This forest has one of the richest ecosystems in the whole of Africa. It contains over 340 birds species, 14 species of snakes, 27 species of frogs and toads, at least 20 species of other reptiles and at least 200 species of butterflies. Other animals to be seen here include: chimpanzee, elephant, bush pig, giant forest hog, bats and rodents, etc.
Kibale Forest
How to get Kibale National Park :
Kibale National park is located in Western Uganda, 26km south-east of Fortportal town.
Kanyanchu River camp is a primary center for tourism activities and can be reached from Kampala either from the North via Mubende and Fortportal.
From the South through Mbarara and Kamwenge, With the Northern approach being the shortest and quickest with a 300km tarmac road running Fortportal and followed by a 36 km on Murram to Kanyunchu.
Kanyanchu River Camp, the primary centre for tourism activities, can be reached from Kampala either from the north, via Mubende and Fort Portal, or the south through Mbarara and Kamwenge. The northern approach is shorter and quicker, with a 300km tarmac road running to Fort Portal followed by 36km on murram to Kanyanchu. Sebitoli Forest Camp, a secondary tourism centre, is even easier to reach. This stands directly on the Kampala road, 16km before Fort Portal. Public transport runs throughout the day between Kampala and Fort Portal (passing Sebitoli) and Fort Portal and Kamwenge (passing Kanyanchu).
Kibale National Park Tourism
The Kanyanchu Tourist Center is where all activities begin. The friendly and experienced ranger guides will share their knowledge on forest species with you. Some 12 primate species, elephants, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians, trees, medicinal plants, and of course, habituated chimpanzee’s are to be found here.
Chimpanzee treking may be the most wanted adventure in the park. It is the guided chimp- trackingexcursion out of Kanyachu.
Kanyanchu River Camp
Kanyanchu is the hub for Tourism activities in the central part of the park. The main attraction is the opportunity to track chimpanzee in their rainforest home. A community of Chimpanzee has been habituated since 1991 and the chances of locating them are very good indeed that is over 90%.
Also to note is the park can only accessible on foot and no motor able tracks open to tourists.
Chimpanzee Habituation Experience
This allows you accompany Kibale’s researchers and habituators as they follow chimpanzee during their daily activities, there by getting them used to human presence without altering their natural behavior.
You can expect to see the chimps de-nesting between 05:30-06:30, before following them during the day until they create new nests and retire for the night around19:00.
This habituation Experience runs during Tourist low season months of March, April, May and November.
Chimpanzee Tracking (Primate Walk)
Kibale Chimpanzee Tour Uganda Primate Safari, habituations experience;here you will expect to experiencethe chimps de-nesting between 0530hours to 0630hours. You can follow them up in their daily activities up to nesting time between 1830 hours to 1930 hours. There fore a visitor has tobe ready to start on this activity from very early in the morning .
Chimpanzee Tracking Tours
Forest Hike
This is a 12km seasonal hike and is restricted to the dry seasons of mid November-February and June-September. This hike explores the park’s diverse habitats diverse habitats including the tropical rain forest, riverine forest, swamp and grassland.
You will have the chance to see a wide variety of birds and primates and perhaps duikers and bushbucks. The walk begins at 08:00 from Kanyanchu visitor center and ends at the elephant wallow around 14:00. Pre booking is recommended
Sebitoli Forest Camp
This is located 12km from Fort portal town on the Kampala Fort portal road. This part of the offers excellent bird and primate viewing in moist ever green forest with a semi-closed canopy of stratified tree crowns.
Sebitoli Forest Camp
Cultural Heritage and Nature Trail
The adventurous visitor can follow a 2-6 days trail through the forest. The full walk starts or finishes at either kanyanchu or Sebitoli. The route explores the Forest during the day, emerging in the evening to sleep in community-run campsites near the villages of kikoni, Nyaibanda, Nyakalongo. These provide the opportunity to meet local people and gain insights into their Batoro and Bakiga cultures. Porters can be hired at trail heads to carry equipment.
Primate Walk
Primate walk
The walk that lasts for 2-4 hours highlights a variety of different animals and plant species within the forest. This most popular walk, starts from Kanyankyu River Camp at 8:00 am or 3:00pm.
Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
This is a small sanctuary which protects the magombe swamp, adjacent to Bigodi trading centre and immediately outside the National park boundary. Run by The Kibale Association for the Rural and Environmental Development, all money raised from the trail is used to in community development in Bigodi-It has so far funded the creation of a small local library in as well as construction of a secondary school in the village.
The sanctuary is known for a wide range of biodiversity including species of primates such as red colobus monkeys, black and white colobus monkey, grey-checked mangabey, red tailed monkey, I’hoest monkey, vervet monkey, blue monkey and baboon. Mammals like sitatunga, bush pigs, bush bucks, otters, mongoose and Chimpanzees. 138 bird species have so far been identified, one of the main bird species found in the sanctuary is the great bleu turacco.
Kibale National Park Accommodation
Primate Lodge Kibale
Kibale Primate Lodge provides mid range accommodation at Kanyanchu including stone cottages, tree houses and tented camps. Simple cottages are found at Sebitoli. Both sites provide campsites and canteens that provide basic meals to order.
Basic and mid range accommodation is available in the nearby villages of Bigodi and Nkingo while a wider choice is to be found in the Ndali Crater Area. This ranges from the upmarket Ndali Lodge and Kibale primate lodge to good budget options at Chimpanzee Guesthouse and Lake Nkuruba. Accommodation can also be found in Fort Portal town.
Photos of Kibale Forest National Park
Chimpanzee Tracking Kibale National Park
Crossing the road at Kibale National park
Kanyantele Chimps Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale National Park Map
Ndali Crater Lake. Ndali Lodge is set stunningly amidst the Bunyaruguru crater lake region of Western Uganda, 26 kilometres south of Fort Portal lies at the centre of 1000 acres
Primate Lodge in Kibale Forest National Park
