With an area of about 760sq km of lush tropical rainforest and a fascinating diversity of mammals and birds, Kibale Forest National Park (KFNP) is well known as a home to the closest living relative (98% DNA) to human beings, the endangered Chimpanzee. The park is also a natural habitat to the rare L’Hoest monkey, and the threatened Colobus monkey. Kibale national park, similar to Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda, boasts of the highest primates density in the whole of Africa which makes a total of 13 species including the black and white colobus, grey-cheeked mangabeys, red-tailed monkey, blue monkey and pottos. Other ma
mmals include elephants, buffaloes, duikers, bushpigs and bats. Amphibians and a variety of butterflies are also resident in Kibale national Park.
Kibale national Park is commonly referred to as “Kibale Chimpanzee Park”. Chimpanzees in this are estimated to be over 1,450 individuals habituated. Kanyanchu offers 90% chances of chimpanzee viewing.
Kibale national park is home to an impressive bird list of 325 species including the yellow-rumped tinkerbird, yellow-spotted nicator, green-breasted pitta, little greenbul, African pitta, the black bee-eater and the crowned eagle among others. Kibale Forest is divided into seven zone for management purposes, research, natural reserve, civic-cultural, recreation , harvest, community and protection.
Kibale Forest National park is one of the most gorgeous and marvelous Forest in Uganda. It is the most popular harbitat for the closest living relative to man that is ;the endangered Chimpanzee and even the colobus monkeys with the l’hoest’s monkey. This park has one of the highest numbers of primates in Africa totaling to around 13 species with blue monkey, red tailed monkey, black and white colobus monkeys (which is the emblem of Kibale national park ); bush babies, grey cheeked mangabey and pottos.
In general , this park puts emphasis on conservation, sustainable utilization and non consumptive use of the forest.
Tourism activities at Kibale Forest National Park
Chimpanzee Tracking
This is the most popular tourist activity in the park. It is the guided chimp- Tracking excursion out of Kanyachu. Kibale chimpanzee tour leads you to the park’s impressive chimpanzee population. You can follow them up in their daily activities up to nesting time between 1830 hours to 1930 hours. Therefore a visitor has to be ready to start on this activity very early in the morning .
Primate walk
This chimp walk starts from Kanyanchu river camp at 0800 hours or 1500hours. It take 2 to 4 hours walking under a great forest canopy. Ordinarily it takes just 2 to 4 hours to encounter chimps. In rare circumstances may one miss to see chimpanzees in Kibale Forest.
Kibale Forest hike
This is a seasonal activity done following a 12 km forest trail during the dry season (mid November – February; and June – September). The diverse habitats of this park harbor a plethora of birds , bush pigs ,duikers, monkeys, elephants and many others.
Children’s activities
Educational walks are limited to children over 12 years where they engage in a variety of fun and learning experiences. These include Bush craft activities like forest survival skills and learning about several species in the forest including primates like monkeys and pottos. Children also play forest games like batik making and pond dipping. Other experiences for children in Kibale may include cultural and heritage tours around the villages as well as bicycle riding.
Bogodi wetland sanctuary and Magombe swamp Walk
This is the best place for birders. It is where guided nature walks along several existing trails take place. Birding experience in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary offers 138 bird species including the Great blue turaco, Green-breasted pitta, Dusky crimson-wing, Abyssinian ground-thrush, Black-capped apalis, Collared-apalis, African pitta, Purple-breasted sunbird, etc.
Accommodation options for Kibale Forest National Park
- Primate Lodge Kibale
- Nyinabulitwa Country Resort
- Ndali Safari Lodge
- Rwengo Lakeside Campsite
- Nkingo Village Safari Guest House
- Chimpanzee Forest Guest House
- Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary UCOTA
- Rweteera Safari Park
