Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park
Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park; Chimpanzee habituation experience is an adventurous and one of the most famous activities in Kibale forest national park where the wild chimpanzees are trained to get used to human presence for trekking. The habituation process takes a period of 2 to 3 years to be complete and it involves a team of researchers, scientists, chimpanzee doctors, park guides, rangers and trackers. Kibale forest national park is located in western part of Uganda and it’s also known as the primate capital because it harbors 13 primate species including 1,500 chimpanzees hence making it the best destination to visit for chimpanzee trekking activity and the only destination that offers the exciting chimpanzee habituation experience.
Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park starts very early in the morning with a briefing at Kanyachu visitors Centre about the rules, regulations and expectations. After the briefing, you will join a team of researchers, park guides, park rangers and start trekking in the forest in search of the chimpanzee family. Chimpanzee habituation experience takes a whole day and during trekking you will be able to view other primate species like grey cheeked mangabey, red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, baboons, view different bird species, animals, plant and tree species among others. once the chimpanzees are found, you will be able to spend 4 hours with the chimpanzees which gives you an opportunity to learn and monitor their behaviors, watch them feed, breastfeed, hunt, play, rest, copulate, patrol, groom young ones, build new nests for the night, take photos and record videos.
Cost of a chimpanzee habituation permit in Kibale forest national park
A chimpanzee habituation permit is a document or card that is issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority to any visitor above the age of 15 years allowing him or her to visit a chimpanzee family in Kibale forest national park. A chimpanzee habituation permit costs 250 USD per person for foreign non residents, 250 USD per person for foreign residents and 150,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
How to book a chimpanzee habituation permit in Kibale forest national park
A chimpanzee habituation permit in Kibale forest national park can either be booked through Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) by contacting the head offices in Kampala via email or telephone. A chimpanzee habituation permit in Kibale forest national park national park can also be booked through a tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris. When booking through Achieve Global Safaris, you will contact us with the dates, month and year when you wish to engage in chimpanzee habituation experience. After contacting us, we will check for permit availability and if there are permits that match with your date. You will be asked to make a deposit for the permit and once we receive the money, we will purchase the permit on your behalf.
Chimpanzee habituation experience only allows a maximum number of 4 people to visit a chimpanzee family daily and chimpanzee habituation permits should be booked 2 to 3 months in advance before the Chimpanzee trekking date because they are few, competitive and usually get sold out quickly especially during the dry season in the months of June to September and December to February.
Best time to go for chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park
Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park can be done anytime throughout the year though the best time is during the low/ rainy season in the months of March to May and November. During the low season, there is less congestion in the park, and there will be plenty of food for the chimpanzees which makes it easy to find chimpanzees compared to the dry season when the chimpanzees move deep into the forest in search of food.
Where to stay during your chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park
Kibale forest national park has a number of accommodation facilities where you can stay during your chimpanzee habituation experience. The accommodations range from budget, midrange and luxury including Primate Lodge, Ndali Lodge, Aramaga Rift Valley Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, Crater Safari Lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Guest House, Isunga Lodge, Rwenzori Guest House, Nyabulitwa Country Resort and Safari Camp, Chimps Nest, Kibale Forest Camp, Mountains of the Moon Hotel, Papaya Lake Lodge, Chimpundu Lodge, Turaco Treetops, Rweteera safari park among others.
How to get to Kibale forest national park
Kibale forest national park is located in western part of Uganda and can be accessed by road transport means where by you will drive from Kampala through Mubende, Fort Portal or Mbarara, Kamwenge to the park headquarters which takes about 5 to 6 hours’ drive.
Tourists can combine chimpanzee habituation experience with other interesting activities in Kibale forest national park like chimpanzee trekking, bird watching, nature walks, night nature walks, children activities or activities in queen Elizabeth national park like game drives, boat cruise on Kazinga channel, lion tracking experience, bird watching among others. For more information about chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park, kindly reach out to us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website for various chimpanzee habituation packages.
