The best time to go chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge can be anytime during the peak dry seasons. The two dry seasons in Kyambura Gorge on the travel calendar extend from December to February, whereas the longest season occurs from June to September. It is during these dry months that the Kyambura Gorge forest trails remain drier and visitors encounter fewer challenges navigating through it.
The vegetation cover during the dry season isn’t as dense as it can be during the wet or rainy season. This makes it easier to watch chimpanzees in their natural habitat, but the food supply tends to be scarce, thus prompting chimpanzees to move long distances. And as a result, visitors can have longer treks with chimpanzees.
The wet/rainy seasons/months of the year are also essential for chimpanzee trekking experiences in Kyambura Gorge. The rainy/wet season falls in March, April, May, and October to November. These are the ideal months of the year to enjoy a trek with chimpanzees without interference from overcrowds. High vegetation cover is recorded around the wet or rainy season, with chimpanzees having plenty to feed on. But visitors get a little challenge to witness them.
Chimpanzee Trekking in Kyambura Gorge
Kyambura Gorge is one of the best chimpanzee trekking destinations in Uganda. Chimpanzee treks in Kyambura mainly focus on the already habituated chimpanzee community. The day with the Kyambura chimpanzees begins with a briefing on the safety measures by the official. A trek with chimpanzees in Kyambura offers a unique chance to explore more about chimpanzee behaviors and take pictures. About 30% of chimpanzees have been habituated and can be tracked in the Kyambura Gorge.
A trek with chimpanzees involves walking through the jungles of Kyambura Gorge, which is dominated by fig and mahogany trees. Visitors are led by an experienced guide from Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park. A guided chimpanzee trek in Kyambura offers incredible sightings beyond chimpanzees. Trekkers also stand a chance to find other diverse primates, including black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, baboons, red-tailed monkeys, and olive baboons.
Beyond primates and other mammals, a guided walk through Kyambura Gorge also allows you to spot bird species. The different birds to find in Kyambura Gorge include African skimmers, white-winged warblers, lesser flamingos, scaly spurfowl, crested francolins, blue-headed bee-eaters, papyrus gonoleks, African fin foots, martial eagle, white tailed lark, black-rumped buttonquail, and many more.
The Kyambura Gorge Chimpanzee Permits
Booking a chimpanzee permit should be a must when you plan a tour to see chimpanzees in the Kyambura Gorge. As per the updated conservation tariffs from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), foreign non-residents pay USD 100, while foreign residents are charged USD 80 per person, and lastly, Ugandans/East Africans pay UGX 50,000 per visitor. The cost of Kyambura Gorge mainly covers the entrance fee and the charges for chimpanzee trekking, plus a guide.
Other unique experiences to enjoy in Kyambura
Guided Nature Walks
Nature walks are a perfect addition to the thrilling chimpanzee trekking excursions in Kyambura Gorge. During the nature walk, expect to navigate via the rich habitats in the lush forests of Kyambura Gorge. This is a unique opportunity to connect to nature, explore the diverse flora and faunal species.
Game drives
Kyambura Gorge is part of the vast Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of the best destinations in East Africa for game drives. A guided game drive through the savanna game tracks in Queen Elizabeth National Park comes with astonishing sightings of mammals such as cape buffaloes, elephants, leopards, lions, warthogs, spotted hyenas, and antelope families. The key spots to consider for guided game drives include Kasenyi plains and Ishasha game tracks. These game drive tracks offer morning and afternoon game viewing opportunities to guests in need to explore the savanna wildlife.
Launch cruise
From Kyambura Gorge, it is also possible to connect to the Kazinga channel for you to enjoy a boat or launch cruise tour. The Kazinga channel boat tour focuses on the aquatic species, including hippos, crocodiles, and birds. The Kazinga channel is a natural channel that links Lake Edward and George. On the shores of the channel, you can also spot other species of wildlife, including elephants, buffalo, and others.
Bird-watching
Overall, more than 620 bird species are thriving in the various habitats in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Kyambura Gorge is one of the key sites to visit for birding tours, and you can have a combined safari with chimpanzee tracking. Other special bird-watching sites to explore in Queen Elizabeth Park include Mweya Peninsular Area, Katwe, Maramagambo Forest, Kasenyi, Katuguru, and Lake Kikorongo.
The diverse birds to expect to find on a guided bird-watching tour in Queen Elizabeth National Park include papyrus canary, African fish eagle, black bee-eaters, papyrus gonoleks, elusive shoebill storks, grey-backed fiscals, brown-backed scrub robin, black-bellied bustards, African crakes, Diederik cuckoos, African mourning doves, slender-tailed nightjars, and many others.
Lion tracking
Besides trekking Kyambura chimpanzees, you can also embark on a guided lion tracking or trek. The Kasenyi plains offer an amazing lion trekking experience to nature enthusiasts on a Uganda tour in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Lion tracking mainly takes you to explore more about lion behaviors, and the unique bit about it is that guests have a chance to go off-track, which may not be the case with the usual game drives. This presents you with higher possibilities to find lions with ease.
Where to stay in Kyambura Gorge & other parts of Queen Elizabeth National Park?
While on a chimpanzee trekking safari in Kyambura, visitors can have a night stay in any of the budget, midrange, and luxury accommodation options. The main lodges in Kyambura Gorge include Kyambura Gorge Lodge, Pumba Safari Cottages, Bulbul Safari Lodge, and Mazike Valley Lodge. Other possible accommodation options to book for an overnight stay in Queen Elizabeth National Park include Buffalo Safari Lodge, Mweya Safari Lodge, Elephant Plains Lodge, Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge, Engiri Game Lodge, and many more.
Getting to Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Kyambura Gorge is reachable in a 6-7-hour drive starting from Kampala/Entebbe. You can drive through the Masaka-Bushenyi-Kasese route. By air, fly up to Mweya/Ishasha/Kasese airfield and safely connect up to the Kyambura Gorge.
Conclusively, chimpanzee treks in Kyambura Gorge can be enjoyed at any time of the year. Book your chimpanzee trekking tours with the local expert with vast knowledge for you to have long-lasting memories. Contact us now to secure the Kyambura Gorge chimpanzee trekking slot in advance.