Chimpanzee Trekking in Kyambura Gorge
Chimpanzee Trekking in Kyambura Gorge: Kyambura Gorge is located within the northeastern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, featuring a 100-meter gorge in the middle of the savanna. This offers an 80% chance of sighting habituated chimpanzees in a unique, deep “Valley of the Apes.” This landscape is among the most impressive you will find in Uganda and is swarmed with a rich wildlife biodiversity that comprises primates, wild animals, and birds.
Chimpanzees are the gorge’s headline inhabitants. These are a great type of ape closely related to humans, sharing about 98% of their DNA with people. Unlike monkeys, apes such as chimpanzees do not have tails, and they display advanced intelligence and social behaviors such as grooming and communicating with each other through various sounds, which makes it fascinating to observe in their natural habitats.
What to expect during chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge.
During chimpanzee trekking in the gorge, you will meet the habituated family of 23 members led by an alpha called Kihango. With the restrained nature of the forest, it is easy to find the chimpanzees by sound, chimpanzee dung, leftover fruits, and housing nests. There are other members in the family such as Emiti the alpha female; Kazinga; Lumumba; Mweya; Brutus; Enjoy; Kaka; Namanya; Enyanja; Maani; Asaba; Pamba; Nathkunda; Murungi; Ekibira; Njuuko; Mulefu; Agaba; Pesos; and Embogo, and there are also two infant girls in the group mothered by Emiti and Mulungi.
Kihango became the group’s alpha in 2017 after having won a challenge with one of the previous alphas. Namanya is the closest ally of Kihango; Brutus and Lumumba are also prior alphas, whereas Mweya sometimes tries to challenge Kihango for power. Kazinga is Kihango’s brother who shows authority over adult females, communicating how he would like to be an alpha. Mweya, Mulefu, and Mani are known as the “M” brothers, mothered by Murungi. Emiti’s children also include Enyanja, Embogo, Ekibira, and Enjojo.
How to track chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge.
Tourists are usually emphasized to follow game rangers, who usually do the tracking, as they are always keen to notice any tracks or signs that the primates display, such as their sounds, leftover fruits, housing nests, foot and knuckle tracks, and chimpanzee dung.
Sound: Chimpanzees usually move along while shaking trees and vocalizing as they communicate to their colleagues, which helps the trackers to easily identify them.
Chimpanzee dung: The chimp dung can be used to track how far or close the chimpanzees are; that is, if the dung is dry, it tells that they are far, whereas if the dung is wet, it tells how near they are.
Housing nest: The presence of the nest will tell the presence of the chimpanzee; that’s why the trackers are always keen to identify the nest.
Leftover fruits: The tracker can also track the locations of the chimps using their leftovers. They usually eat fruits and throw unwanted parts away, which provide hints of where the primates have headed.
Foot and Knuckle Tracks: Trackers can track the direction of the chimp’s movements using their limb prints since they have longer front limbs, which they use to move.
How to prepare for chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge.
The trekking begins with a briefing session in which the rangers explain to the trekkers the landscape in which they will move, what to expect during the activity, the rules and regulations, and how to behave around them. You are free to ask questions during the briefing, and thereafter you are led to the gorge to experience the chimps physically.
What to wear.
Trekkers are encouraged to put on the most comfortable and relaxing attire for the experience, for example, long-sleeved shirts and trousers, to prevent you from insect bites and the weather from affecting the skin. Please take note to put on dull colors, as bright colors will get the attention of the chimps.
Gloves will help to avoid touching plants that may cause allergies; hiking boots, most especially sturdy shoes, are the best for trekking, as they protect the ankles from getting hurt and will make movements easier; and lastly, sunglasses and a hat.
What to carry.
The activity requires the trekker to carry cameras for taking memorable photos of the primates, a pair of binoculars for a birding experience, sunscreen for keeping your skin from being burnt by the sun, a rain jacket, a backpack for carrying a packed lunch, and a walking stick for walking on the trails.
Chimpanzee trekking fees and costs.
Permits should be booked in advance through the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) or at Kantunguru headquarters in the north, and participants must be 15 years or older. The 2-4 hour guided trek includes 1 hour with the chimps, whereas over 16 chimpanzee trekking permits are delivered in a day for trekking that is 8 in the morning and 8 in the evening. This includes a nature walk on the day of trekking and a guide fee, and it excludes the park entry fees. Below is the cost for different citizens.
