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Guide to Chimpanzee Trekking in Uganda
This Chimpanzees Trek Guide will give you all the necessary guide as you prepare for the Chimpanzees trekking Experience.
The Chimpanzees that live in the Rainforests o kibale national Park are a Species among the world Primates and these are closest man's relatives and share about 98% of our D.N.A with humans.
In Uganda, Chimpanzees trekking is one a popular activities to do while other being the Gorilla trekking. This Experience activity involves you going deep in the Rainforest with an experienced guide ranger in search of the Chimpanzees Primates.
WHERE TO SEE CHIMPANZEES IN UGANDA?
1.KIBALE NATIONAL PARK
Kibale National Park is the premium Chimpanzees trekking location in the whole of Africa where you will see more than 13 primate Species , a reason as to why it's known as the Primates capital of the World.
According to the recent Census, it shows that kibale has more than a total of 1500 living here. Chimpanzees trekking is best in the morning hours when Chimpanzees are leaving their nests or later in the evening when they are going back to their nests.
The chances of seeing the Chimpanzees during this tour is more than 90% & guests are allowed to spend a maximum of one hour with the wild Chimpanzees.
2. THE KYAMBURA GORGE QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK.
While Queen Elizabeth National Park is famous for it's Savannah wildlife, the kyambura gorge hosts a thick forest that's the home of the Chimpanzees. This means that your trip to Queen Elizabeth National Park can include looking for these Chimpanzees as well.
The chances of seeing the Chimps here are not High as in kibale national Park due to a limited number and different local ecosystems. Your Trekking usually takes between 1 to 3 hours depending on the location & movement of the Chimpanzees on your day off visiting them.
You can either decide to trek during the morning hours at 8:00am or in the afternoon at 2:00pm.
3. BUDONGO FORREST
This is another place tourists can go for Chimpanzees trekking in Uganda. Located Near Masindi town towards Murchison falls national Park.
Best Time to go for Chimpanzees trekking in Uganda.
Uganda lies Along the Equator and it's always warm. The only difference in seasons is usually the amount of Rainfall & how often it rains during certain periods.
Because you will be visiting tropical Rainforest to see these Chimpanzees, you should expect Rain at any time of the year. We advise to visit during the dry season months when the chances of rains are low.
The Best Months to go for Chimpanzees trekking are the dry season that's January, February and btn June and August. The dry seasons make it a bit easier to trek the thick forest during this period.
Other months of March, October and December include a little Rain but you can still enjoy this Chimpanzees trekking.
The Chimpanzees trekking Costs & Permits Fees.
For conservation reasons, there's a limited number of tourists who can see the Chimpanzees on a daily basis. This is an effort to make sure that tourism doesn't interfere with the natural lives of the Chimpanzees.
For this reason, for you to track the Chimpanzees, you need to purchase a permit entry that allows you to enter the forest to see the Chimpanzees. The cost permit in Kibale National Park is $200 pp.
So it's advisable to book the permit weeks before your tour to ease on planning this activity. If you plan travelling with us, we will purchase the permit for you on our behalf ahead of time to make sure everything is planned perfect.
Additional, the Trekking places like kibale national Park are limited to travellers when it's a high season since they are so many to see them.
In case you have any queries about this Chimpanzees trekking Experience, feel free to contact us for further details.
VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR UGANDA
Uganda is a beautiful travel destination especially for travellers looking to fulfill their Travel Bucketlist dreams especially those interested in seeing the mountain Gorillas, Chimpanzees, Amazing wildlife and culture encounters. For one to travel to uganda, he or she needs a visa that allows them to stay during their time spent here. The visa needs to be applied for in advance from the immigration portal at https://visas.immigration.go.ug/
TYPES OF UGANDA VISAS
1. Single Entry Visa.
This Visa is only granted to travellers or visitors coming to uganda once and valid for 3 months. Once you've arrived in the country and cleared with the immigration, it can't be Used again.
The visa costs $50
2. Multiple Entry Visa.
This is granted to travellers who come to uganda frequently. This can be granted to 6 months, 12 months, or 24 months and allows the holder multiple entry for the duration.
The visa costs as follows.
• 6 to 12 months: USD 100
• 24 months: USD 200
3. East African tourist Visa.
This Visa is a multiple Entry to uganda, Kenya and Rwanda. This allows you to move freely with through any of these countries with one Visa.
