Kibale Forest National Park
Welcome to Kibale Forest National Park
The insider's travel guide to Kibale Forest National ParkKibale Forest National Park, located outside the colonial town of Fort Portal, is a dense tropical rainforest where you can track chimpanzees and 12 other primates, including red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons and the rare Ugandan red colobus.
Known as the primate capital of East Africa, Kibale is the premier site for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda, with most tours starting from the Kanyanchu Visitor Centre. A typical chimpanzee trek in Kibale Forest will see you travel in a group of six plus guides (the total number of permits per day is restricted), heading into the forest either in the early morning or afternoon. Chimpanzee treks are generally shorter than gorilla treks as it’s easier to reach the chimpanzee families. Expect to spend more time looking up at the trees as chimpanzees swing through the rainforest, calling out to each other and thumping tree branches, while your knowledgeable guides explain how the chimpanzees interact and keep you safe.
Within Kibale is the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary that feeds some 200 bird species and a number of reptiles. It’s also an excellent place for spotting butterflies and taking village walks, where activities include basket-weaving, dance and interactive meals, where your host explain the history and culture behind the food you eat.
The Kibale Forest National Park atlas
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East Africa’s busiest chimp-trekking destination, Kibale protects a 766-sq-km tract of tropical rainforest in the far west of Uganda. Home to around 1,000 chimps, this popular park has been dubbed the primate capital of East Africa, thanks to its rich diversity of monkeys. Indeed, I’ve quite often seen the 6 most common species – L’Hoest’s monkey, red-tailed monkey, Ugandan red colobus, black-and-white colobus, olive baboon and the endemic Uganda mangabey – in the course of one forest walk. But the main attraction at Kibale is twice-daily chimp tracking excursions to a large community that was first habituated in the 1990s and often offers great opportunities to see the apes up close. Pros: The success rate of chimp trekking at Kibale stands at well above 90%, the highest of any comparably accessible venue. You can also expect to see a wide variety of monkeys and colourful forest birds, particularly if you do a guided walk at the community-run Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary bordering the park. Cons: On the other hand I think Kibale is to some extent a victim of its own popularity. Permits might be difficult to obtain at short notice, and the forest can feel uncomfortably crowded when – as often happens – several trekking parties converge on the same few chimps. To avoid the worst of the crowds I’d advise you go for an afternoon trek, as it’s generally quieter than the morning excursion.
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Experience Uganda’s incredible wildlife, starting with a safari at Murchison Falls on the shores of Lake Albert. From here begin your journey south, stopping off at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Continue south in search of chimps in Kibale Forest and then venture east to see hippos and elephants in the Kazinga Channel. From here head back to the western border and Queen Elizabeth National Park where you can spot the rare tree-climbing lions of Ishasha. Finish your wildlife-packed adventure by heading to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or the smaller Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to see mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.
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Accessible, but busy, chimp trekking in Kibale
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Western Uganda
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