Kibale Forest National Park

KIBALE FOREST NATIONAL PARK- Primate capital of the world

Kibale national park is Uganda’s premier primate destination protecting 13 primate species on its 766sqkm forest habitat. The park was first gazetted as a forest in the 1930s and later upgraded to park status in 1993.

Chimpanzee tracking is the main activity at the Kibale forest block. This starts with an orientation at Kanyanchu Visitors Centre. Kibale National park is dominated by a forest but interspersed with grassland and swamp ecosystems making it have a diversity that boasts over 351 tree species, 70 mammals which include Chimpanzees, Monkeys like the Vervet, Ugandan Mangabey, Black and white colobus, Blue monkeys, L’Hoest’s, and Olive baboons, elephants, Buffaloes, and nocturnals like the bush babies and galagos which can be tracked at night when the day residents are inactive. 

It’s not only chimpanzees that are a great deal here, for birders the park offers superb forest birding with its 355 species which include the Green-breasted pita, Nahan’s Francolin, but Blue also headed bee-eater among others. The Bigodi wetland sanctuary managed by the community is an extra for birders and primate seekers and the boardwalk makes the activity easy through the swamp. 

Activities

Chimpanzee Tracking and Habituation

Chimpanzee tracking is the most popular activity at Kibale National Park. The adventure starts at the Kanyanchu Visitor center at 08.00 & 15.00 and lasts about 2 to 3 hours. Chimpanzee tracking just gorilla tracking has rules and regulations that trackers follow to avoid the spread of infectious diseases to these primates and before tracking you are briefed about them by a ranger at the visitor’s center. Visitors are required to keep a distance of about 8m between them and the chimps. People with diseases such as flue or diarrhea may not be allowed in the park. Avoid eating near the chimps. Children below the age of 12 are prohibited from tracking chimps. Along the way, you can other primates.

Kibale has the highest diversity and density of primates in Africa. And it is home to East Africa’s largest population of the threatened red colobus and the rare L’Hoest’s monkey. The 13 species of primates here include the black-and-white colobus, red-tailed and blue monkeys, grey-cheeked Mangabey, olive baboon and bushbaby, and Potto.

The chimpanzee habituation experience allows primate lovers to accompany Kibale’s researchers and habituates as they follow, watch, and record the chimpanzee behaviors and health throughout the day. A visitor gets the chance to learn about these primates for a full day from about 6 am till 7 pm.

Birding

With 375 species of birds, birding has never been at its best with Kibale specials that include the African Pitta, Green-breasted Pitta, Afep Pigeon, White-naped Pigeon, Crowned Eagle, Red-chested Owlet, Black Bee-eater, Western Nicator, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Little Greenbul, Brown-chested Alethe, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, African Grey Parrot, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Brown Illadopsis, Black-capped Apalis, Blue-headed Sunbird, Collared Apalis, Dusky Crimson wing, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Yellow Spotted Nicator, Little Green Bul, Black-eared Ground Thrush, and the Abyssinian Ground-thrush.

Day and Night nature Walks

Best experience Kibale as you walk on some of the best walk paths in the Fort portal area. This gets you off the beaten track to discover every detail of what Kibale has to offer during the day and night. 

When chimpanzees and other forest residents rest up at dusk, a nighttime shift of rarely seen creatures becomes active. Night walks through the forest are an opportunity to seek nocturnal creatures.

Bigodi Wetland

Local guides take visitors through Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary outside the park. The swamp is 

Rich in biodiversity and has beautiful scenery. Bigodi has a recorded list of about 138 bird species, 8 species of primates which include the grey-cheeked Mangabey, black-and-white colobus, red-tailed, Holst’s and blue monkeys, and olive baboons. Bushbucks and mongooses can also be found there. The sanctuary preserves the exclusive environmental features along with the wetland and is managed by the local community. Community women use the swamp to collect raw materials for making crafts.

Access to the park

The newly tarmacked Fort Portal- Ibanda road can get you to Kanyanchu Visitors center from Kampala and by several routes all on surfaced roads. The 355km direct road via Fort Portal and the 35 km to the North. The park can be accessed from the south via Masaka, Lyantonde, and Ibanda 392km with an experience at the equator in Kayabwe and the longest Mbarara, Kasese, and Fort Portal (525km)

 By air, the park has access to two airstrips and that is Nyakisharara in Mbarara where you drive 100km to the park and Kasese which is 60 km from the Park