Permits · Kibale National Park
Chimpanzee tracking permits in Kibale
Permit options
Chimpanzee tracking
1 hour with the chimpanzees
Morning and afternoon groups set out daily from Kanyanchu with UWA rangers. Once the community is found, you spend an hour watching them.
$250/ person
Chimpanzee habituation experience
Up to 4 hours with the chimpanzees
Spend longer in the forest alongside the researchers and trackers working with a chimpanzee community.
Rate on request
Rates shown are the Uganda Wildlife Authority tariff for foreign non-residents, per person, and exclude our service and transport. UWA reviews its tariff periodically — we confirm the current rate and availability in writing before you pay.
Request on WhatsAppWhy Kibale
Kibale National Park holds the densest primate population in East Africa, with 13 species in its forest. Its chimpanzee communities have been studied for decades and are well used to people, which is why sightings on a tracking walk are so likely.
Getting there
Kibale is near Fort Portal in western Uganda, roughly 5 to 6 hours' drive from Kampala, mostly on tarmac. It fits naturally into a western circuit with Queen Elizabeth National Park to the south and Bwindi beyond.
Our minivans handle the road to Kibale well. Choose a 4x4 if you're continuing on to game drives or to Bwindi.
What to bring
Long trousers tucked into your socks (the forest floor has biting ants), closed walking shoes, a light rain jacket and binoculars. Chimpanzees move quickly through the undergrowth, so be ready for some brisk walking.
Recommended cars for this trip
Toyota Hiace
7 seats · Automatic
Toyota Noah
7 seats · Automatic
Toyota Land Cruiser Prado TX
5 seats · Manual
How booking works
Permits are the one part of a Uganda trip you cannot leave until the last minute. Here is how we handle it.
- 01
Send us your dates
Every permit is tied to one named person on one tracking day, so we start from your travel window.
- 02
We check UWA availability
Gorilla permits sell out months ahead in June–September and December–February. We confirm what is actually open.
- 03
Passport details
The Uganda Wildlife Authority issues each permit against a passport, so we need a scan per trekker to file it.
- 04
Permit in your name
Once paid, UWA issues the permit and we arrange the drive and the pre-dawn transfer to the trailhead.
Contact
Let's plan your next trip
Tell us where you dream of going or which car you need, and we'll get back to you within one business day.