Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park
Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park: One of the activities enjoyed by travelers in Kibale forest national park is chimpanzee habituation. It’s an activity where tourists get to encounter endangered chimpanzees for the whole day. Kibale forest national park is the only place in Uganda where the unique chimpanzee habituation does take place.
Kibale forest national park is the primate capital of the world being home to the highest number of chimpanzees. The national park is popular for chimpanzee trekking and chimpanzee habituation activities done all throughout the year. Kibale forest national park is famous for harboring over 13 primates on an area of 776 sq. km.
Kibale forest national park is a tropical rainforest area that harbors 13 primates that include chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, olive baboons, Uganda red colobus, grey checked mangabeys, demidoff galago, patas monkeys, potto, and Uganda mangabeys.
With over 1500 chimpanzees in the tropical rain forest of Kibale national park, the area has been declared the best for chimpanzee activities with in East Africa. Most of these chimpanzees have been habituated and are open for chimpanzee trekking activities while others are still going through habituation and tourists can spend whole day with them making them get used to human presence around them.
The chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park
Chimpanzee habituation in Kibale forest national park is a whole-day activity that starts very early in the morning. The tourists that have valid chimp trekking permits move to the starting point at Kanyanchu visitor center where they all gather by 7 am. The tourists are taught the rules and regulations of the chimpanzee habituation activity by the armed ranger guides.
Each group going through habituation is trekked by a maximum of 6 people and these are led into the jungle by the armed ranger guides who know well where these chimpanzees could be as well as the researchers. The search for a semi-habituated chimpanzee family in Kibale forest takes 2 to 6 hours and this time is determined by the speed of trekkers, and the location of chimpanzees.
After searching and finding the chimpanzees, trekkers together with researchers are allowed to be around these chimpanzees keeping the rules and regulations of the habituation activity. At some time, tourists are allowed to be part of the activities that make chimpanzees get used to the human presence around them.
During the time around the chimpanzees, tourists always have enough time to do a lot of things and learn about chimpanzees. Tourists do get an opportunity to learn about the chimpanzee behaviors, watch them do daily activities like nesting, hunting, patrolling the area, resting, and taking care of young ones among others. Tourists do get enough time to take as many photos and videos as they want.
Stay with Chimpanzees of Kibale for a whole day on a habituation safari
How much is chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park?
To be part of the chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park, you need to obtain a chimpanzee habituation permit of Kibale from Uganda wildlife authority. The Uganda Wildlife Authority issues chimpanzee habituation permits of Kibale because it’s the government body that manages and controls park activities of Kibale.
As per now, the chimpanzee habituation permit of Kibale forest national park costs $250 for foreign non-residents, $200 for foreign residents, and UGX200,000 East African citizens. The chimpanzee habituation permits of Kibale are sold to persons above the age of 12 years and the years are proven when one submits in their identity card or passport details.
The chimpanzee habituation permits on kibale are booked 3-4 months in advance to avoid last-minute booking disappointments, especially in the dry season when a lot of tourists want to visit the park. Trusted local tour operators like Africa adventure vacations can always help you on the booking. All you need is send us the dates of the month and year you want to travel and we shall use to information to contact the reservations offices for the permits.
What to pack for chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park?
If you are planning to embark on a chimpanzee habituation in Kibale forest national park, here is a list of things to include in your packing list. Waterproof hiking boots, long cotton stocks, a pair of gaiters, gardening gloves, a rain jacket, a sweater, long-sleeved shirts, long-sleeved pants, sunscreen, sanitizer, a facemask, insect repellents, light backpack, a camera, a pair of binoculars, drinking water bottle and energy giving snacks among others.
Best time for chimpanzee habituation in Kibale forest national park
Are wondering about what would be the best time for chimpanzee habituation in Kibale? However much it’s clear that Kibale forest national park can be visited all throughout the year, tourists need to know about specific times of the year that the chimpanzee habituation activity is best done. Kibale forest national park has the rainy season from March to May and October to November and dry season from June to September and December to February.
The dry season is proved to be the best time for chimpanzee habituation in Kibale and this is because the weather conditions are favorable. During the dry season, the park receives little or no rainfall and this means that the trekking trails are dry and easily passable, the vegetation with in the forest is short and scattered giving clear views of chimpanzees and the roads leading to Kibale are in good conditions.
The rainy season can still be your time to habituate chimpanzees in Kibale forest national park and this favors the budget travelers because the lodges are a bit cheap compared to the high season. Tourists should however not that the rainy season has a lot of rainfall that makes the trekking trails muddy and slippery, vegetation is thick and tall giving unclear views of wildlife, and roads leading to the park are in poor condition.
Accommodation on a chimpanzee habituation safari in Kibale forest national park
Accommodation in Kibale forest national park is very amaizing and fascinating in that budget, mid-range and luxury lodges offer exceptional services. Lodges to spend night or more in Kibale forest national park include Primate Lodge, Kibale Safari Lodge, Kibale Forest Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, Ndali Lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Lodge, Trackers Safari Lodge, Crater Safari Lodge, Kibale Forest Camp, Kibale Forest Lodge, Papaya Lodge, Isunga Lodge, Chimpundu Lodge, and Rwetera Safari Lodge to mention but a few.
