Chimpanzee Trekking In Kibale National Park
If you’re heading to Uganda, there’s a strong chance you’ve heard of the gorilla treks available in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest which, we have to say, is the ultimate animal highlight in the country. But just over 300km North of Bwindi is Kibale National Park, home to over 1500 wild chimpanzees.
Now the question we get asked all of the time: should we do both? Yes! Yes! Yes!
If you’re making the trip to Uganda, we cannot recommend this trekking experience enough. It was a completely different experience to the one in Bwindi because the daytime behaviour of chimpanzees is vastly different from that of the gorillas.
The main thing we found when on our trek is that chimpanzees are active during the day, particularly early in the morning. They forage for around 8 hours a day, either between trees up in the canopy or on the ground. So, unlike the casual laziness we found from the gorilla troops, the chimps of Kibale keep you on your toes.
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Gorilla vs Chimp Trek
How To Do It: Getting There
By Road: The quickest route to Kibale National Park from Kampala is through the Kampala-Fort Portal highway (full-tarmacked road taking approximately 6hrs).
There is a longer alternative of going through Mbarara city for an optional stopover at Lake Mburo and Queen Elizabeth National Park.
By Air: There aren’t any direct flights to Kibale itself but Kasese Airstrip is the closest to Kibale at around 2hrs away.
How To Do It: Permits
The Uganda Wildlife Authority release a limited amount of permits to trek at Kibale Forest each day, which are mandatory to trek with the chimpanzees.
As of 2023, the cost per permit is:
200 USD for a foreign visitor
150 USD for a foreign resident
Book with a tour company in Uganda, and they’ll handle the booking for you or via the UWA following these steps:
Step 1: Contact the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to book your permits.
Step 2: Provide your desired trekking date, group size, and personal details.
Step 3: Pay the permit fees through authorized channels.
Step 4: Await confirmation from UWA, who will provide you with an official permit.
Step 5: On the trek day, present your permit at the park's headquarters and get ready for an extraordinary journey into the wild.
Remember, permits are limited, so plan ahead and grab yours for an awe-inspiring chimpanzee encounter!
Where To Stay
We kept on the eco-lodge theme in Kibale Forest, staying at Kibale Forest Camp and it was beautiful: perfectly located and
There are many great places to stay around Bwindi, but, for us, our favourite has to be Agandi Uganda Eco-Lodges in Ruhija.
Agandi Uganda Ltd is a social eco-tourism company founded by people who share the same passion for the Pearl of Africa and the same vision for an inclusive eco-tourism in Uganda.
Travelling to natural wonders, all over the World, we are incredibly conscious of the social and environmental impact of our travels. This lodge combines affordable luxury, with a positive impact on the local communities in Ruhija, and the environment.
As we set off on our adventure, excitement mingled with anticipation. At the starting point, the expert guides briefed us on chimpanzee behavior and the dos and don'ts of trekking through their natural habitat (such as distances, volume around the chimpanzees and respecting their paths). Prepared, we stepped into the dense forest, enveloped by the symphony of chirping birds and rustling leaves.
The forest seemed to come alive as we ventured deeper. We couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and reverence for the pristine beauty surrounding us. Suddenly, a familiar hooting sound echoed through the trees—a sign that our chimp friends were near. Our hearts raced with exhilaration!
Our guide led us stealthily, navigating the winding trails with ease. The anticipation grew as we listened for clues—a rustle of leaves, a distant branch snapping. And there they were, swinging through the treetops with unmatched grace and agility—the chimpanzees!
It was pure magic watching them playfully interact with each other. Mischievous youngsters swung from branch to branch, while wise elders observed the lively commotion. Their expressive faces and human-like gestures left us captivated, deepening our appreciation for the wonders of nature.
We were lucky enough to witness an adorable chimp family picnic as they skillfully gathered fruits and leaves. Their nimble hands and curious gazes were a sight to behold. We couldn't help but draw parallels between their social dynamics and our own relationships, reminded of the importance of family bonds and the joy of shared experiences.
Time flew by in a blur as we immersed ourselves in this extraordinary encounter. And just like that, our trek came to an end. We left Kibale Forest with hearts full of gratitude and memories etched forever in our souls.
So, fellow adventurers, if you ever find yourself in Uganda, don't miss the chance to embark on a chimpanzee trek in Kibale Forest. It's an experience that will connect you with nature in ways you never imagined, reminding you of the beautiful interconnectedness between all living beings on this planet. Happy trekking!
What To Do: Packing
This part is incredibly important. You could be trekking for hours in thick forest so ensure you pack all of the essentials below:
A waterproof jacket
Long trousers (pants), preferably waterproof
Hiking shoes (we highly recommend this as entrance into the forest can be wet and very steep)
Thick walking socks
Sunscreen (you are mostly shaded but always handy to have in the bag)
Lots of water
A good camera, charged and ready to snap all of those great photos!
On The Day
For us, the day started nice and early, ready for a morning trek into the forest. We’d recommend being well rested, as the trek can vary considerably in length, based on how far you have to travel to find one of the gorilla groups.
We made our way to the entrance at Ruhija, for a safety briefing with the local rangers from the Ugandan Wildlife Authority, hearing all about the forest, gorillas and the conservation efforts in the area.
This was the last place to stop for the bathroom, so we would recommend going, even if you don’t need to.
How do you know where to go in a park that is 130 square miles? Expert trackers are sent out to monitor the movements and whereabouts of different gorilla groups. This is not only a benefit for us, but it also helps with the conservation efforts: monitoring numbers, group dynamics, and the general health and safety of each group.
So we were informed of a group that was about a 2hr trek from where we started, and this would be the group we were heading to.
Porters
Local members of the community walk, on foot, for a few hours from their villages, to be optional porters, supporting you with the forest trek. We were unsure of the need or want of using a person to support us, but there were people who had travelled 3hrs+ just to get the chance of some work, so we paid an additional $10 to have a porter, support us. This, in fact, proved invaluable because the decline into the forest was unbelievable. They made the trek down into the jungle much more manageable for us!
Nothing can quite prepare you for a face-to-face encounter with a wild gorilla. Having travelled all over the world, getting up close to many wild animals, there is something unique and incredibly special about looking into the eyes of an animal so alike, yet so different to us.
In Bwindi, once we reached the area where our gorilla troop was, we quite literally stumbled straight into them: turning around to be faced with a huge silverback, no more than 2 meters away.
A permit gives you 1hr to spend time with the troop, but a lifetime wouldn’t be enough to experience the sheer reality of experience that this encounter brings you.
Wild, scary creatures…? This couldn’t be further from the reality of these gentle giants, that share 98.3% of their genetic code with humans. Our troop had two large silverback males and two newborn babies. Watching the intelligence, tenderness and love shown throughout the group, in the upbringing and nurture of these two newborns can’t be put into words.
We followed the troop’s movements, through the forest, as they gracefully moved about eating, climbing and playing. At one stage, the dominant silverback approached us to just size us up, in their environment, but we were trained on what to do in this situation. We remained still and the rangers made a call, representing a friendly submission, and the silverback calmly moved passed us, brushing us as he went.
You are told that you have to keep a certain distance from the troop yourself, but if any of them approach you, that is their prerogative and you just stand still, allow it to happen…and enjoy it!
It is safe to say that we could have spent days, following this troop’s activities but, when it was time to leave, we left the group with a heavy heart and unbelievable admiration. We could write pages about our interaction with them but you can only understand this when you experience it for yourself: unique, magical!
The Gorillas
