Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale Forest National Park formerly known as Kibale Forest National Park is the best destination for primate watching in Africa. Kibale National Park is the premium chimpanzee tracking destination in Africa with well over 1500 chimpanzee individuals recorded in the park. This makes chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park the most sought after activity, alongside birding with about 400 bird species roaming the park which tourists can see with birding in Kibale National Park Uganda safaris.
Kibale National Park Location
Kibale National Park is one of the forested and primate national parks of Uganda located in the western region of Uganda, about 348km from Kampala city and only 26km south-east of Fort Portal town which is the nearest town to the park. Kibale National Park is located just near the Ndali Kasende crater area, and is only about 6 hours of road drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Semuliki National Park, Toro-Semuliki Wildlife Reserve and the Rwenzori Mountains which give commanding views while in Kibale National Park, especially when on the highest point in the park which is 1590 meters above sea level.
Is Kibale National Park safe?
Yes, Kibale National Park is safe and is one of the best primate safari destinations in Africa, with a record 13 primate species that tourists can encounter on primate walks and primate safaris in Kibale National Park.
Kibale National Park is a true primate capital of East Africa, with 13 primate species recorded to inhabit the park, especially the chimpanzees which tourists can encounter with chimpanzee tracking and chimpanzee habituation experiences in Kibale National Park. Below are the various attractions in Kibale National Park that travellers can see and visit while on safari in the park;
Vegetation in Kibale National Park
Kibale National Park is a tropical forest, actually the park was formerly called Kibale Forest National Park because the park is predominantly just a forest. The vegetation in Kibale Forest National Park is varied, ranging from moist evergreen forest to moist semi deciduous, as well as woodland and savannah along the Rift Valley floor. The vegetation in Kibale National Park rises to up to 55m giving a semi-closed canopy. The vegetation in Kibale National Park also consists of ferns, shrubs, forest glasses, sparse undergrowth and tree species of up to 351 tree species.
Primates in Kibale National Park
Primates in Kibale National Park are the sole reason that travellers do visit Kibale National Park. There are 13 different primate species in Kibale National Park, the highest density in Africa. Primates in Kibale National Park include the L’Hoest’s monkey, grey cheeked mangabey, and red colobus monkeys, with the most sought after being the chimpanzees, among so many others.
Other animals in Kibale National Park
Other animals in Kibale National Park include bush babies, pottos, bush pigs, elephants, duikers, buffaloes, among so many others.
Birds in Kibale National Park
Kibale National Park has over 325 bird species recorded to inhabit the park, including 6 bird species endemic to the Albertine Rift area. Some of the bird species in Kibale Forest National Park include the black-capped appalis, blue-headed sunbird, red-faced woodland warbler, Abyssinian ground thrush, yellow spotted nicator, little greenbul, brown chested alethe, among so many others.
Crater Lakes
Crater lakes are another attraction in Kibale National Park that reward travellers with spectacular views. Taking walks or hikes around the crater lakes have you enjoying these views of the crater lakes.
Activities in Kibale National Park
With so many attractions in Kibale National Park, there are a number of activities in the park that travellers can do and hey include;
Chimpanzee tracking
Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park is the most done of all the activities in Kibale National Park, which takes travellers hiking through the forest in search of the chimpanzees. Kibale National Park is the best place to for chimpanzee tracking in Uganda, of all the chimpanzee tracking destinations in the country. With over 1500 chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, chimpanzee tracking here guarantees you seeing the noisy chimpanzees. For one to enjoy Kibale chimpanzee trekking, one ought to purchase chimpanzee tracking permits which cost USD200 per person per trek. When you do encounter the chimpanzees, you spend only one hour with the chimps
Chimpanzee habituation experience
Chimpanzee habituation in Kibale Forest National Park has travellers visiting a semi-habituated chimpanzee group in the company of chimpanzee experts and care takers, giving travellers more time to spend with the chimpanzees.
Birding
Birding in Kibale National Park has travellers seeing a number of bird species in the park, with keen birders spotting even up to 100 bird species. To be able to see more bird species on your birding safari in Kibale National Park, be sure to have a bird guide as well as a good pair of binoculars.
Hiking/Nature walks
Hiking in Kibale National Park has you going through the forest giving you an opportunity to explore the park more and in depth. Hiking or nature walks in Kibale National Park take you through well-developed hiking trails, in groups of up to 6 individuals. Nature walks in Kibale National Park can take anything from 3-4 hours up to even 6 days, depending on the trail you choose.
Other activities in Kibale National Park that you can do include Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, Crater lakes tour, visiting the Amabere ga Nyina Mwiru as well as community tours.
How to get to Kibale National Park
Getting to Kibale National Park is not so hard. Tourists can get to Kibale National Park by both air and air. By road, it is about 6-7 hours from Kampala on the common route of Kampala-Mubende-Fort Portal drive which is quite scenic. By air, travellers can take charter flights to any of the airstrips that service Kibale National Park like Kasese airstrip.
Best time to visit Kibale National Park
Kibale National Park can be visited all throughout the year, but it is the dry season which is considered the best time to visit Kibale National Park which runs in the months of December to February and June to September. Kibale National Park weather and climate is basically pleasant throughout the year, with an annual temperature range of 14-27 degrees Celsius. The best time to enjoy birding safaris in Kibale Forest National Park is however during the wet season when the park receives even migratory birds especially in the month of November.
Kibale National Park accommodation
Accommodation in Kibale National Park can be found both inside and outside the park, catering for all kinds and budgets of travellers. Accommodation in Kibale National Park ranges from luxury, midrange to budget as well, thereby catering for all categories of travellers. Some of the accommodation in Kibale National Park that you may choose from include Ndali Lodge, Aramaga Rift Valley Lodge, Isunga Lodge, Primate Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, Kyambura Crater Lodge, among so many others.
