Compare chimpanzee trekking in Uganda and Rwanda.
Trekking with chimpanzees in Rwanda and Uganda allows you to see the habitat of the animal kingdom’s closest relatives of humans. Depending on how you feel after seeing both nations, you may determine which is really the greatest for chimpanzee trekking.
With over 1500 chimpanzees and other primates, Kibale National Park is the most well-known chimpanzee trekking destination in Uganda. Chimpanzee trekking is well-known in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park.
Chimpanzees are closest to humans since they share around 98% of our DNA. They reside in communities that are led by an Alpha male who is democratically chosen. About four chimpanzee populations in Uganda, including the Kanyantale chimpanzee colony, have become used to human presence. Visits have been made there since 1993.
Are you considering a trip to Africa for a primate safari in a natural environment, or is chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda or Uganda on your bucket list? Is trekking chimpanzees one of your favorite monkey activities, but you’re unsure which of Rwanda and Uganda is worth the money? Or where to locate Rwanda’s and Uganda’s greatest chimpanzee populations
Expect to observe other primates, such as blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus, olive baboons, and others, whether you’re hiking chimpanzees in Rwanda or Uganda. In the event that you are an avid birder on a chimpanzee trekking vacation in Rwanda or Uganda, these woodlands are home to a variety of bird species, including Albertine endemics.
Choosing between Rwanda and Uganda for chimpanzee trekking is based on your sightseeing preferences, which extend beyond chimpanzee trekking. It is best to highlight important factors to take into account when choosing between Rwanda and Uganda for chimpanzee trekking, including where to see chimps in both countries, the likelihood of seeing chimps on a particular trek, where to stay, how to get to the chimps, how chimp trekking destinations connect with other well-known safari destinations, and much more. Please get in touch with us for additional details.
Where in Uganda might I find habituated chimpanzees?
The largest chimpanzee population in Uganda is found at Kibale National Park, where there are around 1500 of them. The greatest number of habituated chimpanzees in East Africa may be found at Kibale National Park, which is located in western Uganda. Kaniyo Pabidi in Budongo Forest, Murchison Falls National Park in Northern Uganda, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Karinzu Ecotourism Site, and Semliki National Park are more chimpanzee attractions in Uganda.
Moreover, Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary offers a safe refuge for Ugandan chimpanzees who have been rescued from poachers, traffickers, the abandoned, and those unable to return to their communities.
Chimpanzees at the Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC), formerly known as the Entebbe Zoo, are kept in enclosures with vegetation that resembles that of their native habitat. You have the option of walking about the center on your own or paying a nominal facilitation charge to join a guided tour. Chimpanzee caregiving and up-close encounters may be scheduled, but specific arrangements are needed.
Uganda is sometimes referred to be Africa’s primate capital. Numerous primates, the majority of which reside in the forest and sanctuaries, find a peaceful home thanks to its forest cover. An estimated 5,000 chimpanzees live in Uganda, with over 1500 of them residing in Kibale National Park.
Chimpanzee habituation involves time and money, as well as a great deal of dedication. After receiving a lecture at the Kanyanchu Visitor Center, you may see the chimpanzees in Ngogo and Kanyawara to begin the acclimatization process at Kibale National Park.
Blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, L’hoests, pottos, bush babies, and grey-cheeked mangabey are among the other primates you could see when hiking chimpanzees.
Chimpanzee trekking is the second top primate activity in both nations, behind gorilla trekking. There are very few differences between Rwanda and Uganda and a lot of parallels. People go to these two nations to embark on chimpanzee, golden monkey, or gorilla treks.
Chimpanzee hiking and locations in Rwanda
The natural forest cover in Rwanda, which is a part of the Virunga region, makes it a primate refuge where they may get freebies. Chimpanzee trekking is a popular tourist activity in Rwanda, another East African nation. Expect to see some crazy behavior as the Rwandan chimpanzees are still getting used to their surroundings.
In Rwanda, hikers may see chimpanzees in the recently opened Gishwati-Mukura National Park, Nyungwe Forest National Park, and Cyamudongo Forest. Nyungwe Forest National Park is the most visited of them. There are two morning and afternoon sessions for chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda, so please choose the time that works best for you to go. Katland Safaris arranges forest-based activities, including visits to semi-habituated chimpanzees.
To get access, each visitor must have a Chimpanzee Trekking Permit. The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) requires you to make a reservation in advance for the Rwanda Chimpanzee Trekking Permit.
What is the price of trekking chimpanzees in Rwanda and Uganda?
Chimpanzee permits in Rwanda cost $100.00 per person each trip, however as they are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, you must check the availability of the permits in advance. The quantity of chimpanzee hiking licenses available for sale to tourists is limited.
The cost of going to various chimpanzee trekking locations in Uganda varies. The permit costs USD 300 per person per trek per day in Kibale National Park, USD 50 for chimpanzee habituation in Kyambura Gorge, USD 80.00 for chimpanzee permits in Budongo Forest, and USD 50 for chimpanzee trekking in Karizu Forest Reserve.
All you have to spend to see the chimpanzees at the Uganda Wildlife Education Center is an admission charge. Ask the tour operator for further information since the price of seeing chimpanzees at Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary near Lake Victoria varies depending on the package you choose.
Chimpanzee permits in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park and Uganda’s Kibale National Park include park admission costs, an armed ranger guide, and an hour-long interaction with a habituated chimpanzee colony. One may opt to hike in the morning or the afternoon since all chimpanzee activities in Uganda are half days.
