Kibale National Park | Chimpanzee Trekking & Uganda Safaris

Location of Kibale National Park

Kibale National Park is located in western Uganda, approximately 26 km southeast of the charming town of Fort Portal, one of the country’s most picturesque destinations, and 348 km (5 hours’ drive) from Kampala. Queen Elizabeth National Park, Rwenzori Mountains & Semuliki National Parks, and the Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve are all within a half-day’s drive from the park, which is near the tranquil Ndali Kasenda crater area.

Together, these protected areas safeguard a 180-kilometer animal migration corridor that runs from the isolated southern portion of Queen Elizabeth National Park in “Ishasha” to “Sebitoli” in northern Kibale.

Vegetation Areas in Kibale National Park

From the moist evergreen forest (wet tropical forest) along the Fort Portal plateau to the dry tropical forest (moist semi deciduous) to the woodland and savanna down the rift valley floor, Kibale’s diverse vegetation provides a variety of wildlife habitat. The high forest in the park’s centre, near Kanyanchu, is made up of both deciduous and evergreen trees, with evergreen species predominating. The vegetation creates a semi-closed canopy of enormous layered tree tops and reaches heights of over 55 meters. The undergrowth is scanty and includes a range of ferns, shrubs, broad-leaved forest grasses, and shade-tolerant herbs. The Kibale National Park is home to 351 listed tree species.

Wildlife in Kibale National Park

Kibale National Park has the greatest diversity and quantity of primates in all of Africa, with 13 species. With more than 1450 chimpanzees residing here, it’s the most popular of them and the ideal place to take a chimpanzee tracking tour. You may see all of these primates on a safari in Uganda. The rare L’Hoest’s monkeys, the largest population of endangered red colobus monkeys in East Africa, black and white colobus, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, grey-cheeked mangabeys, bush babies, and potto are all found in Kibale.

Although they are rarely seen, Kibale National Park is home to a variety of different wildlife. These include elephants, duikers, bush pigs, buffaloes, and leopards. Some amphibians, reptiles, and a range of vibrant butterflies may also be visible to an astute observer.

Best Time to Visit Kibale National Park

The best time to visit Kibale National Park is during the dry season, when the trails are dry and manageable, even though the park is open all year round. This occurs between December and February, followed by June and September. With an average yearly rainfall of about 1700mm, primarily from March to May and September to November, the northern part of Kibale is the wettest. The average yearly temperature ranges from 14 to 27 degrees Celsius, making the environment generally pleasant. The southern portion of the park, where the topography lowers onto the scorching rift valley bottom and the forest gives way to open grassland, has the highest temperatures and the fewest rainfalls.

Things to Do/Activities in Kibale National Park

1. Kibale Forest Hikes | Walking Trail

Hiking the 12-kilometer Kibale Forest walk trail typically takes five to six hours and is best done during the dry season, which begins in mid-November and continues through February. On a hiking tour of the park, you may see the many different types of vegetation, including swamps, tropical rainforest, grasslands, and riverine forests.

2. Birding in Kibale National Park

Six bird species—the dusky crimsonwing, black-capped apalis, blue-headed sunbird, collared apalis, red-faced woodland warbler, and purple-breasted sunbird—are among the 325 bird species found in the park. In addition to the crowned eagle, other specialities of Kibale include the following: the African pitta, the black bee-eater, the Abyssinian ground thrush, the small greenbul, the brown chested alethe, the yellow rumped tinker bird, the blue-breasted kingfisher, and the yellow spotted nicator.

The Bigodi nature trail provides the finest opportunity for birding excursions in the park, thanks to the swamp that is home to around 138 different bird species. Chimpanzees, colobus monkeys (both red and black and white), red-tailed monkeys, bushbuck, and mongoose are among the noteworthy animals that call this place home.

3. Cultural Tours Around Kibale National Park

Join a local guide for an opportunity to meet the Batooro natives and Bakiga immigrants (from Uganda’s highly populated southwestern region) who make their home in the park. On the Kibale Cultural Tours, you’ll explore a traditional hamlet where the Batoro live, see their primary school, church, and healer up close, and learn about their way of life. The Bakiga will also perform lively traditional songs and dances for your enjoyment.

4. Crater Lakes Tour

Surrounded by steep-sided volcanoes, the Kasenda region in Fort Portal is home to over fifty distinct crater lakes. Paying a visit to this gorgeous place will allow you to fully grasp the distinctive beauty of its landscape.

5. Cultural Trails

Starting in either Kanyanchu or Sebitoli, the nature walk typically lasts between two and six days. Along the way, you can learn about the forest and stop for a late night at one of the community-run campsites in Kikoni, Nyakalongo, or Nyaibanda.