Chimpanzee habituation in Virunga National Park Congo is an exciting and great activity and a memorable wildlife adventure for tourists on Congo gorilla safaris in Virunga Park. This chimp habituation project was started in 1987 by a zoologist named Frankfurt and starts in early morning.

In 1987, the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) developed an 80km network of trails inside the Tongo Forest and began a two-year process of habituating chimpanzees to the presence of humans.

By 1989, approximately 50 Chimps had been habituated. Treks soon began, and for the next three years, provided an important source of tourism revenue for the park and the small community of Tongo.

Within February 2014, a Congolese team trained by the Frankfurt Zoological Society began habituating a group of chimps living in the forests around park headquarters in Rumangabo. Guests staying at Mikeno Lodge interested in chimpanzee habituation experience can join this team on their daily visits to the chimps.

Chimps were made familiar to human beings and since then travelers have been flocking into the national park for chimpanzee habituation and trekking experiences. The chimpanzee habituation permit is sold at $100.

During this amazing expedition, travelers will interact with chimps as they learn much about them. What a magical interaction!

The day begins when a group of local trackers leave their camp at 4:30 am to locate where the chimps spent the previous night. Lodge guests set out at 6:00 am to find the chimps. Groups are limited to 4 people and time with the chimps is usually over 4 hours. Bookings are made in person at Mikeno Lodge.

Chimpanzee Habituation Experience in Virunga National Park, Mahura Forest

Unlike chimpanzee trekking, the Chimpanzee habituation experience in Congo Virunga National Park begins at 6 am in the early morning. This wildlife adventure is limited to a maximum of 4 participants who join a team of researchers who visit chimps daily.

During this chimpanzee trekking thrill, a group of trackers will go into the forest early, around 4:30, to see where the chimpanzee community spent their last night. Then, the remaining guides will lead tourists to that spot around 6.00 am.

In most cases, visitors find chimps while still in their overnight nests, unlike the case with chimpanzee trekking. Visitors will watch chimpanzees (close cousins of men) living in their nests to start their day.

Guides and researchers will share with you much about the behaviors of these amazing primates in their beautiful natural habitat.

Likewise, scientists will tell you all the history & details about the chimpanzee community being habituated.

This exciting and wonderful activity in Virunga National Park gives visitors a chance to spend ample time with chimps for about 3-4 hours. However, it’s possible to spend a whole day with this chimpanzee community and watch them make the overnight nests.

Tongo Forest in the southern sector of Virunga National Park is currently habituating three communities of Chimps.

Note:

For time management purposes, visitors who wish to undertake a chimpanzee habituation experience in Virunga National Park are required to spend their night at Mikeno Lodge. You must spend a night before your chimp trekking date at Mikeno. Burkina Tented Camp is also great.

The reason why you should spend an overnight around is that the roads leading to the forest are very rough and dusty, and the process begins at 6:00 am. So, you must keep time.

Rules and Guidelines for Chimpanzee Habituation Experience in Virunga National Park

As it is with chimpanzee trekking and gorilla trekking expeditions, visitors undertaking chimpanzee habituation experience in Virunga National Park have to follow some rules & guidelines.

The following are the guidelines to follow on a chimp trek during the chimpanzee habituation experience in         Congo Virunga park, Mahura Forest:

1. You must be at least 15 years of age to go for a chimp trek in Virunga National Park. This also applies to tourists on gorilla trekking adventures.
2. Only a group of 4 people can visit a particular chimpanzee family
3. Visitors on Congo chimpanzee trekking tours in Virunga Park must follow the guidelines of park rangers. The ranger guide is knowledgeable about this jungle and wildlife.
4. On a chimpanzee trek, you must maintain maximum silence. However, if you have any questions, feel free to always ask the guide. Maintaining silence gives you room to encounter other primates like red-tailed monkeys, Colobus monkeys, and many bird species.
5. Never smoke during chimpanzee tracking. Also, note that it’s illegal for travelers on gorilla trekking adventures.
6. If you have any contagious disease, for instance, flu, persistent sore throat, or cough, do not go on the chimp trek. These diseases are fatal to the chimpanzee family as well as the gorilla family.
7. Don’t litter the park during chimp tracking in Congo Virunga park
8. Don’t be tempted to provoke chimps. They are wild animals and this might make them aggressive. Even during gorilla trekking, don’t be tempted!
9. Avoid eating or drinking while you are in the presence of chimps. Such action eases the spread of human diseases to these endangered apes.

Cost for Chimpanzee Habituation Experience in Congo Virunga National Park

As it is with mountain gorilla trekking, visitors going for Congo chimpanzee habitat in Virunga must purchase a chimpanzee tracking permit. The permit for chimp habituation experience in Virunga Park costs $100 for each person.

Chimp habituation experience is worth the money. You’ll enjoy listening to the short or long call alarms of chimps—playful, intelligent cousins of men. Watching chimpanzees is more enjoyable than gorillas. Mountain gorillas tend to be quiet. Also, chimps are swifter in their movements compared to the gorillas.

How to Book Congo Chimpanzee Habituation Experience Permits in Virunga National Park?

Booking chimpanzee trekking permits in Congo is as simple as booking permits for tracking gorillas in Virunga Park.

Most visitors on DR Congo safari tours book their chimpanzee permits through reliable local tour operators but there is an option of getting them from Mikeno Lodge, near the park offices.

Upon booking your Congo trip with a travel company, the company will go further to guide you on the best time to visit Congo, packing list, and accommodation to use. This will result in a colorful adventure.

