Kibale Forest National Park was gazetted in 1932 as a forest reserve to protect a large area of forest. After a period of around 61 years, the area was upgraded to the status of a National Park which was officially established in 1993. The park is located in western Uganda in Kabarole district, near Fort Portal town and covers 795 square kilometers of tropical rainforest. It is thus the largest forest National Park in Uganda and is popular for its large volume of diverse primates which include Uganda's biggest population of Chimpanzees. It is known to have the highest concentration of primates in the world and is therefore also known as the 'Capital of Primates' and a primate lover's haven. The annual temperature ranges between 14-27 Degrees and is generally cool except from the south where the altitude is lower tending to the hot rift valley bed. Kibale National Park borders Queen Elizabeth National Park to the south, forming a continous forest and a wildlife corridor. All these parks are under the custody of the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Kibale Forest National Park is the 'Primate Capital of the world' with more than 1,500 chimpanzee protected within its borders of 795 sq km. This makes Kibale one of the best safari destinations in Africa for the chimpanzee trekking experience in Uganda. These chimps share 98.6% of human genetic material. The forest is also home to East Africa’s largest population of the threatened red colobus and the rare I’Hoest’s monkey. There are 13 species of primates in total, with chimpanzees being the main attraction. The primates include bush babies, L'Hoest's Monkey, Red Colobus Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Black-and-white Colobus Monkey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Olive Baboon, Blue Monkey, and Potto. It is by far the best place to observe Chimps as you have over 90% success rate of seeing them in their natural habitat as they play with young ones, groom each other, eat, rest and hunt. The chimpanzees have been habituated for over 16 years giving tourists a chance to see the great apes in their natural environment. Children have to be 15 years and above to able to track the chimpanzees. Chimpanzee Tracking is done twice a day i.e. early morning at 7am and afternoon at 2pm so you can choose what suits you best, but morning tracks are highly recommended. The park provides the best trekking experience in the whole of East Africa. The trek usually lasts between 3-5 hours and varies due to the movement of the Chimpanzees. 3 large communities of Chimpanzees have been habituated for the tracking adventure. Each of these communities was designed for different kinds of visitors; one is for chimpanzee tracking, the other is for research and the last one was designed for the habituation experience. You will witness the social hierachy of the chimp family as well as their altruistic behaviour. To the chimps, social livelihood is just perfect road to living in peace and harmony; portraits of respect for elders by the young, the art of family love with care and provision. For those who are very keen to observe the primates for the whole day, you can also do the Chimpanzee Habituation experience which starts at 6:30 am, a time before which the chimpanzes start moving out of their nests. During this experience, you go about following chimps with researchers and get a chance to see the Chimpanzees waking up, gathering together in large families and as they start to feed through the day. You also witness some rare characters exhibited by chimps during feeding like hunting other animals for food. You also get to observe and witness most of the techniques that are employed during the chimp habitation process. There are also bush craft children activities that provide an opportunity for children who may find it tedious to engage in the usual chimpanzee trekking and habituation activities.
Kibale's varied altitude supports different habitats that range from the wet tropical forest on the Fort Portal plateau, woodland and savannah on the rift valley floor to the semi-deciduous dry tropical forest. The park is known to comprise of evergreen rain forests that are decorated with a large array of landscapes and remains one of the last remaining expanses containing both lowland and montane forests. In this forested habitat, there happens to be 230 species of trees, as well as a plethora of plant species that vary in form, kind and color. The area beneath the intact tree canopies is associated with cool atmosphere, highly humid. It is this intact nature of the forested perfections that makes it rather hard to differentiate between day and night periods. The possession of the a variation in habitats allows the park to be home to numerous wildlife. Kibale Forest is also a prime birding spot and is home to over 375 bird species including six endemic species to the Albertine Rift area. The bird species to look out for include; Red-chested Owlet, Purple-breasted Sunbird, African Grey Parrot, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Crowned Eagle, Little Greenbul, Black Bee-eater, White-naped Pigeon, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis and the rare Green-breasted Pitta etc.
The mammal species present in Kibale forest are estimated at 60 including leopards, duikers, antelopes, forest elephants, forest buffaloes, golden cats, warthogs, and bush pigs and many more. The mammals in forest setting are rare to see as they are shy and prefer to keep away from humans compared to the ones in savannah that are used to sighting humans. You might see their footprints as you move in the forest and on rare occasion you might even sight them. You can also observe reptiles, amphibians, and colorful butterflies flying through the park, as it is also home to over 250 species of butterflies and several reptiles and amphibians.
There are several community and cultural experiences to engage in once you visit Kibale Forest. There are visits to the Bigodi Wetlands that are situated on the eastern edge of the forest in Magombe swamp. Bigodi is punctuated by biodiversity and beautiful scenery, and is a birder’s paradise with about 138 species. It also hosts eight species of primates including the black-and-white colobus, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed, l’Hoest’s and blue monkeys, and olive baboons. Bushbucks and mongooses can also be found here. The sanctuary was set up to preserve the exclusive environmental features along with the wetland and is managed by the local community. In this area, there are small establishments or groups of people that are prepared to take you through the two main activities, that is the Swamp walk and the community walk. In the swamp walk, you shall take a light walk in the wetlands to observe nature and wildlife including many monkey species. During this walk, you will also have the oportunity to spot some wildlife species that you hadn't witnessed during the chimpanzee trek. These include certain species of primates, butterflies, plants and spectacular birds. Some of such birds include; the green breasted pitta which is endemic to Kibale forest, the rare Papyrus Gonolek and the great blue turaco. Some primates include the Red colubus monkeys. You also have chances of viewing forest elephants, forest buffalos, sitatungas, serval cats, civet cats and mangoose. After the swamp walk, you will have the community walk which involves experiencing culture and a few things that are done by the local people. The include; Gin brewing from banana, coffee processing, craft making and having a visit to the local medicine man to see the use of local medicine. Tour the community wetland, protected by the community and a rich ecosystem resource. Visit a women's project and purchase crafts to support them, prepare, and eat a traditional meal or visit a local school.
Nature walks and hikes are also part of the forest fun. The nature walk usually begins from Kanyanchu or Sebitoli in Northern Kibale and can take between 2 to 6 days. This takes place within the cultural trail and it exposes one to different communities like the Batooro and Banyoro at Nyakalongo village. There is also a 12km hike (Kibale forest nature walk) that offers just more that sight and sound, but the best so deserved. This hike in Kibale Forest National Park is usually conducted in the dry seasons and usually lasts for 6 hours during which one enjoys the tropical jungle, marshlands and the forests. One of the hiking sessions gives the true experience of an adventurer where one takes part in a hiking activity that traverses the park, with night stop overs at different sections of the park. There are also half-day hike sessions and night forest walks.
You can access the park from Entebbe International Airport for scheduled/charter flights to Kasese Airstrip which is an hour drive from Kibale National Park or drive from Kampala via Fortportal to Kibale Forest, which takes approximately 7 -8 hours.
Activities in this park include; Chimpanzee Tracking and Chimpanzee Habituation Experience, Bird Watching, Primate Excursions, Night Nature Walks, Cultural Experiences and Community Walks and Hiking/Nature Walks.
Safari Example: 3 Days Chimpanzee tracking Kibale forest
Activities
Chimpanzee Tracking at KFNP
The chimpanzee is a medium-sized tailless ape with long black hair, a curious looking face and large, protruding ears, that closely resembles humans both in its physical makeup, social behavior and DNA.
Over 1500 chimps (approximately ninety Chimp families) live and build their nests in the park, some of which are habituated for tourism and other are frequently observed by researchers. All visitors are required to first obtain a Chimpanzee tracking permit before embarking on the trip. Ellington Safaris does the booking of permits for its guests. The dry season, running from mid-November to late February, and from mid-June to mid-September is the busiest time for Chimpanzee tracking at the park.
Trekkers follow the beaten paths and muddy trails in the thick woods in search for the Chimp families, which usually consist of an average of 10-20 members, but forming larger troops of more than 100 animals. The longest hike is about ten Kilometers, but lucky visitors can go half way, or a quarter way, or just a few meters of the distance if the Chimp families are feeding or resting close by.
The best time for Chimp tracking is in the morning as the primates set out to look for their first meal, or in the evening as they catch their last meal and build nests to sleep in. The number of Chimpanzees that can be seen in a single visit varies greatly depending on the season, weather and time of the day.
Please note that the minimum age for Chimpanzee Tracking is 15 years.
Chimpanzee Habituation
Some Chimp families have been detached from the larger population in the forest and habituated for study and research. Chimp Habituation offers a lengthier, closer and more intense 'interaction' with the primates. You will get to track a large community of nearly 100 habituated Chimpanzees. For those who are very keen to observe the primates for the whole day, the Chimpanzee Habituation experience is the perfect! The experience starts at 6:30 am, a time before which the chimpanzes start moving out of their nests. During this experience, you go about following chimps with researchers and get a chance to see the Chimpanzees waking up, gathering together in large families and as they start to feed through the day. You also witness some rare characters exhibited by chimps during feeding like hunting other animals for food. You also get to observe and witness most of the techniques that are employed during the chimp habitation process. The chimpanzee habituation permits cost $220 each for foreign non-residents and $150 for foreign residents. East African nationals pay $70.
