Chimpanzee Trekking in Kyambura Gorge
Chimpanzee Trekking in Kyambura Gorge : Kyambura gorge is a renown naturally underground tropical forest that is found within Uganda’s popular Queen Elizabeth National Park, however the gorge measures about 100 meters deep and about 1 kilometers long. This gorge is an extension of the Kyambura Game reserve which is part of Queen Elizabeth national park. Well, Kyambura gorge is characterized by dense tropical rain forest that are habitat to variety of beautiful bird species, primates and mammals such as elephants and hippos.
The gorge attracts numbers of tourists because it is surrounded by vast summer grasslands on both sides although human plantations and villages are not far from the gorge. More so, the surrounding savannah receives a lot of sunshine while the gorge remains relatively cool because of the tall tree species which leads to less direct sunlight to thrill while on Uganda Safaris .
The area is also dotted with river Kyambura which is a main water source and flows right in the middle of the forest providing water to the plants and animals all year around. More then, river kyambura receives most of its’s water from the surrounding rocks especially in the rainy season. This gorge links with Kazinga channel of Queen Elizabeth National Park through a vast swamp.
The history shows that the area used to received heavy rains that caused massive floods carrying away some people and their properties. And after the rain ceased, people had to go out to look for missed people but they never achieved. Unfortunately, everyone who went out came back lamenting while using the word ‘’Kyambura’’ which means ‘’Got lost’’ or I couldn’t find it’’. Because of the massive disappearance of people, loss of property, lead to the place and gorge became known as Kyambura.
To many want to know how the Kyambura gorge was formed. Well the scientists explain all the information of this wonderful natural features. One group of scientists believes that the gorge was formed by continuous erosion forced through river Kyambura. The report shows that this the river down the gorge was once massive and flowed at high speed and force which left a valley after the water reduced. The East African Rift Valley was formed when compression forces caused tensions on the earth’s crust that extended to some parts of the earth and ended up creating a vast valley in between. In the area there were secondary faulting along the floor of the East African Rift Valley. This secondary school lead to faulting thus creating other valleys among. Today the area is called Kyambura Gorge.
The Kyambura gorge often named to as the ‘’Valley of Apes’’ due to the small community of chimpanzees and other small primates that usually call the gorge their home. However, the chimpanzee in Kyambura Gorge are habituated thus becoming a great place to see and track the primates in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Chimpanzee Tracking in Kyambura Gorge:
Chimpanzee tracking is one of the most tourist attractive activities to do in Kyambura Gorge. This is because are our closest relatives said to share 99% DNA and are highly intelligent compared to most primates. Chimpanzees can walk on two legs like humans, though for short distances because they prefer using all four limbs.
Chimpanzee Trekking in Kyambura Gorge
Chimpanzees live in communities of between 30 to 80 members. They walk in small groups. They tend to build nests on top of trees for rest in the afternoon and at night. In the evening they tend to build their nests while using tree branches to form a comfortable chimp couch.
Chimpanzees start off their day early in the morning by picking up fruit randomly in the morning before getting fuller in the afternoon. Chimpanzee has high level of intelligence. They use stems to fight of enemies including humans.
They also use stems to remove out of their holes. Although chimps feed in mainly fruits and small antelopes, Chimpanzee Trekking in Kyambura Gorge.
However, for over years, the chimpanzee in Kyambura Gorge would cross over to feed and mate other chimp communities in forests such as Katsyoha –Kitoma, Maramangambo and Kalinzu through a forest corridor. Although the forest corridor was completely destroyed by humans through deforestation. The remaining path in the forest goes through the savannah home of predators like lions, leopards and hyenas. For that reason, chimps have no another way but to remain in the gorge and forge a life for themselves.
Currently, the Uganda Wildlife ‘’UWA’’ and other helping companies have attempted to remedy the problem by planting over 6000 tree species along the former forest corridor to connect the chimps to Katsyoha-Kitoma forest. And the new forest corridor will allow the chimps in the gorge to cross and meet other clan thus widening the gene pool.
In Kyambura gorge Chimpanzee tracking can be done in two sessions ‘’morning and afternoon’’. The morning session begins early in the morning with a briefing at the visitor’s center close to Gorge.
One to be able to track chimpanzees in Kyambura gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, requires you buy a permit in advances which sold from the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Note, Uganda Wildlife Authority issues only 8 chimps permits for each session thus a few total of permits issued per day.
From Mweya, tourists need to drive them to the gorge for briefing. After the briefing, visitors are given a walking stick to help you walk comfortably. You hike down the200 meter slopes up to the river down the valley. However, chimps are very vocal and their location can be identified by their hoots and distant cries. To find them can take in between 30 to 4 hours tracking. Once you locate them, you will be able to observe them how breastfeed, play, mate, rest and even fight. As well as having photo shoot.
Getting There to Kyambura Gorge
Traveler from Kampala or Entebbe can take about 5 to 6 hours to access the main visited destination. You can use a charter flight from Entebbe international airport to the airstrip in Mweya thus taking 1:15 hours to land
Other attractions to see in Kyambura Gorge
apart from chimpanzee –chimp tracking include; bird watching, guided forest nature walks, and sight-seeing of primates.
Where to stay:
on visit to Kyambura gorge for chimpanzee, you can sleep in comfortable accommodations ranging from budget, Mid-range and luxury including; bush lodge, Ihamba safari lodge, Kyambura Gorge lodge, Jacana Safari lodge, Katara Lodge, Kingfisher camp and Mweya safari lodge among others.
