Magical African Chimpanzee Safaris & Trekking
Magical African Chimpanzee Safaris & Trekking. East Africa has five countries that are Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania but chimpanzee trekking in East Africa is mostly in two countries. These Uganda and Rwanda due to the intense number of these primates that is found in the different parks.
Uganda is a home to more than 5000 chimpanzees and that is why it is the top destination for all those who want to go for trekking. If you want to enjoy your chimp trekking experience you will need to book earlier and avoid the peak seasons. This is because permits are highly priced and the parks are over crowded.
Chimpanzees are the closest relatives to the human race with a percentage of 98.7%. Most of the habituating places where one see the chimpanzees and get to enjoy the treks. They are found in the two countries of Rwanda and Uganda. You get a chance to see these primates and with the help of the different trackers, you learn more about the primates.
Things to Carry for your Chimpanzee Trekking Safari
There are several things that you need to carry when one decides to go for a chimpanzee trekking experience and some of these include the following:
- Long sleeved clothes as this will help shield you from tree scratches as you are trekking and insect bites from the tropical insects especially during the wet season.
- A permit is needed after paying a specified amount of money and this gives to you by the game park where you want to go for your trekking.
- Wide brimmed hat and sunscreen to use especially during the dry season because the heat is unbearable sometimes.
- Trekking shoes, you will need to get strong trekking shoes as these will help you not to slip especially during the times when the trekking routes are a bit slippery.
- Garden gloves, these will help grip the trees properly without getting your fingers scratched.
Chimpanzee Trekking in Uganda
Uganda is a diverse country that has a lot of things you can see and do and the one of the best things to do is chimpanzee trekking. The minimum age for all those who always want to go chimpanzee trekking in most parks is fifteen years. However for Kalinzu forest it is twelve years. It is done in specific places and some of the places where chimpanzee trekking is carried out from include the following.
Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale National Park
Kibale National Park is the best destination for chimpanzee trekking in East Africa. Located in the western part of Uganda. it is a home to 1500 chimpanzees including other primates that are located in the Park. There are thirteen different chimp species that are in the Kibale National Park and other primates. There are also other wild animals that are in the park including a variety of bird species that are found in the park.
Trekking in Kibale Park is for one hour for each group of tourists who go for trekking and the group consists of five to six people. These are always escorted by an experienced tour guide. Remember there can be over six groups in a day that go for trekking. This is because the trekking process takes only one hour for each group. Most of the people who go to Kibale are advised to put on long sleeved clothe since the park is densely populated with trees. The reason is to avoid tree branch scratches and insect bites. Chimps trekking in Kibale has two sessions that is the morning session that begins t 7:00am and the second session that begins at midday.
Chimp trekking is not as hard as it might look in Kibale because the chimps are easy to see up the trees. You can see them eating fruits and for as long as you follow the rule and regulations that they give you.
Chimpanzee Trekking at Budongo Forest
Budongo forest is located near the famous Murchison falls in the northern part of Uganda. You can join your Murchison safari with a chimpanzee trekking safari to Budongo. Budongo is a large forest that is filled with mahogany trees. These trees cover up most of the forest and was preserved to prevent people from a
Once you visit Budongo forest you’re able to go for chimpanzee and habituation. Habituation is the process of getting the chimpanzees used to the humans who keep on visiting the area. The two activities, the trekking and habituation and the two is possible to join once.
There are a lot of chimpanzees in that they are the first thing that you see when you go to Budongo. The trekking here is mostly in the mornings. If you are planning to go to Budongo for trekking, the best thing to do is spend a night at nearby lodges so that you get an early start.
Chimpanzee Trekking at Kyambura Gorge
Kyambura gorge is located in the Queen Elizabeth National Park in the western part of Uganda. It is one of the top chimpanzee trekking destinations in Uganda and East Africa. It is locally named as the valley of apes. The reason is because of the presence of a small family of chimps. The family is about twelve of them that live in the area. You get a guide who takes you on the trek and you’re able to interact with the chimps. Trekking is in the mornings and coupled with some other activities that are carried out in the Park.
Chimpanzee Trekking in Kalinzu Forest
Kalinzu forest is also located in Queen Elizabeth National Park. This is a top and unique destination for all those that love chimp trekking. The forest has about 300 chimpanzees 40 of which are habituated. You can see them on a visit to the forest.
