Updated
The Chimpanzee Habituation Experience (CHEX) in Kibale Forest National Park lets a small group of visitors spend most of a day with a chimpanzee community that researchers and trackers are still habituating to people, instead of the single hour allowed on standard chimp tracking.
You usually start early, often at the chimps’ night nests, and follow them through the forest as they feed, travel, call and rest. It costs more than a standard chimp permit, has very few places, and is physically harder, so book well ahead. For keen wildlife watchers and photographers, it is one of the best primate experiences in Africa.
How it differs from standard chimp tracking
Standard chimpanzee tracking in Kibale, from the Kanyanchu visitor centre, visits a fully habituated community: you walk until the trackers find the chimps and then spend one hour with them, in a group of up to eight visitors. The permit costs US$250, rising to US$300 from 1 January 2027.
On the habituation experience, you join the team working with a community that is still getting used to people, and you stay with them for many hours. The chimps may be shyer, more often high in the trees, and harder to follow, but you see far more of their day: waking, feeding bouts, travel, grooming, displays and sometimes hunting.
What the day is like
The day typically starts before dawn with a briefing and a walk to where the chimps nested the previous night. As they wake, the forest fills with pant-hoots, and the group splits and moves off to feed, often in fig trees.
Chimps travel fast on the ground, so expect to walk quickly through undergrowth, sometimes off the trail, for long periods. Around midday they rest and groom, a good time for watching and photography, before moving again in the afternoon. Bring a packed lunch, plenty of water and rain gear; the day can last until late afternoon.
Who it suits
The habituation experience suits fit visitors who are happy to walk for many hours in hot, humid forest and want depth rather than a quick encounter: photographers, students of animal behaviour and people who have already done standard tracking. The minimum age is higher than for standard chimp tracking, so check it when booking. If you are short of time, have limited fitness or mainly want a good first sighting, standard tracking is the better choice. See our guide to chimpanzee tracking in Kibale.
Rules and etiquette
The same health and distance rules apply as for gorillas. Do not join if you have a cold or other infectious illness, keep at least the distance your guide asks for, do not eat near the chimps, and wear a mask if requested. Chimps sometimes charge past or display, so stay calm and follow the guide. Long trousers, sturdy boots and gloves help in the undergrowth, and a camera that handles low light is useful under the canopy; see our guide to photographing primates in low light.
Booking and cost
The habituation experience is booked through the Uganda Wildlife Authority or a licensed operator. Places are very limited each day, so book several months ahead for the June to September and December to February peaks. The permit costs more than standard tracking; check the current UWA tariff, which changes periodically. Stay near the park, around Kanyanchu or the crater lakes near Fort Portal, as the start is early.
Adding it to a gorilla safari
Kibale fits easily into a route that continues to Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi. Allow two nights in Kibale for the habituation experience, as it takes a full day. For gorillas, Bwindi offers a similar four-hour Gorilla Habituation Experience in Rushaga, at US$1,500 in 2026 and US$1,800 in 2027; see our guide to the gorilla habituation experience and our 7-day gorilla and chimp itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
A long day in Kibale with a chimp community still being habituated, instead of the one hour of standard tracking.
Usually from early morning to the afternoon, many hours in the forest.
For fit visitors who want to see natural behaviour in depth, yes. For a first sighting, standard tracking is enough.
Through UWA or a licensed operator, several months ahead for peak months, as places are very limited.
