Park at a glance:
Size: 795km2.
Altitude: 1,100m - 1,590m above sea level.
351 tree species have been recorded in the park, some rise to over 55meters and are over 200 years old.
Kibale's varied altitude supports different types of habitat, ranging from wet tropical forest on the Fort Portal plateau to woodland and savanna on the rift valley floor. Kibale is one of Africa's foremost research sites.
While many researchers focus on the chimpanzees and other primates found in the park, others are investigating Kibale's ecosystems, wild pigs and fish species, among other topics.
Kibale Forest National Park contains one of the loveliest and most varied tracts of tropical forest in Uganda. Forest cover, interspersed with patches of grassland and swamp, dominates the northern and central parts of the park on an elevated plateau.
Things to do in and around Kibale forest national park
Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale
Kibale forest national park is famously known for Chimpanzee tracking. The park is home to a total of 70 mammal species, most famously 13 species of primate including the chimpanzee. It also contains over 375 species of birds.
Kibale adjoins Queen Elizabeth National Park to the south to create a 180km-long corridor for wildlife between Ishasha, the remote southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Sebitoli in the north of Kibale Forest National Park.
The Kibale-Fort Portal area is one of Uganda's most rewarding destinations to explore. The park lies close to the tranquil Ndali-Kasenda crater area and within half a day's drive of the Queen Elizabeth National Park, Rwenzori Mountains and Semuliki National Parks, as well as the Toro-Semuliki Wildlife Reserve. Kibale Forest National park is famously known for Chimpanzee tracking.
Bigodi community Walk
In visiting the Bigodi community you are not only supporting these communities directly but also promoting conservation for the nearest home of the Chimpanzees the Kibale Forest National Park. This guided walk takes you for a closer meeting with the people at Bigodi Trading Centre and neighboring communities.
A local Guide, with a rich Knowledge of traditional customs and lifestyle of the area, will lead you through the village paths to visit places such as a primary schools, Churches, traditional homesteads, learn about the crops, fruits and may be listen to the storytelling of an elderly man.
The walk will takes up to 3 hours depending on your pace or of the group. According to your interests, you will visit a traditional healer who will happily share his knowledge about spirits, herbs, plants, and local medicines or visit the homes of elderly men and women who tell interesting stories about birth, marriage, ceremonies, clans, and their traditional life.
Learn more about the history and issues that they face as a developing community in rural Uganda. You will also be given the chance to experience the Ugandan school system, visit a local church and Bigodi's trading center, a hub of rural life and activity.
If you are a coffee lover then we will take you for a coffee experience, harvesting, drying, hauling, roasting , grinding and testing, coffee is a very import cash crop in this area and has cultural attachment's, other activities including birding in the Bigodi wetland, other visitors have just preferred a lazy nature walk which is equally rewarding,
Bigodi wetland sanctuary
The Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is an excellent birding and primate habitat, the 4 square kilometers Magombe Swamp bordering the Kibale Forest is approximately 6 kilometers south of Kayanchu, the main tracking center of Kibale Forest national park.
You are not going to swim but walk on raised wooden walkways, and observe some rare and colourful birds, colobus monkeys, and other small mammals like otters that call the swamp their home.
If you are lucky, you will spot the rare sitatunga and chimpanzees since they are also known to visit the swamps marshy shores to forage. The Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is a fantastic example of community tourism, Revenue from the sanctuary visits is channeled to build schools, support women's groups, and improve water and waste management access.
This three-hour activity pairs well with chimpanzee trekking, as they can both be done as half-day activities and can be a good substitute to the village/ community walk, but you can do both to support a vast number of people.
Top safaris
12 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari and Rwanda with Lake Kivu
This safari joins Uganda and Rwanda’s Lake Kivu. Uganda will expose you to the primate capital in Kibale national park as you look for the chimps. You will then enjoy the best queen Elizabeth national park
From
5880Per person
6 Days Uganda Budget Big Five Tour with Chimpanzees
Encounter the big five on a budget safari, You will visit the most beautiful national parks of Uganda, meet the big five and visit the male and female hot springs not forgetting soaking in Uganda's rich and diverse culture plus chimpanzee trekking to make your tour unforgettable.
From
1744Per person
7 Days Wildlife and Gorilla Tracking Uganda Safari
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and chimpanzee tracking in Kibale forest national park, to give you the best experience tackling Uganda's most thought after treasures.
