Chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu forest reserve is the second-best chimpanzee tracking destination in Queen Elizabeth National Park, about 300 chimpanzees call this forest home, there are 80 habituated chimps that are used to humans and can be tracked by tourists who visit the Park.
Location of Kalinzu Forest Reserve
Kalinzu forest is located in southwestern Uganda at the edge of Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda’s most reliable chimpanzee trekking option for travelers, who want to visit chimps in their natural habitat, however, there are other seven primates to see on your trek in the forest like L’Hoest’s monkey, blue monkey olive baboon, black and white Colobus, red-tailed monkey, along with nocturnal potto and galago (bush babies).
Kalinzu Forest Reserve is home to more than 400 tree species, 378 bird species, 262 butterfly species, and 97 moth species.
Hiking trails in Kalinzu Forest Reserve
There are four hiking trails in Kalinzu Forest Reserve and hiking takes 1 to 5 hours depending o your physical fitness namely the waterfall trail, palm trail, valley trail, and river trail.
Waterfall trail
It is an 11 km loop trail that will take 3 to 4 hours over some hilly and, in parts wet terrain. This trail leads to a magnificent waterfall. Visitors will be able to discover huge trees that baboons can’t climb and bark cloth trees like Broussonetia Papyrifera and Artocarpus Altilis are used to make ceremonial barkcloth, curtains, and handbags.
The Palm Trail
This is a 5 km circular trail that takes about 2 hours, visitors will discover some fascinating forests trees along this trail including the Newtonia buchananii, Cynometra al Alexandre, Tecla Nobilis, Prunus Africana, Entandrophragma exelsum, Sapium ellipticum, Diospyros abyssinica, Zanthoxylum gilletii, Rytiginia kigeziensis and Spathodea nilotica which are used in making local mats and local herbs which many diseases.
The Valley Trail
This is a 4 km circular track that takes about 2 hours to complete. Visitors will walk along a ridge and see various interesting forest features.
The River Trail
This 2 km circular trail takes approximately 1 hour. The trail goes past some fine specimens of big trees which are home to many chimpanzees other primate species.
Accommodation
There is no accommodation in the reserve; however, visitors who trek chimps have a variety of lodge where they can stay in the northern area of Queen Elizabeth National Park namely Mweya safari lodge, Enjojo lodge, Engiri game lodge, bush lodge, topi lodge, Park view safari lodge, Katara lodge among others. For more info about primates safaris in Kalinzu Forest Reserve kindly contact Adyeri Creations so we can tailor your unforgettable chimpanzee trekking experience in Uganda.
