Chimpanzee Tracking In Budongo Forest

Chimpanzee tracking and habituation in Uganda can also be done in one of the forests which is Budongo forest in Murchison falls national park. This is also East Africa’s largest natural rainforest. Budongo forest is about 30 minutes drive from Kichumbanyobo gate to the visitor Center inside Budongo Forest.The forest is vast enough and covers a distance of over 500 sq.km and part of the Murchison falls conservation area. Budongo forest is en route to Murchison falls national park and it is the forest with the most Mahogany trees in Uganda and East Africa at large. In Budongo forest, the chimpanzee area is managed by the Jane Goodall institute for research. You can enjoy the habituation of the endangered primate species called the chimpanzees. The habituation activity is not regular and mainly done in the low season when a few tourists are in the park so as to get enough time to study the chimpanzees. However, the isolation of the place attracts the big cats into the area like the lions among others. The area provides a safe harbor for lions, this will require you to take caution by not leaving your group when tracking these chimpanzees in the forest. When and how chimpanzee tracking is done? Chimpanzee tracking in Budongo forest is done twice a day, that is; in the morning around 0700 hrs. and in the afternoon around 1500 hrs. daily. It is your choice to choose any of the shifts of chimpanzee tracking in Budongo forest. The tourists drive from their accommodation facilities / lodges to Kaniyo Pabidi Eco site, where they get briefed about tracking. Then they head into the forest through the tracking trails together with their ranger guide. The chimpanzee tracking activity lasts for three hours; the three hours include the tracking to the chimpanzee community, a full hour to interact with the chimpanzees and take photos and then walking back. The chimpanzees are sometimes even found near to the Eco lodge in Budongo forest. In addition, these endangered species sometimes move deep in the forest in search for food especially in the dry season because during this season food tend to be scarce; this means finding them is sometimes hard during this season. About the chimpanzee tracking permits The chimpanzee tracking permits are issued to visitors at the Uganda wildlife authority offices and strictly eight people per shift, therefore; only 16 permits are issued on a daily basis and each permit is sold at $85 per day per person. The chimpanzee tracking permits oscillate in prices depending on the seasons. During the high chimpanzee the tracking permits tend to be expensive compared to the low season. To clarify, the chimpanzee habituation is only done in the low season and the prices for the habituation permits are slightly higher than the chimpanzee tracking permits. However, the chimpanzee tracking permits come along with fringe activities like nature walks in Budongo forest, bird watching and sightseeing along the chimpanzee tracking trails. The cost of chimpanzee tracking permits will make no meaning after the experience, because the activity is satisfying as you spend a complete one hour learning the behaviors of the chimpanzees. Eligibility for chimp tracking in Budongo forest The tracking activity is only allowed for the people above the age of 15 years old. Below that, the child is not eligible for chimpanzee tracking and this is a strict condition for all trackers/visitors. The Uganda wildlife Officers are even sometimes forced to ask for the birth verification details, and this confirms the age limit protocol to chimpanzee tracking in Budongo forest in Murchison falls national park. You are free to book for the chimpanzee tracking permits any time of the year through your preferred tour company or Uganda Wildlife Authority. A safari to Budongo Forest can be included in our Uganda Safaris and embedded with our Primate safaris to give you an amazing Chimpanzee tracking experience in Budongo Forest and the Pearl of Africa at large.