Best places to see chimps in the wild

Best National Park to trek with chimps in Tanzania

Approx. 2,500 individuals with:

• Gombe: approximately 90 individuals
• Mahale: approximately 1,000 individuals

Anyone who can complete at least two hours of continuous hiking exercise in steep and rugged terrain.

If you are older or less fit, your guides will make an effort to find the closest possible chimp group, and it is possible for porters to carry you if you are disabled or injured. 

Gombe National Park
Gombe National Park is only accessible by charter boat from Kigoma town. This takes approximately one - two hours. Alternatively, you can take a public lake taxi, which takes around four hours.

Daily domestic flights to Kigoma are available from Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam with Air Tanzania at a cost of approx. US$200/flight. It is also possible to small commercial flights from Arusha or the Serengeti, but these tickets will cost approx. US$1,500pp and are not available everyday. 

Mahale National Park
The easiest way to get to Mahale National Park is by air, arriving at Kalilani airstrip. Flights to Kalilani are available from Arusha or the Serengeti, but tickets will cost approx. US$1,500pp and are not available everyday (usually only Monday & Thursday). From Kalilani, you take a one - two hour chartered boat ride. 

Alternatively, you can catch a domestic flight to Kigoma, and charter a boat to Mahale or you can use a combination of road and boat. Either way, allow a full day’s travel from Kigoma to Mahale.

Favourite lodges in Gombe

• Mid-range: National Park Bandas | From US$100pp/night
• Luxury (over-priced): Mbali Mbali Gombe Lodge | US$250 - US$650pp/night

Favourite lodges in Mahale

• Mid-range: National Park Bandas
• Luxury: Greystoke Mahale, Nkungwe Luxury Tented Camp or Mbali Mbali

For more information about accommodation on a Tanzania chimp trek, visit our ‘Where to stay’ blog.

• Safari (Tanzania is Africa's best safari destination with attractions such as the Great Migration, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire,  Lake Manyara and many more world-class safari parks)
• Climb Mt Kilimanjaro
• Relax on Zanzibar's pristine beaches
• Swim with whale sharks on Mafia Island

Best National Park to trek with chimps in Uganda

There are approximately 5,000 chimps in Uganda. 

• Kibale: Approximately 1,500 individuals with high population density - sightings are most common in Kibale.
• Kyambura: Approximately 80 individuals.

Kibale is a very flat area to trek with chimps, with most trekkers finding chimps within one hour of starting their trek. This make Kibale a fantastic place to trek with chimps if you are older or unfit. Trekking with chimps in Kyambura Gorge on the other hand is very steep and requires a reasonable level of fitness. 

If you are older or less fit, your guides will make an effort to find the closest possible gorilla group, and it is possible for porters to carry you if you are disabled or injured. 

• Kibale: USD$250 per person for foreign non-residents
• Kyambura Gorge: USD$50 per person for foreign non-residents

Getting to Kibale

• By road: Drive from Kampala city on the Kampala-Fort Portal Highway for approximately seven - nine hours.
• By air: There are no direct flights to the park, but small domestic flights are available from Entebbe International Airport to Kasese Airstrip with Aerolink. The flight time is approximately one hour, followed by an approximately two hour drive to the park headquarters.

Getting to Kyambura Gorge

• By road: Drive from Kampala city to Queen Elizabeth National Park for approximately seven - nine hours.
• By air: Small domestic flights are available from Entebbe International Airport to Kasese Airstrip with Aerolink. The flight time is approximately one hour, followed by an approximately one hour drive to the park headquarters.

You can apply for a tourist visa online at https://visas.immigration.go.ug 

If you are visiting Rwanda and/or Kenya as well, apply for the East African Visa which will allow you to enter Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya multiple times. 

• Chimps only: 3 - 4 days
• Gorillas, chimps and safari: 8 - 12 days
• Gorillas, chimps, safari and white water rafting: 10+ days 

Favourite lodges around Kibale

• Mid-range: Turaco Treetops or Isunga Lodge
• Luxury: Chimpundu Lodge 

Favourite lodges around Kyambura Gorge

• Mid-range: Bush Lodge or Kasenyi Safari Camp
• Luxury: Parkview Safari Lodge 

For more information about accommodation on a Uganda chimp trek, visit our ‘Where to stay’ blog.

• White water rafting on the Nile River
• Safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Murchison’s Falls
• Lake Victoria

For more information about the things you can do before or after your chimp trek, visit our blog Things to do before or after your gorilla or chimp trek. 

Best National Park to trek with chimps in Rwanda

Anyone who can complete at least one - two hour of continuous hiking exercise in steep and rugged terrain.

If you are older or less fit, your guides will make an effort to find the closest possible gorilla group, and it is possible for porters to carry you if you are disabled or injured. 

By car: Travel south from Kigali through rolling hills. The drive takes approximately five - six hours, and can be made by hire car or as arranged by your tour operator. Driving can be a great way to see other attractions on the way, including the Nyanza King’s palace and the genocide memorial.

By air: During peak season, there are a number of domestic flights available from Kigali to Kamembe International Airport, which is located about 40km from Nyungwe Forest National Park. You can arrange a transfer to your accommodation through your tour operator. There are also helicopter charters available.

Mid-range: Nyungwe Top View Hotel 

Luxury: Bisate Lodge 

• Canopy walkway at Nyungwe Forest National Park
• Waterfall treks (highly recommended)
• Rwandan Genocide Memorial

For more information about the things you can do before or after your chimp trek, visit our blog Things to do before or after your gorilla or chimp trek. 

Best National Park to trek with chimps in the DRC

The easiest way to travel to Virunga National Park is via the Grande Barrier border crossing between Rwanda & the DRC. Arriving at Kigali International Airport, you should take a chartered car for the four to five hour drive to the border. 

Mid-range: Kibumba Tented Camp

Luxury: Mikeno Lodge

• Nyiragongo volcano
• Safari in Virunga National Park
• Lake Kivu (3rd deepest lake in Africa - 480m)

For more information about the things you can do before or after your chimp trek, visit our blog Things to do before or after your gorilla or chimp trek.