pinkdogmb

I will be in Uganda in July and have to choose between chimp tracking at Kyambura gorge or cruising on Kazinga Channel for one afternoon. We will be mostly volunteering and doing one day for a gorilla trek, so there is no time to do both activities. What would you choose???
Thanks so much!

atravelynn

You already have one primate activity. If you really like the primates, I'd go for another chimp visit. A few years ago the odds of seeing in Kyamburu Gorge were about 50/50. That may have improved. They were up high--so high that you might want to build up your neck muscles before you go. Especially holding the binocs, my neck got a little sore and I could feel it the next day.

Don't know if this choice is before your gorilla trip or not. If it is and you have any concerns about fitness, you may want to save yourself for the gorillas. I recall the one Kyambura chimp visit I did was at least as strenuous as any gorilla tracking. That was due to the terrain and also the fact that we had to move quickly at times to keep up with the chimps who swung through the trees. On all but one of the gorilla visits, we could always go as slow as we wanted.

If you want to see lots of hippos and constant bird action, along with some buffalo cooling off in the water and maybe some drinking eles, I'd do the channel. I've gone at numerous times, but recall the morning was the most active with the afternoon providing the best light on the banks for photography. Even mid-day when it is hottest, there were still animals around.The boat goes very slowly and the animals are usually fairly sedentary, either soaking in the water or drinking. As you board the boat, the right side allows you to see the most, but even on the left side you can stand up and see everything. It just may be harder for pictures. The channel cruise is by far the least strenuous of the two activities.

More on taking pictures. It was hard to get chimp photos at Kyambura Gorge, which is typical of many chimp visits. I did get some nice colobus monkey pics before our tracking started. Even though the light works better in the afternoon on the Kazinga Channel, the morning would probably provide you better photo ops than Kyambura Gorge. It is one of the best places for close up hippo photos. There are some huge cormorant colonies that you get very close to as well.

Let us know what you decide.

pinkdogmb

Thanks for such great info atravelynn! Hmmm, you've made both options sound good! I'll definitely let you know what we decide. And thanks also for responding to my 'other' post.

stokeygirl

I did the chimp tracking in Kyumbura in Aug 2007 and I wasn't expecting much but I ended up enjoying it more than the gorilla trek. The pace was quicker, it was more fun and I felt like we were actually tracking the chimps.

We had great sightings- the chimps came down from the trees and were on the ground and we got pretty close to them. In fact, a little too close for comfort. At one point I had crossed the river at the bottom of the gorge (on a fallen tree) and the rest of the group were still crossing when I noticed the others on the other bank gesticulating wildly. A chimp had come down from the trees just a couple of metres behind me. It was a bit of a hairy moment!

Based on my experience I wouldn't have missed the chimp tracking but there's no guarantee you will get as good sightings as I did, whereas the wildlife on the Kazinga cruise is hard to miss. On the other hand, on the Kazinga cruise you don't really see anything you can't see almost anywhere in East/Southern Africa, whereas the chimp tracking is almost unique to Uganda. So if you've been on other safaris or you intend to in the future I would go with the chimps.

pinkdogmb

Your info was very helpful as well and now I'm leaning towards doing the chimp tracking. I hope we have as good experience as yours. We've been on boat rides in Zambia and Botswana, which were great, so your comments helped me decide to do the chimps. Thanks!!!

atravelynn

Chimps it is! Have a great time.

pinkdogmb

Thanks once again atravelynn! I'll post about it...
MB

cat_lover

If you don't have a great deal of time to safari while in Uganda, I would suggest the boat cruise. You'll see a great variety of animals, versus focusing strictly on apes.

Leely2

cat lover, what if one was combining Uganda (for gorillas) with a week or so of traditional safari in Kenya or Tanzania? Then add chimpanzee tracking for sure if time/money allows?