour scenic journey via Kampala, Masaka, Mbarara, and Kabale.

There is an air transport option for travelers who prefer faster travel. You will take a chartered flight from Entebbe Airport to Kihihi Airstrip. The flight takes 1½ -2 hours and offers aerial views of Uganda’s physical features. The journey via air is completed by road from the airstrip to the national park headquarters or your booked accommodation taking about 1½ -2 hours. For travelers from Rwanda, road transport is the only option and the scenic road trip from Kigali is via the Gatuna border or the Cyanika border. The journey takes 5-6 hours and covers about 223 kilometers.

What to pack for a chimpanzee habituation experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?

A raincoat or a poncho just in case rain showers occur
Lightweight clothes including long-sleeved shirts and trousers to offer an added layer against insect bites on your skin. Ensure that you select dull-colored clothes that can blend in with the forest so that chimps and other wild animals are not disturbed
A pair of boots or hiking shoes to navigate the rugged terrain of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Gaiters to protect your shoes and lower legs against mud, water, insects, and stones among others.
Broad-brimmed hat that can cover your head and provide shade over your face from intense sunlight
Sunglasses especially when it is a sunny day in the forest
Sunscreen to apply on your skin and protect against UV radiation from the sun
Water bottle that can be refilled to ensure that you do not become dehydrated
A basic first aid kit containing supplies like bandages, medical wipes, gauze, and splints among others to take care of minor injuries such as bruises, insect bites, nose bleeds, cuts, and minor eye irritations among others. You can also have personal medication
Container with snacks or a picnic lunch in case you go hungry.
Binoculars, camera, and extra batteries

Sándor Jakubinyi

14:31 22 Feb 24

2019 megigazulás

12:45 21 Feb 24

We went on a two-week trip with my family, organised by Coleb from Standard Safaris.

I had my concerns about organised trips, but this one didn’t justify any of those. Everything went very smoothly, even when some problems arose with one of the cars it got fixed by next morning, the accomodations were clean and comfortable, the programs were exciting and well-balanced - everything was done to a truly high standard.

If you plan to visit Uganda and are looking for a guide, I warmly recommend Coleb and his team. In case you have a choice of drivers, go for Godwin, his presence made this trip even more enjoyable - cheerful, helpful, good sense of humour, generally a great person. Just look for the guy with a big smile and big heart:)

Bert Simoens

09:38 08 Jan 24

We recently embarked on a safari adventure with Standard Safaris in Uganda, which was truly exceptional. Our guide, Yonah, was outstanding - his kindness, knowledge, and discretion significantly enhanced our experience. He was the heart of our trip.

The local company's planning was offering a tailor-made journey that matched our interests. We saw an array of wildlife in Murchison, enjoyed rafting at Jinja, and experienced mountain biking at Sipi. A visit to Kidepo National Park was a highlight and comes highly recommended.

The vehicle provided was comfortable and reliable. We highly recommend Standard Safaris for anyone seeking an unforgettable safari in Uganda. Their professionalism and the exceptional guidance of staff like Yonah make them an great choice.

Michał Kostrzewa

00:41 15 Nov 23

We are all extremely grateful Standard Safaris for an incredible East Africa experience. I recently booked a custom trip for group of 8 people, including an 8-year-old boy, from Kampala through Queen Elizabeth National Park and on to Rwanda and Burundi. Coleb delivered on everything that was discussed and agreed upon beforehand.

The car provided was in great condition and our driver Meddy went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, informed, and had the best possible time. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. All local services were inlcuded in (reasonable) price that we agreed, so there was no need to worry about payments during the 6 day trip. Also Standard Safaris agreed took care about safety and security by helping us organize armed ranger while in the park.

The whole trip was hassle-free and smooth. We saw amazing wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP, took in the sights of Rwanda and Burundi, and made lifelong memories.

I would happily book with Standard Safaris again in a heartbeat and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for the best East Africa trip. They provide top-notch service while ensuring you have an incredible, customized experience. If you want a hassle-free, flawlessly organized African adventure, Standard Safaris is the tour operator to book with.

Ivan Nammanda

18:31 27 Oct 23

Very organized travel operator who chose awesome guide to make our trip wonderful.

We booked a nine days trip with Standard Safaris and all was perfect from start to finish. Coleb was very prompt at replying and easy to liaise with ahead of the trip. We had done a lot of research and had an itinerary in mind and Coleb helped us to put everything together to make this happen for a very reasonable price.  On the trip we had a private vehicle for the whole tour which was exactly what we wanted. Bryan was our driver and an amazing guide - really friendly and knowledgable, working hard to find the things that we wanted to see and quickly understanding what was of interest to us/how much information to give.

Would highly recommend a trip to Uganda with Standard Safaris. We are definitely coming back soon!

MUGAIGA KENNETH

18:01 27 Oct 23

The company has very courteous tour guides with wide knowledge of fauna and frola in the whole of East Africa.
The choice of safari Lodges is good with first class treatment.
Game drive security is assured.
Almost The whole of September I was traversing through DRC, Uganda,and Rwanda on a gorilla tour and wildlife expedition.
Everything was arranged and booked perfectly by Standard Safaris.
The owner, Coleb was always helpful whenever we needed to ask questions about this gorilla safari in Uganda and beyond.
It was a complex expedition but Standard safaris and Coleb made it look amazingly easy.
I’ll recommend Standard safaris 200%, for all gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and wildlife tours in east africa.

travel uganda

16:35 27 Oct 23

This is so far the best gorilla trekking company in Uganda, and africa, by far. I had a wonderful time with Standard Safaris as a solo traveler.
My guide was excellent and our safari planner, Coleb was quick with responses and the prices were very friendly.
I’ll definitely book with Standard safaris on my next gorilla tour in Rwanda and Uganda.

UWA to habituate chimpanzees in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

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