Chimpanzees of Kibale National Park
One of the highlights of Uganda is the possibility to observe chimpanzees. A walk in the Kibale Park is done with a ranger and the maximum allowed time with the great apes is limited to only one hour. In addition, they must be found since they can travel several kilometres in one day. This implies a variable-length hike in the humid forest through some fantastic landscapes.
The chimpanzee group I had the chance to see is not completely wild; it was habituated to human presence. In a purely wild environment, chimpanzees would not let a human get close, and they could become very aggressive. Accordingly, a single ranger spent months, even years, tracking and getting closer to the group in order for the apes to accept his presence and eventually the presence of visitors. The process is long and at the beginning the first encounters can be perilous, but with time, the distance between the ranger and the apes progressively shrink. So much work!
To see chimpanzees from only a few metres away is a fantastic experience. They exhibit behaviours that are so close to humans.
