Can I Combine Chimpanzee Trekking in Uganda with Mundali in South Sudan?
Combining chimpanzee trekking safaris with the Mundali in South Sudan is one of the adventure vacations travelers can engage in during their safari. Yes, travelers can combine chimpanzee trekking in Uganda with the Mundali in South Sudan.
The Mundali tribe is one of the indigenous communities in South Sudan. This community belongs to the Nilotic group, an ethnic group living near the Nile River. The Mundali are predominantly known for rearing cattle. They reside in Terekenka County near the River Nile. Here, they experience a semi-arid climate. More so, the Mundali do not practice cultivation and primarily depend on cattle products. They also consume fish since the River Nile is nearby. These people scout and use their urine, which helps them treat infections and maintain cleanliness.
What do the Mundali people eat?
The Mundali do not kill their cattle for food or practice cultivation. They rely heavily on cattle products like milk, yogurt, and bongo mixed with cow urine. Additionally, the Mundali eat fish from the Nile River.
Mundali men squat under cow urine and shower with it. This serves as a method to maintain cleanliness and combat infections among them. The use of urine for showering changes the color of their hair to orange and protects them from the scorching heat.
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda
Chimpanzee trekking is one of the primate activities that travelers engage in during their safaris in Uganda. Chimpanzees first undergo habituation to become accustomed to human presence. The process of habituating chimpanzees takes about two years. Chimpanzees are considered to be man’s closest cousins, sharing over 98% of DNA with humans. Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda is conducted in several destinations, including the following:
Kibale National Park
Kibale National Park is located in western Uganda. It has the highest number of chimpanzees in Uganda. No wonder, Kibale Forest National Park was nick-named “The Primate Capital of the World”. To see these chimpanzees, travelers are required to obtain a chimpanzee trekking permit. In this park, there are about 56 trekking permits available. You can do chimpanzee tracking either in the morning or afternoon.
The cost of the chimpanzee trekking permits in this park is 250 USD for foreign non-residents, 200 USD for foreign residents, and 200,000 UGX for East African residents. To see these chimpanzees, travelers must book a chimpanzee trekking permit to ensure availability during their safaris. Other activities travelers can engage in during their safaris include community walks, nature walks, chimpanzee habituation, bird watching, and more.
Kyambura Gorge
This is another destination where travelers often engage in chimpanzee trekking, located within Queen Elizabeth National Park. For chimpanzee tracking in this area, there are 16 permits available, divided into 8 for the morning session and 8 for the evening. The cost of the chimpanzee trekking permit for Kyambura Gorge is about 100 USD for foreign non-residents, 50 USD for foreign residents, and 50000 UGX for East African residents.
Kalinzu Forest Reserve
Kalinzu Forest Reserve is a newly introduced area for chimpanzee tracking during Uganda safaris. This forest reserve hosts several chimpanzees that travelers can encounter. In this forest, the chimpanzee trekking permit costs about 130 USD for foreign non-residents and 65 USD for foreign residents and East African residents.
Budongo Forest
This forest reserve is within Murchison Falls National Park, located in northwestern Uganda. It is one of the largest parks in Uganda that travelers can visit. In Budongo Forest, numerous chimpanzees can be found. The costs of the chimpanzee trekking permits in Budongo Forest are 130 USD for foreign non-residents, 120 USD for foreign residents, and 85 USD for East African residents. While on safari in Budongo Forest, travelers can also participate in activities like game drives, boat cruises, and more.
Bugoma Forest Reserve. This is the latest destination for chimpanzee trekking that travelers can now visit. The trekking permit in this forest reserve costs 65 USD per person. include 65 USD per person.
