Top Primate Destinations in Uganda. Uganda is popular as the best primate tracking destination on the African continent. Uganda is home to the endangered Mountain gorillas and other primate species. These include chimpanzees, baboons, red-tailed, blue, Golden, and L’hoest monkeys. You can see Primates in Uganda in almost all the national parks and other safari destinations in the country. These include Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga National Park, and Semuliki National Reserve, among others. Below is a list of the best places to see primates in Uganda.
Most Popular Safaris
4-Day Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari
8-Day Gorillas, Chimps, and Big5 Game Drive Safari
3 Day Queen Elizabeth Park Luxury Safari
5-day Uganda Gorilla & Wildlife Safari
12-Day Uganda Gorillas, Chimps, & Wildlife Safari
7-Day Rwanda Primates and Game Drive Safari
5 Day Chimpanzee Trekking in Rwanda & Lake Kivu Safari
3 Day Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Tour
2-Day Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari
3 Day Akagrea National Park and Lake Kivu Safari
Top Primate Destinations in Uganda- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi, in southwestern Uganda, is one of the most visited National Parks in Uganda. This is because of the large population of Mountain gorillas that are in the different parts of the park. Bwindi is home to half the population of Mountain gorillas in the world. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the three national parks where mountain gorilla trekking takes place in the world. Recently, on 17/01/2024, UWA introduced new gorilla families. The total of the newly introduced gorilla families was 5. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is divided into four sectors, and this is where gorilla trekking takes place. The different Bwindi sectors and the gorilla families in each include the following:
The Rushaga sector
Rushaga is in the southern part of the national park. It is one of the two sectors in Bwindi where gorilla habituation takes place. The new gorilla families in the Rushaga sector include the Rwigi gorilla family and the Tindatine gorilla family. Other gorilla families in Rushaga include the Nshongi gorilla family, the Mishaya gorilla family, the Bweza family, the Kahungye gorilla family, and Busingye, where gorilla trekking is carried out and is the most popular gorilla trailhead.
This was the first gorilla trailhead to open in Uganda and has several gorilla families, including the Muyambi family and the Habinyanja gorilla family. UWA introduced Gorilla tracking in the Rushaga sector in September 2009. Some of the accommodation facilities that you can use when gorilla tracking in Rushaga include Bwindi Jungle Lodge, Four Gorillas Lodge, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Nshongi Camp, Rushaga Gorilla Haven Lodge, and Rushaga Gorilla Safari Lodge, among others.
Buhoma Sector
The Buhoma sector is in northern Bwindi. Some of the gorilla families include the Binyindo family, Rushegura, Katwe family, and Mubare gorilla family. Accommodations in Rushaga include Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Buhoma Lodge, Buhoma Community Haven Lodge, Bwindi Guest House, Bwindi Forest Lodge, Bwindi Lodge, Gorilla Bluff Lodge, Kanungu Resort Hotel, and Efraz Motel Kanung, among others.
Nkuringo Sector
Located in the southern part of Bwindi, the Nkuringo sector is popular among tourists visiting Bwindi. When the sector was first introduced, there was only one family that was initially introduced in the sector, but there have been other gorilla families introduced in Nkuringo, and these include the Nkuringo Gorilla family, the Christmas gorilla family, and the Bushaho gorilla family. Accommodation in the Nkuringo Sector includes Gorilla Heights Lodge, Albertine Gorilla Campsites, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge, Virunga Campsite, and Nkuringo Guest House, among others. Nkuringo also has one gorilla family that is undergoing habituation.
Ruhija Sector
Located in the northeastern part of Bwindi, the Ruhija sector is mainly used for research purposes. Nonetheless, tourists can also go for gorilla trekking in the sector. Gorilla-habituated gorilla families in Ruhija include the Kyaguliro, Bitukura gorilla family, and Oruzongo gorilla families.
You can best do Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park during the dry season. This runs from June to October and from December to February. However, note that Uganda’s closeness to the equator leads to a change in weather all the time. You should thus expect showers of rain even when it’s the dry season.
In addition to gorilla trekking, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park offers gorilla habituation, a process where researchers train gorillas to tolerate human presence. During this experience, guides and researchers lead groups of only four people as they spend four hours with the gorillas.
Mgahinga National Park- Gorilla tracking
Mgahinga National Park is part of the Virunga ranges. It is one of the only two safari destinations in Uganda where tourists can see gorillas. Besides, Mgahinga National Park is home to one habituated gorilla family in Uganda, the Nyakagezi gorilla family. Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga takes place all year round. However, the best time is during the dry season when you can easily see the gorilla families. Also, the trek routes are not slippery during this period.
Gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking in Uganda takes place in two destinations, and these are Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. Both of them are in the southwestern part of Uganda. Mountain gorillas are extremely rare, and Uganda offers the best and most affordable gorilla trekking experiences in the world. To be able to participate in gorilla trekking in Uganda, you need to purchase a gorilla trekking permit. You can purchase it through a trusted tour operator or directly from the Uganda Wildlife Authority website. However, the latter takes a long time and is frustrating.
Uganda gorilla trekking permits cover both Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks. From July 2024 to 2026, standard permit costs are: Foreign non-residents $800, foreign residents $700, East African citizens UGX 300,000, and African citizens $500.
Habituation permits cost more: Foreign non-residents $1,500, foreign residents $1,000, East African citizens UGX 750,000, and African citizens $1,000. Uganda offers no low-season discounts.
