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Everything you need to know about a chimpanzee safari

Battling with vines and scrambling across tough terrain, suddenly you are amidst a group of quietly preening chimpanzees. Resting on the forest floor, you observe their daily interactions as they play, fight and care for each other with astonishingly humane movements. If the trek has lasted a little longer, it is possible that they are already on the move after a chilled out morning, screeching through the high canopy in search of food in the forest.

 

At Natural World Safaris we have specialised in designing the perfect chimpanzee safaris in Tanzania and Uganda since we started out as World Primate Safaris back in 2005. Our thorough knowledge has led to our ability to tailor your chimpanzee safari to put you in the right place at the right time to maximise your chimpanzee experience..

 

A chimpanzee safari can be hard work, sometimes lasting up to 9 hours (return trip) through unpredictable terrain, but it is worth it.

 

NEXT STEPS

• Browse our Tanzania holidays
• Download our free guides
• Contact our  Destination Specialist for advice

chimpanzee safari gallery

Chimpanzee Greystoke Mahale, Tanzania Chimpanzee

Chimpanzee tracking

You can see chimpanzees in various African destinations, our favourites are Mahale in Tanzania and Kibale in Uganda.

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Tracking at Mahale

Mahale is incredible; staying right on a beautiful beached backed by rainforest, track chimpanzees, go fishing and relax on the sandy shores.

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Chimpanzee tracking

Tracking chimpanzees can be hard work, but seeing them play, fight and relax around you is not to be missed.

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Experts view

Experts view

A long trek down to the base of the gorge took us within metres of these highly mobile primates. There they were right in front of us, after hours of trekking. We had stumbled across siblings, a brother and a sister, holding hands…a truly unforgettable experience.

Chimpanzee

the chimpanzee

Chimpanzee, or chimp, is the common name for one of the two ape species in the Pan genus. Four subspecies of chimpanzee exist across Africa; Western, Central, Eastern and Nigerian. The second species in the Pan genus is the Bonobo but there are no subspecies of Bonobo.

Chimpanzees are classified as great apes and share 98% of our genes. Prominent characteristics include long arms, opposable thumbs, a black/brownish fur and bare skin on their face, palms, ears and soles of the feet. Highly sociable primates they move in flexible groups of between 15-80 individuals with one dominant male, and communicate through a series of screams, pant hoots, squeaks and barks. Movement during the day is often on the ground and can either be bipedally (upright) or knuckle walking. They are larger than you might think, with males weighing up to 70 kilos, reaching a height of up to 1.7 metres when standing upright.


Chimpanzees can be tracked in Tanzania and Uganda, and combined with gorilla tracking, or even lemurs in Madagascar for the ultimate primate experience.

chimpanzee facts

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CONSERVATION STATUS Population is estimated at 150,000 to 250,000 and they are widespread, however populations are fragmented and getting smaller. Chimps are considered endangered animals.
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HABITAT A variety of different environments throughout western and central Africa.
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LENGTH Chimpanzees can actually walk like humans on their hind legs, standing up to 5.5 foot tall.

Our Favourite Chimpanzee Itineraries

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Why book with us

We are destination specialists

Our team of specialists have extensive on-the-ground knowledge and have all lived, guided or explored in great detail the destinations that they sell. They will design your journey around you, at the right place at the right time.

We are wildlife specialists

As a leading specialist operator we have excellent partnerships with naturalists and conservationists. We know our wildlife and do what we can to preserve its natural habitat.

We really care about our destinations

At Natural World Safaris we frequently monitor the social, economic and environmental impact of our travel operations to ensure we are at the forefront of a sustainable and ethical tourism industry. 

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT TRACKING PRIMATES IN THE WILD?

Our primate safari experts know everything there is to know about seeing primates in the wild. Get in touch to find out more and start designing your journey.

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