Kyambura gorge is among the attractions found in Queen Elizabeth national park which is located in the south western part of Uganda. The locals also refer to Kyambura gorge as Chambura and it is about 100 meters deep. This is where chimpanzees can be seen during a tour around Queen Elizabeth national park.
River Kyambura is also crosses the gorge and the word Kyambura in the local language means “I couldn’t find it” which is a description of a story told by the locals of a time when the river flooded and they had to follow the path of the river to find their lost property and friends which was all in vain.
Activities to do around Kyambura gorge
A number of activities are carried out when visiting the Kyambura gorge and they include the following;
- Gorge walks or nature walks
The Gorge walk experience is an activity during which the Kyambura gorge is explored on foot and it gives the visitors a chance to get a closer look at the vegetation, take photos and also see the various wildlife and bird species that live in the gorge.
This activity can be done by visitors of all ages and there are trails which can be followed leading to the Kyambura river and also transitioning from savannah to rainforest and also through the valley.
A guide moves with visitors during the gorge walks in Kyambura which are done at 2 times of day including the morning and afternoon.
- Chimpanzee trekking
Another activity which is carried out around the Kyambura gorge is chimpanzee trekking. Chimpanzees can be seen as they play and swing in the tree branches. Other primate species such as red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons among others can also be seen during chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge.
Kyambura gorge is made up of a rainforest where the chimpanzees can be seen and the chimpanzee trekking permits for this destination can be got from Mweya information center which is found within the national park.
Chimpanzee trekking is carried out in the afternoon and in the morning and it takes about 2 to 3 hours which gives visitors an opportunity to see the chimpanzees, take their photos and observe their behavior. There are however some restrictions for thus activity including that children aged below 15 years are not allowed to engage in chimpanzee trekking at the gorge.
A chimpanzee permit for Kyambura gorge costs about 50 USD for foreign nonresidents while East Africans and foreign residents visiting the gorge for chimpanzee trekking are charged a fee of 30,000 Uganda shillings.
- Bird watching
When visiting the Kyambura gorge, another experience to engage in is bird watching. Over 300 bird species are found in the gorge.
The birds can be seen in the forests, around the savannah and also around the wetland areas. Some of the bird species which can be seen during a tour around the Kyambura gorge include falcons, black and white kingfishers, martial eagle, papyrus canary, black bee eater, African skimmer, African finfoot and many others. Flamingos can also be seen around Kyambura gorge.
How to get to Kyambura gorge
Kyambura gorge is located about 420 km from Kampala and can be accessed using different routes including one via Fort portal and another route via Mbarara town. Visitors apart from driving which takes about 6 hours can also get flights to the destination.
Flights can be got from Entebbe airport to Mweya airstrip which is about 40 minutes’ drive away from the gorge.
Where to stay include accommodation such as the Kyambura gorge lodge, Park view lodge, Mazike valley lodge, Katara lodge, Jacana safari lodge and many others which can be budget, midrange or luxury lodges.
Other places to visit around Queen Elizabeth national park apart from Kyambura gorge include the Kalinzu forest, Kazinga channel, Mweya peninsular, Ishasha sector as well as the neighboring communities.
During a tour around Ishasha, visitors can get a chance to see the famous tree climbing lions as they lie in the tree branches. A lion tracking experience is an activity to add to your list when visiting Queen Elizabeth national park for a chance to see the lions in the wilderness during an off the track experience. Lion tracking can be done in morning, afternoon and also during the night.
The Kalinzu forest is another place in Queen Elizabeth national park where chimpanzee trekking can be done. The forest has a variety of tree species, bird species, butterflies as well as primates like black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, l’hoest monkeys and also elephants, waterbucks, giant forest hogs among others. Chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu forest also costs 50 USD and other activities to do around Kalinzu forest include bird watching, wildlife viewing, butterfly viewing and nature walks.
Kazinga channel is another place to visit around Queen Elizabeth national park. This channel connects Lake George and Lake Edward and it is a place where boat cruises are done during safaris to the park. Bird species as well as wildlife species like elephants, hippos, buffalos, crocodiles among others can be seen during the boat rides along Kazinga channel which takes about 2 to 3 hours.
Mweya peninsular is found on the northern bank of the Kazinga channel and it consists of dense vegetation. Numerous wildlife species can be seen around Mweya peninsular and they include elephants, hippos, warthogs, buffalos, hyenas, mongoose among others.
When to visit Kyambura gorge
The best time to visit is during the dry season around June to October and also around December and February