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In the past 50 years, the number of wild chimpanzees has dropped from millions to less than 300,000. This big decline is mostly because people are cutting down forests to set up farms, roads, and towns—destroying the chimps’ natural homes. Today, chimpanzees live in just a few forests in Central and East Africa, and even there, they face serious dangers like hunting, disease, and conflict with humans.
Chimpanzees are very smart animals with strong family bonds. They usually walk on all fours using their knuckles but can also walk on two legs for short distances. If you want to see them in the wild, the best places to go are Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. In these countries, you can go on guided treks into the forest to watch chimps up close in their natural habitat.
Seeing chimps in the wild is a truly unforgettable experience. It helps us understand how closely related they are to humans and reminds us why it’s so important to protect them and the forests they call home.
If you want to see chimpanzees in the wild, the best way is to go on a chimpanzee trek in one of the forests of equatorial Africa. Most people choose to visit East Africa—especially Uganda, Rwanda, or Tanzania—because these countries have healthy chimpanzee populations, are safe for tourists, and have well-run wildlife tours. Chimpanzee treks are led by trained guides who take you into the forest to find groups of chimps that are used to seeing people. These guided walks are safe for you and respectful of the animals. Because of years of conservation and careful planning, visitors almost always find the chimps and get to watch them up close.
Uganda is home to about 5,000 chimpanzees, making it the best places in Africa to go chimpanzee trekking or take part in a chimpanzee habituation experience. What makes Uganda even more special is that you can see both chimpanzees and mountain gorillas in the same trip. This rare chance to meet two of our closest relatives in one country makes Uganda a dream destination for anyone who loves primates.
It is widely agreed that the best place for chimpanzee trekking in Africa is Kibale National Park in Uganda. This large, beautiful rainforest—about the same size as New York City—is home to around 1,500 chimpanzees. The chimps live in groups called communities, and four of these groups are used to seeing people, so they don’t mind being watched. These groups have been tracked since 1993, which means you get a great chance to see them up close.
Kibale isn’t just about chimpanzees. It’s full of other animals too—over 70 species, including baboons, red-tailed monkeys, red-colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, antelopes, and sometimes even forest elephants. It’s also a dream spot for bird lovers, with around 370 bird species.
The most popular way to see the chimps is on the Kanyanchu Primate Walk, which takes about three hours. It happens two times a day—at 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. You trek in a group of only six people, and everyone must be at least 12 years old. The chance of spotting chimps is very high—over 95%! A trekking permit here costs $250 per person.
You can also go chimp trekking in other forests like Kalinzu Forest (near Queen Elizabeth National Park) and Budongo Forest (part of Murchison Falls National Park). These places are quieter and less visited, so they offer a peaceful and more personal experience with the chimps. Permits here are cheaper, at $65 per person.
For something truly unique, head to Kyambura Gorge, a deep green valley in Queen Elizabeth National Park. A small group of chimps lives here, and the setting—lush forest surrounded by open savannah—is breathtaking. It feels like stepping into another world. A permit to trek chimps in Kyambura costs $100 per person.
Tanzania is another great place to see chimpanzees in the wild, although there aren’t as many chimps here as in Uganda. Still, Tanzania is very important in the history of chimp research. It’s where the famous scientist Dr. Jane Goodall began studying chimps in the 1960s. Her work in Tanzania changed the way the world sees chimpanzees and helped people understand just how smart and human-like they are. She also made the world care more about protecting chimps and their forest homes.
Even though Tanzania has this strong connection to chimpanzees, chimp trekking here is not as popular as it is in Uganda. One big reason is that the places where chimps live in Tanzania are very remote and hard to reach. You often have to travel by boat and hike through thick jungle to get there. On the other hand, Tanzania is famous for its classic safari spots like the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire, where it’s easy to see lions, elephants, and the famous wildebeest migration. Because of this, most tourists stick to those easier, more famous places, and chimp trekking stays more of a hidden adventure.
