Why chimpanzee trekking in Kibale is one hour
Why chimpanzee trekking in Kibale is one hour: Despite the 2-6 hours spent before meeting a chimpanzee family, tourists that are visiting a fully habituated chimpanzee family in Kibale forest national park are allowed to spend exactly one hour with the chimpanzees. Spending 1 hour with chimpanzees is among the rules and regulations you will find in Kibale forest national park.
Many travelers keep wondering why chimp trekking is exactly one hour and we are going to look at some of the reasons as to why in this article. Travelers should know that chimpanzees are endangered species of primates and there is a need to conserve them. Uganda wildlife authority that is controlling and managing all Kibale activities set this rule because of different reasons we are to look at below.
Reasons why chimpanzee trekking is one hour
Chimpanzees are endangered
With an estimated 5000 chimpanzees in Uganda, chimpanzees have been declared endangered and much effort is needed to increase their number. Scientists are in fear that if the conservation of chimpanzees is not done the chimpanzee will get to extinction. Uganda wildlife authority is doing a great job with its armed ranger guides and the number of these chimpanzees is increasing each year.
Chimpanzees are close relatives to human beings sharing over 98% of human DNA. This means that they get any disease or infection from human beings. Human beings can spread diseases to chimpanzees such as flu, and cough, and it’s from here that the trekkers are allowed to be around chimpanzees for 1 hour in order to reduce on the risk of the spread of human diseases.
The need for conservation
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale is just one hour because these primates are said to be endangered and therefore they need conservation efforts. The conservation programs on these endangered chimpanzees got the Uganda wildlife authority a body in charge of tourism in the country restrict the time travelers spend with the fully habituated chimpanzees to only one hour.
Chimpanzees are fully habituated but still wild so they need their time and space to do all the daily activities. They need time off in the presence of human beings around them to do as many activities as they want during the day. When people overstay around a fully habituated chimpanzee family they do make them feel uncomfortable which makes them stressed sometimes.
The need to have chimpanzees continue with their daily activities
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park is strictly one hour according to Uganda wildlife authority and this was done to enable chimpanzees to continue with their routine activities. Chimpanzees wake up at 6 am and start doing activities until the sun goes down and during that period they do have routines they follow.
Spending long hours with the endangered chimpanzees might make them not do their work as planned and it’s from here that tourists must be around chimpanzees for 1 hour to allow them to continue with their activities. The daily activities of chimpanzees include hunting, eating, breastfeeding, feeding, nesting, playing, coupling, sleeping, and much more.
For travelers that are interested in spending more than one hour with chimpanzees in Kibale forest national park can try chimpanzee habituation. Chimpanzee habituation is a process of making wild chimpanzees get used to the human presence around them. In Kibale forest national park, there is only one chimpanzee family that is open for habituation activities and travelers can visit it for a full day.
The chimpanzee habituation exercise is carried out every day for 2-3 years until the chimpanzees get totally used to the human presence around them. To be part of the activity all you need is a chimpanzee trekking permit from Uganda wildlife authority that goes for $250 for foreign non-residents, $200 for foreign residents, and UGX250,000 East African citizens.
How much does it cost to see chimpanzees in Kibale forest national park for one hour?
Spending one hour with fully habituated chimpanzees in Kibale forest national park for one hour requires one to have a chimpanzee permit. A single chimpanzee trekking which is sold to people above the age of 12 years costs $200 for foreign non-residents, $150 for foreign residents and UGX150,000 eat African citizens.
There are only 72 chimpanzee trekking permits in Kibale forest national park and this shows you that they are few compared to the number of people that want to trek. A traveler is therefore advised to book their chimpanzee trekking permit early in advance of 3-4 months to avoid last-minute disappointments.
When is the best time for chimpanzee trekking
Are you wondering what would be the best time for chimpanzee trekking, Kibale forest national park receives two rainy seasons and two dry seasons. The two dry seasons from December to February and June to September are the best time for chimpanzee trekking. The dry season has little or no rainfall, the trekking trails are dry and easier to navigate, vegetation is short with good views of chimpanzees, and roads leading to the park are in good condition.
Travelers can still visit Kibale chimpanzees during the two rainy seasons from March to May and October to November but this period is good for budget travelers because lodges and tour operators reduce the prices. The rainy season is not the best because it receives plenty of rainfall, the trekking trails are muddy and slippery, vegetation is tall with unclear views of wildlife, and roads leading to the park are in a bad state.
