Chimpanzee Trekking in Uganda 2025–2026: Following gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, chimpanzee trekking is a fantastic safari activity that is regarded as the second-best safari activity in Uganda. In addition, chimpanzee trekking entails walking through the tropical jungle to find habituated chimpanzee groups. Once you’ve been assigned a family, you’ll spend an hour with them in their natural environment.
Ugandan chimpanzee trekking takes place in a variety of locations, such as the highest concentration of chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park, Budongo Forest in Murchison Falls National Park, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Kalinzu Forest in Bushenyi region.
In Kibale Forest National Park, Kyambura Gorge, Budongo Forest, and Kalinzu Forest, chimpanzees trek. The activity starts early in the morning with a briefing on the guidelines to be followed while trekking.
Following the briefing, you will be divided into groups of eight, and the park guide will assign you to trek with a habituated chimpanzee’s family. Other animals that make the Kibale forest home, such as monkeys, stunning foliage, a variety of bird species, and butterflies, can be seen as you hike along the hiking trails.
Because chimpanzees prefer to roam around in search of food, a trek in Uganda might last anywhere from thirty minutes to four hours, depending on where you last saw them the day before. Once you’ve assigned them, you’ll be able to spend an hour with them in their natural environment, which will allow you to observe how they dine, play, mate, fight, breastfeed, hunt, groom their young, snap pictures, and film videos.
The only chimpanzee habitat that provides chimpanzee habituation is Kibale Forest National Park. The process of training chimpanzees to become accustomed to human presence in order to obtain trekking permits is known as “chimpanzee habituation.”
It takes chimpanzees two to three years to become accustomed to human presence before they notice. They present them to the general audience. The excursion allows visitors to spend four hours with the chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
All visitors above the age of 12 are granted chimpanzee trekking permits, which are official documents provided by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) that permit them to visit any habituated chimpanzee family and spend an hour with the animals.
The cost of a chimpanzee trekking permit at Kibale National Park is USD 250 for non-resident foreigners, USD 200 for locals, and 150,000 UGX for East African citizens.
The cost of a chimpanzee habitat permit in Kibale is USD 300 for non-resident foreigners, USD 250 for locals, and UGX 200,000 for East African nationals.
Permits for chimpanzee hiking in Queen Elizabeth National Park cost USD 100 for foreign residents, USD 150 for foreign residents, and UGX 150,000 for East African citizens.
It costs USD 50 for foreign non-residents, USD 40 for foreign residents, and 30,000UGX for East African citizens to obtain a chimpanzee hiking permit in Kalinzu forest.
In Uganda, chimpanzee trekking permits can be reserved via the Uganda Wildlife Authority offices, which are a short drive from Kampala. You can reach them by phone or email. If not, make your reservation with a trustworthy tour company like All In Africa Safaris. Our organization is adept at securing visitor permits for your desired dates; all you need to do is make a deposit in advance to ensure a positive experience.
Although chimpanzee trekking is possible throughout the year in Uganda, the best time to go is during the peak season, which is the dry season with the least amount of rainfall. This season runs from June to September and December to February. Chimpanzee hiking trails are accessible during this time of year.
Among them are insect repellents.
Shirt with long sleeves and pants
Long socks made of cotton
Gloves for gardening
Shoes for hiking
A rain jacket that is waterproof
A walking stick
Additional batteries and a camera
A set of binoculars
Enough bottles of mineral water
Last but not least, chimpanzee trekking is a unique safari experience that you shouldn’t pass up with Uganda Safaris. Get in touch with All In Africa Safaris for additional details.
At East Africa Gorilla Safaris, under All In Africa Safaris, we specialize in unforgettable gorilla trekking experiences and diverse wildlife safaris.
Our expertly guided tours provide intimate encounters with gorillas and rich African wildlife, ensuring an unparalleled adventure in the heart of East Africa.
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