Chimpanzee permits in Kibale National Park are a must-have if you are to be allowed to visit a habituated or semi-habituated chimpanzee community in the park. A chimpanzee permit is a legal document that gives you access to the park and on actual chimpanzee trek, you will be required to present it for verification at the reception desk in Kanyanchu Visitor Centre before joining others for briefing.
Chimpanzee permits in Uganda are available for tourists visiting the country for normal or standard chimpanzee trekking and chimpanzee habituation experience. All chimpanzee permits for Kibale NP are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority an organ that regulates or manages all the country’s National Park, Wildlife Reserves.
Cost of Kibale chimp permits
As of 2022-2024, chimpanzee permits for Kibale are available for booking at USD200 for foreign non-residents on normal chimpanzee tracking safari, foreign residents USD150 and shs. 150,000 for citizens in East Africa.
Summary
- FNR/Foreign Non-Residents= 200 Dollars
- FR/Foreign Residents= 150 Dollars
- East African Citizens/EAC= UGX150,000
Chimpanzee Habituation Experience permits
Like standard chimpanzee trekking, all chimpanzee habituation safaris require participants to have valid chimpanzee permits. Each of Kibale chimpanzee permits is issued at USD250 per Foreign Non-Resident, Foreign Residents USD200, East African citizens UGX200,000.
Summary
- FNR/Foreign Non-Residents= 250 Dollars
- FR/Foreign Residents= 200 Dollars
- East African Citizens/EAC= 200,000
How to book for chimpanzee permits Kibale
Whether it is normal chimpanzee trekking or chimpanzee habituation that you plan to undertake, valid chimpanzee permits should be obtained and this should be done early prior visiting Kibale National Park. The 2 options for you to book chimpanzee permits include contacting a reputable tour company or tour operator on the ground and this is notably the simplest alternative to have your permit booked, plus also planning the entire chimpanzee safari.
The other alternative is dealing with reservation team at Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). Like booking through tour operator, the team at UWA will cross-check the availability of chimpanzee permits for the dates you plan to visit Kibale for chimpanzee trekking. If the dates or permits are available for the respective dates, then the reservation team will give feedback to inform you of the next step which is paying for the permit.
All payments for chimpanzee permits should be done as directed by your tour operator or reservation team at Uganda Wildlife Authority. Avoid paying money to wrong accounts, the company shall provide detailed mode of payment their clients use.
Apart from chimp permits what else should I have? Other essentials you should ensure that you go with on chimpanzee tracking safari include passports, first aid kit, toiletries, enough bottled drinking water, snacks, sun hat, sunglasses, long sleeved shirt, camera free of flashlight, insect repellent, long socks, trousers, sweater, visas, rain jacket/coat, waterproof walking or hiking boots and many others.
Chimpanzee tracking or chimpanzee habituation is an on-foot-walk experience and while you search for chimpanzees, there is possibility of sighting more other species in Kibale N/Park. Kibale National Park is a biodiverse tropical forest park with 13 primate species, 375 bird species including the Green breasted pitta, 250 colorful butterfly species, floral species, reptiles and a significant number of floral species.