The visa is valid for 90 days & is not renewable upon expiry or upon exit from the block ( uganda, Kenya and Rwanda)
The visa is perfect for travellers whose Travel plans involve Visiting a combination of these 3 countries for various attractions and Experiences. We highly recommend this Visa for a combination of our uganda and Rwanda Gorilla trekking Experience.
The East African visa costs USD 100.
UGANDA VISA REQUIREMENTS
Before applying for the uganda visa, you should be ready and prepared with these documents.
• Passport with at least 6 months of validity.
• Yellow Fever vaccination certificate.
• Recent passport sized photo
• Return Ticket
• Copy of your passport.
• Hotel Booking reservation upon Arrival
• visa fees ( a receipt of payment) you can use a bank card directly online
UGANDA VISA ON LINE APPLICATION PROCESS
All people intending to travel to uganda are required to apply online for the visa from the immigration portal.
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You will simply fill out the form, upload the Required documents for verification , make payments for the Visa and then wait for a day or two for your visa approval letter.
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Upon approval, an approval letter will be Generated & emailed to you. You should print it out and present it at the immigration office at any entry point.
UGANDA VISA FREE COUNTRIES
While other nationalities need a visa to visit uganda, citizens of the following Countries Below can enter uganda without a visa & stay up to 90 Days. If you come from the following countries, you only need a passport that has a 6 months of validity.
• Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Burundi, Comoros, Cyprus, Eritrea, Esthwani, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Hong Kong, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Rwanda, saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon island, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Best time of the year to visit uganda.
MONTH BY MONTH GUIDE FOR TRAVELLING TO UGANDA.
Visiting Uganda From January and February.
January is a hot month and this weather is perfect for encountering the Chimps and the mountain Gorillas. In some of the places to visit during this period, the skies are clear and there's less rain & more sunshine.
February is quite a dry month which makes it an ideal time to visit the Bwindi impentrable national Park in the south part of the country & do some Gorilla trekking without having to trek in muddy conditions. The North part of the country can be quite hot and Dusty during this period.
Travelling t uganda from March to May
March marks the beginning of the first rainfall season. This is the perfect opportunity to spot the animals in the park giving birth to their young ones and birdwatchers will be treated to an array of colourful , winged beauties.
April is by far the wettest month of the year. Many roads can be closed due to constitent down pour and the parks are quieter.. However this is the great time to take the advantage of discounted Rates for hotels and lodges, on Gorilla permits and bearing in mind it will be a wet weather journey.
May is another rainy month across the country although there's not as much rains as in April. Despite this weather in Uganda during this period, this can be a lovely time to explore the surrounding areas.
?? Visiting Uganda from June to August.
JUNE is one of the best times to visit uganda and it's the start of peak season. When it comes to booking a safari that includes Gorillas and Chimpanzees, we advice you to book early in advance especially for the permits to avoid any unnecessary Hassel.
July is one of the best months for Gorilla trekking and wildlife safaris. The wildlife often tend to concentrate around water sources making them t spot easier in national Parks. This is great time to see the Gorillas due to fine weather conditions. The Hiking trails are clear of muddy so easy to navigate.
When visiting uganda in August, anyone In search for fantastic game viewing will have the chance to not only see African Savannah elephants and Lions, they may even encounter the leopards. This is considered as the best times to visit any if uganda's national Savannah parks.
Visiting Uganda From September to December.
September is usually classed as the end of the dry season but depending on when the rains arrive, you may Experience some down pours during your safari. This is not the ideal time for Gorilla trekking, however if you can be brave the possibility of wet weather, you will certainly save on lodging and other travel costs.
October is not a busy month when visiting uganda. Prices are reasonable and this is a good time of the year for special discount on Gorilla permits. Most of the game parks are still accessible at this time but the rainfall can be a little unpredictable.
During November, the rains continues, the dry plains in the country side turn a vibrant green due to constitent rains down pour and there are fewer travellers in this month.
December is the end of the wet season when rainfall eases off making it ideal to visit uganda during this month. This is good time to travel to the northern and southern regions for game viewing. Plus it's one of the best seasons for Bird watching with a wide variety of migratory birds making their way into the area.
Ready for your ultimate Adventure In Uganda, let's help you plan.
The Tree Climbing Lions of Isasha sector Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda.
The tree climbing Lions in Uganda are part of a wider lion family. The largest cat family still roaming the African Wild. Lions in general help to balance the eco system by maintaining the population of herbivores animals like the African Buffaloes and species of antelopes. Lions also prey on weaker & sick animals helping to reduce the spread of diseases & parasites.
