Chimpanzee tracking safaris in Kibale Forest National Park. Kibale Forest is located in the western part of Uganda near Fort portal district, it’s one of the best destinations in Africa for chimpanzee trekking safaris in Africa. Kibale national park has 13 species of primates with chimpanzees having the best population. The park was established in 1993 and sits on an area of 79 sq. km and is managed by Uganda Wildlife Authority.

Chimpanzee trekking is one of the most exciting activities in Uganda done by visitors involving an individual taking a walk in Kibale National Park in search of primates. Chimpanzees share 98% DNA with human beings and this excites travelers and makes them very interested in tracking and learning their behaviors.

In Uganda, chimpanzees are found in Kibale National Park, Kyambura gorge, Kalinzu forest and Budongo forest in Murchison falls National Park. Other interesting primates found in Kibale National Park include red-tailed guenon, L’hoest’s monkey, gray-cheeked mangabey, black and white colobus monkey, blue monkey, red colobus, white-nosed monkey, and nocturnal pottos, bush babies, olive baboons among others.

Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park is done best in the Kanyanchu area where chimpanzees live most. Chimpanzee tracking is usually best done in the morning hours around 08:00 am where you get to see chimpanzees head out of their nests to look for food in the forest area and at 3:00 pm as you view chimpanzees swing across the trees at the same time evening hours is when chimpanzees are getting back to their nests after a full day of hunting for food.

For visitors to engage in chimpanzee tracking safaris in Kibale they must have a chimpanzee trekking permit from Uganda wildlife authority to access Kibale National Park and engage in the activity. The chimpanzee trekking permit goes for USD200 for foreign residents and foreign nonresidents this permit allows you to stay with chimpanzees for one hour.

Visitors need to note the following when going for chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest National park; Children below the age of 15 years are not allowed to track chimpanzees, a visit that has come into contact with a chimpanzee must remain 8 meters away to avoid contamination with human diseases.

Also, visitors with flue and diarrhea are not accepted to track chimpanzees for easy transmission of diseases, visitors should not disturb these chimpanzees as they can react and change any time, littering in the forest is not allowed as this can contain polythene papers that can harm chimpanzees and lastly while taking photos of chimpanzees or recording memories with them you are required to have cameras that don’t give out flashlights.

For a visitor to have a successful chimpanzee tracking safari, they are required to book a tour or contact a trusted tour company that can help them book the chimpanzee tracking permit, accommodation, food, and transport