From
3228Per person
7 Days Africa Honey Moon Safari
Specifically designed for honeymooners, this seven days tour has been crafted in such a way that it goes very slow and tackles the most thrilling destinations in the country to meet the test of honeymooners, all lodges have been well selected and a complimentary bear or wine will be provided to each couple on the trip
From
2673Per person
8 Days Africa Family Safari Package
You will be picked up from Kigali and transferred to Uganda though either Katuna border post or Chanika border post depending on the gorilla tracking station, after checking in at the border, through the hills of Kigezi you will head to Ruhija/Rushaga for gorilla tracking.
From
3593Per person
8 Days All Inclusive Custom Vacation Tour of Uganda
The tour Starts from Entebbe Airport or hotel, Transfer to Kibale Forest national park take on Bigodi Wetlands excursion and then head to Queen Elizabeth National Park and treat yourself to a big game drive safari, the Kazinga Channel boat.
From
3240Per person
10 Days Uganda Primates, Apes and Safari, Mid Range Tour
This tour takes our clients to popular National Parks in Uganda that include Lake Mburo National Park for game drives and boat cruises, to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park for gorilla trekking to Queen Elizabeth National park for game drives and a boat cruise on Kazinga channel, to Kibale Forest National park for chimpanzee trekking and wetland walk before you drive to Murchison Falls National park for game drives and a boat cruise to the bottom of the falls.
From
4576Per person
10 Days Chimpanzees and Wildlife Safari in Uganda
Ten days Gorilla, chimpanzees and wildlife Safari will take you to 4 national parks. On this customized primates and wildlife safari, you will visit Murchison falls national park, Kibale Forest National Park, queen Elizabeth national park or if you like add on Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Lake Bunyonyi.
From
4750Per person
16 Days Uganda Primates, Apes and Safari Mid Range Tour
On this customized safari, you will visit Kidepo Valley National Park Africa's wildest, Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale Forest National Park, Semuliki game reserve, Queen Elizabeth national park, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mburo national park.
From
6880Per person
Other toursit destinations in Uganda
Kampala city
Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, is a dynamic and rapidly growing urban center that offers a perfect blend of culture, history, adventure, and modernity. With its rolling hills, lush vegetation, and friendly people, Kampala welcomes visitors to experience the heart and soul of Uganda.
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Kabale town is a charming destination that has earned the nickname "The Switzerland of Africa." This picturesque town, surrounded by lush green hills and cool, misty weather, offers travelers a perfect escape into nature, culture, and adventure.
Explore parkQueen Elizabeth national park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is understandably Uganda's most popular tourist destination. The park's diverse ecosystems, which include sprawling savanna, shady, humid woodland forests, sparkling lakes and fertile wetlands, make it the ideal habitat for classic big game, ten primate species including chimpanzees, mankeys, baboons and over 600 species of birds.
Explore parkKidepo valley national park
Kidepo Valley National Park lies in the rugged, semi-arid valleys between Uganda's borders with Sudan and Kenya, some 700kilometers from Kampala.
Explore parkMurchison falls national park
Murchison Falls National Park lies at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley, where the sweeping Bunyoro escarpment tumbles into vast, palm-dotted savanna. First gazetted as a game reserve in 1926, it is Uganda's largest and oldest conservation area, hosting 76 species of mammals and 451 birds.
Explore parkMount Elgon National Park
At 4,000km² Mount Elgon has the largest volcanic base in the world. Located on the Uganda - Kenya border it is also the oldest and largest solitary, volcanic mountain in East Africa. Its vast form, 80 kilometers in diameter, rises more than 3,000 meters above the surrounding plains.
Explore parkRwenzori mountains national park
Rwenzori Mountains National Park protects the highest parts of the 120km long and 65km wide Rwenzori mountain range. The national park hosts 70 mammals and 217 bird species including 19 Albertine Rift endemics, as well as some of the world's rarest vegetation.
Explore parkSemliki National Park
Semuliki National Park sprawls across the floor of the Semuliki Valley on the remote, western side of the Rwenzori. The park is dominated by the easternmost extension of the great Ituri Forest of the Congo Basin. This is one of Africa's most ancient and bio-diverse forests; one of the few to survive the last ice age, 12-18,000 years ago.
