Off Season Primate Safaris in Uganda -Adventure Uganda Safaris

Off season primate safaris in Uganda offer a perfect alternative for visitors to engage in the different primate trekking like the rest of the adventure seekers who visit around peak months of the year.

Like the peak months, primate safaris during the off-season in Uganda participate in golden monkey tracking, chimpanzee tracking, gorilla trekking, colobus monkey tracking, or mangabey tracking.

Off season primate safaris in Uganda may also include engaging in gorilla habituation experience, chimpanzee habituation experience, and golden monkey habituation.

The possibility of visiting Uganda even during the off-season, makes it the best place to enjoy primate adventures for all visitors to realize their dreams.

When is the off season primate safaris in Uganda?

The off-season for primate safaris and tours in Uganda occurs twice a year. The first phase begins in March, April, and May then the second phase commences from October to November. These are the best months of the year for budget travelers or visitors on tight budgets. Primate safaris during the off-season are also ideal for anyone interested in saving on their vacation.

Where to go for primate safaris in Uganda during the off-season

Top places to visit for primate safaris and tours in Uganda during the off-season include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Kibale National Park, Kyambura Gorge, Kalinzu Forest Reserve, Budongo Forest, and Maramagambo Forest Reserve.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Primate safaris to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park take you on the unforgettable mountain gorilla trekking and mountain gorilla habituation experience.

Bwindi is one of the best destinations in Uganda where visitors are confined to enjoy gorilla trekking safaris. A gorilla safari in Bwindi allows you to explore mountain gorillas in the wild. About 24 habituated gorilla families are available for tracking in Bwindi and are distributed in the 4 sectors.

The 4 regions with habituated gorilla families in Bwindi include Ruhija, Rushaga, Buhoma, and Nkuringo. Some of the gorilla families to visit on gorilla safaris in Bwindi include the Habinyanja gorilla family, Oruzogo, Bitukura gorilla family, Mubare group, Nkuringo, Kyaguriro, Mishaya, Bweza, Kahungye, and others.

Bwindi National Park also offers the best gorilla habituation experience. During the gorilla habituation experience, visitors embark on a journey to observe how gorillas behave. This is normally done in the gorilla group that is still undergoing habituation.

The actual gorilla habituation process takes about 1-2 years less or more depending on how quickly gorillas can get used to human presence. The habituation exercise is done in the presence of the park trackers or conservationists. Visitors embark on the search for gorillas with a pack of lunch.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Lying in Southwestern Uganda, Mgahinga is one of the best primate destinations. At Mgahinga, visitors get a chance to enjoy primate adventures like mountain gorilla trekking, golden monkey habituation, and golden monkey tracking.

Tourists on the gorilla tour to Mgahinga get a chance to track the Nyakagezi gorilla family. The golden monkey treks are done around the slopes of the park’s volcanoes.

Gorilla trekking permits for Mgahinga and Bwindi all cost USD 800 per person for foreign non-residents, USD 700 for foreign residents, USD 500 for the rest of Africa, and Ugandans/East African citizens UGX 300,000 per person.

Kibale National Park

Kibale is the best place to visit for chimpanzee tracking and chimp habituation. If you plan to visit Uganda during the off-season for primate safaris, then it is the right place to visit. Over 13 primate species reside in Kibale National Park including a total of 1500 chimpanzees. The park features a good population of habituated chimpanzee communities where treks are done.

Both normal chimpanzee treks and chimpanzee habituation present you a chance to interact with chimpanzees in the wild. Besides chimps, visitors get a chance to encounter other primates including colobus monkeys, olive baboons, l’hoest monkeys, and others.

Kyambura Gorge is another exclusive chimpanzee tracking spot in Uganda. It is an extensive area and forms part of the Queen Elizabeth National Park. Kyambura Gorge extends 16 km south of Lake George and connects the Kazinga channel. Kyambura Gorge shelters some of the habituated chimpanzees and is open for tracking.

Kalinzu Forest –Still around Queen Elizabeth National Park, visitors can combine chimp tracking with African wildlife safaris in the park. Kalinzu offers some of the most captivating chimpanzee trekking adventures.

Budongo –Located in the southern end of Murchison Falls National Park, Budongo Forest is another special destination to visit to enjoy chimpanzee tracking. Budongo is a moist, semi-deciduous tropical forest reserve lying at the rim of the Albertine Rift area in Uganda. It holds about 800 chimpanzees and offers not only normal chimp treks but also chimpanzee habituation experiences.

How to pack for your off season primate safaris in Uganda

The checklist of items to take for primate safaris and tours in Uganda includes a good camera, gardening gloves, sunscreen, a pair of binoculars, a safari hat, a first aid kit, insect repellents, a rain jacket, and others.