Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park
Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park; Kibale forest national park also known as the primate capital is located in western part of Uganda in Kabarole district. Kibale forest national park is a home of 13 primates species including 1,500 chimpanzees, grey cheeked mangabey, red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons among others. Chimpanzee habituation is a process where the wild chimpanzees are trained to get used to human presence for trekking. The habituation process takes a period of 2 to 3 years to be complete and the experience involves a team of researchers, scientists, park rangers and park guides.
Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park starts very early in the morning at around 6:00am with a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations. After the briefing, you will join a group of researchers and start trekking in the forest in search of the chimpanzees which takes a whole day. During trekking, you will be able to view other primate species, animals, different bird species, plant and tree species among others and once the chimpanzees are found, you will be allowed to spend four hours with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn and monitor their behaviors, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, hunting, patrolling, de-nesting, copulating and building their nests for the next night among others.
Cost of a chimpanzee habituation permit in Kibale forest national park
A chimpanzee habituation permit is a legal document that is issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority to any visitor above the age of 15 years allowing him or her to visit the wild chimpanzees and spend four hours with them in their natural habitat. A chimpanzee habituation permit in Kibale forest national park costs 250 USD per person for foreign non residents, 200 USD per person for foreign residents and 200,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
A chimpanzee habituation permit in Kibale forest national park can either be booked directly through Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) by contacting the park headquarters via email or telephone calls. A chimpanzee habituation permit in Kibale forest national park can also be booked through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris whereby you will contact us with the dates, month and year when you wish to visit the chimpanzees. After contacting us we will check for permit availability and if there are permits available on your desired dates, you will be asked to make a deposit for the permit. Once we receive the money, we will purchase the permits on your behalf and send you a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation.
Best time to go for chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park
Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park can be done all year round though the best time is during the wet/ rainy season in the months of March to May and October to November because during this period there is plenty of food for the chimpanzees due to heavy rainfall therefore chimpanzees will be easily located.
Chimpanzee trekking experience in Kibale forest national park can also be done during the dry season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February because that’s the period when chimpanzee trekking trails are dry and passable.
How to get to Kibale forest national park
Kibale forest national park is located in the western part of Uganda and can be accessed by road transport means whereby you will drive from Kampala via Mubende, Fort Portal and then to the park headquarters which takes about 6 to 7 hours’ drive.
Kibale forest national park can also be accessed by air transport means whereby you will fly to Kasese or Semuliki airstrips and then connect to the park headquarters. Domestic flights to Kibale forest national park can be booked by your trusted tour operator.
Where to stay during your chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park
Kibale forest national park has several accommodation facilities where you can stay during your chimpanzee habituation safari. The accommodations range from budget, midrange and luxury including Chimpundu Lodge, Kibale Forest Lodge, Primate Lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Lodge, Rweteera Safari Park, Turaco Treetops, Papaya Lake Lodge, Isunga Lodge, Nyankuruba Nature Reserve and Community Campsite, Chimps Nest, Nyabulitwa Country Resort and Safari Camp, Mountains of the Moon Hotel, Ndali Kasenda Crater Field, Kyaninga Lodge among others.
Chimpanzee habituation experience is an extraordinary activity that you shouldn’t miss during your safari in Kibale forest national park and it can be combined with other interesting activities like nature walks, bird watching, chimpanzee trekking among others. For more information about chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park, you can contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website to book an affordable safari package.
