Chimpanzee trekking is an exciting activity in East Africa. It involves walking through rainforest jungles with a tour guide. Specifically, you track trails left by habituated chimpanzee families. Once you find them, you spend about one hour observing the chimps. During this time, you get to see their lifestyles, cultures, and social habits. Furthermore, you can learn about their communication methods, food collection techniques, and nest-building practices.
Chimpanzee Trekking in Kyambura Gorge
Chimpanzees are primates and, like mountain gorillas, are fruit lovers. They typically live in groups of no more than 80 members. They are hairy, and their DNA is almost 99% similar to that of humans. However, unlike mountain gorillas, chimpanzees do not stay in high altitudes and are slightly smaller. Additionally, they have a lifespan of roughly 40-50 years. Female chimpanzees give birth to young ones every 4-5 years. Furthermore, these intelligent creatures use tools such as rocks, sticks, and leaves to prepare their food. For instance, they use sticks when foraging for honey and water, and stones for cracking nuts, among other tasks.
The Gorge is a home to one habituated family of Chimpanzees with roughly 16-17 members. Furthermore, the Kyambura Gorge is a home to numerous other wildlife species and bird species apart from the chimpanzees. The gorge is home to various wildlife. Primate species include olive baboons, white colobus, red-tailed colobus, and red colobus.
The Gorge
The gorge harbors several bird species and these reside in the rain and riverine forests in the Gorge. In Kyambura Gorge, you can see various bird species. These include the Lesser and Greater Flamingos, African Skimmer, and Shoebill. Other birds are the African Thin-foot, Martial Eagle, and Chapin’s Flycatcher. You might also spot the Bar-tailed Godwit, White-tailed Lark, and Blue-headed Bee-eater. Additionally, look for the Papyrus Gonolek, African Broadbill, Papyrus Canary, White-winged Warbler, Black-rumped Buttonquail, and Pink-backed Pelican.
The highlight of a trip to Kyambura Gorge is chimpanzee trekking. This activity is the most engaging experience in the gorge. Visitors should expect to track and spend time usually one hour with the habituated groups of Chimpanzees. You can purchase your Kyambura Gorge Chimp permit from your prefered Licensed Tour Opertors like Exclusive Uganda Safaris or at Uganda wildlife Authority Park headquaters in Kampala. Two trekking seasons are available per day starting at 08.00 and 1400 hours. Only 8 slots are available per session and the permits costs USD 100 per person per day. Visitors must stay in groups and maintain a distance of 7-8 meters from the chimpanzees.
Best time to visit Kyambura Lodge
The best time to visit Kyambura Gorge is during the dry seasons, which are from December to February and from June to September. During these periods, animals often converge in the gorge due to its water source. Consequently, it becomes easier to view more animals. Additionally, the hiking trails can become slippery during the wet seasons; therefore, some parts of the gorge may not be accessible.
What to carry a chimp trek to Kyambura are the essentials one should carry during Chimpanzee Trekking in Kyambura Gorge?
Visitors should remember to carry their hiking boots, light rain jackets, water proof bag, enough drinking water, huts, energy snacks, and a camera with enough fully charged batteries.
How to get there?
Located in Queen elizabeth National Park and it can be accessed by road via 7-8 hours drive from Kampala. It can also be accessed by air being served by Kasese, Mweya and Kihihi Airstrips with daily flights Kajjansi or Entebbe Airport.
Where to stay around Kyambura Gorge?
Kyambura Gorge is surrounded by several accommodation establishments that cover all the different types of travelers. These offer a home to tourists ranging from high-end luxurious to budgets offers. These include; Katara Lodge, Kyambura gorge Lodge, Emin pasha lodge among others found around and inside Queen Elizabeth National Park.
