Kibale National park- Chimpanzee Watching National Park: Rwanda Safaris

Situated in the western part of Uganda in Fort portal district, Kibale national park in Uganda stretching over an area of approximately 776 square kilometers in size. It is known for protecting the moist evergreen forests, the diverse array of landscapes and also regarded as one of the few remaining destinations with both lowland and montane forests.

The park was gazetted in 1932 and formally established in 1993 to protect the forests which were previously managed as a logged forest reserve. It forms a 180-kilometer continuous forest with Queen Elizabeth national park which is considered as an important Eco-tourism and safari destination habituating numerous chimpanzees.

Facts about Kibale national park

Kibale national park is one of the parks in Uganda with the highest concentration of primates. The park hosts a large number of chimpanzees and other 13 species of primates.  Among these include the Uganda mangabey, the Uganda red colobus, black and white colobus, blue monkey and others. Other animals besides the primates in the park include red and blue duikers, bushbucks, mongoose, leopards, buffalos, bush pigs, servals and sometimes the lions also visit the park. Also, the park hosts over 325 bird species including the western tinker bird, olive long tailed cuckoo and others.

Activities in Kibale National Park

There are several park experiences to encounter during your safari to Kibale forest national park and among these include;

Chimpanzee trekking

Chimpanzee trekking is the main activity that attracts several travelers from different countries to visit Kibale national park. The activity involves walking through the forests of the park in search of the endangered chimpanzees and when found, travelers are allowed to spend about an hour with them as they observe their ways of life and also take pictures with them.

Kibale national park is the best destination for chimpanzee trekking and viewing in east Africa since it hosts over 1500 chimpanzees for tourism purposes. Besides chimpanzees, the park is also a home to other primate species including the blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, baboons, red colobus monkeys, bush babies and others.

Note: For one to take part in the experience, he/she must possess a trekking permit that costs USD 200 per person.

Chimpanzee habituation

This experience involves the training of the chimpanzees so as to get used to the human presence. The activity is done at Kanyachu information center where other activities like nature walking and chimpanzee trekking take place. Chimpanzee habituation gives the travelers a great opportunity of spending a half day with the chimps as they learn more about their daily life styles of like their ways of feeding, mating and also their habits.

Bird watching

With over 370 bird species, Kibale national park is ranked as one of the best birding destinations in Uganda. The park can be visited anytime throughout the year but for the bird lovers, March to May and From September to November are considered as the best seasons for the experience since different birds including the migratory ones are always in the park. Among the birds to be seen include papyrus gonolek, African pitta, slender-billed weaver, tropical boubou, crowned eagle, African pied wagtail, blue breasted kingfisher, breasted pitta, pin tailed whydah, African grey parrot, and others.

Community and cultural walks

During a visit to Kibale national park, there are several community initiatives and cultural experiences to engage in. Among the communities include Bigodi wetland sanctuary which is positioned in the magombe swamp outside the park. The sanctuary is governed by the village people who are well trained as the guides of the wetlands. Also, the wetland is a home to various wildlife species, bird species, butterfly and others. Birds in the wetland include African pitta, weavers, hornbills, purple breasted sunbird, bee-eater, great blue turaco and others. The animals in the wetland are; bushbucks, vervet monkeys, red colobus monkeys, warthogs, mongoose, blue monkeys and others. A visit to the Bigodi wetland sanctuary involves walking through the trails and swamps as you sight different features like grasslands, tree species, palms and others.

Nature walks and hikes

Kibale forest national encompasses the few remaining lowland and montane rainforests. These forests are a home to several species like primates, birds, insects and plant species which can be encountered during nature walks and hiking experiences.

Best time to visit Kibale forest national park

Kibale national park is open all year round but the best time to visit is in the dry season which is in the months of June to September and December to February.

Where to stay while at the park

Kibale national park has a variety of accommodation facilities that are both affordable and comfortable to every client. The facilities range from luxury, mid-range to budget rates. Among these accommodations include; Kibale safari lodge, Kyaninga lodge, Kibale forest camp and others.