Kibale forest national park

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.