Best Time to Visit Virunga National Park for Chimpanzee Habituation Experience in Congo

The dry seasons, from June to September and December to February, are the best times to go for chimpanzee trekking and even mountain gorilla trekking experience in Virunga National Park.

In the dry season, the chimp trekking tracks are easier to hike since the trails are dry, unlike in wet months when there are slippery and muddy trails in the forest due to heavy rainfall.

April, May, and November are rainy months in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but visiting during this time is of benefit as well.  Chimps tend to feed closer due to plenty of food in the rainforest.

Despite the fact that the dry season offers the best chimpanzee trekking experience in Congo, tourists can always visit this country any time of the year.

What to Pack for Chimpanzee Habituation Experience in Congo Virunga Park, Mahura Forest

The packing list for Congo chimpanzee habituation experience in Virunga Park is similar to the mountain gorilla trekking packing list as well as that for chimpanzee trekking.

Here is a summary of the safari packing list for chimpanzee habituation experience in DR Congo Virunga Park:

1. Insect repellants help to keep insects in the jungle from biting you
2. Camera: You will use it as you take photos of chimpanzees and other wildlife species you might come across, including birds and primate species like Blue monkeys
3. Sunscreens will keep your body safe from sunlight, mostly when you visit in the dry months
4. Sunhat: covers you from the sun when in the field
5. Bottled water; since you’ll take many hours in the field, you must keep your body hydrated
6. Energy-giving snacks; normally, visitors leave the lodge with a packed lunch
7. Raincoat; just in case rainfall finds you in the jungle, a rain jacket will be of help to you

What to Wear for Chimpanzee Trekking in Virunga National Park?

As you come for chimpanzee trekking in Congo, you must dress in a certain dress code for a rewarding and successful primate walking adventure.

Below are items to wear during a chimpanzee trekking or mountain gorilla trekking expedition in the Democratic Republic of Congo:

1. Warm jumper; keeps you warm in the misty jungle-reservoir home to the endangered Mountain gorillas
2. Garden gloves; during chimp trekking, these gloves keep your hands safe as you hold branches of some trees on the walk.
3. Long-sleeved shirts and trousers; along the Congo chimpanzee trekking trail in Virunga forest, you’ll go through jungles. So, this clothing keeps your body safe from cuts.
4. Put on sturdy hiking boots; when you are on the chimp trek in the rainforest, these shoes protect your feet from all injuries.

Accommodation in Congo Virunga National Park

Visitors on chimpanzee trekking tours in Congo have accommodation options for various classes and below are the best:

• Mikeno Lodge- luxury facility
• Lulimbi Tented Camp and even Tchegera Island Camp-standard facilities
• Kibumba Tented Camp & Bukima Tented Camp: budget facilities

How to Get to Virunga National Park in Congo for Chimp Habituation Experience?

Getting to Virunga National Park in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is easy. Commonly, travelers coming for Congo tours to track gorillas or chimpanzees fly first to Kigali International Airport.

From Kigali, you’ll be driven to the border town of Gisenyi between Rwanda and Congo. After crossing the border into DRC Goma Town, you will drive for around 2 hours to reach Virunga Park headquarters—the starting point of chimpanzee habitat in Virunga National Park Congo.

Brief About Chimpanzees in Congo Virunga Park

Chimps in Congo are spotted on the slopes of Virunga Park, a lovely park holding various vegetation zones, including grassland forests, savannah woodland, and a tropical rainforest.

Not only is Virunga Park home to chimps, but this park also holds mountain gorillas, red-tailed monkeys, golden monkeys, baboons, blue monkeys, and De Brazza monkeys. Some people have it that Lowland gorillas are also present!

According to scientific estimates, chimps share almost 98-99% of our genes, making them our closest living relatives. Although they typically walk on all fours, they can cover around 1 km on their legs alone.

Note that there are numerous species of chimpanzees. These are grouped according to their appearance & distribution. Among chimpanzee species are eastern chimpanzees, central chimpanzees, Western chimpanzees, and even Nigerian and Cameroonian chimpanzees.

Chimps live in a community led by a dominant male and this community can be of over 80 individuals. Sometimes they fed on the ground or in fig trees. In the evening, chimps start to build their nests in big tree branches. They don’t sleep down just like gorillas do.

 More Tourism Activities in Virunga National Park to Do on Top of Chimpanzee Habituation Experience

These include:

• Gorilla trekking
• Hiking Mount Nyiragongo
• Bird watching
• Chimp trekking
• Undertaking nature walks
• Apart from viewing chimps, travelers can also explore Tongo’s Chimpanzee Resource Centre around.
• Visit people in a local community around the park

FAQs about Chimpanzee Habituation Experience in Virunga Park

1. What Is Chimpanzee Habituation Experience?

The Chimpanzee habituation experience is an amazing tourism activity that involves visitors joining a group of researchers to visit a chimpanzee community undergoing habituation. Chimp habituation is the process of slowly making chimps get used to the presence of human beings. This process usually takes around 2 years for these apes to be open for chimpanzee trekking activity.

2. Is Chimpanzee Habituation Experience Safe in DR Congo?

Tourists on chimp habituation experience in the Congo Virunga park area are always guided by trackers and they will be escorted by the group of armed park rangers. So, don’t expect a mishap to happen in the jungle!

For a notable African safari tour in DR Congo, visitors interested in undertaking chimpanzee habituation in Virunga National Park Congo should also undertake other activities in this park.

To mention but a few, you can choose to do mountain gorilla trekking or go for Mount Nyiragongo hiking adventures to witness the active volcano with a boiling lava lake on its summit.

Contact our team for all kinds of Congo gorilla safaris.