Kibale National Park in Uganda holds the highest chimpanzee density in East Africa and is usually the first stop for this tour, though Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda and Mahale or Gombe in Tanzania run equally strong programs. Chimpanzees move fast and stay mostly in the canopy, so trackers often locate a community by their calls before spotting them.
You get one hour with the community once found, watching behaviour that looks startlingly familiar: tool use, grooming, squabbles and reconciliations within the group. Compared to gorilla trekking, the terrain is generally gentler and the permit considerably cheaper, making this a good addition to a longer itinerary.
Good To Know
Duration: Half day
Difficulty: Moderate
Permit / Fee: Around USD 200
Minimum Age: 12 and older
Where: Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania
Can I do this on the same trip as gorilla trekking?
Yes, and many of our itineraries pair the two. Kibale sits close enough to Bwindi that a chimpanzee trek and a gorilla trek fit comfortably into the same week without excessive driving.