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Chimp Trekking Tours

A chimpanzee trekking safari offers a special opportunity to see our closest relatives at close range. Although it doesn’t get the same attention as gorilla trekking, the experience can be quite similar. The intelligence and social structure of chimps make them fascinating subjects for observation, and no two visits are the same. Chimpanzees live in communities ranging from 20 to 150 individuals. Like humans, they tend to have strong personalities. Their expressive faces make their identities easily recognized by us, even during a short visit. Lucky visitors will be able to hear their pant-hooting. This communal, loud calling session can be triggered by anything that excites them – including you.

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6 Questions About Chimp Trekking Tours

1. 1. Why should I choose a chimp trekking safari?
2. Which countries offer chimpanzee trekking tours?
3. What fitness level is required?
4. How close can I get to the chimps?
5. How much will this safari cost?
6. How does chimp trekking compare to gorilla trekking?
 
 

6 Questions About Chimp Trekking Tours

Answered by Ariadne van Zandbergen

1. Why should I choose a chimp trekking safari?

“Chimpanzee trekking is totally different from the usual safari experience. As chimpanzees live in rainforest, the only access is by foot. Chimp trekking is active and usually requires hiking for several hours to see chimps up close. Watching these great apes up close on foot is an amazing experience, almost on a par with gorilla trekking. Most African safaris are centered on car-based wildlife viewing, and activities such as chimp trekking offer a nice break from time sitting in vehicles. Chimp trekking is mostly done as part of a longer tour that includes other activities, such as wildlife viewing in savannah reserves and gorilla trekking.”

1

Which countries offer chimpanzee trekking tours?

“Chimp trekking can be done in several African countries. Chimpanzees occur naturally in West and Central Africa, and their range includes some East African countries such as Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda. The East African countries are the most popular countries for chimpanzee safaris as they are more developed for tourism than West Africa. There are several parks in Uganda that offer chimp trekking and the activity is included on most Ugandan safari itineraries. One of the most reliable places to see chimpanzees is in Uganda’s Kibale National Park. This is arguably the most popular chimp trekking destination in Africa, which means it is relatively busy and sightings can get a bit crowded. Because of this, people seeking a more exclusive experience in Uganda often choose to track chimps elsewhere. Good options include Budongo Forest near Murchison Falls National Park, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park and a community-run project in Kalinzu Forest Reserve. In Tanzania, chimp trekking is available only in Mahale Mountains and Gombe National Parks (both on the shore of Lake Tanganyika) as well as on Rubondo Island National Park in Lake Victoria. Gombe and Mahale host chimp communities that were first habituated to human presence in the 1960s. Gombe is also famous for its association with Jane Goodall, who did her research there. Although chimp trekking in Gombe and Mahale is of the highest quality, the remote location of these parks makes it difficult to incorporate the activity in a standard Tanzania safari. Chimp trekking in Rubondo is a relatively new development and less reliable than elsewhere in Tanzania or Uganda. Chimpanzee trekking is also available in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park. This is still an emerging destination, so less well known at this stage, and sightings are a bit more hit-and-miss.”

2

What fitness level is required?

“Chimpanzee trekking requires a reasonable amount of fitness. It depends on where you will be trekking, and to some extent it just depends on the day. Even in a particular park, every day can be different. You might find the chimps after 10 minutes or after two hours. And then they might be stationary, or feeding in trees, or they might be on the move. The latter can result in a very challenging trek as you try to keep up with them moving through the undergrowth at high speed. The terrain in some of the parks is hillier than in others. One of the easiest places to see chimpanzees is in Kibale NP in Uganda. Other rewarding places to see chimpanzees are Mahale Mountains and Gombe NPs in Tanzania, where the terrain is very hilly, and a fair amount of fitness is required. If you prefer to stick to flattish terrain, Budongo Forest in Uganda is probably your best bet.”

3

How close can I get to the chimps?

“Chimpanzees are our closest living relatives and they share 98.8% of our DNA. That means they can easily pick up human diseases. For this reason, and also for safety reasons, it is vital to keep a reasonable distance when watching chimpanzees. You will track chimpanzees in a small group of up to 10 people. Your guide will give you very clear instructions on where to stay when you get close to the chimps. Having said that, the chimps themselves are very habituated and they don’t abide by rules. On top of that, the thick forest growth might make backing off difficult at times. So, it is very possible a chimpanzee may come within a meter of you.”

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How much will this safari cost?

“The cost of chimp trekking packages depends on the country and the park. In Tanzania, there is no specific chimpanzee trekking fee. The activity is covered by the park entrance fee, with the only additional cost being a guide fee, which is charged for any guided walk. The combined entrance and guide fee for Mahale Mountains is US$118 daily, inclusive of VAT. For Gombe, it is US$141.60. This is very affordable, but due to the exclusivity and remoteness of these parks, the overall price of a safari here is high. A chimp permit in Kibale National Park in Uganda costs US$300. In Queen Elizabeth’s Kyambura Gorge, the fee is US$200. The fee for chimp trekking in Kalinzu Forest Reserve is US$130, and it is US$130 in Budongo Forest. Chimp trekking in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park costs US$150.”

5

How does chimp trekking compare to gorilla trekking?

“Gorilla and chimp trekking are very similar experiences. You set out with a maximum number of visitors: eight for gorilla trekking and up to 10 in some places for chimp trekking. For gorillas, trackers go ahead, and your guide will be in touch with them by radio to guide you directly to the gorillas. This is not always the case with chimp trekking. Your guide might have to do the tracking themselves, which can make the hike more challenging and the success rate lower. Once you have reached the gorillas or chimps, you get an hour to spend time with them before heading back. Gorillas don’t cover as much ground as chimps, and you will most likely stay with gorillas in a small area. Chimps, on the other hand, can be hard to follow when they are on the move. All gorilla groups for tourist visits are very habituated, so time spent with them tends to be of a very high quality. This isn’t always the case with chimpanzees. Chimps are very habituated in places such as Mahale, Gombe and Kibale, but they might be less so in other places, and tend to move off slowly. In some cases, the males are more relaxed than the females and babies. I think both experiences are highly rewarding, but the chimpanzee trekking experience is more variable depending on several factors. Also, being close to an ape the size of a gorilla has a thrill factor that might not be quite the same with chimpanzees.”

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