The Best Places to Track Chimpanzees in Uganda

Some of the Best Places to Track Chimpanzees in Uganda, which has over 5000 primates at different safari destinations like Kibale forest national Park, Budongo forest, Karinzu forest, Kyambura gorge and Ngamba island, where you will find rescued chimpanzees in a netted fence.

Chimpanzees share 97% of their DNA with humans and belong to the Hominidae family, along with mountain gorillas and orangutans. Chimpanzee tracking in Uganda often offers opportunities to encounter other primate species in the wild. Most of the forests host various primates as well as birds. It’s rare to fail to spot more than two bird species while tracking chimpanzees. Chimpanzee tracking is a supplement to a gorilla safari in Uganda.

In Uganda, there are several Best Places to Track Chimpanzees in Uganda, and these are:

Kibale Forest National Park

Kibale Forest National Park thrives as a lush, green forest, earning its reputation as the primate capital of the world, home to over 1,500 chimpanzees. Because the landscape features interspersed trees reaching heights of 55 meters, a dense canopy shelters the ground below. Furthermore, the Park supports a diverse undergrowth of herbs, shrubs, and ferns alongside swampy areas. Consequently, researchers have registered about 351 tree species within its boundaries.

This Kibale forest the Best Places to Track Chimpanzees in Uganda is not only home to chimpanzees but also a quite number of other 13 primate species that makes it a primate capital world, these primates include L’Hoest’s endangered red colobus monkey, black & white colobus, red-tailed monkey, blue monkey, olive baboon, grey-cheeked mangabey, bush baby and potto, vervet monkeys among the other primates. Other mammals present include buffalo, forest elephants, bush pigs, and leopards, though they are rare to spot, apart from the duiker.

A neat viewer could also see amphibians and reptiles, and a colourful variety of butterflies, as well as a variety of bird species like African pitta, black bee-eater, Abyssinian ground thrush, yellow spotted nectar, little greenbul, black-eared ground thrush, yellow-rumped tinkerbird, blue-breasted kingfisher, along with the crowned eagle, among others.

Chimpanzee tracking permits for Kibale forest cost USD 250 per person

Kyambura gorge

The Kyambura Gorge is a stunning escarpment valley within Queen Elizabeth National Park. The Kyambura Gorge is about 100 meters deep and swarming with rich biodiversity, including birds, mammals, and primates, such as chimpanzees.

Visitors primarily enjoy game drives and wildlife viewing at Queen Elizabeth National Park. However, chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge can also supplement the experience. Because the Park boasts rich biodiversity—including mammals, reptiles, birds, and primates—it remains a top destination. Furthermore, various stunning crater lakes surround the area, enhancing the scenic wilderness.

A chimp tracking permit in kyambura costs 100 dollars, issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority with a Valid Park Entrance to Queen Elizabeth.

Budongo forest

Budongo forest is the largest mahogany forest in Uganda, on your way to the largest conservation area, Murchison Falls National Park. The mahogany-dominated forest is home to various wildlife species, including chimpanzees.

Lucky visitors occasionally spot lions and leopards within this expansive forest. Furthermore, Budongo ranks as one of the best places to track chimpanzees in Uganda because it supports over 360 bird species and 465 tree species. In addition to housing the country’s largest concentration of mahogany, the forest shelters 24 mammal species, including nine different primates.

Eco-tourists visiting Murchison Falls National Park increasingly choose chimpanzee tracking as a popular activity. Consequently, developers have created trails to allow easy access to the forest. For instance, the Busingiro and Kaniyo Pabidi ecotourism sites serve as the major tourist hubs along the Park’s boundaries.

Karinzu forest

Kalinzu Forest covers 147 square kilometres and borders both Maramagambo Forest and Queen Elizabeth National Park. Because large canopy trees support diverse wildlife, tour operators now include this area in Uganda safari itineraries. Furthermore, the forest sits conveniently on the way to Queen Elizabeth National Park in the Bushenyi district.

Karinzu forest the Best Places to Track Chimpanzees in Uganda is home to not only chimpanzee but also other primate species which include black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, baboon, pottos and Galagos to mention but few, the forest also harbours 378 Species of Birds among them the Great blue turaco, Yellow-spotted Nicator, African pitta, Blue-headed Sunbird, African finfoot, black-billed turaco among others.

The national forest authority privately manages Kalinzu Forest, and a chimp permit costs USD 140.

Ngamba Island

Lake Victoria surrounds the island, covers 40 hectares, and is 23 km from the water. The sanctuary is a project of the Chimpanzees Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT), established in 1997 to shelter over 40 rescued, orphaned chimpanzees who may be unable to return to their natural habitat.

Although this differs from trekking through a tropical rainforest, visitors still find it worthwhile to observe these vulnerable creatures and study their behaviours. While authorities confine humans to a 40-hectare area, the chimpanzees wander freely throughout the forest. Specifically, the primates move back and forth to feed at a netted electric fence; consequently, visitors can safely observe them from a raised platform.