When looking at the most beautiful places to go for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda, it can feel impossible to decide where to visit considering that there are so many options: First forward, the good news is that all of them offer an exceptional experience, especially; Budongo Forest, Kalinzu Forest and Kibale National Park.
Regardless of which one you chose, you are assured of a great adventure, but just to help you make an informed decision about which one to zero down on, here are some of the extra features of each option.
Kibale National Park
Kibale National Park is Uganda’s most important refuge for chimpanzees, supporting over 1,500 individuals.
It offers an enticing mixture of easy access (it is just a five-hour drive from Kampala), a wide array of value accommodations in all price ranges, and lots of other activities (including bird watching, as well as rewarding community walks). Having been well habituated, the chimps here are not timid, so very close-up encounters are almost guaranteed. As is the case with other primate parks, the tracking experience here offers just one hour with the chimps. On the other hand, you can also opt for a habituation experience if you wish to have a more extensive experience. Your time with the chimps during this will stretch up to four hours. The extra wow factor with Kibale is that it offers so much. It is home to 13 primate species, at least six of which can be seen during one’s time in the forest.
Kyambura Gorge
Kyambura Gorge is rarely a destination on its own, it makes an excellent add-on to Queen Elizabeth National Park. There is a great chance you won’t see any safari species on a chimpanzee trek inside this underground forest. Due to the steep terrain of the gorge, few people come to trek its resident habituated chimpanzees.
But if you do, you won’t regret it. While in the jungle, you will experience the ethereal glow and encounter indigenous trees with fascinating shapes and heights. The forest experience even extends beyond the visual realm: It includes sounds of wood creaking and leaves rustling, a sweet combination that produces a unique soundscape.