Chimpanzee habituation is a life time experience that allows the trekkers to stay with the chimpanzees for a whole day as they carry out their daily activities, this makes them get used to human presence without changing their natural environment. During this tour, you will expect to come across the chimpanzee de- nesting between 5:30 to 6:30 before them throughout the day until they make the new nests at night. This habituation experience by the tourists for the low season months of April, May and November.
There is also the primate walk commonly known as chimpanzee tracking id the most favourite of Kibale walks that starts from Kanyanchu visitor centre at exactly 8:00 and lasts for 2 to 3 hours. The chimps are the most sought after primates by the tourists, and you should look out for the black and white colobus, grey cheeked mangabey and red tailed monkey. The guide will be able to able to show you the birds and the pitas and will also give details of the tradit of the plant species with in the forest. The walk is taken by 6 people in a group. However, advance booking is important especially during the peak season.
Chimpanzee trekking has got rules and regulations to follow and some of them include; keeping a distance of 8m between you and the chimps, avoid eating near the chimps, the children below the age of 12 are not allowed to participate in the trek, the guide is the only one to help access to the forest, the chimps need the freedom and therefore provoking them is not good, the flash photography is also not allowed in the park,
Chimpanzee tracking is a very fascinating experience and its prepared today and sets out to Uganda’s Kibale and you will spend some time with them. You will observe them as they swing form one tree to another, play about and will also progress speedily on the ground in front of you. The chimps as well as human beings share over 98% of their DNA. Even though they are wild animals, there are chances of spotting these chimps is not guaranteed even though they are over 95% with in Kibale Forest, which makes it the most perfect destination in East Africa for chimpanzee tracking. You can also get chance to take part in the habituation process, which means that you can actually get a chance to spend your entire day with the chimps.
Due to the number of chimpanzee trekking permits that are restricted, you are also advised to book in advance prior to your safari dates. The lunch boxes will be offered to the trekkers that are taking part in the habituation experience since it needs the whole day. It’s also so important to note that 15 years is the minimum age that is allowed to participate in chimpanzee tracking.
The necessary requirements needed for a chimpanzee trek include; the shoes that have a good grip and these are suitable for climbing steep moist muddy slopes, wearing long sleeved clothes that will protect you from the pricking thickets, rain gears, Enough drinking water, a pair of binoculars, and cameras as well as enough batteries.
The average weight of an adult chimpanzee is between 35 and 70 kilograms with a height of 3 metres while an adult female chimpanzee weighs between 26 and 50 kilograms between 2 and 4 feet. The life expectancy of a chimpanzee is at 40 years and for those living in captivity can extend up to 60 years. Within Uganda, the efforts to conserve the chimpanzees are extensively supported and Jane Goodall Foundation has also played a major role in the overall conservation of not only the chimpanzees as well as gorillas that are found in Uganda.
The chimpanzees are the closest relatives to the human beings and they share 98% of their DNA composition with the humans. These are also sociable, very intelligent as well as communicative and also among their traits is the ability to utilize the tools like rocks for crushing the nuts, the empty pods used for hollowing out the water and the sticks for capturing the termites from their holes. The skills are also passed on from generation to another and the researchers have found out that the different troops have specialist tasks, based on their habitat as well as the diet.
The chimpanzees also stay in groups of 10-100 individuals, they can baby sit each other’s young ones, kiss, groom one another and also know how to hold hands. The young ones become independent at the age of 4 years. More so these can also be so aggressive and unsociable in case they are disturbed. These normally feed and do make their sleeping nests up in the trees. The diet of the chimps varies comprising of leaves, seeds, fruit and flowers.
Difference between Chimpanzee trekking & Habituation in Kibale NP
What is chimpanzee trekking & habituation experience?
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda involves walking through the jungles of rain forests in search of them for about 1-2 hours depending on the location of the primates and on finding them, visitors are limited to only one hour in the presence of the endangered primates.
A chimpanzee trekking is a walk or hike with a professional guide, through the natural habitat of the chimpanzees, looking for a habituated chimp family. Once you reach them, you are allowed to stay near them and watch their daily living for a maximum of one hour. Because habituated chimpanzees are familiar with human presence, they will not runoff. Depending on the time and the activity they are doing, you can see them play, feed, or swing to different trees.
The chimpanzee habituation experience is a half day activity, where you take part in the process of making wild primates habituated, meaning they get used to people around them. During this activity, a professional guide takes you through the natural habitat of the chimpanzees and you will spend the entire day near a family of chimpanzees. You get the chance to be with chimpanzees during their daily activities like searching for food, grooming, playing, and making nests for the night. You will learn more about the process of tracking and monitoring the chimps as well as how they are habituated.
The chimpanzee permit costs in Uganda are as below;
Kibale forest trekking permit is at $200 for foreigners, $150 for foreign residents and UGX 150,000 for East Africa Citizens. While Habituation permit is $250 for foreigners, $200 for foreign students, UGX 200,000 for East Africa Citizens.
These rates include the entrance fee and the UWA (Uganda Wildlife Authority) reinvests 20 percent of the permit fees into the local communities that border the park. This organization also leads regular education programs highlighting the benefits and importance of conservation.
How fit do you need to be for a chimpanzee trekking and Habituation experience?
Great news, you don’t have to be very fit to see chimps, but is it pleasant if you have an average level of physical condition. If you’re not in a good condition, you have to rely on your determination to see the Kibale chimps. Chimpanzees are active animals and depending on the time of the day and their activity, they will move which means you move too. All participants will be divided into groups to visit different families. Some families stay near one of the starting points and others far, which means you have to hike longer distances through the dense forest.
Chimpanzee tracking is worthy tracking
Chimpanzee Tracking is a worthy adventure experience for any visitor to Uganda. It is advisable to book the permit weeks before your tour to allow ease of planning. If you are traveling with us, we’ll purchase the chimp permits on your behalf ahead of time to make sure all preparations are done before the safari starts. Additionally, the permits to places like Kibale National Park are limited when it’s a high season since only a limited number of visitors can see the chimps every day.