September 08, 2024 | Bujo Safaris
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda can be done at Kyambura Gorge also known as ‘’ the Valley of Apes’’. Located in the far eastern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park found in the Southwestern part of Uganda. Apart from chimps, there are also a lot of tourist attractions to be seen in the gorge. These include many primates, butterflies, birds, hippos, elephants, and cats, to mention but a few. The scientists say that the valley was formed as a result of faulting after continuous erosion. It is said that people who used to live in this area used to receive heavy rain which one day resulted in soil erosion. A lot of people and their properties were destroyed. The people who survived went to search for their loved ones but did not find them and came back saying ‘’Kyambura’’ which means “I have failed to find it”. Proceeding with this article, all your questions about Kyambura Gorge and chimpanzee trekking will be answered.
Kyambura Gorge is located in the far eastern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The Park is located in the southwestern part of Uganda and is about 402.4km (250 mi) from Kampala/Entebbe. Which is approximately 6 to 7 hours by road and by air it is about a 3-hour flight.
Apart from chimps, the gorge is also home to many other animals and birds. These include baboons, Vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, Colobus monkeys, etc. Feeding primates and birds can be seen from the edge of the gorge or while still in the savannah at the top which is one of the best experiences. When you decide to slope down in the gorge, expect to encounter different mammals such as leopards, hippos, antelopes, and elephants.
Chimpanzee trekking: is the most attractive and most done activity in Kyambura Gorge. These primates have a very high intelligence and move in communities between 30-80 members. They divide themselves into small groups that go ahead and feed in different places. Chimpanzee trekking has two seasons in Kyambura Gorge in the morning and in the afternoon. However, I would advise the early morning trekking because that’s when the chimps are active. Always an hr is given to you to stay in the presence of these magnificent creatures and you will watch them play, breastfeed, eat, mate, fight, etc.
Nature walks: this is also an amazing activity that involves tourists walking across the forests and savannah grass having beautiful views and another planet feeling. Seeing different types of other mammals apart from primates, birds, insects, snakes, etc.
Bird watching: this gorge is also known as the birder's paradise or nest. The birds are attracted to this place due to the tall trees, and fruits on which they feed. The birds are so many and in different species hence making the gorge a beautiful and perfect place for birding or bird viewing to those interested. The species of birds include shoebill stocks, owls, falcons, African skimmers, verreaux’s eagles, etc. There are also so many other activities that can be carried out in this gorge but to mention a few.
Chimpanzee trekking takes place twice a day both in the morning and afternoon. The chimps are trekked by trackers having 2 groups of people each having 4 individuals. This activity takes about 3 hours depending on how fast you find a chimp family.
Of the two trekking periods both morning and afternoon trekking can be done but the best time of the day to trek is the morning period. This is because the chimps will have not gone far or deep in the forest and will be out looking for food to eat.
The gorge can be visited throughout the whole year but the months of March, May, October, April, and November. This makes trekking kind of hard due to the slippery trails and the chimps will be deep in the forest shielding away from the rain in the tall trees. The best season to visit is the dry seasons run from June to September and December to February.
As with any other activity carried out in any other park, there are rules, regulations, or guidelines that govern the activity. Below are some of the rules that should be followed when carrying out chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge. These will be given to you during your briefing before starting the trek. Do not chase the chimps, do not litter the forest, flash photography is not allowed, keep silent, and listen to the guide who is helping you trek. To mention but a few these rules will all be briefed to you before setting off for trekking.
Since the gorge is located in Queen Elizabeth National Park, there are many lodges to stay in and around the park. However, if your major target is the gorge and not the Park at large, I would recommend you stay at Kyambura Lodge. This lodge has 8 cottages that are made of high-quality local materials which are spaced to ensure privacy. Each cottage has free Wi-Fi, a shower, working tables, luxury beds, and television plus a fireplace.
These creatures feed on fruits early in the morning hrs when they wake up. These fruits are picked by their hands or directly by the mouth and the diet is supplemented by young antelopes or goats. Most tend to kill young baboons or monkeys so that they can feed on them.
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