Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest

I got up this morning and gave myself a once over. I had to shower by candle light last night and just wanted to make sure I got proper coverage before heading out to visit the chimpanzees. While Fred was not a direct employee of the lodge he was a contracted driver and would be taking me the hour drive to the park. It would seem just about everything was an hour away, whether by car or plane. We arrived at Kibale Forest and much like gorilla trekking they briefed us and then divided us in to groups. The groups all head out in different directions in order to cover as much ground as possible to locate the Chimpanzees, and once found they radio everyone else. So everyone basically sees the same group of chimps. Each group just has a single guide who is also armed.


They told us to tuck our pants in to our socks in order to keep the ants out. We would be walking through the forest and the ants were on you in no time at all. And they bite. Even though I thought I had everything closed off somehow one got in and bite me on the back of the leg, and it hurt. Fortunately that was the only one that found its way inside. In only 30 to 40 minutes we had our first sighting, however they were way up in the trees.








We then heard a call over the radio that another group from them on the ground, so we headed in their direction. We quickly came upon this guy just kicking back.








You could basically sit right next to them and take their picture. While they acknowledged your existence they didn’t really care if you were there or not.




And in no time at all we were joined by more chimpanzees as they seemed to be moving across the forest, stopping for a bite to eat here and there.








The gorilla experience was kind of like visiting the wise old elders of the jungle, reflective and at peace. The chimpanzee experience is like hanging out with the kids of the jungle, playful and full of energy. Have you ever been chased by a chimpanzee with a stick? I have, however once we got out of his way he seemed ok. We were told that there were too many of us around and it was feeling cornered.




We then found what they call the president and vice president of the family. The president on the right and the vice president on the left.






The vice president lost vision in his right eye during a fight.


Gives new meaning to the phrase “giving you the evil eye”.


Much like the gorillas, you can only spend an hour with the chimpanzees and our time was ending. We headed back and apparently they don’t have a problem with marketing as we did not receive any kind of certificate.


After all the trekking the last few days I decided to just hangout pool side this afternoon with my best girl Pati.


Followed by my daily consumption of Nile Special.


I was feeling very fortunate in going 3 for 3 in seeing both the gorillas and chimpanzees, and now I get to hang out in this amazing lodge. I had sometime tomorrow before I flew out so I decided I would head in to the village again in the morning. I enjoyed dinner, this time with two guests who arrived this afternoon. I then headed to my room for another shower with my head lamp on as the only source of light. But the warm water was nice, even though it smelled of the smoke from the fire that heated it.


VIDEO: Uganda - Day 5 - Chimpanzee Trekking