Explore parkZziwa Rhino Sanctuary
The Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary is a protected area located in Nakasongola district, Uganda. It was established in 2005 with the primary objective of reintroducing and conserving the endangered southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) in Uganda.
Explore parkPian Upe Game Reserve
Pian Upe Game Reserve is a highly desired tourist destination located in the Karamoja region of northeastern Uganda. This expansive reserve covers an area of approximately 2,788 square kilometers, making it the second-largest protected area in the country.
Explore parkBwindi impenetrable forest national park
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park lies in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Rift Valley. Its mist-covered hillsides are blanketed by one of Uganda's oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests, which dates back over 25,000 years and contains almost 400 species of plants.
Explore parkLake Mburo national park
20% of the park's entrance fee is used to fund local community projects such as building clinics and schools. Lake Mburo National Park is a compact gem, located conveniently close to the highway that connects Kampala to the parks of western Uganda.
Explore parkMgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a protected area located in southwestern Uganda, on the border with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is one of the two national parks in Uganda that are home to the endangered mountain gorillas, the other being Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
Explore parkThe source of the Nile
The source of the Nile, alluded to hazily in the ancient writings of Ptolemy, stood as one of the great geographical mysteries of the Victorian Age. Closer to home, the Nile downriver from Jinja, Uganda, offers some superb white water rafting and game fishing.
Explore parkSempaya Hot springs
Sempaya Hot Springs, also known as Semuliki Hot Springs, is a natural wonder located in the Semuliki National Park in western Uganda. These hot springs are renowned for their unique geological features and therapeutic properties, attracting both locals and tourists alike.
Explore parkSipi falls
Sipi Falls is a stunning waterfall located in eastern Uganda, near the town of Kapchorwa. It is considered one of the most beautiful natural attractions in the country and draws tourists from all over the world. The falls are part of the Sipi River, which originates from Mount Elgon, an extinct volcano that straddles the border between Uganda and Kenya.
Explore parkEntebbe international airport
Entebbe International Airport is the main international airport serving Uganda. The airport is an important gateway to Uganda and the surrounding region.
Explore parkLake Mutanda
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Explore parkKisoro town
Kisoro town should be on your must-visit list. At Musana Tours and Travel, we specialize in creating unforgettable experiences for travelers, and Kisoro promises just that—an unforgettable adventure filled with nature, wildlife, and authentic cultural experiences.
Explore parkLake Bunyonyi
Known as the “Place of many little birds,” Lake Bunyonyi is located in southwestern Uganda near the border of Rwanda. Its tranquil waters, stunning landscapes, and unique islands make it a perfect destination for nature lovers, adventure seekers, and anyone looking for a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Explore parkJinja city
Jinja City, perched on the northern shores of Lake Victoria in eastern Uganda, is a true gem for travelers looking for adventure, nature, and a taste of Uganda’s rich culture
Explore parkEntebbe City
Entebbe, a vibrant city located along the shores of Lake Victoria, is one of Uganda’s most captivating destinations. Its scenic beauty, historical significance, and proximity to Uganda’s only international airport make it a key gateway to the rest of the country.
Explore parkMabamba Swamp
Mabamba Swamp stands out as a remarkable wetland, teeming with birdlife and other wildlife. Located along the northern shores of Lake Victoria, this swamp is one of Uganda’s most important bird-watching sites.
Explore parkLake Victoria
Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest freshwater lake, is one of the most breathtaking natural wonders of the world. Spanning three countries, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, this vast body of water offers unparalleled beauty, cultural richness, and abundant wildlife.
Explore parkRiver Nile
The River Nile, the longest river in the world, holds a mystique that captivates explorers, travelers, and historians alike. Spanning over 6,600 kilometers, the Nile flows through 11 countries in northeastern Africa before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea.
Explore parkFort portal
Fort Portal, the tourism capital of Uganda, is a beautiful, serene city located in the western part of the country, lying at the base of the legendary Rwenzori Mountains.
Explore parkKaruma Falls
Karuma Falls is a stunning natural marvel renowned for its roaring rapids and awe-inspiring beauty. Located within the Karuma Wildlife Reserve, this site offers an immersive blend of scenic landscapes, adventure, and wildlife.
Explore parkNews and updates
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