What to do when visiting Kibale forest national park : Kibale forest national park is among the destinations in Uganda which is home to numerous primate species. The national park is located in the western part of Uganda and there are different activities which are carried out when visiting Kibale national park and they include the following;
- Chimpanzee tracking
Chimpanzee tracking is among the popular activities which are carried out when visiting Kibale forest national park.
When visiting Kibale national park for chimpanzee tracking, tourists are required to get chimpanzee permits which cost 200 USD per person issued to individuals above the age of 12 years. These permits can be booked through licensed tour operators and they are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).
Tourists undergo a briefing at the Kanyanchu park headquarters before the chimpanzee tracking experience in Kibale national park. Chimpanzee tracking is done in the morning and in the afternoon when visiting Kibale forest and involves tourists spending time observing the chimpanzees in their natural habitat and observing their behavior during the 1 hour spent with them.
Kibale national park is also home to 13 other primate species which can be seen during tours around the destination and they include black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, l’hoest monkeys and many others.
Chimpanzee tracking is done in groups of 8 people and the best time to engage in the activity is during the dry season in the months of June to September and also around December to February. During the search for the chimpanzees in Kibale forest, the chimpanzees can be seen as they swing in the tree branches and also on the ground.
In Uganda, chimpanzee tracking tours can also be done in Budongo forest and the Kyambura gorge in Queen Elizabeth national park.
- Chimpanzee habituation
Another activity which involves spending time with chimpanzees of Kibale forest national park is chimpanzee habituation.
Chimpanzee habituation in Kibale national park is a full day activity which starts with a briefing at the park headquarters before proceeding into the forest to search for the chimpanzees and learning about their behavior including feeding habits and how they live.
The habituation experience is an experience which involves visiting the chimpanzees to get them used to the presence of humans in their habitat and it is carried out with trackers, researchers and tourists when visiting Kibale forest national park. Chimpanzee habituation in Kibale is best done during the wet season in March, April and May as well as in the month of November.
The price of a chimpanzee habituation permit in Kibale national park is 250 USD per person which allows tourists to spend the whole day with the chimpanzees in the forest as compared to the 1 hour spent with chimpanzees during chimpanzee tracking.
- Bird watching
Bird watching is another activity which is carried out during safaris in Kibale forest national park which is one of the best places for birding in Uganda.
Some of the locations for bird watching around Kibale national park include the Bigodi wetlands as well as the Kibale forest where numerous wildlife species can be spotted. Over 350 bird species are found in the Kibale forest national park.
Birds found in Kibale forest national park include Alpine Swift, Black capped Waxbill, Green Breasted Pitta, Yellow Billed Barbet, African Emerald Cuckoo, African Dusky Flycatcher, African Pied Wagtail, Blue Throated Roller, Black necked weaver, Blue Breasted Kingfisher, White Winged Warbler among others.
Birding tours can also be done throughout the year with the best time for bird watching being November to April which is a time when migrant bird species can be seen around Kibale forest national park. The bird-watching experience is also a whole day activity which starts with at the Kanyanchu park headquarters.
- Guided forest walks
Guided forest walks can also be carried out during tours in Kibale forest national park and can also be carried out during chimpanzee tracking experiences at the destination.
Different trails are followed during the guided forest walks through Kibale forest which can be done in the morning and afternoon and also in the night. These walks can be combined with primate tours in the national park.
Tourists during the nature walks in Kibale forest are accompanied by ranger guides who provide information about the different primate species and bird species, butterfly species as well as the tree species found around the national park.
Hiking is another activity which tourists can take part in when visiting Kibale forest national park. The nature walks take about 3 hours when exploring the forest along the board walks.
- Community tours
Tourists can also engage in community tours around Kibale forest national park and enjoy interactions with the locals.
Community tours can be done in areas around the Kibale national park such as visiting the Bigodi community and getting to know their way of life, engaging in activities like traditional dance performances, basket weaving, local food preparation among other experiences.
After a tour around Kibale national park, tourists can also visit the town of Fort Portal and visit destinations such as the Kings palace, Amabere caves among others and interact with the local community.
Some of the tribes that tourists interact with during community tours around Kibale national park include the Batooro.
- Crater lakes tours
Visiting the crater lakes around Kibale national park is another activity which tourists can take part in during Uganda safaris.
There are different crater lakes around the Fort Portal area and they include the Ndali Kasenda crater lakes, such as Lake Nyinambuga, Lake Nkuruba, Lake Kirufuka, Lake Nyabikere among others. Visiting the crater lakes also involves hiking and enjoying the scenic views around the crater lakes.
When visiting Kibale national park, children can also engage in activities such as craft making and also forest walks.
How to get to Kibale forest national park
Kibale national park can be accessed by driving from Kampala-Fort Portal route which takes about 5 to 6 hours.
