How long is the Chimpanzee trek in Kibale National Park? Chimpanzee trek timings and conditions in Kibale Forest vary tremendously as the chimpanzees move continuously through the forest. This also determines how long and challenging your chimpanzee trek will be that day. You should be prepared and remember that the weather can change with very little warning. The terrain is often steep, and you will trek through areas where there are no marked paths. You can walk up to more than 5 miles during chimpanzee trekking in Kibale, which takes approximately 3 to 4 hours to find the chimpanzees in Kibale Forest and return. This means you will spend approximately 2 hours each way. You will set off for the chimpanzee trek at 8 am and return by noon.
Chimpanzee trekking offers one of the most unique activities in Kibale National Park for any traveler visiting Uganda to see chimpanzees in their natural habitat. A chimpanzee trek in Kibale National Park takes 3 to 4 hours, half a day, or a full day, depending on the movement of chimps in the forest. Once you find them, you will spend one hour with these amazing creatures watching them eat, rest, and play – a great experience and worth the money. The trek also gives you chances to view other primates, reptiles, and mammals like forest elephants, monkeys, and butterflies, depending on your luck and sightings during the trek through the forest.
How is the Chimpanzee Trek in Kibale National Park Worth the Money?
Chimpanzee trekking is one of the activities travelers mostly book when visiting Kibale National Park to see chimpanzees, and many have reviewed the experience as unforgettable, magical, and life-changing, well worth the money spent.
When you pay $250 for chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park, you can learn more about the endangered habituated chimpanzees still surviving in Kibale forest, providing a great travel and learning experience. The money you pay also helps conserve the chimpanzees and their natural habitat, Kibale National Park. If chimpanzee trekking did not exist in Kibale National Park, encroachments from communities would have destroyed the Kibale forest by now. However, the existence of this activity brings in foreign exchange to the country and benefits the local communities around the forest when you visit and pay the entrance fees. This has encouraged the local communities and the government of Uganda, through Uganda Wildlife Authority, to protect the original home of these chimpanzees, which has, in turn,n promoted environmental conservation in Uganda. This makes the money you spend on chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park truly worth it.
What is the Cost and Money Spent on the Chimpanzee Trek in Kibale National Park?
The cost of chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park depends on the number of e days you spend and the places you choose to stay on your safari to Kibale National Park for this activity. A chimpanzee trekking permit costs $250 for a foreign non-resident, $200 for a resident, and 180,000 Uganda Shillings for East African citizens per person per trek. This permit allows you to spend a 1-hour encounter with the habituated chimpanzees in Kibale National Park. On top of the permit, you will also pay for other services for a successful chimpanzee trek in Kibale National Park, which include transport, accommodation, and guiding. Below, we provide popular chimpanzee trekking safaris in Kibale National Park for you to choose from.
How to Book a Chimpanzee Trek in Kibale National Park
You will need to secure your chimpanzee trek permit in advance to confirm your booking for a chimpanzee trek in Kibale National Park. Once you confirm your planned travel dates, we need you to send us an email here so that we can check for the availability of chimpanzee trekking permits online with the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Once we confirm permits are available for your planned dates, we will let you know so that we can send you an invoice for you to make payment for the permits. After all, once we receive your payment into our account, we will go ahead and purchase your permits immediately and send you a scanned copy of the permits for your records and perusal.
This will confirm your booking for chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park. We advise you to book your permits in advance, at least 2-3 months before your visit, given the fact that these sell out very quickly on a first-come, first-served basis.
Best Time to Book a Chimpanzee Trek in Kibale National Park
You will find the best time to do a chimpanzee trek in Kibale National Park from June to October and December to March. During this time, Uganda experiences a dry season with mild rainfall, making the treks in the forests easy. As well, during this time, the vegetation is not fully grown, making it easy to view the chimpanzees and offering great sights for photographs. During the other months of April, May, and November, which are normally wet seasons, the vegetation grows high, making sightings unclear.
However, during this time, the treks tend to be shorter, given the fact that chimpanzees do not move further distances looking for food; food is readily available in the forest compared to the dry seasons. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park is a very well-organized activity, and you have a 99% chance of seeing chimpanzees in their natural habitat in Kibale Forest any time of the year.
Where to Stay
Lodge and hotel options in Kibale Forest National Park include: Budget options like Chimpanzee Forest Guest House, Isunga Lodge, Mountains of the Moon, Rwenzori View Guest House, Kibale Home Stay, among others. These cost USD 90-100 per person per night. Mid-range options include Kibale Forest Camp, Turaco Treetops Lodge, and Prime Lodge Kibale, among others. These cost USD 150-200 per person per night. Luxury options include Ndali Lodge, Crater Safari Lodge, Papaya Lake Lodge, and Kyaninga Lodge. These cost USD 250-700 per person per night.
How to Access Kibale Forest National Park for Chimpanzee Trekking
By Road: You can access Kibale Forest National Park through the main safari circuit from Entebbe/Kampala to Fort Portal, which takes approximately 4-5 hours to drive. You can also access the park through the Kampala-Mabara-Kasese highway; from Kasese, you will connect to the Kibale Forest with a 1-2 hour drive.
By Air: You can fly from Entebbe International Airport or Kampala’s Kajjansi airfield to Kasese airstrip. From here, you will transfer to Kibale Forest National Park. Scheduled and chartered flights are available and operated by domestic airline operators, Aero Link and Fly Uganda. You will need to plan with your tour operator for a transfer from Kasese airstrip to your hotel in Kibale National Park.
Why Book with Anthill Safaris?
Anthill Safaris takes pride in customizing tailor-made chimpanzee trekking safaris in Kibale National Park. We have a very diligent and trustworthy team. Our team of professional tour consultants answers your queries within 20 minutes. These consultants will make a travel plan for you, answer all your questions, and ensure all your services are booked in advance for you to avoid inconveniences. You will be able to feel the worth of doing the chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park. We also have very knowledgeable safari guides, depending on your language preferences. It all depends on your preference. Feel free to contact us here about how long a chimpanzee trek is in Kibale National Park.