Unfortunately, the population of Lions in Africa has constantly been reducing with about 25000 Lions still living in the wild. Over 1 million Lions roamed the African Wild a century ago. The remaining ones have fallen victoms to poaching & new diseases. Uganda is one of the last strongholds of Lions in Africa. Lions can be sighted in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison falls national Park & kidepo valley national Park. Of the about 400 Lions, almost 130 are found in Queen Elizabeth National Park, the most visited national Park in Uganda. The park receives good rains and retains it's beauty scenic for most parts of the year unlike say the drier Masai mara in Kenya. The park also stands out of it's amaizing landscape, the famous kazinga channel offering authentic wildlife boat safari experience, the kyambura gorge for Chimps trek experience, the amazing crater lakes with in the area, birding paradise for the birders & the amazing wildlife in it's Savannah & the famous tree climbing Lions which is one of the leading tourist attraction in the world as the best place to see these climbing Lions.
Where to see the Tree Climbing Lions in Africa.
Tree climbing Lions are very rare to spot. Most Lions keep away From trees once they reach a certain size especially let's say when surrounded by a herd of Buffaloes & a climbing tree is the only option for safety. Tree Climbing Lions are so popular found in Isasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park uganda & Lake manyara national Park in Tanzania. Individual Lions have also been sighted climbing trees in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania & Kruger National Park in South Africa. However these are rare sighting and can't be compared to that of Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda & Lake manyara national Park in Tanzania. In Isasha sector Queen Elizabeth National Park, a whole pride of Lions can be spotted which makes it the best place to spot them. The tree climbing Lions in manyara national Park in Tanzania are more difficult to locate & finding them is not guaranteed. Please Check our SAFARIS packages heading to Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you can be able to see them.
Why do some Lions Climb Trees?
Most Lions prefer staying on the ground leaving the trees for the cubs or smaller cats like leopards. The Lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park or Manyara national Park have however deviated From usual behavior & can be seen lazing around accacia tree or fig trees in early afternoons. Why do they do this yet they ain't a unique sub specie. Several theories have been proposed to explain this unique behavior.. Some believe that Lions have a natural ability to climb trees just like other cats. So climbing should not be a surprise since all cats climb. Others believe that the Lions in Isasha have adapted this behavior from countless generations of Lions prides before them. Some researchers believe that they climb to avoid bites from insect's and pests like mosquitoes and tse tse flies that live on lower ground. Others believe that they do this to escape the midday heat on ground especially during dry season. Whatever the reasons maybe, this is truly an amazing experience sighting them , something not to miss when in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The Isasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The remote Isasha plains are remarkably different from other sectors of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The plains consist mainly the Savannah grasslands & riverine Forrest. It's a testament to the variety of attractionsin Queen Elizabeth National Park that few tourists actually go to see the climbing Lions here. Most visitors to this Park Visit the mweya & kasenyi plains where they go for game Drives, Chimp trek in kyambura gorge, boat safari at kazinga channel or nature walk in maramagambo forest. They are usually satisfied after spotting the common Lions of kasanyi plains. One reasons for a few visitors could be the lack of information about the existence of these unique cats. Many of the Park visitors only get to Know about them when they are already on a planned Safari. Squeezing time within a planned Safari to go & see the climbing Lions can be difficult.
There are four prides of Lions living with in the Isasha sector. About 50 individuals are estimated to be living with in four main prides. The Lions love climbing the acacia & large fig trees in the plains especially during the dry season. Because entire prides spend their day on top of trees, chances of seeing the Lions are high. The park authorites monitor their movements & easily track them on Request, thanks so much to Uganda wildlife Authority. Visiting the tree climbing Lions of Isasha sector can be arranged alongside an over all Safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park & other nearby Parks like Bwindi impentrable national Park and lake mburo national Park, read more about our safari itineraries to see these destination.
How to reach Isasha sector Queen Elizabeth National Park.
One can reach by road or air. There's an airstrip in Isasha offering the opportunity to a chartered flight from entebbe international airport or kajjansi in Kampala directly to the park . Those wishing to marvel at the ugandas beautiful landscape & towns can opt to travel by road. From Kampala or entebbe to Isasha takes about 6 hours drive by the help of guide Driver. Visitors planning to arrange their own SAFARI need the help of a park ranger to help in choosing the route & location of Lions.
