Chimpanzee Trekking in Budongo Forest

Budongo forest is great known for its former abundance of East African mahogany trees as well as being home to a population of chimpanzees.

Budongo forest has such a moist, semi-deciduous tropical rainforest located at the top of the Albertine Rift in Uganda; the forest is the one and only natural forest, with the famous destination for the chimpanzee safaris as well as the nature walks safaris and bird-watching safaris in Uganda.

Budongo Forest is part of Murchison Falls National Park, located in the southwestern region of the park, and is managed by the National Forests Authority (NFA) in Uganda.

Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo Forest.

Chimpanzee trekking is one of the major safari activities in Budongo Forest, packaged with Murchison Falls National Park safaris in Uganda, as the park is home to many chimpanzees and other primate species, including black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, and olive baboons.

Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest usually starts with a briefing from the information center at the Budongo Eco lodge, the activity is done strictly by eight people per shift.

During the briefing they will also take you, explaining to you the different trails that were established to allow the visitors to spot the chimpanzees and also other primates and bird species; chimpanzee trekking in the forest is done alongside the tour guide.

In Budongo forest, chimpanzee trekking is done in two different shifts: in the morning and in the afternoon. Chimpanzee trekking lasts almost 3 hours until trekkers find the chimps, after which they are given one hour to interact with them and take pictures before leaving.

Chimpanzee trekking involves walking in the Budongo forest; it therefore needs the trekker to have good health, being free from infections and diseases like tuberculosis or flu and other related diseases, this also can make the chimps contract those human diseases and spread them to them, which may result in their death.

When you stay at the Eco lodge in Budongo forest you can have double the chances of spotting the chimpanzees, because that’s where, at times, chimpanzees can be found, which gives higher chances of the tourists viewing them.

Chimpanzee trekking is allowed only to the individuals who are above 15 years of age; the children who are below 15 are strictly not allowed to participate in the activity, even at times the Uganda Wildlife Officers are forced to ask for the birth details to confirm the suitable age that fits chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest in Murchison Falls National Park.

Chimpanzee trekking Permits in Budongo forest.

Chimpanzee trekking permits for Budongo are available at Uganda Wildlife Authority offices. The prices vary by season: during the high season, permits increase to 130 USD for non-foreign residents, 120 USD for foreign residents, and 85 USD for East African citizens.

Then in the low season the Non-foreign residents normally pay 120 USD, the foreign residents pay 110 USD, and the East African citizens pay 80 USD.

Though the chimpanzee habituation is done during the low season, also their permits are slightly more expensive than that of the chimpanzee trekking permit.

Chimpanzee habituation in Budongo Forest.

Chimpanzee Trekking in Budongo Forest

Chimpanzee habituation is the process where the chimps are given more time in the presence of the human beings around them. Budongo forest offers the tourists chimpanzee habituation, more especially when there are few tourists in the forest, this involves the tourists learning more about the chimps’ behaviors, their feeding ways, and interactions while with the guidance of the researchers and the trackers, this becomes perfect because it’s the period when the tourists are given more time to spend with the chimps in their habitats.

Chimpanzee habituation in Budongo forest is 160 USD for foreign residents, 230 USD for non-foreign residents, and 90 USD for East African citizens.

Budongo Forest is not only a popular Ugandan safari destination for chimpanzee trekking, but it is also stunning and offers trekkers other safari activities, including nature walks, bird watching, and the chance to see amazing and attractive chimpanzee tracking trails.

Best time to visit Budongo forest.

Tourists watch wildlife and go chimpanzee trekking in Budongo Forest all year round, but the best times are from December to March and from June to July, when there is less rain in the forest.