Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge: Situated in the northeastern region of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s second-largest national park after Murchison Falls National Park, Kyambura Gorge, also called the Valley of Apes, is a tropical rainforest. Primates including chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, mammals like elephants, and a wide diversity of bird species may all be found in Kyambura.
The most well-known activity in Kyambura Gorge is chimpanzee trekking, where guests journey through the thick tropical rainforests to find the habituated chimpanzee family and, if they are located, spend an hour with them in their natural habitat. The first step in chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge is a training on the guidelines to be followed. Following the briefing, you will begin your hike with a skilled park guide who is familiar with the gorge’s routes and the chimpanzees.
Because chimpanzees prefer to roam around in search of food, chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge is divided into two sessions: morning, which begins at around 8:00 am, and afternoon, which begins at around 2:00 pm. Each session lasts anywhere from thirty minutes to three hours, or longer, depending on the chimpanzees’ location.
Other primate species, including as red-tailed and black-and-white colobus monkeys, as well as many bird species and vegetation, can be seen while trekking. You will be able to spend an hour with the chimpanzees in their natural environment after they are located. This will allow you to observe their behaviors, lifestyle, and take pictures of them while they feed, play, hunt, mate, groom their young, rest, and capture amazing moments.
The price of licenses for chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge
Any tourist over 15 who wants to see chimpanzees in their natural habitat must get a chimpanzee trekking permit, which is a legal card or document issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. In Kyambura, a single chimpanzee trekking permit costs USD 100 for non-resident foreigners, USD 50 for locals, and UGX 30,000 for inhabitants of East Africa. Compared to Kibale National Park, where chimpanzee trekking permits cost USD 250 for foreign non-residents, USD 200 for foreign residents, and UGX 200,000 for East African citizens, Kyambura offers a more affordable option.
How to reserve a permit for chimpanzee trekking
You can make a reservation for chimpanzee trekking permits in Kyambura directly with the Uganda Wildlife Authority by calling or emailing the offices, or you can make a reservation through a tour operator such as All In Africa Safaris. When making a reservation via a tour operator, you will get in touch with us and provide your names, the dates, and the months you would want to see the chimpanzees.
Trekking with chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge
We will verify whether permits are available, and you will be prompted to pay a deposit if they are. We will buy the chimpanzee trekking permit on your behalf as soon as we receive the payment, and we will confirm with a scanned copy of the receipt.
The ideal time to visit Kyambura Gorge for chimpanzee trekking
Although chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura is possible throughout the year, the best time to go is in the dry season, which runs from June to February. Because there is less rainfall in the national park during the dry season, there will be less foliage, making it easier to see the chimpanzees. Additionally, the trekking trails will be dry and manageable, as opposed to the rainy season when they are muddy and slippery, making trekking challenging.
Accommodations for your Kyambura Gorge chimpanzee trekking safari
During your chimpanzee trekking safari, you can stay at a number of lodging establishments near Kyambura Gorge. Kyambura Lodge, Buffalo Safari Lodge, Engiri Game Lodge and Campsite, Pumba Safari Cottages, Parkview Safari Lodge, Katara Lodge, Elephant Hab Lodge, Kyangabi Crater Resort, Kingfisher Lodge, Twin Lakes Safari Lodge, and other lodging options range from luxury to midrange to economy.
To make your safari unforgettable, it is ideal to combine chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura with other exciting activities like a guided nature walk, bird watching, a game drive on the Kasenyi plains, a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel, and a lion tracking experience.
Chimpanzee Trekking in East Africa – Complete Guide
Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are our closest living relatives, sharing approximately 98.7% of human DNA. Watching a habituated chimpanzee family in the wild – their complex social dynamics, tool use, and remarkable expressions – is one of the most intellectually and emotionally engaging wildlife experiences Africa has to offer.
East Africa’s premier chimpanzee destination is Kibale Forest National Park in western Uganda, home to over 1,500 chimpanzees – the highest density of primates in Africa. Rwanda’s Nyungwe Forest National Park offers another outstanding option within one of Africa’s largest montane rainforests.
Kibale Forest National Park – Uganda’s Chimpanzee Capital
Kibale Forest covers 776 km² of moist evergreen and semi-deciduous forest in the Rwenzori foothills of western Uganda. The park’s Kanyanchu tourism site is where chimpanzee trekking takes place, with several habituated communities accustomed to human observation.
A standard chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale costs USD 250 per person and covers one hour with the chimps after tracking them through the forest. The Chimpanzee Habituation Experience (CHEX) costs USD 250 per person and runs from 6 AM to 6 PM, allowing a full day following a semi-habituated community – a far more intimate encounter. Permits are available through Uganda Wildlife Authority or licensed tour operators.
Beyond chimpanzees, Kibale is home to 12 other primate species including red-tailed monkeys, black-and-white colobus, grey-cheeked mangabeys, olive baboons, and the rare L’Hoest’s monkey. Over 375 bird species have been recorded, making it one of Uganda’s premier birding destinations.
Recommended Tours: 3 Days Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale | 4 Days Kibale & Queen Elizabeth Safari
