Mountain gorillas one of Uganda’s biggest draw

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Mountain gorillas may be Uganda’s biggest draw, but they aren’t the only primates hanging around the country’s forests.

Chimpanzees can be found in a number of different areas, reports visituganda.news, and chimp trekking offers wildlife lovers a fast-paced adventure following these playful primates as they cover ground and swing through the treetops. Approximately 5,000 chimps live in Uganda, and several locations offer chimp trekking experiences.

Kibale National Park in western Uganda is known for its primate population, which consists of nearly 1,500 chimps and 13 other species, including the L’Hoest’s Monkey, East Africa’s largest population of the threatened Red Colobus Monkey, Blue Monkey, Bushbaby, and more.

Here, visitors will have the best chance of seeing chimps on their trek. On the outskirts of Murchison Falls National Park, the dense Budongo Forest is one of the best places in the country to spot chimps.

In Queen Elizabeth National Park, a location best known for its hippos and tree climbing lions, a population of chimps can be found in the 100 meter deep Kyambura Gorge in the park’s northeastern region.

Chimp trekking can be done year round, though the drier months of June – September and December – January are ideal.

Daily trekking experiences at each park offer participants the opportunity to spend one hour with the chimps after they are located.

Between October and June, Kibale and Budongo allow two visitors the chance to spend the entire day with the chimps. Chimp trekking groups are limited to a maximum of six people, and participants must be at least 15 years of age.

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SOURCE: http://www.visituganda.news/october-2018/

N.B Trekking permits can be booked via a trusted tour operator or directly via the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Prices are as follows: Kibale, US$150 per person which includes park entrance fee; Budongo, $US80 + $US40 park entrance fee; Kyambura Gorge, US$50 per person + $US40 park entrance fee.