Kalinzu forest reserve is situated in Bushenyi district just next to Queen Elizabeth national park and the Maramagambo forest of South Western Uganda. Kalinzu forest is known for housing different wildlife species such as 378 bird species, 6 primate species, which include chimpanzees, black & white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, 265 butterfly species, 98 tree species, among others. Kalinzu forest also attracts other mammals such as buffaloes, lions, wild pigs, and leopards.  

Kalinzu forest harbors over 320 chimpanzees and 70 chimpanzees that are habituated and open for chimpanzee trekking. Kalinzu chimpanzee tracking begins very early in the morning with a briefing at the headquarters regarding the rules and regulations during the trek. After a chimpanzee briefing, you will begin your trek in Kalinzu forest with a knowledgeable, trained guide.

Kalinzu forest chimpanzee tracking is divided into two sessions; the morning session starts at 8:00 am and the afternoon session starts at 2:00 pm. Each session can take from 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on the location of these chimpanzees because they love moving from one place to another while searching for food. During your trek through Kalinzu forest, you may spot different species of birds, other primates such as red-tailed monkeys, baboons, l’hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, different tree species, and colorful butterflies.

Kalinzu Forest Chimpanzee tracking can be done throughout the year, although chimpanzee tracking is best done during the dry season in Uganda during January, February, June, July, August, September, and December. The Kalinzu forest reserve gets less or low rainfall during the dry season. Therefore, the roads are dry and accessible for chimpanzee trekking trails, while during wet seasons the tracking trails are always wet.