Chimpanzee habituation in Uganda 2024 – 2025.
Habituation of Chimpanzees in Uganda, 2024–2025: The technique of training wild chimpanzees to become accustomed to human presence for trekking is known as “gorilla habituation.” Only in Kibale Forest National Park, also referred to as the primate capital due to its 13 primate species—including chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, and l’hoest monkeys—can one experience chimpanzee habituation.
Along with more than 370 known bird species, including the African pitta, great blue turaco, papyrus gonolek, little greenbul, and dusky crimsonwing, Kibale Forest National Park is home to a variety of wildlife, including forest elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, bushbucks, and huge forest hogs.
Experience of chimpanzee acculturation in Uganda
At Kanyachu park headquarters, the chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale Forest National Park begins very early in the morning with a briefing about the expectations, norms, and regulations. Following the briefing, you will embark on a daylong trip into the forest with a group of scientists, researchers, park rangers, and park guides to find the chimpanzees.
You can see other primate species, mammals, birds, plants, and trees while trekking. After you find the chimpanzees, you can spend four hours with them in their natural habitat, where you can observe and learn about their behaviors. You can also take pictures and learn about their daily routines, which include feeding, playing, nursing, grooming young, hunting, resting, and building new nests.
The price of Ugandan chimpanzee habituation licenses
The cost of chimpanzee habituation licenses in Kibale Forest National Park is $250 USD for non-resident foreigners, $200 USD for locals, and 200,000 UGX for East African nationals. However, as of July 1, 2024, the chimpanzee habituation permit was raised to 300 USD per person for foreign non-residents, 250 USD per person for foreign residents, and 250,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
How to reserve permits for chimpanzees in Uganda
Experiya Tour Company, a reputable tour company in Kampala, offers chimpanzee habituation licenses in Uganda. To reserve a permit, contact our tour coordinators by phone or email and specify the day, month, and year you would like to see the chimpanzees.
After getting in touch with us, we will verify whether permits are available on the dates you have selected. If they are, you will be required to pay a deposit. We may buy the chimpanzee habituation permit on your behalf as soon as the payment is received, and we’ll email you a scanned copy of the receipt as proof.
The ideal time to visit Uganda for a chimpanzee habituation safari
In Kibale Forest National Park, chimpanzee habituation safaris can be conducted at any time of year, but the best time to do so is during the dry season, which runs from June to September and December to February. This is because the park receives less rainfall during this time, making the trekking trails dry and passable, which facilitates chimpanzee habituation, as opposed to the rainy season, when the trekking trails are muddy and slippery, making it more difficult.
For a chimpanzee habituation safari, what should I pack?
Hiking shoes, long-sleeved shirts and pants, insect repellent, a waterproof rain jacket, a warm sweater, garden gloves, long socks, energy snacks and drinking water, a camera and extra batteries, a walking stick, face masks, binoculars, and a backpack are some of the things you should bring on a chimpanzee habituation safari in Uganda.
Where to stay in Kibale Forest National Park while on a chimpanzee habituation safari
During your chimpanzee habituation safari, you can stay at a variety of lodging options in Kibale Forest National Park, including Chimpundu Lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, Isunga Lodge, Primate Lodge, Crater Safari Lodge, Kibale Forest Camp, Papaya Lake Lodge, Ndali Lodge, Kibale Safari Lodge, Turaco Treetops, Rwetera Safari Park, Chimpanzee Capital Safari Lodge, Rubalika Safari Lodge and farm, Guereza Canopy lodge, and others.
Location of Kibale Forest National Park directions
The western region of Uganda is home to Kibale Forest National Park, which is reachable by road. It takes roughly five to six hours to drive from Kampala to the park headquarters via Mubende and Fort Portal.
A scheduled or charter domestic flight from Entebbe International Airport to Kasese Airstrip, followed by a road connection to the park headquarters, is another way to get to Kibale Forest National Park.
It takes roughly five to six hours to drive from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to Kibale Forest National Park.