The Kalinzu forest is also a home to other species that can be found in the park including a number of bird species. The permits at Kalinzu are a bit cheaper than in other places. If you cannot get the permit you can just inform the park rangers of the day. They know when you’re able to go for the trekking and you’re sorted. You can also see other primates as you enjoy your trekking in Kalinzu. The minimum age for people who can participate in the trekking is twelve years here. Magical African Chimpanzee Safaris & Trekking
Semiliki Wildlife Reserve
The Semiliki conservation reserve is another place where you can go and enjoy the chimp trekking in the area. It is a gazetted area which they put up to conserve the Kobs and other wild animals. The reserve is located in a valley and is covered with acacia woodland which houses most of the chimpanzees. The chimpanzee trekking takes place in the morning and it takes three to four hours in the reserve.
Why People come for these Apes
Chimpanzee trekking is on the rise and is one of the top safari destinations in East Africa. These human like primates behave like humans. That is why most people are attracted to come and see how they look like physically. Furthermore, their different behaviors and how they take care of each other resemble the humans. Remember they live in groups and it is very hard for these groups to sleep in the same place twice. They keep on moving to different places in search of food and water.
Therefore you should not miss the chance of getting to know these wonderful primates. Grab yourself a ticket and permit and come enjoy chimpanzee trekking in East Africa. This is an experience you do not want to miss but it needs you to come and physically feel it.
Chimpanzee Trekking In Rwanda
Chimpanzee trekking is done in Nyungwe National park and Cyamudongo National Park. It is located in the south Western part of Uganda. The minimum age for one to take part in trekking in Rwanda is sixteen years. In each of these parks have a tour guide that takes you through this wonderful journey.
Nyungwe national Park
Nyungwe park has a large number of chimpanzees that amounting to 500 registered chimpanzees and one troop is habituated. The chimps keep on changing their resting places every night. That is why when you go for chimp trekking in Nyungwe, a tracker first goes before your group. This is to find out exactly where they spent the night. So that you do not have to trek in the wrong direction.
The park has three Centres where tourists gather before they go for trekking at 4:30 or 5:00am in the morning. These Centres include the Gisakura, Kitabi and Uwinka. It is impossible to see the chimps due to the dense forests but you’re able to see a few of them.
Cyamudongo National Park
Cyamudongo National Park is located in the south western part of Rwanda and is near the Nyungwe national park. It is much easier to trek the chimps in the Cyamudongo more than in Nyungwe. For this is beacause it is not densely filled with trees. However the number of chimps here is a little bit limited. One of the habituated troops of chimps is located in Cyamudongo forest. You can go and interact with them and get to know more about the chimps.
Chimpanzee Trekking in Tanzania
Tanzania might not be the top destination when it comes to chimp trekking. However that does not mean that one cannot enjoy a chimp trek safari when they visit the country. Chimpanzee trekking in Tanzania is mostly done from.
Mahale Mountains National Park
Mahale mountains national park is located near Lake Tanganyika. It is one of the most scenic game parks in Tanzania. This Park is accessed by boat and it has a number of chimps. They amount to 800 and these are divided into different groups. The best time to go for trekking in the Mahale Park is between October. It is a good experience that is good only on foot. Some of them are habituated, therefore you can get a closer feel of these primates when you visit Tanzania. Magical African Chimpanzee Safaris & Trekking
Gombe National Park
The Gombe national park is the smallest National Park in Tanzania and is located in Kigoma and you can get a flight from Arusha. Gombe Park is accessed by use of a boat. It is famous because that is where Jane Goodall conducted her research on chimpanzees. Magical African Chimpanzee Safaris & Trekking. The most common troop of chimpanzees in the area named as the Kasakela. More so, it was the same troop that the research was carried out on. There are several books explaining her experience with these primates.
It has quite a number of chimpanzees located in the area. The trekking normally takes place in the mornings and midafternoons. Some of the chimpanzees are habituated which gives tourists a chance to get a closer look at the primates. Lastly they get to know more about their behaviors from a personal feel.
Chimpanzee Trekking In Kenya
Kenya is not a native home to the chimps but a few of them are found in the Sweetwater chimpanzee sanctuary. It was opened in 1993 when Jane Good all saved some chimpanzees from Burundi and brought them conserved in Kenya. Up to now there are many chimpanzees some of which arrive in Kenya when are wounded or near death but they are nursed back to health so that they do not become extinct.
So far there are 37 chimpanzees in the sanctuary and during the chimp trekking, you see the different chimps and learn more about them and how they can be saved from the poachers.