The experience altogether involves visitors moving into the forest with researchers. Only a maximum of 4 people per group inclusive of the researchers and guides are permitted to go see these Chimps. The chimps so tracked are less used to human presence than those which are usually tracked in the Kayanchu primate walk. The process of habituating the chimps takes close to 3 years to be completed, at which time the chimps are not threatened by human presence.
Visitors are given the opportunity to watch the Chimpanzee from the morning to the evening as they cheerfully interact in their family, use their super intelligence to overcome tasks, feed and hunt before building their nests in the evening. Habituation involves learning how Chimpanzees are habituated for tourism. It is the perfect activity for those deeply interest in animal psychology. You will be amazed to learn how similar the Chimps are to humans in their feeding routines and patterns, in the way they take care of their young and elderly, and in the way they create order through clear family hierarchy. Chimpanzees are natural entertainers and very dramatic creatures. For visitors that would love a gripping safari full of discovery and intense wildlife encounters, Chimp Habituation should be a must on their itinerary.
Enquire to day and Ellington Safaris will book the Chimpanzee Habituation Experience for you.Please note that the minimum age for Chimpanzee Habituation is 15 years.
Kanyanchu Primate Walks
The chimps are not the only Primates at Kibale. At Kanyanchu, the park's administrative center and most rewarding primate viewing spot, almost all the thirteen primate species can be seen with little effort. The walks start early in the morning through the park's trails. During the walk, trekkers have the chance to see large families of Olive Baboon, Eastern Black-and-white Colobus, Blue Monkey, Potto, Grey-cheeked Mangaby, Red-tailed Monkey, Bush Baby, Coppery-tailed White-nosed Monkey, Vervet Monkey, and L'Hoest' Monkey.
Being the thickest area in the park, Kanyanchu also bustles with large populations butterflies, amphibians and reptiles. The park also hosts anumbers of grazing mammals, horned ungulates and predators as antelopes, forest elephants, and forest buffaloes, but they are rarly seen.
Bigodi Swamp Walk
The Bigodi wetland sanctuary, located at the southern margin of Kibale Forest National Park, is one of Uganda's most diverse bird watching spots and inhabits many different primate species. The wetlands are characterized by thick forest, swampy papyrus fields and open grassland.
The wetland is home to approximately 140 species of birds. Kibale National Park itself is habitat for more than 375 species. This makes Kibale a top destination for bird watching in Uganda and East Africa at large. The Wetland's bird species range from Albertine Rift endemics, tropical forest birds, and savannah woodland species. Examples of the Albertine Rift endemics found at Bigodi wetland include; the Black-capped Appallis, the Collared Appallis, the Dusky Crimson Wing, Blue-headed Sunbird, Purple-breasted Sunbird, and the Red-faced Woodland Warbler. Other bird species found at the park include; the Great Blue Turaco, the Little Greenbul, the Crested Eagle, Little Egret, the Green-breasted Pitta, Black Bee-eater, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Brown-chested Alethe, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, African Pitta, Black-eared Ground Thrush, Yellow-rumped Tinker Bird and Yellow-spotted Nicator.
You also have the change to spot Olive Baboons, Eastern Black-and-white Colobus Monkeys, Blue Monkeys, Grey-cheeked Mangaby, Red-tailed Monkeys and many more.
Crater Lake Hikes
Kibale National Park is located in the Rift valley region of western Uganda where the gorgeous crater lakes are found. The Ndali- Kasenda craters can be visited en-route to the park, and the rest of the craters can be visited as a separate activity on a typical 'Best of Western Uganda' itinerary. Some of the best lodges are located on the crater lakes, offering their guest stunning views.
There are more than seventy crater lakes in western Uganda most of which are found around Fort Portal, Kasese and Kabale. Two of Uganda's most popular National parks (Kibale Forest NP and Queen Elizabeth NP) are found in this breathtakingly beautiful area, and they both include crater lake visits.
Around Kibale, tourists can hike to the crater lakes and get the most beautiful views in the area. The hike can take 2-3 hours depending on your speed and interests. You can also combine to the Crater Lake Hike with a visit to the caves, where you learn a lot about history and believes of the local community.
