Kibale Forest National Park Tours in 2024
Kibale Forest National Park Tours in 2024 : Kibale forest national park is among the primate viewing destinations located in the western part of Uganda. Chimpanzees are among the major attractions found in Kibale forest national park which is considered the primate capital of the world with over 13 primate species at the destination as well as numerous bird species and butterfly species.
Over 375 bird species are found in Kibale forest national park which also has over 70 species of wildlife including forest elephants and buffalos. Primate species found at the destination include black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, olive baboons, red tailed monkeys among others.
Activities to do during tours in Kibale forest national park
Tourists visiting Kibale forest national park can engage in a variety of activities including chimpanzee trekking tours, chimpanzee habituation experiences, bird watching tours, guided nature walks and also community tours.
- Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale national park in 2024
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park is a popular activity that tourists engage in during tours in Uganda.
During the chimpanzee trekking experience in Kibale forest, tourists get to spend time in the presence of the chimpanzees and watching them closely. They are accompanies by ranger guides during the search for the chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
There are over 1500 chimpanzees found in Kibale forest national park which is home to one of the largest populations of chimpanzees. Before engaging in the chimpanzee trek, tourists are briefed at the park headquarters about what to expect during the trek.
The chimpanzee trek in Kibale national park is done in the morning and also in the afternoon and tourists move in groups to visit the chimpanzees and are accompanied by ranger guides who are knowledgeable about the trails in the forest and behaviors of the chimpanzees.
When visiting Kibale forest national park in 2024, tourists are charged chimpanzee permit fees of 250 USD for foreign nonresidents, 200 USD for foreign residents and 180,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens.
- Chimpanzee habituation in Kibale national park in 2024
Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park is an experience during which the chimpanzees go through a process of being introduced to the presence of humans in their natural habitat.
The chimpanzee habituation experience is a full day activity which starts with a briefing at the Kanyanchu park headquarters before tourists move into the Kibale forest to search for the chimpanzees going through the habituation process.
Permits for chimpanzee habituation experiences in Kibale forest national park in 2024 cost 300 USD for foreign nonresidents, 250 USD for foreign residents and 250,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens.
For chimpanzee tours in Kibale national park, tourists can book their permits through licensed tour operators and they are issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). Tourists are advised to book the permits in advance.
- Guided nature walks
Guided nature walks in Kibale forest national park can also be done during tours at the destination while getting closer to nature in the forest and encountering various primates and bird species.
Tourists get to discover different attractions and learn about the tree species, bird species and other attractions in the Kibale forest during the nature walks. Different trails are followed during the guided forest walks.
These guided forest walks can be done in the morning and afternoon during tours in Kibale forest national park. The duration of the hikes can be about 2 hours and tourists are accompanied by ranger guides as they explore the forest.
Some of the areas around Kibale national park where the guided nature walks can be done include around the Bigodi wetland sanctuary which are led by the locals.
- Bird watching
Bird watching is another fun activity to engage in during tours around Kibale forest national park which is home to a variety of bird species.
Albertine rift endemic bird species can be seen during bird watching tours in Kibale forest national park. There are different birding spots to visit at the destination where birds like the Green-breasted Pitta can be spotted.
During bird watching tours in Kibale forest, some of the bird species which can be seen at the destination include Rwenzori Turaco, African Grey Parrot, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Great Blue Turaco, Red-chested Owlet, Grey-throated Barbet, Helmeted Guinea fowl, Blue-shouldered Robin-chat, Bronze Sunbird, Blue-throated Roller, Zebra Waxbill, Swamp Greenbul, Grey winged Robin, Brown-eared woodpecker, African-pied wagtail, Cameroon Sombre Greenbul, Papyrus canary, Papyrus Gonolek, African Fire Finch, White breasted Nigrita, Red faced Crimsonwing among others.
- Community tours in Kibale national park in 2024
Community tours in Kibale national park involve interactions with the local communities around the destination.
During these community tours, the locals interact with the tourists and share about their culture and way of life, share stories with them, enjoying traditional dance performances, trying out local food among other exciting experiences.
These community tours can be done around the Bigodi area and also in Fort Portal. Some of the tribes interacted with include the Batooro people.
- Visiting the Bigodi wetland sanctuary
The Bigodi wetland sanctuary is among the places to visit for exciting tours during visits in Kibale Forest National Park.
Around Bigodi, tourists can engage in nature walks and bird watching experiences and also interact with the locals. The walk to the Bigodi wetlands take about 2 to 4 hours and tourists can encounter a variety of bird species and primate species.
Best time to visit Kibale national park
Kibale national park can be visited during any month of the year and the best time to visit the destination is during the dry season in the months of June to September and also in December to February which are part of the high season of travel.
Tours around Kibale national park can also be done during the rainy season in the months of March to May and in November.
How to get to Kibale national park
The drive from Kampala to Kibale national park takes about 5 to 6 hours and the route used is the Kampala-Mubende-Fort portal route.
