Kibale Forest National Park

Kibale Forest National Park Uganda is one of the best safari destinations in Africa for chimpanzee tracking. This is home to a host of forest wildlife, most famously 13 species of primate including chimpanzee. Forest cover predominates in the northern and central parts of the park on the elevated Fort Portal plateau. Kibale is highest at the park’s northern tip which stands 1590m above sea level. Forest Hikes It’s a 12km hike and usually done in the dry seasons. The months are mid Novermber-February, June and September. Hiking helps discover the park’s assorted habitats such as river line forest, swamp, grassland and tropical rainforest. Birding in Kibale. The park covers 795km2, forms a contiguous block with Queen Elizabeth National Park, on an altitude of 1.100-1.590m above sea level. The vegetation is dominated by the tropical rain forest.

Species in Kibale National Park

The park harbors 60 mammal species are present, including elephants, buffaloes, hippos, warthog, bush pigs, duikers. Kibale is well known for sighting primates, counting 13 species. Particularly, it hosts a large population of chimpanzees; also there are vervet, red-tailed, Hoest’s and blue monkeys, red Columbus, black and white Columbus, grey – cheeked mangabey, olive baboons. The bird list records 335 species, of which four are only found here (Nathan’s francolin, Cassin’s spine tail, blue-headed bee-eater and masked apalis). Vegetation rise to over 55m and establish a semi closed canopy of massive stratified tree crowns. With shade tolerant herbs, a variety of ferns, shrubs and broad leaved forest grasses, the undergrowth is sparse. 351 tree species have been registered in the park.

Popular Activities

 The main attraction of the park is the “chimpanzee trekking” from Kanyankyu gate. The second main activity is bird watching at “Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary”, at Bigodi, a trading centre just outside the Park’s boundary; the activity consists of a guided walk through the Magombe swamp, with the possibility to see among others the great blue Turaco and the papyrus gonolek. Nature walks are open in the Park, to see primates, birds, reptiles, medicinal plants.

Chimpanzee trekking

Chimpanzee trekking experience is a lifetime experience that allows visitors to habituate chimpanzee during the daily activities, thereby getting used to human presence without changing their natural. During your tour, expect coming across the chimps de-nesting (in their nocturnal nests) this activity takes about one hour with chimpanzees in their natural state

Accommodation facilities

Kibale National Park has excellent variety of lodges both luxury and budget which include Ndali lodge, Kibale primate lodge, Kyaninga lodge (Luxury), Chimp nest, Nyinabulitwa resort, Crater valley resort (Mid-range accommodation).

How to get there

Kibale National Park is located in western Uganda, 26km south-east of Fort Portal town.  Kanyankyu River Camp, the primary centre for tourism activities, can be reached from Kampala either from the north, via Mubende and Fort Portal, or the south through Mbarara and Kamwenge. The northern approach is shorter and quicker, with a 300km tarmac road running to Fort Portal followed by 36km on murram to Kanyankyu. Sebitoli Forest Camp, a secondary tourism centre, is even easier to reach. This stands directly on the Kampala road, 16km before Fort Portal.  Public transport runs throughout the day between Kampala and Fort Portal (passing Sebitoli) and Fort Portal and Kamwenge (passing Kanyankyu).