Chimpanzee Trekking In Murchison Falls National Park

Chimpanzee Trekking In Murchison Falls National Park : Murchison Falls National Park is the largest national park in Uganda with an area cover of 3,840 square kilometers. The national park is rich in diversity hence making it a home to over 46 mammal species, over 450 bird species and many tree species. The national park has a lot of attractions that offer outstanding views that range from the popular Murchison falls which is the world’s strongest water fall to forests, Victoria Nile which is the longest river in the world among others.

CHIMPANZEE TREKKING

Chimpanzee trekking within Murchison Falls National Park is carried out within forests such as Kaniyo pabidi, Rabongo and Budongo forests. The forest make the national park an ideal place for the chimpanzee trekking in Uganda. There are over 600 chimpanzees within the forests of Kaniyo pabidi forest and Budongo forests which are the largest mahogany forests found in East Africa.

BUDONGO FOREST

Budongo is the best places for doing a chimpanzee trekking activity as well as the largest mahogany forest in East Africa. The forest is a habitat to over 360 bird species, 450 tree species, 24 mammal species, 130 moth species and over 250 butterfly species. Besides the trekking of chimpanzees, tourists can come across other primates such as black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys and olive baboons among others.

KANIYO PABIDI FOREST

The forest is located near Kichumbanyobo gate of Murchison Falls National Park and it’s one of Uganda’s untouched wilderness where you experience nature within its natural state. However chimpanzees are occasionally seen and its harbors a lot of birdlife and butterflies. The forest is mainly dominated by ironwood and mahogany trees.

RABONGO FOREST

The forest is a tropical riverine forest which is found in Murchison Falls National Park. The forest is pitched on an island surrounded by golden grasslands, the forest is as well an ideal place for chimpanzee trekking and bird watching. Tourists can spot primates such as red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, white colobus monkeys and black colobus monkeys.

Chimpanzee trekking within the park can be done in the morning at 7; 30am or in the afternoon at 2pm. The chimpanzee trekking in Murchison falls starts with a briefing at the park headquarters where the visitors are told about the expectations, rules and regulations of trekking. After the briefing you will be grouped into 8 people and given a park guide who will be sharing information about the chimpanzees while trekking.  The trekking takes about 1 to 4 hours or more depending on the location of the chimpanzees because these primates like moving deep into the forest in search of food especially during the dry season. Once the chimpanzee family is located, visitors spend an hour with them as they learn more about their habits, behaviors, life style, as you take pictures with flash less camera and recording the moments. Besides chimpanzees, during the trek you can come across other primate such as blue monkeys, red tailed monkeys, white colobus monkeys, olive baboons and a number of bird species among others thus making the chimpanzee trekking safari a memorable one.

COSTS OF CHIMPANZEE TREKKING IN MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK

Tourists who want to trek chimpanzees in Kaniyo Pabidi forest require a trekking permit which is issued to visitors above the age of 15 years of age. A single chimpanzee permit in Kaniyo Pabidi and Budongo forest costs 90 USD for foreign nonresidents and the permit is valid for 24 hours only. Tourists need to book the chimpanzee trekking permits directly at the Uganda Wildlife Authority offices in Budongo forest.

BEST TIME FOR CHIMPANZEE TREKKING IN MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK

Chimpanzee trekking in Murchison Falls National Park can be done at any time of the year, however the activity is best done during the dry season which is between June to September and December to February. During the dry season there is less rainfall within the park and thus making the chimpanzee trekking trails within the forest are accessible and passable.

The trekking can as well be done in the wet season which is between March to April and October to November. During the wet season there will be a lot of food for the chimpanzees due to heavy rainfall which means that the chimpanzees will easily be found thus you won’t trek for long hours.