Things to Do in Kyambura Gorge

Want to explore Kyambura Gorge but you aren’t sure about the things to do? Kyambura Gorge also known as “Valley of Apes” lies in the Eastern end of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Kyambura is one of the rift valley features and is currently one of the amazing places to visit for exploration on Uganda tour in Queen Elizabeth National Park. At Kyambura Gorge, a range of things awaits nature enthusiasts to appreciate. The different activities or things to do in and around Kyambura Gorge include chimpanzee tracking, birding, nature walks, and game viewing.

List of things to do in Kyambura Gorge

Chimpanzee tracking

Chimpanzee trekking/tracking is one of the things you should expect to do in Kyambura Gorge. A guided chimp trek is a perfect addition to the guided game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Kyambura Gorge chimpanzee tracking adventure allows you to immerse yourself in the jungle and interact with chimpanzees in their natural habitat. During the guided chimpanzee trek, expect to explore more on how chimpanzees behave and take pictures. This is an unusual experience because you get to see these primates in their natural setting not like it is the case with the zoos.

You can have a chance to engage in the trek with the Kyambura Gorge chimps if you have a valid permit. Chimpanzee permits for Kyambura Gorge are issued at USD 100 per person for foreign non-residents, USD 80 for foreign residents, and UGX 50,000 for Ugandans/East African citizens. The cost for the Kyambura Gorge permit covers chimpanzee trekking experience, nature walking on a search for chimpanzees, and guide fees.

Ensure that you plan and secure a valid chimpanzee permit in advance before the actual the planned date for trekking chimps. Contact our team to secure your permit and also plan the entire safari to explore chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge.

Nature walks

Kyambura Gorge is an ideal location for guided nature walks. Nature walking in Kyambura Gorge offers deep immersion into the wild as you explore the hidden wonders in the lush vegetation. Expect to come across a range of birds and colorful butterflies. Kyambura is also home to other numerous primates besides chimpanzees and include vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, colobus monkeys, and more. Diversity of these species can be spotted during the guided nature walk in Kyambura Gorge.

Bird Watching

Embarking on a birding expedition in Kyambura Gorge lets you enjoy sights of diverse bird species. The diverse species of birds to expect to spot include the black-rumped button quail, African skimmers, African fin-foot, Blue-headed bee-eaters, White-tailed lark, white-winged warblers, martial eagle, papyrus gonoleks, and others. Birding excursions in Kyambura Gorge can be done with the lead of an experienced guide.

Additional activities to do near Kyambura Gorge

Guided game drives: Visitors can have a combination of guided game drives in the Kasenyi Plains/Ishasha sectors of Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kyambura Gorge safari experiences. On a guided game drive, tourists get exposed to different wild animals including lions, bush elephants, buffaloes, leopards, Uganda Kobs, and varied birds.

Bird-watching: You can embark on birding expeditions in the Kasenyi, Mweya Peninsular, Kazinga Channel, and more. Over 625 species of birds reside in the various habitats in Queen Elizabeth Game Park including elusive shoebill storks, Kori bustards, African fish eagle, Egyptian geese, black heron, squacco heron, malachite kingfishers, pink and white-backed pelicans, Nubian woodpeckers, palm-nut vultures, African emerald cuckoos, and more.

Boat cruise: Get a chance to witness diversity of aquatic species. The Kazinga Channel offers exclusive boat or launch cruise experience to nature enthusiasts. On the Kazinga channel boat cruise, expect to come across aquatic species such as hippos, crocodiles, and water birds.

Where to stay in and around Kyambura Gorge

Some of the comfortable accommodation options to retire for a night in Kyambura Gorge include Kyambura Gorge Lodge. Kyambura Gorge Lodge is a luxury accommodation set in the Kyambura Gorge and is ideal for guests with plans to visit the area for chimpanzee trekking.

Additional accommodation options include Engiri Game Lodge and Campsite, Buffalo Safari Lodge, Irungu Forest Safari Lodge, Pumba Safari Cottages, Albertine Valley Lodge, Enganzi Game Lodge, Kasenyi Safari Camp, and Kingfisher Lodge Kichwamba.

The best time to visit Kyambura Gorge

Kyambura Gorge is open all year round. The dry season is the ideal time to explore Kyambura Gorge. The dry season extends from June to September then another phase begins from December to February. These are the favorite months to visit Kyambura Gorge for chimpanzee tracking. During these months, there is minimal rainfall experienced with the ground easier to navigate through.

How to reach Kyambura Gorge

Kyambura Gorge lies in the Northeastern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, about 30 km from the Park offices. Visitors can reach Kyambura Gorge by road or air. By road, you can begin your road trip from the heart of Kampala/Entebbe and spend about 6 to 7 hours through the Masaka-Mbarara-Kasese route. Or you can depart from Kampala through Mityana-Mubende-Fort Portal City to Kasese route. All the two routes are amazing to navigate through as they allow you make stopover at the Equator crossing.

Using air travel, there is an option of flying from the Entebbe International Airport (EBB) or Kajjansi Airfield up to Kasese Airstrip/Mweya Airstrip. From the two airstrips, a professional driver can safely pick you up and transfer you to the pre-booked accommodation option.

What to see in Kyambura Gorge

At Kyambura Gorge, expect to encounter diversity of wildlife, especially primates including chimpanzees, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys. Kyambura Gorge also features diversity of birds including papyrus gonoleks, black bee-eaters, African fin-foot, martial eagle, African skimmers, white-tailed lark, blue-headed bee-eaters, verreaux’s eagle owl, and others.

Conclusively, visit Kyambura Gorge to enjoy myriad of wilderness experiences including chimpanzee tracking, bird-watching, nature walks, and others. Due to its strategic location, expect to also engage in other activities in other sectors in Queen Elizabeth National Park including Kazinga Channel, Kasenyi Plains, Mweya Peninsular, and Ishasha sectors.