Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) share about 98–99% of their DNA with humans. The eastern subspecies lives in the forests of Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Congo, in communities of 20–150 that split into smaller foraging parties. They use tools, hunt, and communicate with loud pant-hoots. Kibale National Park, with about 1,500 chimpanzees, offers the most reliable tracking in East Africa.
Key takeaways
- Chimpanzees are humans’ closest living relatives.
- They live in communities that split into smaller groups during the day (fission-fusion).
- They use tools and sometimes hunt monkeys such as red colobus.
- They are classified as Endangered.
- Kibale offers chimp tracking with sightings above 90%.
Watching chimpanzees in the wild is an intense, noisy and often surprising experience. One moment the forest is quiet, the next it erupts in screams and pant-hoots as a community moves through the trees. Chimpanzees groom, squabble, play and make up, and you recognise much of their behaviour from our own.
Social life
Chimpanzees live in communities of about 20 to 150 individuals that share a territory. During the day the community splits into smaller parties that travel and feed together and change composition through the day, a system called fission-fusion. Males stay in the community where they were born, while most females move to a new community when they reach adulthood.
Males compete for rank, and the alpha male often holds his position through alliances as much as strength. Grooming is central to their relationships, reinforcing bonds and calming tension.
Communication and intelligence
Chimpanzees communicate with a rich range of calls, facial expressions and gestures. The pant-hoot, a rising series of hoots ending in a scream, carries for kilometres and helps parties keep in touch. They also drum on the buttress roots of large trees.
They are among the most intelligent animals known. Wild chimpanzees use sticks to fish for termites, stones to crack nuts, leaves as sponges to drink water, and different communities have their own traditions, a form of culture.
Diet
Chimpanzees eat mainly ripe fruit, especially figs, along with leaves, flowers, seeds, bark and insects. They also hunt, most often red colobus monkeys, and the meat is shared among members of the hunting party. In Kibale, researchers have documented these hunts for decades.
Where to see chimpanzees
| Place | Country | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kibale National Park | Uganda | Best tracking in East Africa; sightings above 90%; US$250 (US$200 Apr, May, Nov) |
| Budongo Forest | Uganda | Near Murchison Falls; mahogany forest |
| Kyambura Gorge | Uganda | Small community in a sunken forest in Queen Elizabeth NP |
| Nyungwe National Park | Rwanda | Montane rainforest; US$150 |
| Mahale and Gombe | Tanzania | Remote lakeshore forests on Lake Tanganyika |
Read chimpanzee tracking in Kibale for a full walk-through of a tracking day, or the chimpanzee habituation experience for a longer visit.
What tracking is like
Tracking starts early, with a briefing and a group of up to eight visitors following a ranger into the forest. Chimps move fast and often feed high in the canopy, so be ready for brisk walking, sometimes off-trail. When the community comes down to the ground, you may be surrounded by chimps calling, grooming and travelling. You spend one hour with them.
Tuck your trousers into your socks against safari ants, and bring a camera that handles low light; flash is not allowed.
Threats and conservation
Chimpanzees are classified as Endangered. They face habitat loss as forests are cleared, snares set for other animals, the illegal pet trade and diseases. In Uganda, protected forests such as Kibale, Budongo and Kalinzu hold most of the population, and tourism permits help fund their protection.
Chimpanzee or bonobo?
Chimpanzees and bonobos are both in the genus Pan and are equally closely related to humans. Bonobos live only south of the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo, are more slender and are known for resolving tension through social bonding rather than aggression. All the apes you track in Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania are chimpanzees.
Best time to track chimpanzees
Chimpanzee tracking runs all year. In the dry months, June to September and December to February, trails are easier and chimps often gather at fruiting fig trees, which makes them easier to find. In the wetter months the forest is lush and quieter, and in Uganda the permit drops to US$200 in April, May and November.
Photography tips
The forest floor is dark, so use a camera or phone that handles low light, raise the ISO and keep your shutter speed fast enough for moving chimps. Chimps high in the canopy are often backlit; wait for them to come down to the ground, where the best encounters happen. Never use flash, and keep your distance even when a chimp walks past you on the trail.
Frequently asked questions
How strong is a chimpanzee?
An adult chimpanzee is considerably stronger than a human of the same size, which is one reason visitors keep at least 10 metres away and follow rangers’ instructions.
What is the minimum age for chimp tracking?
12 years in Uganda; 15 in Rwanda’s Nyungwe.
Do chimpanzees eat meat?
Yes. Their diet is mostly fruit, leaves and seeds, but they also eat insects and sometimes hunt monkeys, especially red colobus, sharing the meat within the group.
How long do chimpanzees live?
In the wild, often 40–50 years.
Where is the best place to see chimps?
Kibale National Park in Uganda, with sightings above 90%. Budongo, Kyambura Gorge and Nyungwe are good alternatives.
Written by our Kampala-based planners and guides, who arrange these trips every season. Prices and rules are checked before every quote.
