Both Uganda and Rwanda are the ultimate countries to visit if you love primates. These two tropical countries are endowed with primates. If you are looking to amazing primate tours in Eastern Africa, you should not miss planning a safari through any of these amazing destinations in Uganda or Rwanda.
Kibale Forest National Park
The popular Kibale Forest National Park is one of the best safari destinations in Africa for chimpanzee treks in Uganda. The Park contains one of the most beautiful and with the most varying tracts of tropical forest in the whole of Uganda.
This is place to a number of forest wildlife, most especially 13 species of primate coupled with chimpanzees. The Forest covering predominates in the central and Fort portal side. It’s a 12km hike and usually done in the dry seasons. The months are mid November – February, June and September. Hiking helps discover Kibale Forest park’s assorted habitats such as river line forest, swamp, grassland and tropical rain forest. Visit Bigodi a top birders spot. It’s famous for wildlife such as chimpanzees, red colobus, black and white colobus, red tailed monkey, bush buck as well as mongoose. It has about 138 bird species seen on nature walks within.
The nature walk begins from Kanyanchu or Sebitoli and it takes about 2-6 days. The en-route will help discover the forest and late rest in the community-run campsites close to the villages of Kikoni, Nyakalongo and Nyaibanda. Other mammals are also present, though they are hardly seen. These consist of buffalo, leopard, bush pig elephant, and duiker. A neat viewer could also see amphibians and reptiles and a colorful variety of butterflies.
Nyungwe Forest National Park
Nyungwe Forest is home to a whopping 13 primate species, 25% of primate species in all of Africa. Early breakfast before you enter the Nyungwe Forest National Park. Track the Chimps in this primate forest and once you meet them you will be awed by their resemblance to the human race. Wear good walking shoes, you will have to hike ~30-60 minutes (relatively flat) to reach the chimps. Your visit will be finished by mid-morning so book another activity for the rest of the day, like the canopy tour or one of the guided nature walks.
Nyungwe Forest is a hidden gem and there’s lot of nature activities to do. You can also decide to take up a chimpanzee track the next day. After breakfast at your lodge you will make an entrance to the chimpanzee sanctuary where you will have the chance to track the gentle Giants. Hike the bamboo forest in search for the chimpanzees and once you meet them, spend short time observing and taking pictures of the primates before you return to your lodge.
