Semuliki Gorge Chimp Habituation is a new product for the park.
Finding absolutely wild chimpanzees in their natural, untamed habitat is partly dependent on the skill of the tracker and partly luck. At Semuliki National Park, you will find both as you pursue this habituation experience.
Compared to gorilla tracking, this experience is quite different. It entails walking a little faster as the chimpanzees are constantly on the move. The good news is that it is worth it. The chimps will be all around you, getting on with their lives and posing for tourists, which makes for a truly special forest experience. The trail is well marked and the scenery is gorgeous. As you creep through the forest with the ranger guide, you are likely to see those chimps chasing, playing, grooming each other, trying to mate and dozing around you. It is something you won’t forget in a very long time.
If you opt to walk through the forest in the afternoon, you might not hear any sound of the wild chimpanzees either. They prefer to take their afternoon nap during this time. Just like humans, chimpanzees are much more active in the early morning; they prefer to relax later in the day. .
For a more delightful experience, carry your binoculars to vividly see chimpanzees as they build nests so high in the trees.
Don’t forget to tuck your socks in your pants for protection from safari ants, which roam through the forest.