Best time to visit Isasha sector Queen Elizabeth.
Queen Elizabeth National Park & Isasha sector are open to visitors throughout the year planning on SAFARI. The dry season ( April, June and July) is considered the peak season for tourists here. This season is perfect for Safari because the park is less muddy and Lions are easier to locate. Don't forget to browse through our website to check you best suitable wildlife SAFARI in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Where Can I trek the Mountain Gorillas in Uganda?
There are two Trekking Gorilla Destinations in Uganda; Bwindi impentrable national Park & Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Bwindi is by far the most popular choice as the park has large population of Gorillas suitable for fly in Safarus & has a great number of Accommodations.
Whichever Park you visit depends on your travel plans and the Time you have during your vacation. There are no difference in permits prices or chance of sighting across these two national parks.
As you notice from the map, both national parks are in the deep South Western part of Uganda near boarder with Rwanda in South & Congo in West.
Many of ugandas Safari Destinations are in the south which makes it easier to combine safari adventure trips with Gorilla trekking Experience. Uganda may be a small country but packs lots of adventure.
GORILLA TREKKING IN BWINDI NATIONAL PARK.
Bwindi is uganda's main Gorilla trekking destination, habituated Gorillas families can be accessed from four trails heads: Buhoma, Nkuringo, Rushaga & Ruhija.
Each trail has it's own characteristics & families & level of difficulty.
Departing from one of the four trails , you join a group of trekkers maximum group of 8 people for a guided walk into the forest in search of the mountain Gorillas.
Led by Uganda wildlife Authority experienced rangers, you will be introduced to the history & ecology of the forest & changing landscape as you trek the Gorillas. Your rangers are in communication with a team of trackers who locate the direction of the Gorillas.
THE GORILLA TREKS.
Two treks run daily from the base of the Gorilla trekking base Camp. These usually start at 8:00am or 14:15 & are limited to group of 8 tourists every day.
The limit on the group size is to keep Gorillas safe from airborne diseases & chances of sighting as larger groups often distrurb the peace of these Gorilla Primates.
From the onest, the southwestern sloped hills offers a great view as you descend to these Gorilla highlands, the drive to the Gorillas offers really a great view of landscape though the high altitude & terrains make the journey tiresome but rewards are all magical.
Once the eye contact with the gorillas is made, there's usually silent wait as the excitement is getting real. You have to spend one hour with the Gorillas but if you want to spend more hours with the Gorillas, you can go for habituation Experience which lasts up to 4 hours.
Habituated Gorilla families can be accessed from the four Gorilla trekking location & sectors of Rushaga, Nkuringo Ruhija & Buhoma. These sectors serve As launch points for 11 habituated Gorilla families. The standard treks depart in the morning and observing the Gorillas lasts for only 1 hour.
These treks can be quite challenging & need to be prepared for the trek.
GORILLA TREKKING IN MGAHINGA.
Closer to the boarder with Rwanda, Mgahinga is a popular option for cross over itineraries with Rwanda volcanoes National Park. It's also the only place in Uganda you can go for golden monkey trekking.
Mgahinga is more secluded than Bwindi & the treks are not as challenging. There are few permits available here . Although Gorilla families constantly cross the border from Rwanda to Uganda, there's only one habituated Gorilla family to trek here called the Nyakagazi group with five silverbacks, two adult females & three young Gorillas.
Traditionally, mgahinga was used As an over flow Gorilla trekking destination for Bwindi but that changed for two reasons. The first is the increase of Gorillas permits in Rwanda $1500 pp has prompted visitors to explore Rwanda & then cross the border to mgahinga where a permit is at $800pp
The second is mgahinga being a wonderful place to visit. Situated so closely to lakes mutanda & Bunyonyi, you can find a relaxing environment for relaxing. You can also climb the volcanoes at mgahinga all superb hikes surpassing 4000m with 8-9 hours hiking but a very rewarding adventure.
Mgahinga accounts for only 10% of Gorilla treks while the rest are done at Bwindi impentrable national Park
Everything you need to know about Gorilla trekking in Uganda.
What's Gorilla trekking.
This is the act of finding the Gorillas done by a team of highly qualified trackers. In bwindi impentrable forest, these trackers head early morning into the forest to find the Gorillas before tourists can start the trek. They will return to where they left the Gorillas the day before & then they will stay with them all day untill the Gorillas make their nest for the evening. Only then these trackers will go home too.
