Kibale National Park is the primate’s capital with up to 13 species of primates including the Chimpanzee. Kibale Forest is a premier destination for chimpanzee trekking experience known for its well habituated chimp communities and highly knowledgeable ranger guides. This medium-altitude forest park spreads across the eastern escarpment walls of the rift valley, connecting to the savanna plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park and creating a migration corridor for elephants and buffalos between these important ecosystems.
In the west, Kibale National Park overlooks the Rwenzori Mountains ranges also called the “mountains of the moon”. With the rainfall in the excess 1400mm, this tropical forest boasts of varied eco zones supporting a rich flora and fauna. The nearby volcanic epicenter of Ndali-Kasenda with its scenic crater lakes lie on the north-west part of the park and a great bonus to explore.
Kibale National Park Biodiversity
- Area Size: 766km2
- Gazetted in 1993
- Distance: 330 km/5hrs from Kampala
- Altitude: 600-1590m
- Birds: 375 bird species
- Mammals: 70 mammal species
- Trees: 351 species
- Butterflies: 250 species
Attractions and Activities to do in and around Kibale National Park
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Chimpanzee Trekking and Habituation Experience
Chimpanzee trekking is a major highlight for visitors to Kibale Forest NP, where on guided walks you get up-close to community of Chimpanzee as it forages in this vast native forest home. Kibale Forest ranks the best place to trek the chimpanzee owing to its “almost guaranteed” chances for a face-to-face interaction with these large apes. Boasting the largest communities of habituated chimpanzee available for daily trekking, Kibale Forest offers both normal and habituation trek.
On a normal trekking experience day, visitors check in at the Kanyanchu visitor’s center, where they are briefed and further grouped into smaller groups to be guided along and across various forest trails to locate the chimpanzee communities’ feeding ranges. The Kibale NP’s ranger guides are highly knowledgeable having had a long time working with chimpanzee and leading the trek expereince making the trek even more rewarding. While on the trek the ranger guides will point out various tree species preferred by the chimpanzee, interpreting various calls and tracks encountered on the trails.
Upon locating the chimpanzee community, visitors will given a full one hour, observing the human-like behavior, watching interactions and activity of these now-highly endangered species in their native forest home. The experience often lasts between 3-5 hrs.
On a habituation trekking experience however, a limited number of visitors (max 4) join the research and a ranger team to follow a semi-habituated chimpanzee community undergoing this program. The expereince begins 7am, to target the chimpanzee as they leave their nests, then to follow them as they forage meanwhile gaining in-depth insights and knowledge into the complex society of this man’s closest relative ape. Visitors here get to spend up to 4-hrs with this community of chimpanzee.
Kibale Forests’ other list of primates include Red-colobus Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, L’hoest, Red-tailed and Blue Monkey. The forest also support up to 250 species of butterflies and a healthy tree specie-list that are unique to this ancient forest.
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Bird Watching tours in Kibale National Park
Kibale National Park Forest is Uganda’s top birding hotspot re-known for its reliable chances to encounter the elusive, Green-breasted Pitta. This shy dense forest resident is seen with better chances during the breeding season as males put on spectacular displays and calls to attract females, other seasons the action is slow and can be easily under looked.
Kibale Forest’s varied habitats attracts other restricted-range biome, Guinea-Congo biomes and Albertine Rift Endemics Nahan’s Francolin, African Grey Parrots, African Emerald Cuckoo, Cassin’s Hawk-eagle, Dusky Tit, and the magnificent Great-blue Turaco among a host of 370 species.
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Guided Forest Walks at Kibale National Park
Kibale National park offers varied options of guided day-walking experiences tailored to one’s interests and exploring diverse sections of the forest along well-maintained network of trails. The most popular one is a 14-km walk that explores a typical mature tropical forest with century-old mahogany trees rising to over 70m, and various ancient fig trees that are frequented by local chimpanzee communities.
The riverine section also is frequented by seasonal migrating savanna elephants that come to feed on the mineral-rich sandy clay soils and palm trees. Various primates, birds, butterflies and a scenic forest structure are encountered along this walk. These guided-nature walks stretch anywhere from 4-8 hrs while longer options include full-to-multi day hikes across this vast forest.
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Explore the Scenic Fort Portal and Ndali/Kasenda Crater Lakes
Fort Portal is the capital of Toro kingdom whose palace overlooks this tourism capital of Uganda. Set along the rift valley escarpment and overlooking Rwenzori mountains, Fort portal’s scenic landscape of green hills and lush tropical forests, is poked by several crater lakes and calderas that are evidence of major geological forces and provide the best adventure options.
With time on your hands, take a hike through the sparkling crater lakes to appreciate great scenery, beautiful tea plantations, coffee and banana gardens. Interact with the friendly people and test a variety of local traditional menu this region is known for.
The high altitude of Fort portal gives it cool temperatures of average 200 C making it an ideal base to visit nearby attractions including short hikes to Rwenzori Mountains, hot springs in Semuliki NP and chimpanzee tracking in Kibale NP.
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Take a Birding or just a Nature Walk at Bigodi Wetland
Close to Kibale National Park is this highly recommended community run and protected wetland of Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary also known as KAFRED. The vast riverine and wetland habitat of bigodi offers rewarding guided nature walks to encounter up to 8-species of primates. these include, Guereza and Red colobus Monkeys. L’hoest’s Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Blue Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, etc.
Bird highlights at Bigodi Wetlands include; Shining-blue Kingfisher, White-spotted Flufftail, Joyful Greenbul, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Speckled Tinkerbird, Black-necked Weaver, Red-headed Malimbe, African Pied Hornbill and many others.
Bigodi Wetlands guided tours extend into the community to explore a diverse lifestyle and culture of communities living besides this vast ecosystem and Kibale forest.