How many chimpanzee permits are available in Budongo forest on a single day?

How many chimpanzee permits are available in Budongo forest on a single day? Budongo forest reserve is one of the places that are famous for hosting chimpanzees in the country. The forest is located in the northwestern part of the country near Murchison falls national park. Budongo forest reserve harbors several habituated semi habituated chimpanzee families that are open for trekking and habituation at any time of the year.

There are 3 fully habituated chimpanzee families in Budongo forests that are open for trekking meaning that the number of permits is 24 since a maximum of 8 people is allowed to trek these chimpanzees. The chimpanzee habituation permits are 20 in Budongo forest national park and the activities are done in the morning and evening hours in the park. The chimpanzee trekking and habituation permits are issued out by the national forestry authority and managed by Budongo Ecolodge.

Ways of booking chimpanzee permits for Budongo forest reserve

Africa adventure vacations limited helps those that would want to trek or habituate chimpanzees in Budongo forest national park and book for them chimpanzee permits. Our company licensed by Uganda Tourism Board and we are members of the association of the Uganda Tour Operators. When you trust us in booking a chimpanzee permit for Budongo forest for you, all we ask from you are the dates that you want to travel to the country. We then check for the availability of the permits on the days given and once the permits are available, we go ask you to send us money and when we receive it, we book a chimpanzee permit for you.

Travels can as well book for themselves a chimpanzee permit for Budongo forest and this is successfully done by send an email to National Forestry Authority asking for the availability of permits on the dates of your choice and once they give a positive reply, you can send your money and they book for you a permit. If you are planning to visit Budongo forest for chimpanzee trekking in the dry season, we advise you to do so in advance of 3-4 months since the permits are few and they sell out on a first come first serve basis.

Getting to Budongo forest reserve

Budongo forest reserve is located in north-western Uganda in Masindi district and can be accessed by road transport from Kampala to Masindi taking about 6 hours. The reserve can also be accessed using air transport from Kajjansi airstrip/Entebbe international airport to any of the airstrips in Murchison falls national park and from here our driver guides will be waiting for you at the airstrip to drive you to the forest reserve or to the lodge.

Chimpanzee activities in Budongo forest

Chimpanzee trekking and habituation are the main activities done in Budongo forest reserve. On the day of trekking, the trekkers are expected to be at the briefing center early in the morning to meet the rangers who are to teach them about the dos and don’ts of the chimpanzee trekking activity. Once the briefing is done, the trekkers are grouped and the rangers lead them into the jungle to look for the fully habituated chimpanzees for the case of chimpanzee trekking, and those going for habituation look for the semi habituated chimpanzees.

During the search, the trekkers get opportunities of meeting different forest primates, small mammals, birds, and different plants. When the trekkers meet the fully habituated chimpanzee groups, they are given a maximum of 1 hour to be around the chimpanzees and during this period they get to learn more about the chimpanzee habits, watch them do daily activities, and take photos. Trekkers of the semi habituated chimpanzee family are given 4 hours to be around the chimpanzees as they make them get used to human presence and during the same hours they can take photos as well learn more about the chimpanzee habits.

What is the best time to have a chimpanzee safari in Budongo forest?

Budongo forest national park is open for chimpanzee trekking and habituation every day of the year but some months are better than the rest. The dry months are the best chimpanzee trekking and habituation due to little and sometimes no rainfall. The dry months are from June to September and December to February and during these months the vegetation is thin giving clear views of the park animals and photography, the trekking trails are dry increasing the speed of trekkers and the roads to the park are passable.

Tourists can also visit Budongo forest reserve in the rainy season of March to May and October to November to enjoy huge discounts on the accommodation facilities. The rainy season however comes with heavy rainfall, the trekking trails muddy and slippery and the vegetation is thick with unclear views of the park animals. If you are intending to visit Budongo forest reserve in the dry season, we advise you to book your trekking or habituation permits in advance of 3-4 months to avoid inconveniences.

In conclusion, tourists that want to trek chimpanzees and can’t afford Kibale forest national park permits can visit Budongo forest reserve to get the same experience. Budongo forest is located next to Murchison falls national park so travelers to this forest can do some of the park activities like game drives, boat cruises to the source of the Nile among others.

Accommodation on a chimpanzee safari in Budongo forest reserve

The only accommodation facility in Budongo forest reserve is Budongo Ecolodge. But ravelers have different accommodation facilities that are in or around Murchison falls national park and these range from budget to mid-range to luxury options like Paraa Safari Lodge, Kabalega Lodge, Bakers Lodge, Murchison Backpackers Hostel, Saltek Forest Cottages, and Naju Homestay among others.

A chimpanzee tracking safari in Budongo can be extended to other travel destinations in Uganda such as Bwindi forest national park for mountain gorilla trekking, Queen Elizabeth national park for wildlife safaris among others.