Facts About Kibale Forest National Park
Facts about Kibale Forest National Park; Kibale National Park is renowned as a kingdom of primates especially the endangered chimpanzees and they are over 13 individual primate species including main chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, Red tailed monkeys, Blue monkeys, Olive baboons, Bush babies Pottos, Grey checked mangabey, mammal species like forest elephants, buffaloes, bush pigs, duikers. More so, the park is truly a birding paradise, located in western region of Uganda along the East African rift valley in kamwenge and Kabarole districts.
Kibale’s major highlight activity is the Kanyanchu Primate Walk. About thirteen species can be sought and a good variety of diurnal monkeys invariably encountered. Take note, Kanyanchu’s chimps have been tracked since 1993 and the chances of finding them are worthwhile. Well, guided walks start at 8am and 2pm and last an average of three hours depending on various factors.
The popular primate walk provides a great opportunity to watch chimpanzee in their natural habitat. Meanwhile, Kanyanchu’s groups are accustomed to human presence, whereby some have been observed for over 25 years and the chance of locating them is over 99%. Walking in search of chimps at Kanyanchu Visitor Centre starts at 08:00,11:00 and 14:00 and can last between 2 -5 hours. You arrive early at visiting Centre for registration and briefing about chimpanzee rules. Once you contact with chimpanzees you will be limited to one hour, group size which is limited to six visitors. Participants must be aged 16 and above. Advance booking is essential.
Kibale National Park is also a shelter to a further 120 mammals, including several primate species like baboons and chimpanzees as well as elephants and antelopes. Kibale Forest is home with around 370 species of birds including 23 Albertine Rift endemics – Nahan’s francolin, Cassin’s spine tail, Blue headed bee –eater and low –land masked apalis. Other bird species to see includes; Green-breasted pitta, Abyssinian ground thrush, Afep pigeon, Brown illadopsis, Brown-chested alethe, Cassin’s spintail, Dusky crimson wing, Black-capped apalis, Yellow-rumped tinker bird, White-napped pigeon, Western nicator, Ruwenzori apalis, Red-faced woodland warble, Purple-breasted sunbird, masked apalis, Little greenbul mentioned but few.
The most sought among Kibale’s primates is the Chimpanzee population surge of about 1,500 individuals, divided into different communities, four of which are habituated to humans. The Kanyantale community has been subject to daily visitors tracking since 1993.
Kibale Forest National Park sits on an altitude of between 1,160meter and 2607meter.
Note; Kibale National Park covers a total land of about 766 square kilometers and was gazette in 1932 and formally established in 1993 to protect a large area of forest previously catered for as a logged forest reserve.
Activities at Kibale National Park
While on safari to Kibale National Park you can engage in a lot of fabulous activities which are worth a visit including; Chimpanzee trekking, Chimpanzee habituation, Community visits, Nature walks, Birding, Visiting the crater lakes, Bigodi swamp area among others.
Where to stay while at Kibale National Park
Kibale National Park has got classic safari accommodation facilities including; Primate lodge, Turaco Treetops, Kibale Forest Camp, Chimpanzee Capital Safari Lodge, Kibale Safari Lodge, Chimpundu safari lodge many more. They range from budget, Mid-range and Luxury.
How to get to the park?
By road;
From Kampala ‘’capital city Uganda’’– the quickest route to Kibale National Park is through Kampala – Fort Portal highway. It can still be reached over a fully –tarmacked road for a distance of 326 kilometers, estimating 5 to 6 hours.
Or, you can opt to drive through Mbarara city with an optional stopover at Lake Mburo and Queen Elizabeth National Park.
By Air
Travelers can either schedule or charter flights from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Kasese Airstrip through one of the domestic carriers. By flight takes about 1 hour and the transfer by road to the park headquarters in about 2hours.