Trekking begins after breakfast with a briefing, then groups of eight head out. Locating gorillas takes between 30 minutes and four hours. Standard trekking allows one hour with the gorillas, while habituation allows four hours.
Golden monkey trekking
Golden monkey trekking in Uganda is only carried out in Mgahinga National Park. The park is in the southwestern part of Uganda. Golden monkeys are also an endangered species, and there are about 4000 individuals left in the world. In any event, you find some of these primates in Mgahinga. As a result, you can easily identify them by the shade of orange gold that covers a larger part of their body. After all, this is why they are called golden monkeys, and they live in groups of up to 100 individuals. An alpha male leads the group. Due to the stubborn nature of these monkeys, they are always up in trees and rarely move as much as the gorillas.
Golden monkeys live exclusively in the Albertine Valley, feeding on bamboo shoots, fruits, leaves, and flowers.
Trekking begins early each morning with a guide briefing at 8:00 am. Unlike gorilla trekking, the experience is less physically demanding, typically lasting three hours. Visitors then spend one hour observing the monkeys.
Trekking runs year-round, though the dry season offers easier trails. Additionally, Mgahinga National Park offers a habituation experience for a deeper study of monkey behavior.
Permit costs are as follows: Foreign non-residents pay $100, foreign residents pay $90, and East African citizens pay UGX 65,000.
Kibale National Park- Chimpanzee trekking and habituation
This is the best chimpanzee trekking destination in Uganda and East Africa, with over 13 different primate species. Kibale National Park is home to over 1500 registered chimpanzees with three habituated communities across the park. Besides, Authorities set aside two of the three habituated communities for tracking and dedicated the third to research. Besides chimpanzees, Kibale hosts several other primate species, including L’Hoest’s monkeys, Red colobus monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, Mangabeys, olive baboons, Red-tailed monkeys, bush babies, and blue monkeys.
Chimpanzee tracking is carried out twice a day in Kibale, one session in the morning and the other in the afternoon, and for one to be able to participate in chimp trekking,g wilneedsed a permit is needed, which is issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The cost of the chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale is as follows:
Foreign non-residents $250, Foreign residents $200, and EAC citizens UGX 18,000.
Habituation permit costs Foreign non-residents $300, Foreign residents $250, and EAC citizens UGX 250,000.
Kyambura Gorge Chimpanzee trekking
Kyambura Gorge is a valley in Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is popularly known as the Valley of Apes. It is one of the best destinations for primate viewing in Uganda. Kyambura Gorge is about 16km long, surrounded by thick forests, and famous for having large concentrations of red-tailed monkeys, baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, and chimpanzees.
Kyambura Gorge has about 30 chimpanzees, and although the population is smaller, tracking gorillas in Kyambura allows tourists to combine chimpanzee tracking with a game drive and birding exercise, and combine chimpanzee trekking in Queen Elizabeth National Park with gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, among others. However, the only disadvantage is that there is a high probability of comparing chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu and Kibale National Park with Kyambura Gorge.
The chimp trek permit cost in Kyambura Gorge is as follows.
Foreign non-residents $100, Foreign residents $80, and EAC citizens UGX 50,000.
Kalinzu Forest: Chimpanzee trekking
Kalinzu forest is the second-best destination after Kibale National Park for chimp tracking. The forest’s location near Queen Elizabeth National Park is the perfect getaway for chimpanzee tracking in Uganda, as you combine it with wildlife viewing. Kalinzu is home to over 300 chimpanzees, 70 of which are habituated. However, the possibility of spotting the chimpanzees here is 90%.
You will also need chimpanzee tracking permits, and the cost is as stated below.
- Foreign non-residents $130
- Foreign residents $65
- EAC Citizens $65
Budongo Forest and Kaniyo Pabidi Forest: Chimpanzee tracking
Budongo Forest and Kaniyo Pabidi Forest are in Murchison Falls National Park. Although they are not as big as the other destinations, they are still home to different primate species, including chimpanzees, baboons, blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and many more.
Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo and Kaniyo Pabidi starts as early as 8:00 am after a briefing, and there are morning and afternoon sessions. You should plan your chimpanzee trek in Murchison Falls for the dry season, although you can still trek with them year-round.
The cost of the tracking permit is as follows: Foreign non-residents are $230, Foreign residents $120, and EAC Citizens $85.
You can also spot Primates in Uganda in other national parks across the country during a game drive, and some of the destinations where you can spot the different primate species include Semuliki Wildlife Reserve, Kidepo Valley National Park, Ngamba Island, and the Uganda Wildlife Education Center, among others.
Rules for Primate Tracking in Uganda
There are rules that all tourists have to follow when primate tracking in Uganda,nda and these include:
- The age limit for tracking primates in Uganda is 12 years
- No eating, smoking, or drinking when with the primates
- Avoid touching the primates
- Do not make noise when with the primates because this distracts them
- Follow all the guidelines that the guides give you.
- Leave 7 meters between you and the primates
- Trekkers who are sick should not touch the primates
- Take photos of the primates after turning the flash off.
Packing for a primate safari in Uganda
If you want to enjoy your primate safari in Uganda, you need to pack right. However, some of the essentials that you need for your primate safari include strong hiking boots, a waterproof rain jacket and backpack, neutral trousers and long-sleeved shirts, a camera, bottled drinking water, gaiters, sunscreen, insect repellent, toiletries, and a sweater, among others.
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