Kibale Forest National Park is unique in Uganda and its main characteristic is the endangered chimpanzees that draw thousands of travellers from across the World. If the jungle with different primate species and forest birds is your idea of an African safari, then the western part of Uganda is where your safari should be based.
Location of Kibale National Park
The breathtaking Kibale Forest National Park of Kibale is located in the western side of the country, surrounded by a moist environment between the elevation of 3608 and 5249 feet above sea level. The Park is also a stone throw from the stunning Ndali-Kasenda Crater Area and only 3-4 hours’ drive from the savannah-dominating Queen Elizabeth, Semliki Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve as well as the Rwenzori Mountains National Park.
Kibale National Park size
Extending for only 79,500 hectares, Kibale Forest National Park comprises a moist evergreen rainforest, while other ecosystems are also found in the Park such as savannah grasslands, open space, woodland and wetlands.
Kibale National Park History
Before becoming Kibale National Park, the densely forested area was gazetted into a Forest Reserve in 1932 by the British Colonial Administration, then later a National Park in 1993 to protect the rich biodiversity of both lowland and montane forests.
Highlights
Known as one of the biodiversity hot spots in Africa, Kibale National Park boasts of high concentration of primate species in Africa. For this Primate Capital of Africa, travellers can look forward to seeing over 13 different primate species that include over 1500 chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, Grey-cheeked mangabeys, bush babies, the Ugandan red colobus monkeys, (procolobus tephrosceles), pottos, Olive baboons, the rare L’Hoests, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys and many others.
Trekking the Chimpanzees
With different habituated chimpanzee communities in Kibale National Park, travellers get the once in a lifetime opportunity to trek endangered Chimpanzees in their natural habitat. The activity is marked by a number of hours in the jungle and spending quality time with one of the four habituated communities.
Typical chimpanzee trekking adventures are conducted in two main sessions- The morning session that begins by 8:00am and the afternoon session that starts by 2:00pm, although both of them first involve 30-minute orientation registration and briefing done at Kanyanchu Reception Center. Expect many hours but the moment you set your eyes on these beautiful creatures, you will appreciate how they are so much like us.
For anyone to be allowed to trek the chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park, he/she should be above 12 years in addition to being physically fit and possessing a valid chimpanzee permit ($200). For this activity, only 6 persons will be allowed to trek each habituated chimpanzee community and have one hour in their presence. There is also the all-day chimpanzee Habituation Experience where visitors follow Ranger guides, conservationists and researchers to see Great Apes undergoing training to become accustomed to human presence and this costs $250 for a permit.
Take a community/village Tour
A visit to Kibale Forest National Park would be incomplete without taking a community/or village tour to the Aboriginal Bakiga and Batoro tribes. Get the chance to learn about their daily routines with planned activities including tours to the traditional healer, nearby local school to see how children learn without the luxury of electricity and gadgets, health centers, be entertained in traditional dance, drama and music performances.
Undertake a Birding Tour in Kibale Forest or Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary.
Kibale National Park houses over 375 unique, vibrant and beautiful bird species, hence making it one of the 33 Important Bird Areas in the country. The different well-maintained forest birding trails or the viewing platforms and boardwalk allow birders to view the Park’s specialties such as green breasted pitta, Abyssinian ground thrush, red-chested Flufftail, Purple-breasted sunbird, African Pitta, red-winged francolin, Olive long-tailed Cuckoo, grey throated flycatcher, chestnut winged starling, black-capped apalis, grey winged robin, white-bellied crested flycatcher, red-faced woodland warbler, Black bee-eater, Lowland-masked Apalis, woodland warbler, white napped pigeon, to mention but a few.
Undertake a guided forest walk
It becomes easier to spot small and large herds of forest elephants, forest buffaloes, sitatunga, bushbabies, tree hyraxes, bushbucks, pottos, duikers and unique tree species during guided forest walks in Kibale Forest National Park. Also, if you want to learn about the mystery surrounding the Amabere Caves and waterfalls, then undertake guided forest walks.
How do i get there ?
By Road
Road is the main way of getting to Kampala, through Mbarara and Kamwenge heading to the Park’s southern part or Mubende and Fort portal to its Northern side.
By Flight
A flight by Aerolink from Entebbe International Airport to Fort Portal takes about one a half hours.