Chimpanzees are popular primates ranked to be the closest to human beings as far as behaving, thinking and more. Chimpanzee are black and some brownish in color with its fore limb longer than the lower limb, they are herbivorous in nature feeding on young bamboo shoot, stem, tree leaves and fruits, they feed both on ground and in the tree branches.
These primates think almost in the same way like human beings reaching to an extent of repeating the statements made by human beings while in the Jungle, they tend to be tricky and shy when they discover that there are human beings present near there location thus resorting to hiding.
Below are some of the best destinations you can go on your Uganda safari for chimpanzee tracking
and other related primates while in Uganda.
Kibale Forest National Park
This is a top most destination to visit in Uganda popularly known for the great Chimpanzee primates. It is located in the western part of Uganda bordering Queen Elizabeth National Park in the South, this park is near Fort portal town and you can better reach it by use of Kampala- Mityana- Mubende- Fort portal highway, its 358 km from Kampala to Kibale Forest National Park.
This park is characterized with a tropical rain forest, grasslands and Swamps which comprises of different big tree species, shrubs, thorns, and on arriving you are welcomed by its ever-green cover.
This park is a home to a total of 70 mammal species with over thirteen species of primates including habituated Chimpanzees, it is also one of the best bird watching sites in Uganda with 375 bird species recorded sightable including the rare shoe bill. The mostly done activities in Kibale Forest National Park include Chimpanzee tracking and Chimpanzee habituation experience, tracking involves entering into the Jungle with interest of seeing these chimps feeding, laughing, playing with young ones and taking photos of them for memories, after discovering location of these primates you are allowed to stay in their presence for only one hour at a cost of $150 USD per person. Habituation experience involves staying in the Jungle with these primates for four hours or a full day and it costs $200 USD per person.
A walk in Bigodi Wetland is the best way of sighting different bird species in Kibale which include even the rare shoe bill.
Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary
This a protected area gazetted to provide home to the orphaned Chimpanzees, it is located on the Waters of Lake Victoria part of Kome Island currently with over 49 rescued Chimpanzee species.
Since this sanctuary is found on the waters of Lake Victoria you can better access it by use of a speed boat, local canoe or arrange a private charter. Starting from Entebbe it takes approximately 45- 50 minutes traveling by speed boat, traveling by local canoes takes about 90 minutes, traveling by air from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi airport it takes about 20 minutes to reach Ngamba. It’s your choice you either go for a day trip, spend there a night or do the Volunteering which can even go for a period of about 1-3 weeks.
When you reach Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary a couple of activities which include Chimpanzee feeding, Care giving, Volunteering and more are available for you to participate in.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
This park is situated in the South western part of Uganda in Kigezi region near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park; you can better reach Queen via Kampala- Masaka- Mbarara high way with a stopover at the Equator for some brief explanations about the equator, Photographs and some snacks after continue with the Journey up to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
This park is popularly known for the tree climbing lions which are found in the Ishasha sector and its other wildlife include African big fives like Elephants, leopards and Buffaloes, Giraffe, Kobs, aquatic species like hippos, Crocodiles, Antelopes and Chimpanzees.
It is one of the best bird watching sites in Uganda with over 600 bird species recorded sightable in different parts of Queen like Ishasha sector, Kyambura gorge, Kazinga Channel and Maramagambo forest. Chimpanzee tracking in Queen Elizabeth National Park is done in Kyambura gorge side at a cost of $50 USD per person but they tend to be tricky and rarely seen during some seasons.
Budongo Forest Reserve
This is one of the biggest forests in Uganda and its part of Murchison falls National Park which is located in the North western part of Uganda. It’s characterized with big tree species, shrubs, thorns; grasslands where different habituated chimpanzee species are residents, its wildlife include Reptiles like snakes, pythons, insects like butterflies, tsetse flies, bees and more plus different bird species recorded sightable in this forest.
This Forest is among the best sites for Chimpanzee tracking in Uganda but during some seasons characterized with scarce fruits these primates are also rarely seen because they tend to move long distances very far deep in the forest in search of what to eat.