Primates in Uganda : Uganda has got about 20 primate species including 14 diurnals and 6 nocturnal protected in different national parks, game reserves and sanctuaries making Uganda the hotspot of the best primate safaris. Uganda has got the highest concentration of primates in Africa with Kibale forest national park having the highest concentration of primates. The park has got 13 primate species that include the blue monkey, chimpanzees, black and white colobus, red tailed monkey, grey cheeked mangabey, l’hoest’s, olive baboons, the recently discovered dwarf galago.
Uganda’s primates include the patas monkey, vervet monkey, baboons, blue monkeys, l’hoest’s, grey checked mangabey, potto, bushbaby, red colobus, black and white colobus monkey, the golden monkey, brazza’s monkey this gives Uganda the pride of offering the best primate viewing safaris, habituation experiences were tourists are able to spend 4-12 hours with the given primate species and the famous primate species for habituation are the gorillas and the chimpanzees. The apes constitute of chimpanzees, banobo, orangutan, and mountain gorilla whereby there are only the chimpanzees and the mountain gorillas in Uganda
Mountain gorillas
These are the heaviest ground dwelling apes with a life span of 35-40 years, a gestation period of 257 days and a height of about 1.6 meters and the weight of 210 kilograms. These apes crib in the tropical rainforests of Uganda including Bwindi Impenetrable national park and Mgahinga Gorilla national park located in the far southwestern parts of Uganda close to the Uganda-Rwanda and Uganda-Congo borders. These apes are the most endangered species found in only the 3 countries of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo however, Uganda hosts half of the remaining population.
Chimpanzees
The chimpanzees are scientifically known as the pan troglodytes and they are also known as the common chimpanzee. Chimpanzees are the natives of the forest and savannahs weighing 40 – 70 kg (males) and 25 – 80kg (females) having a gestation period of eight months and the height of 120 – 150 cm. In Uganda, Chimpanzees can be accessed at Kibale forest national park, Queen Elizabeth national park in the Kyambura gorge and Kalinzu forest reserve, Murchison falls national park in Budongo forest and Semuliki forest national park. However, Kibale national park has the highest population of the chimpanzees and considered the best destination in Africa for trekking chimpanzees.
Monkeys
Uganda’s monkeys species are known as the old world monkeys (cercopithecidae) and these include the golden monkey, black and white colobus monkey, de brazza’s monkey, red colobus monkey, potto, bushbaby, grey cheeked mangabey, l’hoest’s monkey, the red tailed monkey, the patas monkey, the vervet monkey , the blue monkey and the baboons.
The nocturnal primate species of Uganda include the bushbabies also known as the galagoes, they are small sized mammals commonly seen in the wooded habitants in the sub-saharan africa. The potto or perodicticus potto, it’s the medium sized nocturnal primate specie found in forest interiors were it takes the nights foraging upside down from the tree branches.
Best destination in Uganda for primate safaris
Uganda has got the highest primate concentration in Africa having the habituated and non-habituated primate species.
Kibale forest national park is the hotspot of primate viewing in Uganda with 13 primate species from the Kanyanchu chimpanzee tracking excursion in every morning and afternoon as the permit goes by 150$ for Foreign Residents, 200$ for Foreign non-residents and 150,000 UGX for East African citizens. You are also expecting to see other primates on you nature walks around the swamps of Bigodi.
Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park are the best destinations to see gorillas and other primate species. The gorilla trekking permit is 700$ per person for Foreign non-residents, 600$ for Foreign residents while it’s 250,000 UGX for East African citizens where you can see a given gorilla family, the activity takes at least between 4-8 hours depending on how far the gorillas are. As soon the gorillas are located the tourists are allowed to spend only one hour with them. The other primate activity is habituation were by the chimpanzee habituation permit is 250$ per person and the gorilla habituation permit is 1,500$ per person.
The other destinations for primate viewing in Uganda are Murchison falls national park at the Budongo forest, Queen Elizabeth national park at the Kyambura gorge and Kalinzu forest and lastly semuliki national park.
It’s advisable to use local operators to safe guard your primate permit in Uganda and Elephant whispers safari is surely recommend because we have experience in taking travelers for primate viewing in Uganda.