Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge- Queen Elizabeth national park

Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge- Queen Elizabeth national park

Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge- Queen Elizabeth national park : Kyambura gorge also called the valley of apes is located in the northeastern part of Queen Elizabeth national park. Chimpanzee trekking is the most famous activity carried out in Kyambura gorge and it involves moving into the dense tropical forests in search of chimpanzees and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat.

Apart from chimpanzees Kyambura gorge is a home of other primates like black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, red tailed monkeys, olive baboons, variety of bird species, trees, butterfly species and mammals like elephants, giant forest hogs, hippos among others. Chimpanzee trekking is also done in other destinations like Kibale national park, Budongo forest in Murchison falls national park, Kalinzu forest and Toro-Semuliki wildlife reserve.

Chimpanzee trekking experience in Kyambura Gorge-Queen Elizabeth national park

Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge is done in two sessions that is the morning session which starts at around 8:00am and the afternoon session which starts at around 2:00pm and each session starts with a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing you will start trekking with a well trained park guide who is well conversant with different trails in the jungle. Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food.

During trekking you will be able to view different bird species, other primates like red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys among others. Once the chimpanzees are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you a chance to observe their behaviors, habits, lifestyle, take photos, record videos, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, grooming young ones, playing, hunting, fighting, mating, resting among others.

Cost of a chimpanzee trekking permit in Kyambura Gorge

A chimpanzee trekking permit is a card that is issued to any visitor above the age of 15 years allowing him or her to visit a habituated chimpanzee family in Kyambura gorge. A single chimpanzee trekking permit in Kyambura gorge costs USD 50 for foreign non residents, USD 50 for foreign residents and UGX 30,000 for East African citizens. Chimpanzee trekking permit in Kyambura gorge is cheaper compared to other destinations like Kibale national park where a single permit costs USD 200 for foreign non residents, USD 150 for foreign residents and UGX 150,000 for East African citizens and Budongo forest where a single permit costs USD 120 for foreign non residents, USD 110 for foreign residents and USD 75 for East African citizens.

A chimpanzee trekking permit in Kyambura gorge can either be booked directly through Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) or through a tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris. When booking through a tour operator you will contact us with the names and date when you wish to visit the chimpanzees in Kyambura gorge. We will then check for permit availability and if there are permits available you will be asked to make a deposit. Once we receive the money we will purchase the permit on your behalf.

Best time to go for chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge

Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge can be done anytime throughout the year though the best time is during the dry season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February. During the dry season access roads/ chimpanzee trekking trails in Kyambura gorge will be passable and vegetation will be thin which allows you to have clear views of the chimpanzees and other wildlife species.

Where to stay during your chimpanzee trekking safari in Kyambura Gorge

There are several accommodation facilities near Kyambura gorge where you stay during your chimpanzee trekking tour. The accommodations range from luxury, midrange and budget including Kyambura gorge lodge, Katara lodge, Jacana safari lodge, Engiri game lodge, Parkview safari lodge, Pumba safari cottages, Elephant hab lodge, Kingfisher lodge, Twin lakes safari lodge, Queen Elizabeth bush lodge, Hippo hill lodge, Irungu forest safari lodge, Enganzi game lodge among others.

How to get to Kyambura Gorge
Kyambura gorge in located in the north eastern part of Queen Elizabeth national park and can be accessed by road transport means whereby you will drive from Kampala using Mubende – Fort Portal road or Masaka-Mbarara road to the visitors center which takes about 7 to 8 hours drive in a 4WD safari vehicle.

Kyambura gorge can also be accessed by air transport means whereby you will book charter or scheduled flights from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi airfield to Mweya airstrip and then connect to Kyambura visitors centre by road.

Apart from chimpanzee trekking there are other interesting activities you can also engage during your chimpanzee trekking safari in Kyambura gorge such as bird watching, guided nature walks, game drives in Kasenyi plains, lion tracking, boat cruise on Kazinga channel among others.