Primates in Uganda : In Africa, Uganda has the highest population of primates, including both habituated and non-habituated species, making it one of the most popular travel safari destinations.  Kibale Forest National Park is known as the capital of primates being a home to 13 primate species, including chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, dwarf galagos, blue monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, patas monkeys, bush babies, and pottos, among others. Uganda is home to more primate species. The endangered mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, and rare golden monkeys are Uganda’s most well-known primates.
Safari destinations for primate viewing in Uganda.
Gorilla trekking safari experience in Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga Gorilla national park.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda is one of the best places to see primates because it is home to critically endangered mountain gorillas where the park is a home to the half of remaining gorillas on the planet, which may be seen while going on a gorilla trek. Trekking safari in Bwindi Impenetrable National area begins early in the morning with a briefing on the rules and regulations to follow during gorilla trekking. Because mountain gorillas tend to roam from one spot to another in quest of food, gorilla trekking can take anything from 30 minutes to 6 hours, depending on where they are located. While trekking, you’ll see a variety of other primate species, birds, and other wildlife. Once the gorillas are located, you’ll be able to spend an hour with them in their natural habitat, where you can observe them going about their daily lives, learn about their habits, and take pictures and videos.
Gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park.
The daring gorilla habituation experience, where wild mountain gorillas are educated to become accustomed to human presence for hiking, is also available at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The gorilla habituation experience takes place over the course of a full day, and after the gorillas are located, you are permitted to spend four hours with them in their habitat. During this time, you can observe the gorillas as they feed, breastfeed, groom their young, and take pictures in addition to learning about and monitoring them.
 A gorilla habituation permit costs 1,500 USD per person for foreign non residents, 1,000 USD per person for foreign residents, and 750,000 UGX per person for East African citizens, while a gorilla trekking permit costs 800 USD per person for foreign non residents, 700 USD per person for foreign residents, and 300,000 UGX per person for East African citizens in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Mountain gorillas can be seen there while gorilla trekking, making Mgahinga Gorilla National Park another primate watching location in Uganda. Similar to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to one habituated gorilla family that is open for trekking every day. Gorilla trekking begins early in the morning. When the gorillas are found, you will be able to spend an hour with them in their natural habitat in addition to seeing other animal species while trekking.
Golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park.
Golden monkey trekking, is an exciting and busy safari activity that begins early in the morning with a briefing about the rules, regulations, and expectations at the park headquarters, is another popular activity within the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. This park is particularly well known as a home to the rare golden monkeys, which may be seen during golden monkey trekking. After the briefing, you will begin a 30- to 3-hour hike into the jungle, following trails made of leftover bamboo shoots and leaves, depending on where the golden monkeys are. You will be permitted to spend an hour with the golden monkeys in their habitat once you have located them. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park also provides tourists with the opportunity to become accustomed to seeing golden monkeys for four hours. For foreign non-residents, foreign residents, and East African citizens, the cost of a golden monkey trekking permit is $60; for foreign residents, it is $100 for foreign nonresidents; and for East African citizens, it is 100,000 UGX. The cost of a golden monkey habituation permit is $100; for foreign non-residents, it is $100; and for foreign residents, it is 60; for foreign non-residents, it is 40,000 UGX.
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park.
With over 13 different primate species and roughly 1,500 chimpanzees, Kibale Forest National Park is one of the most popular places to see primates in Uganda. The most well-liked safari activity in Kibale Forest National Park is chimpanzee trekking, which begins early in the morning with a briefing at the Kanyachu Visitors Centre about the rules and regulations. After the briefing, a knowledgeable park guide will take you on a chimpanzee-spotting excursion through the forest. Depending on where the chimpanzees are, chimpanzee trekking in the Kibale Forest National Park can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours. While trekking, you can see other monkey species, several bird species, and plants, among other things.
You will be permitted to spend an hour with the chimpanzees in their natural environment once they have been located. Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale Forest National Park allows visitors to spend four hours in the chimpanzees’ presence while they are in the habituation process. In Kibale Forest National Park, chimpanzee trekking permits cost 200 USD for foreign non-residents, 150 USD for foreign residents, and 150,000 UGX for East African citizens, whereas chimpanzee habituation permits cost 250 USD for foreign non-residents, 250 USD for foreign residents, and 150,000 UGX for East African citizens.
Other places in Uganda where you can see primates are Budongo Forest in Murchison Falls National Park, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Toro-Semuliki Wildlife Reserve, and Kalinzu Forest.
If you want to trek the gorillas, golden monkeys, or chimpanzees on a Uganda safari, you can either book your permits directly through the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) or through a reputable tour company like Primate Holidays. Just get in touch with us and let us know what date, month, and year you’d like to trek with primates. After you get in touch with us, we’ll verify the availability of permits; if any are available on the dates you’ve specified, you’ll be required to put down a deposit. Once we have your payment, we will buy the permits on your behalf and send you a confirmation email with a scanned copy of the receipt.
Best time to go for primate viewing in Uganda.
The ideal time to see primates in Uganda is during the dry season, also known as the peak season, which occurs in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January, and February. The access roads, gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, and chimpanzee trekking trails will all be dry and passable during the dry season because there is less rainfall in primate destinations during this time. This makes trekking safari easier than during the wet/rainy season when the trails are muddy and slippery and trekking is challenging.