Great Apes tours in Uganda and Rwanda – Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking in Africa -Golden Monkey trekking safaris
Great Apes tours in Uganda – Uganda is one of the top countries in the world where you can see the the great apes, these include mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
In both Africa and Asia, great apes – bonobos, eastern and western gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans – are rapidly losing much of their forest habitat to human activities such as agriculture, mining, and commercial logging.
Many African great apes populations are found in areas where civil wars are raging, making conservation difficult if not impossible. The hunting of forest animals for bushmeat, once a subsistence activity, has become a major commercial enterprise throughout west and central Africa.
Habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as susceptibility to disease, also threaten some species and populations.
Asia’s only great ape, the orangutan, is also in deep trouble. Its last remaining strongholds in the rainforests of Sumatra (Indonesia) and the island of Borneo (Indonesia and Malaysia) are being destroyed by illegal logging, a proliferation of palm oil plantations, and by widespread forest fires, many set by plantation owners.
Great Apes tours in Uganda
- Mountain Gorillas
Gorillas are some of the most powerful and striking animals, not only for their size and force, but also for their gentle human like behavior. They play a crucial role in local biodiversity, roaming through large territories and helping, for example, to spread the seeds of the fruit they consume.
Mountain gorillas live in forests high in the mountains, at elevations of 8,000 to 13,000 feet. They have thicker fur, and more of it, compared to other great apes. The fur helps them to survive in a habitat where temperatures often drop below freezing. But as humans have moved more and more into the gorillas’ territory, the gorillas have been pushed farther up into the mountains for longer periods, forcing them to endure dangerous and sometimes deadly conditions.
- Chimpanzees
Chimps are highly social animals, care for their offspring for years and can live to be over 50. In fact, chimpanzees are our closest cousins; we share about 98% of our genes.
In their habitat in the forests of Central Africa, chimpanzees spend most of their days in the treetops. When they do come down to earth, chimps usually travel on all fours, though they can walk on their legs like humans for as far as a mile. They use sticks to fish termites out of mounds and bunches of leaves to sop up drinking water.
Where to see great Apes in Uganda?
Mountain Gorillas
- Bwindi impenetrable National park
Great apes tours in Uganda – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park located in the southwestern region of the country, on the edge of the rift valley commonly referred to as the impenetrable forest, Bwindi National Park is bordered by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on the western side; Kabale town to the southeast is the nearest main town to the Park, 29 kilometers away by road. It covers an area of 331 square kilometers and is located in the highest parts of Kigezi highlands with an altitude of 1,190 to 2,607 meters above sea level and 60% of this magical park has an elevation of over 2,000 meters above sea level. The highest elevation in the park is Rwamunyonyi hill at the eastern edge and the lowest part of the park is located at its most northern tip.
Bwindi Impenetrable forest became popular to the World because of Gorilla tracking; it is a habitat for more than half of the world’s remaining Mountain Gorilla population in the world. These gentle primates are highly endangered species and the forest possesses more than 360 individuals of the plausible 800 plus Mountain Gorillas in the entire world. They are highly endangered because of poaching, habitat loss and diseases. This National park generates one of the highest revenues to Uganda Wildlife Authority amongst all the National Parks in Uganda.
- Mgahinga gorilla national Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park was established in 1991 and it features among Uganda most exceptional National Parks that you should consider visiting during your next visit to Uganda the Pearl of Africa. The National Park covers an area of about 33.7 square kilometers and it is the smallest protected area in Uganda. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park with its dense forest is a home of the endangered Mountain Gorillas, the rare Golden monkeys, Bird species and many more.
