Chimpanzee permits in Uganda are only bought from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, a government agency in charge of all protected areas, through a trusted local tour operator. This is the standard way of purchasing a chimpanzee permit in Uganda. However, it is also important to note that the government reserves the authority and right to issue the available chimpanzee permits.
Since its establishment, the Uganda Wildlife Authority has been mandated to issue permits for all the chimpanzee destinations. UWA always provides these chimpanzee permits for tour operators to be purchased by visitors. The idea of issuing chimpanzee permits to be purchased by visitors was started as a conservation and protection effort.
The need to fund these conservation programs to protect the chimpanzees and their natural habitats led to a substantial fee being charged to encounter these primates. Therefore, visitors who engage in this chimpanzee trekking activity are the number conservationists. This is because they support the conservation efforts through purchasing the chimpanzee permits.
It is important to note that illegal chimpanzee trekking is punishable by fines and persecution. Illegal chimpanzee trekking is sometimes among the challenges of conservation, as many conservation rules are broken. Visitors must never engage in such acts, as they undermine the protection efforts and conservation of the chimpanzees.
Chimpanzee trekking follows strict rules of conservation, where every single chimpanzee community is trekked once a day. However, with illegal trekking, such rules are not abided by; therefore pausing a risk of stressing the chimpanzees.
Visitors caught in illegal trekking are fined over USD 150 each, on top of the price for the chimpanzee permit. Tour operators that caught in such acts risk their licenses being cancelled and being fined the same as the clients. The operators are also banned from any conservation area in the whole country for over 2 years straight.
How to purchase a chimpanzee permit in Uganda?
The process of securing a chimpanzee trekking permit is not that complex, but it should be handled with much care. As mentioned at the beginning, the chimpanzee permit is issued by UWA through a tour operator. Therefore, the process of purchasing a chimpanzee permit begins with the visitor.
Contact us through our communication networks on our website, Monteero Safaris. Tell us about your preferred dates for trekking the chimpanzees. Through a reservationist and tour expert, we will contact UWA through the booking systems for the availability of your preferred dates.
If the permits are available on the preferred dates, then the next step will be to confirm the number of visitors coming. The booking of the permits will then be done, and this booking takes one day until it expires if payment is not made.
Visitors then send the money for the permits, and upon our receiving it, we shall make the payment on the visitor’s behalf through UWA. Then the chimpanzee permits will be issued through our company. A scanned copy of the purchased chimpanzee permit is then sent to the visitor as confirmation of the payment.
How much is a chimpanzee permit in Uganda?
Uganda has a wide range of chimpanzee destinations that are dotted across its premises. These chimpanzee destinations have differing chimpanzee permit costs. These costs are, however, dependent on the nationality and origin of the visitor. Below are some of the chimpanzee permit costs in different destinations.
| Destination | Foreign non-residents (USD) | Foreign residents (USD) | East African citizens (UGX) |
| Kibale National Park | 250 | 200 | 150,000 |
| Kyambura Gorge | 100 | 80 | 50,000 |
| Kalinzu Forest | 130 | 65 | 245,000 |
| Budongo Forest | 130 | 120 | 85,000 |
Through sustainable tourism, a small percentage of the price for a chimpanzee permit goes to community development. This is one way of giving back to the community through setting up schools and health centers.
The above chimpanzee permit prices of Kibale Forest National Park and Kyambura Gorge will change at the end of this year, 2026. The new prices for the chimpanzee trekking permits in these destinations were changed in the new tariff issued by UWA at the beginning of this year. The new pricing will see a slight increase in the foreign non-resident and resident categories in both destinations. The new cost of these permits will take effect at the beginning of next year, 2027.
What is the best time for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda?
Chimpanzee trekking can be done anytime of the year, however, the best time is always the dry season. The dry season is a time characterized by dry weather influenced by little or no rainfall. Uganda’s geographical position influences the climate since it is crossed by the equator. Most of the chimpanzees’ destinations are located on the western side of the country are actually not far from the equator. This means they experience an equatorial climate that has two dry and wet seasons per year.
Chimpanzee trekking is an outdoor activity that requires navigating the dense forest canopies searching for the primates. Therefore, the dry season presents the best conditions as the dense forest is left sparse due to the high temperatures and zero rain. This increases the visibility of the visitors to stop even the primates that are high up. The tracks or trails are also left clean and dry during this season, which quickens and eases navigation.
The wet season is also a favourable time for chimpanzee trekking, though there is sometimes rain involved. However, with the changing climate patterns, sometimes the weather is unpredictable, meaning it can rain or shine in any season. Therefore, it is better to be prepared for any season. The wet season favours visitors travelling on a budget since there are discounted low season permits. The rates of accommodation and other logistics are subsidized since there are few visitors turning up this season. This creates a more private experience for a few who come through for the chimpanzee trekking.