About the park

Kibale’s most popular activity is chimpanzee trekking in Kanyanchu. This park has 13 primate species living in its 795 sq km but the most sought-after primate is the chimpanzee. There is also a wide variety of diurnal monkeys that visitors can encounter including the rare L’Hoest’s monkey, endangered Red Colobus monkey, the black and white colobus, Red tailed monkey, Blue monkey, Olive Baboon, Grey cheeked Mangabey, Bush baby, Potto, etc. Chimpanzee trekking is done in the morning and in the afternoon and it lasts between 2 – 5 hours. Guided walks start at 0800hrs, 1100hrs and at 1400hrs and chances of spotting the chimpanzees are excellent – in fact over 90%. For better chances, visitors should book more than one chimpanzee trek; ideally one in the morning and another in the afternoon. Advance booking is essential.

Since the inception of chimpanzee trekking, the chimpanzee population has surged to 1,500 individuals divided into at least a dozen different communities in the forest and four of these are habituated to human presence.

In addition to chimpanzee and other primate trekking, this biologically diverse region is also home to a further 120 mammals, 370 bird species, including the 23 Albertine Rift endemics i.e. Nathan’s Francolin, Cassin’s Spinetail, Blue-headed Bee-eater and Lowland Masked Apalis, etc. Some of the mammals are hardly ever seen i.e. Buffalo, Leopard, Bush pig, Elephant, and Duiker. Keen visitors and enthusiasts may also be able to spot some amphibians, reptiles and a variety of colorful butterflies.

Activities

Chimpanzee trekking

Kibale Forest National Park is the most famous destination worldwide for tracking wild chimpanzees. Chimpanzee tracking is the ultimate highlight for visitors to this park. Due to conservation efforts, the chances of seeing the chimpanzees are over 90%. Visitors can opt for either a morning, mid-morning or afternoon trek starting with briefing by one of the professional ranger guides. These guided walks/treks can typically last anywhere from 2 to 5 hours depending on where the primates are at a given time and also the fitness of trekking participants in a trekking group. A maximum of 6 tourists per group is permitted while chimp trekking and visitors are allowed up to an hour with the chimpanzees.

Chimpanzee trekking starts off with briefing at Kanyanchu Visitors’ Centre hence visitors to the park are urged to arrive early to allow for registration and briefing. On the chimpanzee trek, visitors are provided with an opportunity to observe the chimps in their natural habitat as they go about their day. These primates are accustomed to human presence largely due to the fact that chimpanzee trekking has been in operation since 1993. Once the chimpanzees are located, visitors are only allowed one hour with them. Visitors need a chimpanzee permit to enjoy the trek. This can be booked and paid for in advance.

Chimpanzee habituation

Chimpanzee habituation provides visitors with the chance to join the park research teams as they set out on their daily task of working to ensure the chimpanzees are accustomed to human presence. This is a great opportunity for visitors who are researchers, photographers and chimpanzee enthusiasts as they get to spend more time with the primates (about 4 hours). Just like chimpanzee trekking, this activity starts off with briefing and then visitors trek into the forest to search for the chimpanzees. However, briefing is much earlier i.e. around 0630hrs. Advance booking is required and a permit can be booked and paid for in advance.

Birding

Kibale Forest boasts over 375 recorded bird species including one of Uganda’s most sought-after birds, the Green-breasted Pitta. Seeing as Uganda is a year-round destination, birding in Kibale happens year-round and like all other park activities, visitors will be accompanied by an expert ranger guide. Other birds that birders can expect include African Pitta, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Crowned Eagle, Dusky Crimson wing, Collared Apalis, Black-capped Apalis, Black Bee-eater, Yellow-spotted Nicator, Little Greenbul, Black-eared Ground Thrush, Brown-chested Alethe, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Chubb’s Cisticola, Black-capped Waxbill, Blue- throated Roller, Black-billed Weaver, African Dusky Flycatcher, Blue-shouldered Robin Chat, African Wood Owl, Black-crowned Tchagra, Barn Swallow among others.

Nature walks

Kibale Forest also offers the opportunity for nature walks especially for birding and botany enthusiasts. One of these is the Bigodi Swamp walk. On these walks, visitors can discover some of the park’s residents including primates, mammals like forest hogs and duikers and butterflies as well as the rich vegetation and a diversity of tree species. Also residing in the forest are several reptile and amphibian species. The park also has a resident population of African forest elephants and they can be aggressive, and this is the main reason for having a ranger guide on these hikes. Visitors to Kibale Forest National Park also have a chance for night nature walks. On these walks, some of the animals sighted are tree hyraxes, civets, and bush babies.

Community visits

Kibale Forest National Park is strategically located in one of the most unique cultural settings in Uganda. It is very easy for visitors to combine a chimpanzee trekking safari with a visit to Bigodi Community and enjoy a session with the basket weaving women, walks though tea plantations and coffee plantations, a visit to Amabeere ga Nyinamwiru, a cycling experience and also visit the Omukama’s Palace (King of Tooro Kingdom) and other cultural sites.

Itinerary ideas

3-day chimpanzee safari

Day 1 – Drive to Kibale National Park, overnight

Day 2 – Morning and afternoon chimpanzee trekking, overnight

Day 3 – Drive back to Kampala

3-day chimpanzee habituation safari

Day 1 – Drive to Kibale National Park, overnight

Day 2 – Whole day chimpanzee habituation, overnight

Day 3 – Drive back to Kampala

5-day chimpanzee and culture safari

Day 1 – Drive to Kibale National Park, overnight

Day 2 – Morning and afternoon chimpanzee trekking, overnight

Day 3 – Morning Bigodi Swamp walk, KAFRED lunch, Bigodi Community walk, overnight

Day 4 – Visit Amabeere Ga Nyinamwiru and Tooro Kingdom Palace, overnight

Day 5 – Drive to Kampala

Accommodations

Upmarket: Ndali Lodge, Primate Lodge

Midrange: Kyaninga Lodge, Kibale Safari Lodge, Kibale Crater Lodge, Kibale Forest Camp, Chimpundu Lodge, Isunga Lodge

Budget: Ruwenzori View Guesthouse, Tinka’s Homestead, Crater Valley Kibale Guesthouse