Kibale Forest National Park – Chimp Tracking Destination
While on Uganda safari, Kibale Forest National Park is one best safari park any primate lover should consider a must-visit for chimpanzee tracking experience. Kibale Forest National Park is a magnificent conservancy area in Kabarole district, Western Uganda approximately 5-6 hours’ drive starting from Kampala capital city.
Lying about 26kms South-east of Fort Portal city, Kibale Forest National Park is largely comprised of a thick rain-forest where 13 different primate species are confined. Some parts of this lush tropical rain-forest protected area are dominated by woodland and savanna grassland along the rift valley floor especially on the Northern and Central side.
Kibale Forest National Park is strategically situated and surrounded by several iconic tourist sites. It lies adjacent to the scenic Ndali Kasenda Crater Area and the nearby Uganda safaris like Queen Elizabeth National Park, Semuliki National Park, Toro Semliki Wildlife Reserve and Rwenzori Mountains National Park. This park is well-known as the primate capital of East Africa, hosting an estimate of about 13 species of primates which include over 1500 chimpanzees with several of them already habituated for chimpanzee tracking safaris.
Kibale Forest National Park occupies an 795sq.kms of land with its varying altitude largely characterized by woodland, savanna, tropical forest, semi-deciduous where diversity of its wildlife species are confined.
Wildlife species in Kibale Forest National Park
Over 60 different species of mammals are estimated live within different habitats of Kibale Forest National Park. These include bush pigs, forest elephants, bush bucks, duikers, buffaloes, golden cats, sitatungas as well as various primates like L’Hoest monkeys, playful olive baboons, red colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, grey cheeked mangabeys, pottos. Most of these primates can easily be spotted on chimpanzee tracking safari in Kibale Forest National Park.
Birdlife within Kibale Forest National Park
Besides being a premier chimpanzee trekking safari destination, Kibale Forest National Park hosts over 375 bird species making it an excellent Uganda bird watching spot. The various birds to look for in different habitats in and around these beautiful Uganda safari park include the rare African green breasted pitta, black bee-eaters, purple breasted sunbird, blue headed sunbird, red faced woodland, little greenbul, white naped pigeon, scaly breasted illadopsis, Nahan’s Francolin, yellow throated nicator, white headed wood hoopoe, dusky blue flycatcher, yellow spotted barbet, red headed malimbe to mention but a few.
Butterfly species in Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale Forest National Park is also a haven for about 250 butterfly species making it also an exceptional butterfly watching safari destination. Additionally, it also hosts lots of reptile species and amphibians.
Safari activities to do in Kibale Forest National Park
Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale Forest National Park is a well-known chimpanzee trekking safari destination in Uganda and East Africa at large. Chimpanzee trekking experience in this safari park has existed since 1993 and most of the 1500 chimpanzees confined here have been habituated for tourism purposes.
Chimpanzee treks in Kibale Forest National Park are carried out 2 times every day, the first phase starting early in the morning at 8:00am and the afternoon phase that begins at 2:00pm. All chimpanzee treks start at Kanyanchu Visitor Centre with briefing on guidelines that you have to observe while on search for the endangered chimpanzees in the wild.
Generally, chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park is such a memorable experience worth your Uganda safari. Interestingly, it lets you sight most of other primates, birds, butterflies, plants and a lot more.
Chimpanzee Habituation Experience (CHEX) in Kibale Forest National Park
Chimpanzee Habituation Experience is one most thrilling experience worth including in your bucket-list primate adventures. This is an extra-ordinary wildlife experience and it is conducted in semi-habituated chimpanzee communities. It takes a process and period of about 2 years more or less depending on how fast chimpanzees can get used to human presence before they are opened to chimpanzee trekking.
Chimpanzee habituation experience is conducted in the morning and it takes the entire day. It is carried out by trackers, scientists, park rangers, researchers, environmentalists or conservationists. The entire process involves observing the daily activities of chimpanzees including among others their feeding habits, copulating, hunting techniques, how they patrol, till they make new nests to retire.
Birding in Kibale Forest National Park
Bird watching in Kibale Forest National Park is amazingly one best experience offered to Uganda safari tourists in this protected area. Birders have a great opportunity to enjoy sights of different birds including among others the scaly breasted illadopsis, rare African green breasted pitta, black bee-eaters, purple breasted sunbird, Nahan’s Francolin, yellow throated nicator, blue headed sunbird, red faced woodland, little greenbul, white naped pigeon, white headed wood hoopoe, dusky blue flycatcher, yellow spotted barbet, red headed malimbe and many others.
Guided nature walks in Kibale Forest National Park
The best way to have great sight of various primates, plants, birds, butterflies, reptiles and a lot more on Uganda safari in Kibale Forest National Park is by embarking on guided nature walk via one of the park’s trails. Among other forest trails to explore on nature walk in and around this park include Amabere cave trail, forest trail, crater lake hikes, Bigodi wetland.
Community walks/cultural tours in Kibale Forest National Park
Visitors on Uganda safari tour in Kibale Forest National Park can boost their primate experience with community walks or cultural experience at Bigodi/Magombe wetland sanctuary. There are over 138 bird species, several primates and other mammals to look out in Bigodi wetland while on nature walk. As you get to the community, you will have a great opportunity to explore the different traditions, norms, dress code, dances, lifestyles and a lot more.
Best time to visit Kibale Forest National Park
The best time to go for a safari to Kibale Forest National Park differs from one traveler to another and depends on what your travel needs are. However, the dry season is considerably the best if your plan is to visit the park for chimpanzee trekking.
This occurs from June to September and December to February. It is also possible to visit the park during the wet or rainy season and this starts from March to April or October to November.
Where to stay in Kibale Forest National Park
There are many accommodation options in and around Kibale Forest National Park and they range from budget to luxury. They include Kyaninga Lodge, Mountains of the Moon Hotel, Rwenzori View Guesthouse mostly around Fort Portal city. Around the Northern side of Kibale, you can spend a night at Papaya Safari Lodge, Ndali Lodge. Inside the park, you can choose Primate Lodge which is also next to Kanyanchu Visitor Centre. As you get to the southern area, the different accommodation alternatives include Isunga Lodge, Kibale Forest Camp, Chimpanzee Guesthouse and Turaco Treetops.
How to reach Kibale Forest National Park
There are 2 ways to get to Kibale Forest National Park; first by road and by air. By road, you can drive from Entebbe/Kampala through Mubende to Fort Portal city then connect about 26kms to Kibale Forest National Park along Kamwenge road. Your journey can take about 5-6 hours. You can also take the Kampala-Mbarara via Ibanda to Kibale Forest National Park or drive from Queen Elizabeth National Park through Kasese-Fort Portal to Kibale.
Other routes include Queen Elizabeth National Park-Kasese via Kasekende Craters to Kibale Forest National Park or start your trip from Murchison Falls National Park via Hoima to Fort Portal city approximately 7 hours’ drive. By air, you take a flight from Entebbe Airport/Kajjansi airfield to Kasese/Mweya airstrip.