With its chimpanzee habituation experience, which enables one to spend longer time with chimpanzees under habituation, Uganda is still ahead of Rwanda. Typically, a permit costs $300 per person and only four persons are permitted to see these monkeys who are still in the habituation stage. Uganda is the ideal destination if you want to spend more time with chimpanzees.
Which nation has the highest chances of seeing chimpanzees?
Although it is possible to hike with chimpanzees in both Rwanda and Uganda, Uganda really provides the greatest chance to meet habituated populations of chimpanzees on any particular excursion. In addition to being excellent, Kibale National Park has been hailed by several authors and visitors as one of Africa’s top chimpanzee viewing destinations. Budongo Forest, the Karinzu ecotourism attraction, and Kyambura Gorge come after Kibale.
Chimpanzees in Rwanda, particularly in Nyungwe Forest, are semi-habituated, so visitors must get up early to search for them. In Uganda, however, chimpanzees are completely habituated and used to humans, so the experience is different.
Since chimpanzees’ activities are unpredictable, you cannot count out spending the whole day searching for them in Nyungwe Forest National Park, but most chimp trekking in Uganda takes up to half a day.
Everything you should know about chimpanzees
Chimpanzees live in communities and divide into tiny groups called parties of around 6–8 throughout the day to lessen the strain of competing for food, in contrast to mountain gorillas, who live in structured families. In the evening, they will unite to construct their sleeping nests.
Although they sometimes go into the gardens of the locals, chimpanzees prefer vegetarian food, particularly that which is given by the forest. To name a few, they like consuming plants, fruits, soft stems, roots, and other vegetation. It has also been observed that chimpanzees consume meat, particularly during periods of severe shortage when they would consume monkeys.
In Rwanda and Uganda, the majority of chimpanzee populations consist of between 50 and 250 individuals. In order to prevent congestion (this is in Uganda’s Kibale National Park), you will be informed before six individuals trek a particular group during chimpanzee trekking. However, since these parties continually joining and splitting up, you can also find yourself joining up and separating.
Only one hour is permitted with the chimpanzees once you find them during the two chimpanzee trekking sessions that are held each day, in the morning and the afternoon. This will give them time to keep eating without causing any damage.
Things to bring while hiking with chimpanzees in Rwanda and Uganda
The following items are necessary for chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda and Uganda: hiking boots, a walking stick, a camera, insect repellent, long pants, a first aid kit, energy snacks, a back pack, a raincoat in case it’s raining season, a pair of binoculars, and your packed lunch on the day of chimpanzee trekking (please refer to what to pack for gorilla trekking as this is the same).
Expectations for chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda and Uganda
Every day, all visitors will be taken to the main office of each National Park, where park authorities will greet them, register them, and give them a lecture on how to interact with chimpanzees. In Uganda, the Nyungwe Forest National Park near Uwinka and the Kibale National Park chimpanzee briefing point are located at the Kanyanchu Visitor Center.
Following the briefing, a ranger guide will be assigned to accompany you on your trip through the jungle until you come across a chimpanzee colony or area. To avoid spoiling your trip, be mindful of the chimpanzee trekking guidelines. The chimpanzees have a spy network that alerts the others when there are intruders in their surroundings. They hoot or pound tree trunks to communicate.
Once you’ve located these magnificent primates, you’ll spend about an hour studying their habits, snapping pictures and short movies, and then go back to your accommodation to unwind. Your guide will help you along the way by providing you with all the information you need to make your trip more interesting, including details on the flora and animals.
Chimpanzee trekking lodges in Rwanda and Uganda
Before starting a walk, one must stay the night. Before going chimpanzee trekking, there aren’t many places to stay overnight in Rwanda. Gigaku Guest House, Nyungwe House, Nyungwe Forest Lodge, Gisaku Family Hostel, and others are a few of them.
There are many alternate lodging options available to reserve for the nights spent in Kibale National Park in Uganda. They fall into one of three categories: luxury, mid-range, or budget lodges. Kibale Safari Lodge, Primates Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, Ndali Lodge, Chimpanzee Net, and C.V.K. are just a few of the lodging options available in the Kibale forest.
Mweya Safari Lodge, Jakana Lodge, Bush Lodge, Simba Safari Camp, Katara Lodge, and other lodging options are available for chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge Queen Elizabeth National Park.
To name a few, you may reserve lodging at Paraa Safari Lodge, Nile Safari Lodge, Sambiya Lodge, Red Chilli Camp, and Murchison River Lodge in Murchison Fall National Park for chimpanzee trekking in Kaniyo Pabidi.
Combining hiking with gorillas and chimpanzees in Rwanda or Uganda
For individuals interested in primates and wildlife watching, chimpanzee trekking is often done in conjunction with gorilla trekking rather than as a stand-alone excursion. In this regard, Rwanda provides the finest connection.
Compared to going from Kibale National Park to Mgahinga or Bwindi impenetrable National Park, it is simpler and more comfortable to drive from Nyungwe Forest National Park to Volcanoes National Park on decent roads.
To really experience the primate adventures of Rwanda or Uganda, you also need to get a gorilla trekking permit in advance. This is in case you decide to combine chimpanzee and gorilla trekking.
For chimpanzee trekking excursions to Rwanda or Uganda, get in touch with us. We can also customize or combine your safari to include all the attractions, such gorilla trekking, wildlife watching, and cultural encounters, among other things.
