Chimpanzee trekking rules 2024 : Chimpanzee trekking is the activity that allows you to spend an hour in the forest with the precious, social, playful primates called the chimpanzee. These animals are cousins to the mountain gorillas and you can say also related to the human race as like the gorillas they share over 98% of their DNA with humans.
East Africa as a region is blessed to have about over 2500 chimpanzees in the different habitats in the different countries with Uganda having the most chimpanzees amounting to slightly above 1500 Chimpanzees.
The chimpanzee habitats in thr region are Nyugngwe National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in the Democratic republic of congo and in Uganda Kibale Forest National Park, Budongo Forest Reserve, Kalinzu Forest Reserve, Semliki National park, Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Entebbe and the Kyambura Gorge within Queen Elizabeth National park.
Well at all these different parks will you get a chance to enjoy the chimpanzees on your trekking experience any time of the year you feel like visiting the chimpanzees; and for you to have a great experience you there are some rules and regulation that you have to follow.
The rules and regulations are not to restrict you or kill your vibe they exist to protect the primates mostly because the trekking experience is a primate conservation activity. But also the rules at the same time protect you. That’s why they are in place.
These rules include but are not limited to:-
You should know that these rules are for you who is going to trek the chimpanzees, which means you have to have a trekking permit already which gives you access to the park’s trekking area and the chimpanzees.
You should also be 15 years and above to take on this trek. Meaning if you are younger you have to sit this one out until you make 15.
You should be quite without any infectious disease to trek. If you feel sick or have any infectious disease, you may spread it to the chimpanzees and we don’t want that; so if any sickness is sensed in you or around you, you will not be able to trek.
Your trekking day starts with the briefing that you are supposed to attend before you enter the forest. So this is rule number one.
You will be assigned to a group of 8 – 10 trekkers with the trekking ranger. In all you do stay with group and follow the rangers’ guidance and instructions at all times.
As you move through the forest endveour to keep it as you found It., don’t litter it, and don’t break tree branches for no reason among other things.
You will be with the chimpanzees for an hour max, while with them don’t use flash cameras and flashes or mirrors that reflect the sun to cause an irritation to the chimpanzees.
Also restrain from touching the chimpanzees or playing with them. They are playful but keep pushing away nicely if they come close to you.
You should always strive to be at least 7 to 10 meters from the chimpanzees to be safe and minimise chances of spreading any disease to the chimps.
Avoid eating or drinking when near the Chimpanzees and also avoid smoking within the National parks especially when in the presence of the Chimpanzees.
Be calm and peaceful at all times, avoid doing things that can piss off the chimpanzees or even cause them to be agitate and furious. Remember this is their home and the trekking is a way of contributing to their preservation, so be nice to them.