With an estimate of about 80 rare Mountain Gorillas this Park has only one habituated group and ready for visitors to track. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park lies at an altitude of about 2.227m and 4.127m, south western Uganda. Besides that, the National Park also features three of the eight Virunga Mountain ranges which are Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Gahinga and Mount Muhabura). These Virunga volcanoes stretch up to the Virunga Volcano range of the East Central Africa, Albertine rift in Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and the Uganda border
.Chimpanzees trekking
- Kibale forest national park
Kibale Forest National Park is located in western region of Uganda in Kabarole and Kamwenge districts. Kibale National Park is close to the Ndali kasenda crater area, Toro kingdom in western region and it is boarded with number of protected areas such as Queen Elizabeth National Park, Rwenzori Mountains National Park along with Toro Semliki Wildlife reserve.
Kibale National Park is a home to our close relatives the Chimpanzees with a variety of 325 different bird species with the endemic spice the Green breasted pita, with other 12 species of primates, 351 tree species, and different species of mammals including Giant forest hogs, Bush pigs, Elephants, Buffaloes, and many other Wildlife species.
Kibale National Park is composed of 395 square kilometers of the land that can be accessed on foot, it is well known of being the best Uganda’s tropical rain forest which inhabits primates like the Chimpanzees, it is also endangered with Olive baboons, Black and white colobus monkeys, red colobus which makes Uganda to be the best tourism site in East Africa and one of the World heritage site
- Kyambura gorge.
Kyambura Game Reserve borders to the west of Kyambura Gorge, part of the Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda, approximately 30 km from QENP Headquarters. Kyambura Gorge spans a distance of 11 km and links to the Kazinga Channel, which forms the northern boundary of the reserve. Village and plantations lie to the south. It is home to a variety of wildlife, including the only primates in the Queen Elizabeth National Park. The area is an important water source for many animals and is surrounded by savanna, but is generally noted for its high concentration of primate life located in the gorge
Kyambura hosts a number of habituated chimpanzees and other types of primates including red-tailed monkey, black-and-white colobus, baboons and vervet monkeys are seen. The park is also known for its variety of avian species including various falcons, the blue-headed bee-eater and the African fin foot.
- Budongo forest.
Budongo Forest chimpanzee tracking – is situated approximately 3 hours’ drive northwest of the capital city Kampala on the way to the prominent Murchison Falls National Park. This is the biggest Mahogany forest found in the whole of East Africa as well as habitat to the largest number of chimpanzees throughout Uganda. The major tourist sites within this forest are: the Kaniyo Pabidi Ecotourism site, Busingiro Ecotourism site and Kaniyo Pabidi Ecotourism site which are located at boundaries to Murchison Falls National Park and dominated by Mahogany and Iron-wood trees.
- Kalinzu forest.
Kalinzu forest chimpanzee tracking – Kalinzu Central forest reserve is situated near Queen Elizabeth National Park and also closer to Maramagambo forest. Kalinzu forest reserve harbors number of animal species and over 379 species of birds exist in the forest with over 200 butterflies. There are six species of primates which living in Kalinzu Central Forest Reserve in Uganda they include chimpanzee which is famously visited by the travelers in the park for chimpanzee trekking, the forest reserve is the second best for chimp trekking after the Kibale forest which is a home for the chimpanzee.
- Ngamba Island.
Ngamba Island boat excursion, is not only for experience like seeing the Chimpanzees up close but we also offer a range of activities designed to create a rich and memorable visit. Enjoy your visit as you participate in the feeding and caring for the 49 residents of Chimpanzees on Ngamba Island. Did you know the chimps eat over 30,000 kilograms of fruit & vegetables every year?
Uganda as a tourism destination and welcome you to our Ngamba Island excursion, which you can do for half a day either in the morning or in the afternoon. For those who wish to spend more time can as well spend a night at the Island since there are nice accommodation facilities. Ngamba Island Boat excursion is for those that are in Uganda for primate safaris such as Chimpanzees and the Mountain Gorilla trekking but want to have an insight about chimpanzees before they start their wild safaris in the jungles of Uganda. Contact Great Adventure Safaris to book your great apes tours in Uganda and Rwanda with guaranteed gorilla permits
