Kibale chimpanzee trekking in the dry season (high season)

Kibale chimpanzee trekking in the dry season (high season): Chimpanzee trekking is the most done activity in Kibale forest national park which is found in western Uganda. Kibale forest national park is the most loved primate destination when it comes to chimpanzees. The park is home to over 1500 chimpanzees making it the national park with the highest population of chimpanzees in Uganda.

Chimpanzee trekking being the main activity done in Kibale forest national park, we would love to tell tourists out there that the activity is well experienced in the dry season, The dry season of Kibale forest national park happens from June to September and December to February. This is when the park experiences little or rainfall so the chimpanzee trekking activity goes on smoothly.

Kibale chimpanzee trekking in the dry season is far way different from trekking chimpanzees in the rainy season The experience is much better in the dry season even though during the two seasons tourists meet the chimpanzees. In this article, we are going to look at how chimpanzee safari in Kibale during the dry season looks like, the benefits, and the challenges faced.

What are the benefits of Kibale chimpanzee trekking in the dry season?

Trekking chimpanzees in Kibale forest national park in the dry season comes with the benefit of finding trekking trails dry. The trails are dry because of the little or no rainfall received a day. Kibale forest is a tropical forest meaning that rainfall can be received at any time of the day however the trails can’t be as muddy as the rainy season.

During the dry season, the vegetation inside the park tends to dry up and become thin which gives tourists a good view of the chimpanzees as well as other park attractions. The last benefit of visiting Kibale for chimpanzee trekking experience in the dry season would be on the roads being dry and passable. This means that you will get to the park in time.

What are the challenges of trekking Kibale chimpanzees in the dry season?

Scarcity of permits- There are about 7 chimpanzee families fully habituated in Kibale forest national park and with each family being trekked by 8 people, the permits tend to be few. The dry season is when the park receives the highest number of visitors which means on some days the chimpanzee trekking permits sell out.

Tourists who do early bookings 3-4 months before the safari activity have a high chance of getting the chimpanzee permits however those that delay have a possibility of finding the permits sold out. Only 56 chimpanzee trekking permits are available every day in Kibale forest national park and they are sold on a first come first serve basis

Increase in the price of accommodation – during the dry season, most of the lodges tend to hike the prices since they know a lot of travelers are visiting the park. When the price of the lodges increase it means that even the price of the safari will increase thus making chimpanzee safari in the dry season expensive.

Kibale chimpanzee trekking experience in the dry season

Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park during the dry season starts early morning at Kanyanchu headquarters. The trekkers must wake up early for breakfast and then be at the meeting centre in time for a briefing from the park rangers. Trekkers are taught about the rules and regulations of the chimpanzee trekking activity and later are grouped not exceeding 8 people. Each of the groups is led by armed ranger guides who know the forest trails and where the chimpanzees could be.

The search for chimpanzees starts right away after the briefing and it’s the armed ranger guides who lead you all throughout the trek. The trails are dry and easily passable so getting to the chimpanzee families is always easy even though they tend to be far. The search takes 2-6 hours and the moment chimpanzees are spotted, trekkers are given 1 hour to be around the family learn about their habits, take photos and watch them do daily activities like nesting, hunting, coupling, and feeding among others.

What to pack for chimpanzee trekking in the dry season?

Tourists that are intending to visit Kibale forest national park in the dry season can pack a light backpack, waterproof hiking shoes, log cotton stocks, a pair of gaiters, long-sleeved shirts, long-sleeved shorts, a rain jacket, a hat, a sweater, gardening gloves, a camera, a pair of binoculars, insect repellents, sanitizer, drinking water bottle, and energy giving snacks among others.

How much is Kibale chimpanzee trekking in the dry season?

Kibale chimp trekking permits in the dry season cost the same as those in the rainy season. Each chimpanzee trekking is sold to persons above the age of 12 years at a fee of $200 for foreign non-residents, $150 for foreign residents, and UGX150,000 East African citizens. Tourists who would love to spend a whole day with the chimpanzees can buy chimpanzee habituation permits at $250 for foreign non-residents, $200 for foreign residents, and UGX200,000 East African citizens.