How to get to Kibale National Park : Kibale national park can be accessed using different routes during tours around the western part of Uganda. Entebbe international airport is the starting point for many safaris in Uganda and from Entebbe, tourists can drive to Kibale national park using the Kampala to Mubende to Fort Portal route or using the Kampala to Kamwenge route.
The shortest and fast route to get to Kibale national park is the Kampala-Mubende-Fort Portal route which is about 338 kilometers to get to the destination. This route is considered the northern route used to get to Kibale national park. The drive along this route takes about 5 hours from Kampala.
Another route used during Uganda Primate safaris to Kibale national park is the Kamwenge route which is the southern route. The drive along the Kamwenge route takes about 6 hours. Tourists can also access Kibale national park from neighboring destinations like Queen Elizabeth national park which is about 4 hours drive away or Semuliki national park which is about 2 hours drive away from Kibale.
Flights can be booked to from Entebbe international airport to Kasese airstrip during tours to Kibale national park. These flights are offered by domestic airlines like Aerolink Uganda and can also be booked through tour operators.
Kibale national park is among the popular safari destinations of Uganda and is home to over 1500 chimpanzees and many other primates such as colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, red tailed monkeys among others.
Activities to do in Kibale national park
After getting to Kibale national park, there is a wide range of activities to choose from for tours around the destination and they include the following;
- Chimpanzee trekking
Chimpanzee treks in Kibale national park are popular among tourists visiting the destination which is considered one of the best places to see chimpanzees and other primates.
Kibale national park offers chimpanzee trekking experiences in the morning and also in the afternoon during which tourists can explore the forest in search for the chimpanzees, follow different trails and encounter different bird species and primates like colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys and spend time in the presence of the chimpanzees once they are found in the forest.
Tourists are briefed by park officials at Kanyanchu visitors center before they enter Kibale forest to look out for the chimpanzees. Chimpanzee permits for this activity cost 250 USD per person for foreign nonresidents, 200 USD for foreign residents and 180,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens.
A limited number of people are allowed to visit the chimpanzees during the chimpanzee trekking experience which can take about 4 hours.
- Chimpanzee habituation
Chimpanzee habituation in Kibale forest national park is an exciting activity during which tourists spend about a full day or half day with the chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
The process of chimpanzee habituation in Kibale national park involves moving deep into the forests to search for the chimpanzees. A briefing is done at the park headquarters before the search for the chimpanzees begins.
During the chimpanzee habituation experience, more time is spent with the chimpanzees as compared to the chimpanzee trekking experience in Kibale forest national park which allows tourists to have about 1 hour with the chimpanzees. Tourists enjoy recording the chimpanzees and watching them as they feed and play in the Kibale forest.
Permit for chimpanzee habituation in Kibale national park cost about 300 USD for foreign nonresidents, 250 USD for foreign residents and 250,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens visiting the park.
- Bird watching
There are over 370 bird species which can be seen during bird watching experiences around Kibale forest national park.
Albertine rift endemics are among the most sought after birds found in Kibale national park. birds which can be seen around the national park include Black-capped Apalis, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Yellow-spotted Nicator, Little Greenbul, Egyptian Goose, Bronze Sunbird, Brown-chested Alethe, Yellow-billed Barbet, Barn Swallow, Black-billed Turaco, Black Bee eater, Alpine Swift, Brown-headed Tchagara, African-pied Wagtail, African Emerald Cuckoo, Black and white Shrike Flycatcher, African Citril, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Bronze Mannikin, Zebra Waxbill, Green-breasted Pitta among others.
- Guided forest walks and nature walks
Guided forest walks can also be done around Kibale national park in the morning and afternoon with ranger guides.
During the forest walks, different bird species and primate species like black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, red tailed monkeys among others can be seen around the Kibale forest national park. apart from the birds and primates, Kibale national park is also home to a variety of butterfly species.
Nature walks in Kibale national park also involves board walks around the forest and in areas like Bigodi wetlands where different bird species can be seen. The nature walks can take about 2 hours or more depending on the trail used at the destination.
- Community tours
Community tours can also be done during visits around Kibale national park and it involves getting to know more about the locals and their culture.
The Bigodi community can be interacted with when visiting Kibale national park for a chance to experience their culture and way of life, enjoy guided nature walks to the wetlands among other activities.
Community tours can also be done in neighboring town of Fort Portal where tourists can visit the palace of Tooro, get insight of the Batoro culture, enjoy traditional dance performances, learn about the pet names like Abwooli, Atwooki, Araali among other activities.
Best time to visit Kibale national park
The dry season is considered the best time to visit Kibale National Park and it is a time when many tourists visit the national park to engage in various activities. This time of the year is experienced during months of June, July, August, September and October and also in December, January and February.
Tours to Kibale national park can also be done during the rainy season around March, April and May and November which is also considered a low season due to the fewer tourists visiting the destinations around Uganda.
