Primate tracking safari in Uganda and Rwanda. Chimpanzees are the closest animal relative to humans, and we share around 98% of DNA. Seeing chimps in the wild is an experience which can only be described as moving. From their use of simple tools, social structures, and interaction with young ones, the experience is akin to humans.
On a chimpanzee tracking tour, visitors are guided into the thick rainforest by an experienced ranger as they look for chimps. They spend about 1 hour with the chimps before heading back.
The best places to see chimps and other primates are found in Uganda and Rwanda, with Kibale National Park being the absolute primate capital of the world. Many of our safaris are designed to include chimp tracking as part of your tour.
Take a look at some of our safari packages and let us know what is inspiring your next great adventure.
Additionally, feel free to reach out to us for a fully custom-made safari. This can be designed with all your needs, budget and schedule as the basis.
You can see chimpanzees in several rainforests in Uganda and Rwanda. The best place to see chimps in the wild is Kibale National Park in Uganda.
Kibale is home to more than 5000 chimpanzees as well as more than 10 other species of primates. It provides the best chimpanzee viewing experiences in the whole world.
Besides Kibale, Chimpanzees can also be seen in Budongo Forest and Kyambura Gorge of Uganda as well as Nyungwe Forest National Park in Rwanda.
Our Primate Tracking Safari for chimpanzee tracking often goes to Kibale since it offers the best opportunity and guarantee for seeing chimps.
The dry season months are regarded the best time to see chimpanzees in the wild. This is because the reduced rainfall makes it easier to navigate the dense rainforest.
The dry season months are typically between December and February, as well as between June and September.
You should however know that rainforests have microclimates that make it possible to receive rain throughout the whole year. This means that even in the dry season months, the rain can start without prior warning.
We therefore advise our clients to follow their schedule when it comes to Primate tracking safari (gorillas and chimps) since their natural forests can never guarantee a dry day of tracking. The good thing about East Africa is that you can witness heavy rain for a short time and then the sun comes up again to dry and warm you.
The chimpanzees and Primate tracking safari are generally friendly and not aggressive towards visitors.
The chimpanzee groups you track are habituated for several years so that they can get used to seeing humans without fearing or attacking. This is why you don’t have to be afraid of them.
The other primates are not necessarily habituated but they are used to seeing people and also pose no threat.
When you are going for a chimp tracking experience, you always start off with a briefing from the rangers who are in charge of the parks. In this briefing, the rangers will tell you all the rules and guidelines to follow for a successful chimpanzee tracking exercise.
These Primate tracking safari guidelines are inline with the ongoing conservation of the chimpanzees, other primates and the natural environment they call home. Here are guideline to keep in mind.
With each Primate tracking safari, we often advise our guest on what to pack that will specifically work for that safari. This depends on the number of days, all the activities involved and the season of their travel.
Generally for chimpanzees, you need to be prepared for the reality of spending time in the middle of a rainforest. The chance of rain, mud and some cold.
Here are some things you should carry.
Chimpanzees are a great tourism activity that attracts many visitors to both Uganda and Rwanda. The result of this is well developed hospitality infrastructure – such as hotels and lodges.
There are many lodges for guests to choose from, and they are tailored for various budgets and styles. Whether you want to camp under the stars or relax in luxury on your Primate tracking safari, it is all there to make sure that your experience is great.
These lodges and hotels employ a professional team to take care of you, and the experienced chefs are able to make delicious local and international foods.
A chimpanzee and Primate tracking safari can easily be combined with other activities such as gorilla trekking, wildlife viewing in the savannah, cultural encounters, white water rafting and mountain climbing among many others.
Most of our safaris already combine chimpanzee and primate tracking with some of these other travel experiences. Take a look at any of our packages to get a great idea of how various activities combine well with chimpanzee tracking to make a great flowing safari adventure.
We want to take you on a Primate tracking safari to track chimpanzees in the wild in Uganda, or Rwanda.
Here are 3 great reasons why we are the right choice.
To get a proper feel of who we are as people and as a company, read the About Us section and take a look at our reviews of platforms like TripAdvisor.