There are only two parks in Tanzania where you can go chimp trekking, and both are along the shores of Lake Tanganyika.
The most famous one is Gombe National Park. It’s a very small park—just 13 square miles—and you can only get there by boat. The park is made up of hills, valleys, and rivers, and about 95 chimpanzees live there. This is where Jane Goodall did her research. If you visit Gombe, you’ll be walking in her footsteps. Trekking groups are small—only six people, all 15 years or older, and you can spend just one hour with the chimps to keep things peaceful and respectful.
Further down the lake is Mahale Mountains National Park. It’s even more remote and harder to get to—again, you need to take a boat, and the hiking can be steep and tough. But it’s worth the effort. Mahale is wild and beautiful, with deep jungle and tall mountains. It’s home to about 800 primates, including 60 habituated chimpanzees from the famous Mimikere (M) group. Trekking here is one of the most challenging but also most rewarding chimp experiences in Africa.
There are only two lodges that offer trekking in Mahale, and the most popular one is Greystoke Mahale. It’s right on the beach and has beautiful, comfortable rooms called bandas, along with amazing guides who know the chimps well. If you’re up for the adventure, Mahale offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience in one of the most untouched places in Africa.
Just like Uganda, Rwanda gives travelers a special chance to see both gorillas and chimpanzees in one trip. This makes it a perfect destination for people who love primates and want to experience the best of both worlds.
The best place to see chimpanzees in Rwanda is Nyungwe Forest National Park. This park is high in the mountains and covered with thick, green forest. Around 500 chimpanzees live here, swinging through the treetops and moving around the forest. Two of the chimpanzee groups are habituated, which means they are used to people and don’t mind being watched. This gives visitors an amazing chance to see chimps up close in their natural home.
Chimpanzee treks in Nyungwe are carefully managed. Only eight people can go in a group, and everyone must be 15 years or older. A guide and an armed ranger will go with you, and you can also hire a porter to help with your bag. The trek usually starts early in the morning, and once you find the chimps, you can spend one hour with them. You must stay at least seven meters away to avoid disturbing them and to protect both you and the chimps.
To make the experience even more special, you can stay at the Nyungwe Forest Lodge. This beautiful luxury lodge has 22 stylish suites set in five forest villas. The rooms are built among the trees, so you’ll feel surrounded by nature. At night, you might hear the calls of great blue turacos, and in the morning, you’ll wake up to the sounds of mangabey monkeys. It’s a peaceful and unforgettable place to stay while enjoying your chimpanzee adventure.
The best place to see chimpanzees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is Virunga National Park. This is Africa’s first national park, created way back in 1925, and it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park is huge and full of amazing wildlife. You can find gorillas, chimpanzees, forest elephants, savannah elephants, hippos, lions, and even active volcanoes and snowy mountains here.
Efforts to get chimpanzees used to humans (called habituation) started in 1987, but wars and unrest in the region forced the park to close many times. It finally reopened to tourists in 2014, with help from the Frankfurt Zoological Society. Today, about 32 chimpanzees live in small, habituated groups. In the past, chimp treks started at 6:00 a.m., with only four people allowed in a group, making it a quiet and special experience.
Unfortunately, Virunga National Park is not open right now. It was closed in 2020 due to COVID-19 and has stayed closed because of security problems like fighting, poaching, and illegal activities. The situation in the region is still very unstable, so it’s important for travelers to think carefully before planning a trip there. Many visitors who did go in the past entered through Rwanda, but safety and timing are big concerns today.
When it was safe to visit, a great place to stay was Mikeno Lodge. This beautiful lodge has cozy thatched cottages and stunning views of the forest and volcanoes. It also served as the starting point for chimpanzee treks.
For now, visitors must wait until the park reopens and things become more secure. If you’re interested in trekking chimpanzees in Virunga in the future, be sure to get advice from experts who understand the area and its unique challenges.
