The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Kibale National Park

The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Kibale National Park: Kibale Forest National Park covers an area of approximately 766 square kilometers (296 sq mi). It is one of the last remaining expanses to contain both lowland and montane forests. In eastern Africa, it sustains the last significant expanse of pre-montane forest. The national park was gazetted in 1932 and formally established in 1993 to protect a large area of forest previously managed as a logged forest reserve. Kibale National Park is located in the heart of the Toor Kingdom in western Uganda, near Fort Portal, the tourism city.

Kibale Forest National Park lies close to the tranquil Ndali-Kasenda crater areas. Kibale Forest National Park is home to a great number of primates, including the fascinating chimpanzees, and different species of monks, including L’Hoest’s monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, and baboons. Blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, demidoff galago, vervet monkeys, Uganda red colobus, pottos, patas monkeys, and Uganda mangabey, among others, make it a true primate paradise.

The park is also home to a variety of mammal species, such as forest elephants, buffaloes, giant forest hogs, bushbucks, warthogs, African golden cats, mongoose’s duiker, otters, bush pigs, and snakes. Kibale boasts over 375 bird species, including the African Pitta, the Green-breasted Pitta, and the Abyssinian Ground Thrush.

Chimpanzee trekking is the main highlight of any safari in Kibale National Park and is the main activity offered to visitors to ensure that tourists have an amazing time during their Uganda safari in the park. The captivating national park is home to over 1000 chimpanzees, and surprisingly, four chimpanzee families are habituated to ensure that you participate in chimpanzee trekking. Chimpanzee trekking in the park involves visitors walking through the different trails in the park to search for habituated chimpanzee families in Kibale National Park. Like other parks, chimpanzee trekking here also starts in the morning with a briefing about the dos and don’ts. Then, guided by one of the park rangers, you will start your walk into the forest to search for the chimpanzees, and once you meet them, you will spend an hour with them. During the chimpanzee trekking safari in the park, you will be fascinated by a variety of rewarding scenery and attractions, including several monkey species like red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, the mona monkey, and the vervet monkey, among other monkey species; mammal species such as forest elephants, buffaloes, bushbucks, sitatungas, bushpigs, giant forest hogs, and common warthogs; and colorful birds such as the African Emerald Cuckoo, African Green Pigeon, and olive long-tailed cuckoo. Wester tinkerbird, grey parrot, and ground thrush. Upon encountering these fascinating primates in their natural environment, you will be allowed an hour of interaction with these captivating primates while observing their behavior in the park, such as their diet, their eating intervals, and how they co-exist with one another, swinging and carrying their young ones, among other things.

Besides the chimpanzee trekking, the park also offers several thrilling activities for visitors while on a Uganda safari in Kibale National Park. Such as bird watching, where you will be fascinated with a wide range of sights of colorful birds such as the African Emerald Cuckoo, African Green Pigeon, and olive long-tailed cuckoo. Wester tinkerbird, grey parrot, and ground thrush, among others. Additionally, you can also engage in remarkable primates tracking in search of exceptional monkey species, including the red colobus monkey, the rare L’Hoest’s monkey, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, and grey-cheeked mangabeys, among others. More so, you can also participate in encounters where you will opt to visit either the Batooro or the Bakiga communities. Further visitors can also embark on a forest walk to uncover the hidden gems of the national park and its exceptional vegetation, as well as participate in chimpanzee habitat experiences.

The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Kibale National Park: Cost of seeing the chimpanzee in Kibale National Park (Uganda)

A chimpanzee permit in Kibale National Park is a legal document that authorizes one over 12 years old to trek to see these endangered chimpanzees in their natural habitat. Chimpanzee tracking permits in Kibale Forest National Park cost US$250 per person for foreign residents, US$200 per person for foreign residents, and 180,000 UGX per person for East African citizens. Visitors are recommended to book at least three or four months in advance, either directly from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) or through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safari.

Packing list for a Uganda safari in Kibale National Park

When preparing for a Uganda safari in Kibale National Park, there are a lot of essentials you should consider packing to enjoy a memorable experience in the park. Such items include binoculars to help you spot and identify birds, especially those perched high in the trees or across bodies of water; a camera for capturing the beauty of birds; a field guide; lightweight clothing; long-sleeved shirts; sturdy walking shoes to help you navigate on the forest terrain; a rain jacket; insect repellent; enough water and snacks; and sunglasses, among others.

The best time to visit Kibale Forest National Park

Kibale Forest National Park can be visited all year round; however, the best time is during the dry season in June, July, August, September, December, January, and February because during this period there is less or little rainfall in the parks, therefore vegetation will be short, which helps you to have clear views of the chimpanzees, and trekking trails will be dry and passable, which makes chimpanzee trekking easy, forest walks marvelous, and any other activities in the park remarkable. However, Kibale is a rainforest, and rain should be expected at any time of the year. If possible, book for the morning session because the weather in the afternoon is unpredictable (rains are common).

The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Kibale National Park: How to access Kibale National Park

Accessing Kibale Forest National Park is easy, as it is located approximately 795 square kilometers from Uganda’s capital city, Kampala. Along a newly surfaced road via Kasese (near Queen Elizabeth National Park). The park can also be accessed from Kampala via Mubende and Fort Portal, or through Mbarara from Kamwenge. Visitors can access the park by road, with various transport options available, including public transport and private tours.

Air travel

Kibale National Park has access to two airstrips: Nykisharara Airstrip in Mbarara, about 98km through Kamwenge from Kanyanchu, and Kasese Airstrip, about 75km from Fort Portal town. It can also be accessed by air from the Tooro/Semliki Wildlife Reserve, only 86 km from Kanyanchu.

Accommodation safari in Kibale Forest National Park

Kibale National Park has a number of stunning safari accommodation options ranging from budget to mid-range and luxury levels. All these accommodation facilities offer the best services to visitors. Such accommodations include Tinka’s Homestead, Jungle Lodge Kibale National Park, Primate Lodge in Kibale, Isunga Lodge, Kibale Forest Camp, Turaco Treetops, Kyaninga Lodge, Chimpundu Lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Lodge, Chimpanzee Capital Safari Lodge, Kibale Guest Cottages, and Kibale Forest Lodge, among others.