Meanwhile the tourists will follow the guide to the location of Gorillas. So before you even set off in the morning to find the Gorillas, the guides already know the location of the Gorillas as the trackers will have already told them where they left them laying their nests. So there are always 99% chances of seeing the Gorillas. The most likely reason for not seeing them is when you find the hike challenging & decide to turn around.
Where is the best place to see the Gorillas in Uganda.
You will only find the mountain Gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda & Democratic republic of Congo in the whole world.
There are basically two Destinations in Uganda where one can do this Gorilla trekking safari. One is in Bwindi impentrable national Park & the second one is in mgahinga Gorilla national Park. So whenever you plan to see the Gorillas in Uganda, this is where to find them.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda is Rwanda.
There are roughly 1000 wild mountain Gorillas. 459 of those are in Bwindi National Park, the rest in the virunga volcanic mountains are spread between Uganda, Rwanda & Congo. While Rwanda has only 12 Gorilla families, Bwindi has 26 Habituated ones.
Despite Uganda having lots of many Gorilla families, Rwanda sells more Gorilla permits.
Rwanda.
•Less dense forest, so easier to see.
•Only 2 hours drive from the airport.
•Easier Hikes
•Permit cost $1500 per person.
•Fewer Gorilla families.
Uganda.
•Permit cost $800 per person.
•More Gorilla families.
•Full Drive From airport but you can opt to use local charters connecting to different airstrips.
When is Best time to see Gorillas in Uganda.
Best time would definitely be during dry season. Uganda has two dry seasons that's June to August & December to February. Though Bwindi is a rainforest, so you can except rain at any time of the year. However during the dry season, the chances of rain are much fewer and the paths are much drier.
What to wear during Trekking.
It's recommended to wear long sleeve tops & long trousers during the trek to be protected from insects, caterpillars, thorns & have a Small backpack bag. If possible to, wear gloves and tuck your trousers in socks. Hiking boots is a must, the terrain is steep & uneven in some places & can be very muddy & slippery when it rains.
How to get to Bwindi impentrable national Park.
You have two options, by car or small plane. If you choose to travel by car, then expect long hours of Drive to get there unless you opt to use chartered planes connecting to kihihi airstrip in kanugu district. This is where Rwanda has an advantage as it's so close to get to the volcanoes.
Where to stay in Bwindi.
There are so many options for Accommodationand in Bwindi basing on what you looking for. From luxury to mid-range & budget options, you will Always find the best stay that suits you .... So no worries here, our team always makes sure to select the best lodging for our clients.
What are other things to do in Bwindi?
Besides the Gorillas Trekking Experience, there are so many activities one can do.
•Visit the craft shops
•visit the idigneous tribe of the batwa pygmies people who once live in the bwimdi forest with the Gorillas.
• Visit and take a walk in the local community.
If you ever dream of seeing the mountain Gorillas, we will be glad to organising this Experience with you.
2 Best options for viewing Murchison falls in Uganda.
The first is to make your way to the top where you can actually see the where the water makes it's way through the gorge. This gorge is often called the "devil's cauldron" . This hike takes about 45 minutes from the bottom to the top & can be completed by anyone with two functioning legs. In other words , it's not strenuous.
Another option is to view the MURCHISON falls from a boat safari which will take you as close to the falls from the bottom. This gives the best sight for the Murchison falls . Both perspectives offers a great sight of these falls . However if you must choose one then it's recommended to take the short hike to the top of falls
The Best time to go for Gorilla Trekking In Uganda.
Mountain Gorillas are one of the rarest world species that anyone should get interested to visiting them in their natural habitat. These species are only found in East Africa.
Bwindi impentrable national Park & mgahinga Gorilla national Park are famous homes for these gentle Giants and they both combine account of half of the remaining Gorillas left in the whole world. Trekking is done in these two parks which makes them a top tourist destination for so many travellers interested in seeing these Gorilla Giants. So really you have got to consider these two parks whenever planning on going to Uganda.
BEST TIME TO VISIT THE GORILLAS IN UGANDA
Summer Time or dry season as it's referred to in tropical Africa is the best recommended time for visiting these two national parks. That's between the months of July to September & months of December to February. There's sunlight in abundance & this is the main feature for Gorilla tourism since it has limited disruptions. Visbility is also best during these months. On rainy days, some Trekking trails so muddy & slippery which makes it hard and time consuming.