Chimpanzees are one of our closest relatives in the animal world—they share more than 98% of our DNA! Chimps are very smart and social. They usually live in small families of about 15 to 20 members, but some groups can grow to over 100 chimpanzees.
They spend a lot of time interacting with each other, building friendships, and following a clear social order led by a strong alpha male. They communicate using body movements, facial expressions, and many sounds like hoots, grunts, and barks.
One of the most amazing things about chimpanzees is that they use tools! They break open hard nuts with stones and use sticks to fish termites or ants out of their nests. These clever skills are taught to the young chimps by their elders, since chimps can live in the wild for about 40 years.
Their diet is very mixed. Chimps eat fruits, leaves, insects, eggs, meat, and sometimes even dead animals.
In terms of size, male chimpanzees are usually just under 4 feet tall and weigh around 90 to 130 pounds, while females are a bit smaller, weighing between 60 and 100 pounds.
Chimpanzees live in forests near the equator, so you can go trekking to see them all year round. But instead of thinking about temperature, it’s better to focus on the dry and rainy seasons when planning your trip.
The dry season, from June to October, is the most popular time to go. The weather is better—less rain, less mud, and easier hiking. However, during this time, chimps often move deeper into the forest to find food, so you may need to walk longer to find them. Since it’s the peak tourist season, trekking permits can sell out fast and the parks may be a bit crowded.
The rainy season, especially from April to May, is a quieter time with fewer tourists. This is a great time to go if you want to avoid the crowds. But remember—you’ll be in a rainforest, so no matter when you go, there’s always a chance of rain.
Both seasons have their advantages, so the best time really depends on what kind of experience you’re looking for—easier trails and more people, or peaceful forests and a bit more rain.
Chimpanzees are strong animals with black or dark brown hair covering most of their bodies. Their faces don’t have much hair, so you can clearly see their expressions and emotions. Adult male chimps are usually just under 4 feet tall and weigh between 90 and 130 pounds. Females are smaller, weighing between 60 and 100 pounds. They have long arms and clever hands that help them climb trees and use tools.
Yes, you can see chimpanzees in Kenya—but only in a sanctuary, not in the wild. The best place to visit is Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the only place in Kenya where rescued chimps from other parts of Africa are cared for in a semi-wild environment. While Kenya has no native wild chimpanzee populations, this sanctuary offers a rare and heartwarming chance to see these intelligent primates up close. For wild chimpanzee trekking adventures, though, you’ll need to head to Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, or the DRC.
Yes, chimpanzee trekking is generally very safe. Treks are done in small groups with trained guides, and they visit chimp families that are used to seeing people. These chimps know the park rangers and don’t see humans as a threat. To stay safe, always listen to your guide and follow the rules: keep your distance, don’t eat or smoke near chimps, avoid loud noises, and never use flash photography. An armed ranger always comes along just in case, but most of the risk comes from hiking through the forest, not from the chimps themselves.
Chimpanzees are smart and social, and they may recognize people they see often, like park guides. But they are still wild animals. Even if they seem calm, they are not pets and shouldn’t be treated like tame animals. In the wild, chimps usually ignore visitors and go about their normal activities. The cute, friendly chimps seen on TV are not a good example of how wild chimpanzees behave.
Chimps eat all kinds of food. They enjoy fruits, leaves, seeds, flowers, and insects. Sometimes they hunt small animals like monkeys or birds, and they may also eat eggs or even dead animals. What they eat depends on the season and what’s available in the forest.
Chimpanzees are in danger because of many problems. Their forests are being cut down for farms and buildings, and some people hunt them for meat or to sell as pets. They also get sick from diseases and can have conflicts with humans. Because of all these threats, chimp numbers have gone down a lot. That’s why protecting them and their homes is so important.
Ready to start your amazing chmimpanzee trekking adventure? We make planning easy and fun, helping you every step of the way.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Nkuringo Sector- Uganda
+256-701-230-309
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