Chimpanzee is the most popular primate in Kibale Forest National Park in the western part of Uganda, the forest is one of the last remaining few tropical rainforests of Uganda, it covers most of the Kabarole district in which it is found, it is home to 13 primate kinds, including the Black and white colobus monkeys, blue tailed monkeys, pottos, red colobus monkeys, grey, checked monkeys, olive baboons to mention a few, the canopy raises up in the trees that are about 55m tall, the national park covers an area space of approximately 756 square kilometers, with is northern part beautifully raised on Plateaus and dotted with the Ndali-Kasanda crater lakes region.
The primate (Chimpanzee) is Uganda’s most sought of to visit, they are characterized by their social behavior, intelligence with the ability to use tools, these are scientifically known to share up to 98% of the human DNA, implying that they are the closest relatives to mankind, the chimps live in troops of up to 80 members led by a Male Alpha, nesting up in the tree Canopies, their loud charter sound is not to miss on a walk through the forest region. The primates have been affected with the human threats of increasing population that has led to a decreased number ofmale chimps are slightly bigger than the females and can weigh up to 70 kilograms.
Tracking chimpanzee begins in the morning with briefing from the park rangers, at the Kanyanchu visitor center, they will tell you how to coordinate your self while with the primates, the chimpanzee of Kibale are habituated to contain human presence, they love to feed on forest plants, tree backs, fruits and sometimes insects, with a life span of over 40 years, Chimpanzees are trekked in 2 sessions, the morning and afternoon session led through by the Uganda wildlife authority, it takes 2-3 hours doing the activity, the knowledgeable guides will take through the forest plant, tree species and other creatures you might meet during the course of the trek. An hour is allowed while with the primates enjoy taking beautiful pictures as long as you try to avoid flush photography, respect the 7-meter distance rule among other primate rules and regulations.
A chimpanzee trekking permit is required to allow you do the activity, this costs $200 for Foreign No-residents, $150 for foreign residents and 150,000 shillings for east African residents, it is advisable to buy the permits prior to the tracking time to avoid missing out. There are necessary things to Consider like what to carry on a chimpanzee track, bring water proof covers for phones and jackets, long sleeved shirts and trousers, insect repellants, huts.
The park can be accessed by road or by air , it takes approximately +/- 5 hours to drive from Entebbe to Kibale and an hour and half by flight , the national park entitles accommodation facilities that range from the best budget to Luxury, example facilities include; Kibale Forest Camp, Turaco Tree Top, Primate Lodge, Nkuruba Nature Reserve, Kyaninga Lodge to mention a few.