Kyambura gorge is found in Kyambura game reserve which is park of the great queen Elizabeth national park. It is in the far east of the park in south western region of Uganda. The gorge is known as the “valley of apes” since it is a home to chimpanzees. Kyambura Game Reserve was formed to serve as a buffer zone to the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
It is about 1km across and about 100 meters deep. The gorge is drained by the Kyambura river which is an important water source for many animals. The gorge has a tropical type of vegetation, which makes a good home for different wildlife species but the surrounding is savannah vegetation.
Kyambura gorge is a rich wildlife bio-diversity which contains of good numbers of primates, wild animals and birds. A total of 13 chimp individuals have been recorded in the reserve. It is a home to habituated chimpanzees and other types of primates including red-tailed monkey, black-and-white colobus, baboons and vervet monkeys. The park is also known for its variety of avian species including various falcons, the blue-headed bee-eater and the African finfoot among many more.
Chimpanzee trekking is the major activity done in the gorge. It is done all year round in 2 sessions each day; the morning which starts at 8am and the afternoon which starts at 2pm. The activity starts with a briefing by the park ranger guide and is done in the company of an armed ranger guide. It takes from 1-4 hours depending on where the chimps are that day and the trekkers speed. As you trek the chimps, you will expect to spot other wildlife living in the gorge.
To take part in this great activity, the charge would be; $50 for foreign non-residents and residents and Ugx30,000 for East African citizens.
Apart from chimp trekking other activities like birding, nature and forest walks can be done in the gorge.
