Primate Tours
Primate Tours in Uganda & Rwanda: Chimpanzees, Gorillas and More
Few places on earth let you meet so many primates in a single trip. On our primate tours in Uganda, you can follow chimpanzees through Kibale Forest in the morning. By the afternoon, you may spot red colobus monkeys in a community swamp. A few days later, you could be sitting quietly near a mountain gorilla family in Bwindi.
Roots Tours & Travel is a tour operator based in Kampala, and we plan every primate safari by hand. We match the parks, permits and lodges to your dates, budget and fitness. Some guests want one short chimp trek. Others want gorillas, golden monkeys and chimps on the same route. Either way, we build the trip around you. All of Uganda’s primate parks are run by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, which sets the trekking rules and permit numbers.
Chimpanzees
Chimpanzees are the stars of most primate tours. They share about 98% of our DNA, and you notice it in the way they behave. Expect loud pant-hoots, drumming on tree roots and sudden rushes through the undergrowth. Kibale Forest holds an estimated 1,500 chimps, the largest population in Uganda. Its habituated groups give some of the most reliable sightings in Africa.
Mountain Gorillas
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park protect Uganda's mountain gorillas. Each day, groups of up to eight visitors spend one hour with a habituated family. Watching a silverback rest while the young ones tumble around him is the moment most travellers remember for years.
Golden Monkeys
Golden monkeys live only in the bamboo forests of the Virunga volcanoes. In Uganda you track them in Mgahinga, and in Rwanda you track them in Volcanoes National Park. They are quick, curious and bright orange-gold, which makes them a favourite with photographers. The walk is usually shorter and easier than a gorilla trek.
Monkeys of the Forest Canopy
Kibale alone shelters 13 primate species. Look up and you may see red colobus, black-and-white colobus, red-tailed monkeys, L'Hoest's monkeys and the rare Uganda mangabey. In addition, olive baboons and vervet monkeys are common along the roads and in the savannah parks.
Where to Go on Primate Tours in Uganda and Rwanda
Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale is the heart of chimpanzee trekking in Uganda. Treks leave from Kanyanchu in the morning and the afternoon. Once the rangers find the chimps, you stay with them for one hour. Nearby, the community-run Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary adds a gentle swamp walk with monkeys and around 200 bird species.
Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks
These two parks in the far south-west are where you trek mountain gorillas. Bwindi has four trekking sectors: Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. Mgahinga is smaller and higher, and it is the only place in Uganda to track golden monkeys. Both parks also offer forest walks and visits with the Batwa community.
Budongo, Kalinzu and Kyambura Gorge
These are quieter alternatives to Kibale. Budongo Forest, near Murchison Falls, is known for its giant mahogany trees. Kalinzu Forest lies close to Queen Elizabeth National Park, and its permits usually cost less. Kyambura Gorge is a sunken river valley inside Queen Elizabeth with a small chimp community. Sightings there are less certain, but the setting is dramatic.
Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary
Ngamba Island on Lake Victoria cares for orphaned and rescued chimpanzees. It is a short boat ride from Entebbe, so it fits well at the start or end of a trip. It also suits families whose children are too young to trek in the forest.
Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwanda
Nyungwe is one of Africa's oldest mountain rainforests. It is home to 13 primate species, including chimpanzees and troops of colobus monkeys that can number in the hundreds. The canopy walkway, hanging high above a forested valley, gives you a view that few parks can match.
Chimpanzee Trekking or Chimpanzee Habituation?
A standard chimp trek takes about three to four hours in total, including one hour with the chimps. It suits most travellers and fits easily into a busy itinerary. For a short, focused trip, our 3-day Kibale chimpanzee safari is a good place to start.
The Chimpanzee Habituation Experience in Kibale is different. You join researchers and rangers for most of a day with a group that is still getting used to people. You set off early, watch the chimps leave their nests and follow them as they feed, squabble and rest. Places are limited, so book it well ahead.
Gorillas have a similar option. The Gorilla Habituation Experience in Bwindi’s Rushaga sector gives you up to four hours with a family instead of one.
Best Time for a Primate Safari
Primate tours in Uganda run all year round. However, the dry months from June to September and December to February are the most popular. Trails are firmer then, and forest walks are less slippery.
The wet seasons, from March to May and October to November, bring heavier rain. On the other hand, the forest is greener, lodges are quieter and some offer lower rates.
Permits matter more than the weather. Uganda gorilla permits sell out months ahead in the high season, and Kibale chimp permits can too. If your dates are fixed, book early.
Primate Trekking Rules and Fitness
Primates catch human illnesses easily, so the park rules are strict. Do not trek if you have a cold, flu or stomach bug. Keep the distance your ranger sets, which is usually at least seven metres. Speak quietly, switch off your camera flash and never eat near the animals.
The minimum age for gorilla trekking is 15. For chimp trekking in Kibale it is 12, although we always confirm the current rule when we book.
As for fitness, you need to walk for several hours on muddy, uneven ground. Chimps move fast, so you may need to walk quickly at times. Gorilla treks are slower but often steeper. Porters and walking sticks are available at most trailheads.
Sample Primate Itineraries
Want gorillas and chimps in one trip? Then our 5-day Uganda primates expedition links Kibale and Bwindi with a stop in Queen Elizabeth. With a little more time, the 7-day primates and wildlife tour adds game drives and a Kazinga Channel boat cruise. Of course, we can adjust either route to suit your dates.
Primate Tours in Uganda: Frequently Asked Questions
The price depends on the length of the trip, the permits and your choice of lodges. Permits are usually the biggest single cost. Send us your dates, and we will reply with a clear quote that shows every permit and park fee.
Yes. Kibale and Bwindi are linked by road through Queen Elizabeth National Park. Five days is enough for both, and seven days adds game drives and a boat cruise.
Park rules ask you to stay at least seven metres away. Even so, the animals sometimes walk closer. If that happens, your ranger will ask you to step back slowly.
Children must be 15 or older to trek gorillas, while the age limit for chimp trekking is lower. Younger children can enjoy Ngamba Island, the Bigodi swamp walk and game drives.
No wildlife sighting can be guaranteed. Still, the habituated groups in Kibale have very high success rates, and most trekkers see chimps.