- Foreign Non-resident (USD) 50
- Foreign Resident (USD) 40
- East African Citizen (UGX) 30,000
Guidelines during chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge.
The guidelines are put in place to protect the trekkers and chimpanzees as they walk the trails in the gorge and these include
1. Do not do the trekking when not feeling well, as chimpanzees share 98% of human DNA and therefore can easily catch a human infection.
2. Keep the forest clean by not littering in it.
3. The more silence, the more chances of seeing wildlife.
4. Avoid imitating the chimpanzees, whether in vocals or actions, as it may mean something contrary to what they understand, hence leading to an attack.
5. Don’t chase
6. Keep a distance from the chimps when eating.
7. Flash photography is prohibited, as the flash may lead the chimps to attack you, taking the flash for danger.
8. If the chimpanzee takes your belonging, leave it to them, as it will find no use and drop it, which will later be returned to you.
9. In case of wasting, do it off the trails and bury the waste and any used tissue 30 cm deep in the ground.
Other attractions seen during chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge.
The landscape is among the most impressive you will find in Uganda and is swarmed with a rich wildlife biodiversity that comprises primates and wild animals as well as birds. The gorge is often referred to as the park’s underground forest because of its unique geography, towering trees, and being along a sunken valley filled with dense vegetation and streams. Trekkers can also take in the lush sceneries of the gorge through eco tours and wildlife photography excursions.
Nature walks:
The gorge’s dense greenery, streams, and overall unique layout make it an ideal location to explore and capture breathtaking nature views. The guests who enjoy hiking will appreciate the network trails that provide close encounters with both the varied plant life and other animals that inhabit the area, such as lions, buffaloes, antelopes, waterbucks, leopards, elephants, warthogs, and waterbucks.
Primate watching:
Trekkers also descend 200 meters into the deep, thick gorge forest with sightings of other primates like vervet monkeys, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, and black and white colobus monkeys. This will give you the best experience to connect with the closest human cousins and their natures.
Bird watching:
The forest counts around 600 species of birds that are considered among the beautiful adventures the guests can do during the trekking. These birds include both forest and water birds such as the African fish eagle, kingfisher, corn crake, blue turaco, papyrus canary, white-tailed hawk, African broadbill, and black bee-eaters.
What is the best time for chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge?
Season:
Trekking with the chimpanzees can be done all year round and is best done during the dry season (June – October, December – March), which is the best time for navigating the trails and clearer viewing due to shorter vegetation. The fruiting season for trees is during the wet season (April, May, and November), and it is easy for trekking, as the chimpanzee will not move far looking for food and water.
Time:
The morning and afternoon sessions are both rewarding for chimpanzee trekkers because the primates are always active during the day as they feed, swing on trees, prepare their nests for the night, and move from one place to another. Whereas the morning session is often more fruitful, as the chimps will not have gone to distant places.
Where to stay during chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge.
The gorge offers accommodation for all classes of guests, and to minimize travel time to the morning briefing, trekkers are advised to stay in lodges near the Kyambura Gorge or in the eastern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Luxury options include Kyamura Gorge Lodge, Katara Lodge, and Mazike Valley Lodge, whereas mid-range and budget options include Elephant Hab Lodge, Enganzi Game Lodge, Pumba Safari Cottages, Simba Safari Cottages, and Engiri Game Lodge.
How to get to Kyambura Gorge for chimpanzee trekking.
Via road: Kyambura Gorge is situated in the northeastern corner of Queen Elizabeth National Park and can be accessed via a road that is a 410-420 km drive from Kampala, taking 6-7 hours to reach the park. The commonly used route is the route via Masaka-Mbarara, and another route is via Mubende-Fort Portal, and a 4×4 vehicle is recommended due to terrain.
Air access: Chartered flights are always available from Entebbe or Kajjansi to Mweya airstrip, which is approximately 30 km from the gorge, taking about 2 hours of the day.
In conclusion:
Chimpanzee trekking is a very beneficial activity that is going to grant you exposure to the friendly primates within the gorge. The trekkers will be able to interact with the animals, learn their behaviors, how they feed, and how friendly they can be. This warm relationship with the apes will leave you awestruck and, thus, offer the greatest experience during the safari.
