Budongo forest chimpanzee trekking : Budongo forest is one of the largest tropical rainforests in Uganda and it is part of the attractions in Murchison falls national park which is in the north western part of Uganda.
Chimpanzee trekking is among the activities which are carried out during tours to Budongo forest in Murchison falls national park. The Budongo forest covers about 500 square kilometers and it is about 30 minutes drive from Kichumbanyobo gate which is among the entry gates to Murchison falls national park.
Budongo forest has mahogany trees and many other tree species as well as chimpanzees and other primates which can be seen among the trees. The chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest can be done two times a day including the morning and afternoon. The forest is divided into 3 sites which include kaniyo pabidi, busingiro and sonso.
Research was also carried out around Budongo forest such as the Budongo Forest Project which was also known as the Budongo Conservation Fund Field Station for sustainable management of the forest. During the research, the behavior of the chimpanzees was being monitored as well as the health of the chimpanzees.
There are also rivers which flow through Budongo forest which has mahogany trees which are about 85 meters tall. Over 460 other tree species are found in the forest as well as about 24 wildlife species, 300 butterflies and primates.
Other primates found in Budongo forest include olive baboons, blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, grey cheeked mangabeys and many others. Wildlife species like buffalos, lions, leopards can also be seen around the forest although chimpanzees are the major attraction at the destination.
The briefing for chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest is done at Kaniyo pabidi ecosite. After the briefing, visitors proceed into the forest following different trails in search of the chimpanzees. The Uganda Wildlife Authority officials are in charge of the chimpanzee trekking briefing and they provide information about the dos and don’ts of the activity and safety procedures.
The duration for the chimpanzee trekking experience in Budongo forest is about 3 hours which also includes spending 1 hour with the chimpanzees after finding them. Sometimes the chimpanzees can be seen in other places around the destination especially in the rainy season while in the dry season the chimpanzees move deeper into the Budongo forest which makes them a little difficult to see during a tour.
A minimum of 8 people are allowed to participate in the chimpanzee trekking activity in Budongo forest. About 16 chimpanzee permits are issued to visitors dai;y during their experience in Murchison falls national park. Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest can be done in the mornign around 8:00 am and also in the afternoon around 3:00 pm.
It costs about 130 USD for a chimpanzee permit to be issued out to visitors during their trips to Murchison falls national park. Different activities such as bird watching and also guided nature walks are carried out when visiting Budongo forest.
Some of the requirements for the chimpanzee trekking experience in Budongo forest include good hiking boots, gloves, long sleeved shirts and pants, a hat among other items. To be able to visit Budongo forest, park entrance fee for Murchison falls national park is required. This entrance fee is 45 USD for foreign nonresidents, 35 USD for foreign residents and 25,000 UGX for East Africans visiting Murchison falls national park.
Another requirement for chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest is that children below the age of 15 years are not allowed to engage in the activity. For this reason forms of identification such as identification cards or passports are required to be presented by the visitors.
Bird species which can be seen around Budongo forest include hornbills, African shrike flycatcher, forest robins, blue throated rollers, chocolate backed kingfisher, little green sunbird, pygmy crakes, weavers, yellow spotted barbets, woodpeckers and many others. Bird watching in Budongo forest can be a full day experience or half day experience and the best place to see them is the Royal Mile which is found within the Busingiro area where rare bird species can also be seen.
Nature walks are also carried out around Budongo forest and this activity is done in the company of ranger guides. Different species of birds and primates can be encountered during the guided walks. These walks during tours around Murchison falls national park can also be done around the savannah plains where wildlife species such as elephants, buffalos, lions, leopards, giraffes among others.
After a chimpanzee trekking experience in Budongo forest, visitors can also explore other parts of Murchison falls national park and engage in activities like top of the falls hiking, boat cruises, game drives, cultural visits among others.
When to visit Budongo forest
Tours to Budongo forest for activities like chimpanzee trekking among others can be done in the dry season as well as during the rainy or wet season.
The best time for chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest is around December to March and also around June and July.
Budongo forest is found in the north western part of Uganda and can be accessed from Masindi town. There are different places to stay when visiting the forest include lodges like Budongo ecolodge among others found around Murchison falls national park which can be be luxury, midrange or budget lodges.
Other destinations around Uganda where chimpanzee trekking can be done include Kibale forest national park which is also referred to as the primate capital of Uganda and also Kalinzu forest and Kyambura gorge in Queen Elizabeth national park.
Visit Murchison falls national park and engage in a chimpanzee trekking experience in Budongo forest and enjoy seeing other attractions during the year.
