Chimpanzee Tracking in Rwanda vs Uganda (A Guide for All).

Chimpanzee tracking in Rwanda Vs Uganda

Chimpanzee tracking is a popular activity in East Africa. It is one of the most captivating experiences that offers you the chance to meet the chimpanzee in their natural habitat. These have been scientifically proven to share up to 98% of the human DNA, characterized by their intelligence, social structure, and living in communities of up to 100 members. They use vocals to communicate in chartered sound, and omnivores feed on plants, tree branches, fruits, and occasionally small monkeys for a change of diet, and most wildlife enthusiasts love watching primates. Both countries offer incredible sightings of primates and wildlife in specific destinations, some of which are placed along the same ecosystem.

In Uganda, there are 3 destinations where chimpanzees can be spotted in their natural habitats, including Kibale Forest National Park, Budongo Forest within Murchison Falls National Park, Kyambura Gorge within the Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Kalinzu Forest. While in Rwanda, chimpanzees are found in 2 destinations: the Nyungwe Forest National Park in the southwestern part of Rwanda and the Gishwati Mukura National Park.

Chimpanzee tracking in Uganda and Rwanda both offer phenomenal encounters with wildlife species, they mostly follow the same rules and regulations including keeping a 7 meter distance rule, if guests have communicable diseases like flu, they are not allowed to track chimpanzees, age restriction is between 12years in Uganda and 15 for Rwanda, guests are expected to keep a minimum noise during the tracking and avoid eating or drinking during the tracking time.

The cost of chimpanzee permits differs in both countries; the Uganda permit costs $250 foreign non-residents, $200 foreign residents, and 180,000shillings for East African citizens. These are purchased from the Uganda Wildlife Authority through a licensed tour operator with the Uganda Tourism Board. Rwanda permits costs $150 per person for foreign non-residents, $75 foreign residents, and $25 for East African citizens. This is issued by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). Guests are required to pay $100 extra in park entrance fees.

The number of chimpanzees is higher in Uganda compared to Rwanda; there are about 1,500 individuals living in 4 communities in the Kibale Forest National Park and 2 habituated troops. The most visited in the Kanyanchu visitor center, chimpanzees here have been tracked since 1993. With this population, there are higher chances of spotting primates. In Rwanda, the population is only about 500 individuals in the ancient forest, which gives better chances of seeing chimpanzee than in Rwanda compared to any other destination.

Uganda offers the chance to do chimpanzee habituation. Kibale Forest National Park is the only place in East Africa where chimpanzee habituation can be done. The process involves following a group of semi-habituated chimpanzees together with forest researchers and guides. It starts in the early morning, at 6:00 am, and can take up to 4 hours or sometimes the whole day. It is important to note that the habituation process is only one here and is absent in Nyungwe Forest.

Starting time differs depending on your country of choice, in Uganda, chimpanzee tracking starts at 8:00 am with a morning briefing from the park rangers on how to conduct your self while with the primates and there after allocated in groups of 6 into the forest, an hour is allowed to watch and enjoy the primates upon finding them, while in Rwanda the start is earlier at 5:00 am, this is because the starting trail to look for the primates is a few kilometers from the park headquarters, in groups of 8 guests are guided through the forest in search of man’s closest relatives.

In conclusion, chimpanzee tracking can easily be done anywhere, either in Uganda or Rwanda; all experiences are magical.