Facts About Chimpanzees; Chimpanzees are said to have the closest DNA to humans with 98%. They are extremely known to be playful and keep on moving from one place to another.
Take note, they can be aggressive once they are provoked.
Adult chimpanzees weigh differently depending on the sex that is an average adult female chimpanzee can weigh – between 30 to 50 kilograms at a height of 2 to 4 feet while a male adult chimpanzee weighs between 35 to 75 kgs at a height of 3 meters.
Chimpanzees relatively stay in group s of 10 to 100 individual comprised of one dominant male as the leader.
They are intelligence species which can easily take care of each other like humans, hold hands, search for food and care for the young ones.
When a baby chimpanzee turns 4 years, they tend to become independent and start catering for their own food.
Those living in the wild can live up to 40 years and those who are kept in the zoos can live up to 60 years.
Chimpanzees are very sociable and effectively communicate with each other. They search for their own food, build their own nests and these skills are passed down from one chimpanzee to the next.
They are known to spend most of their time on the ground but when it comes to feeding and sleeping it’s when they can climb up in the trees.
Note; The best way to protect these species – the government together with assistance from the Goodall Foundation are trying their best to conserve the life of the chimpanzees away from poaching or hurting them.
What do Chimpanzees feed on?
Chimpanzees feed mainly on fruits and leaves. However, they feed on only ripe fruits which they gather very early in the morning.
They also feed on flowers and bugs as well as fresh meat.
Chimpanzees use different tools to gather their food while looking for insect. They use twig trees to poke into anthills and sometimes check under the stones for hidden bugs. These chimps after chewing the leaves -use them to clean themselves and dip the leaves into the water for drinking.
Where else can I go for Chimpanzee Trekking?
Besides chimpanzee trekking in Uganda, you can as well enjoy chimpanzee tracking in the neighboring countries of Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.
Chimpanzee trekking in DRC can be done in the Virunga National Park, Rwanda in Nyungwe Forest National Park, Gombe and Mahale in Tanzania.
In Uganda can also be done in several places -apart from Kibale Forest National Park, chimpanzee trekking can be conducted in Budongo Forest found in Murchison Falls National Park, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kalinzu forest in Bushenyi and Semliki National Reserve.
How difficult is chimpanzee trekking in Uganda?
Uganda chimpanzee trekking is not difficult as such because the trekking is conducted while following the flat trails in the forests. In fact, chimpanzees live at relatively low altitudes thus making it easy to go for trekking unlike going for gorilla trekking.
Note, during the wet season -it becomes extremely hard due to the slippery nature of the trails.
What is the best time to see chimpanzees in Uganda?
Chimpanzee trekking safaris can be carried out all year round however the best time to do chimpanzee trekking is during the dry season of the year. It starts between the months of June to September and December to January. During the dry season, the trekking trails are passable and also easier to watch the chimpanzees during the dry season unlike during the rainy season. During rainy season – roads become slippery and the vegetation is dense.
Cost of Chimpanzee trekking permits & habituation experience?
Chimpanzee trekking permit in Uganda goes at USD200 for non-foreigner and USD150 for foreign residents.
Chimpanzee habituation experience goes at USD250 for non-foreigner and USD 200 for foreign residents.
Chimpanzee trekking can also be done during the wet season due to the presence of plenty of food in the forest thus leading to easy location of chimps in their nature inhabits.
NB; Kibale Forest National Park is home with highest concentration of chimpanzees with over 1500 individual hence making it the most perfect destination in the entire East Africa for Chimpanzee trekking. Moreso, there is high chances of spotting these chimps which is guaranteed to over 95%.
In addition to that, those who wish to spend the whole day with these unique great apes, we recommend you to take part incredible Chimpanzee habituation experience.
If you’re planning to do chimp trekking or habituation experience -we advise you to book your trekking permits before your arrival time.
Since Chimpanzee habituation experience is a whole day activity during your day of experience – they normally give packed lunch boxes to the trekkers.
Note; One to do chimp tracking must be 15 years and above.
Chimpanzee trekking allows only one hour to spend with them while chimp habituation experience allows 4 hours to spend with chimps in their nature inhabits as you learn from them and photography.
What to carry along chimpanzee safaris?
Suitable climbing steep moist muddy slopes
Do not forget a rain gear -weather in Kibale forest is highly unpredictable.
Carry enough drinking water plus snack to bite
Carry a pair of binoculars
A visit to Uganda’s Chimpanzee destination can be combined with a visit to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park a home to half remaining mountain gorillas in the world -combine chimpanzee trekking in Kibale with Gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi.
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