Primate Tracking Safaris Tours in Uganda : There are 20 primate species in Uganda consisting of 13 diurnal and 7 nocturnal species (including the latest discovery, the dwarf galago), making Uganda a destination with the highest concentration of primates on the continent. The list includes the mountain gorilla and chimpanzee, taking the most attention from primate adventure tourists.
Other prominent primates include a golden monkey, de brazza’s monkey, black and white colobus monkey, red colobus monkey, potto, bushbaby, grey-checked mangabey, l’hoest’s monkey, red-tailed monkey, vervet monkey, patas monkey, baboon, and blue monkey.
Six of the diurnal primates found in Uganda while on a Uganda Safari are guenon monkeys, members of the taxonomically controversial genus Cercopithecus.
The velvet and blue guenon monkeys, for instance, are both widespread African species known by at least five different common names, and both have over 20 recognized races, some of which authorities consider to be separate species.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda:
This is one of the highlights of any safari in Uganda that can make your safari worth to visit and gorilla trekking can be done in Bwindi impenetrable national park which harbors with half of the population of this endangered mountain gorillas which are still remaining in the world with over 880 gorillas, Primate Tracking Safaris Tours in Uganda.
Note that, Bwindi impenetrable national park is not only home to endangered mountain gorillas but also home to some of chimpanzees and monkeys as part of its primate’s species. Apart from mountain gorilla trekking, it also host other amazing tourist activities that can be enjoyed and leave with quite memorable experience and such activities include a visit to the pygmies, golden monkey tracking, game viewing, bird watching where you can be able to see over 350 bird species, guided nature walk, Volcano climbing which can be done in Mgahinga national park and many more. Other mountain gorilla species can be found in Volcanoes national park of Rwanda and also in Virunga national park of the Democratic Republic of Congo ’’DRC’’.
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda
Uganda is famously known as the primate destination and when it comes to unique chimpanzees it harbors with over 5000 individual chimpanzees which share 98% DNA to that of human genes. And in Uganda, the best tourist destination for chimpanzee tracking is kibale forest national park which is a rain forest and is home to over 13 primate’s species and of them are the great apes plus other monkeys species. Chimpanzees which can be tracked at any day of the year and to other tourists can choose to do chimpanzee habituation experience which is a full day activity.
Chimpanzee tracking experience starts early in the morning from 8:00 am after a short briefing and the ending time depends on where are located.
To note, chimpanzees can be tracked in many different locations apart from kibale forest national park. Other places include Semliki national park which is also a montane rainforest that sits in the Albertine Rift escarpments, Kyambura gorge in Maramangambo forest found within Queen Elizabeth national park and in Budongo forest which sits on the boundaries of Murchison falls national park. This chimpanzee safari tour can be combined with mountain gorilla tours and its great chance one to have encounter them on the same safari destination in Uganda.
Golden Monkey Tracking in Uganda
These are rare primates which are close relatives to both the endangered mountain gorillas and unique chimpanzees. To note, they can be found in three countries including Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Golden monkeys have a nice looking unique creature that weighs between 10 to 25 pounds and they owe a golden body, cheeks, tails, body and black limbs. Golden monkeys are also known as subspecies of the blue monkeys which are mainly found in bamboo forests in Virunga Volcanoes of Congo.
This amazing Golden monkey tracking can be carried out in kibale national park and also in Mgahinga gorilla national park during your gorilla trekking Uganda.
Monkey species
Olive Baboons
These are also unique primate species commonly known as Olive baboons and in Uganda can be viewed in three main national parks such as Mgahinga gorilla national park, Mount Elgon national park, Rwenzori national park. Furthermore, these Olive baboons can be found in almost 25 countries of Africa. They live in large groups to over 150 individuals composing of many females, few male individuals as well as their young ones. They are fierce due to their dog faces and menacing teeth.
Blue monkeys
These species are common in East Africa mainly in Uganda, Congo and Angola which live in the montane rain forest, bamboo forests, evergreen forests and as well as in forest canopy. They like staying in humid and shady places with plenty of water and there feeding habitant are leaves, fruits as well as invertebrates.
Black and white colobus monkeys
These are the oldest monkeys of the genus colobus family which live Africa and cannot be found in any other world’s continent. Black and white colobus are close related to the brown colobus monkeys which live Riverine forests, forest and wooded grasslands. They live in group made up of nine individuals namely a single male, many females and their young ones. Their bodies are marked in black colors with a white face and tail, Primate Tracking Safaris Tours in Uganda.
De Brazza’s Monkeys
These are famous monkeys mostly found in central Africa but widely spread in the forests of Africa. They are known as swamp monkeys with grey fur, a reddish-brown back with black tail and limbs.
The Grey Cheeked Manga Bee Monkey
It is recognised as a world old species of monkey found in Uganda and they are mainly grey and black in colour that live in moderate and low altitude rain forest. Their features look like those of the baboons and have got a shaggy body looking. The grey cheeked mangabey monkeys are mainly found in kibale forest national park and in Semuliki national park. They can as well be tracked in Mabira forest which is famously known as the largest forest in Uganda. These species of monkeys are being habituated and very soon they will be available for tourists to track.
L’hoest’s Monkeys
These are beautiful species of monkeys found in Uganda, Congo basin, Burundi and Rwanda. They are referred to as mountain monkeys and they mostly live in mountainous area in small groups. The L’hoest’s monkeys they look to be short and have got a dark brown coat across their back and bellies. The female L’hoest’s monkeys weigh 3.5kilogrammes and male weigh 6kg, they can as well be referred to as forest monkeys since they like living in moist and primary forests.
Red Colobus Monkeys
They want to look like black and white colobus monkeys which can be found in western, eastern and central Africa.
They live in large group of 80 individual, of all females are the biggest number within the group.
They live in humid forest with thickets and scrubs.
Red colobus monkey feed on the diet consists of flowers, fruits as well as young leaves. They are social species and commonly found in Kibale national park and Semliki national park.
Red Tailed Monkey
These are common monkey species in Uganda and are usually in Red, orange and black in color. Commonly seen in Congo, Rwanda, Cameroon, Kenya, Zambia, Uganda and Angola. These are small primates since the male monkey weigh only 4.1kilogrammes and females weigh 2.9kgs.
The Red Tailed monkeys have life span of 30 years and the male species usually reach their sexual maturity of 6 year and the female monkey species make 5 years. Red tailed monkeys can be viewed in Kibale national park, Bwindi impenetrable national park, Queen Elizabeth national park and Semuliki national park, Primate Tracking Safaris Tours in Uganda
Nocturnal primates
Nocturnal primates are ancient group of mammals with an average number of 233 species and are divided into different families. These are primates which see at night they include; night monkeys, tarsiers, bush babies, Mouse lemurs, Dwarf lemurs as well as the Lorises and the pottos. These can be encountered during the guided forest walk in kibale national park.
Best time to go for primate viewing in Uganda
Primates in Uganda can be visited anytime throughout the year though the best period is during the dry season also known as the peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February. During the dry season, there is less rainfall in the primate destinations therefore access roads, gorilla trekking, golden monkey and chimpanzee trekking trails will be dry and passable which makes trekking easy compared to the wet/ rainy season when the trails are muddy and slippery which makes trekking difficult.
