Located near the foothills of the Mountains of the Moon in western Uganda, Kibale National Park spans 776 square kilometers. It is the most accessible of Uganda’s major tropical rainforests and serves as a habitat for a remarkable array of 13 primate species, both nocturnal and diurnal. These include chimpanzees, the localized red colobus monkey, L’Hoest’s monkey, black and white colobus monkey, pottos, Guereza colobus, olive baboon, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and red-tailed monkeys, among others.
The park features a diverse range of vegetation zones, including mature, mid-altitude, moist semi-deciduous, and evergreen forests (57%), grasslands (15%), woodlands (4%), lakes and wetlands (2%), colonizing forests (19%), and plantations of exotic trees (1%). The exotic tree species primarily consist of Cupressus lusitanica, Pinus patula, P. caribaea, and various Eucalyptus species.
This rich vegetation supports a variety of other fascinating mammals, including the elusive forest elephant, buffaloes, ichneumon, bushbucks, African civet cats, banded and marsh mongooses, bush pigs, Alexander’s cusimanse, swamp otters, ratels, and African palm civets. While golden cats, serval, lions, leopards, warthogs, giant hogs, and hippopotamuses are also present, they are less commonly encountered.
The park is also home to over 335 bird species, such as the red-chested flufftail, red-winged francolin, joyful greenbul, green-breasted pitta, grey-winged robin, Abyssinian ground thrush, grey-throated flycatcher, white-bellied crested flycatcher, Uganda woodland warbler, white-naped pigeon, chestnut-winged starling, orange-tufted and tiny sunbirds, grey-headed olive-back, African pitta, and masked and black-capped apalises.
Accessibility
Kibale National Park is approximately 320 kilometers from Kampala via a mostly surfaced direct road. It is only an hour’s drive from Kasese and 35 kilometers from Fort Portal, accessible via a dirt road leading to the Kanyanchu Tourist Centre. For those preferring air travel, private charter flights to Kasese airstrip can be arranged, followed by a one-hour road transfer to the park.
Safari Activities
Chimpanzee tracking is the park’s primary tourism activity. This memorable experience involves tracking habituated chimpanzees, which are closely related to humans and offer delightful entertainment as they interact, play, and forage in fruiting trees.
Additional activities include nature walks through the Bigodi Swamp, where birdwatchers can spot a variety of species along the trail, and educational walks focused on tree identification for children who are not permitted to track chimpanzees. Community visits to neighboring local villages are also available, providing insights into local culture and conservation efforts.
Kibale National Park offers a unique blend of primate encounters, diverse wildlife, and rich biodiversity, making it a must-visit destination for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers.