2024 activities in Kibale national park
2024 activities in Kibale national park.
2024 activities in Kibale national park : Kibale Forest National Park is one of the most popular safari national parks in Uganda. It is in Kabarole area in the western part of Uganda. Kibale Forest National Park is also known as the primate capital because it is home to 13 primate species, including 1,500 chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, blue monkeys, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, red and blue duikers, bushbucks, Sitatungas, bush pigs, giant forest hogs, common warthogs, African buffalo, leopards, African golden cats, servals, mongooses and others. There are also many animals in Kibale Forest National Park, such as forest elephants, antelopes, and more than 370 types of birds. During your Uganda safari, 2024 you can do intriguing safari activities in Kibale Forest National Park as follows.
Chimpanzee trekking.
Chimpanzee trekking safari is one of the primary safari activity which attracts a lot of tourists to Kibale Forest National Park. Chimpanzee trekking safari in Kibale Forest National Park starts early in the morning with a rules and regulations briefing at the park offices. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the jungle with an experienced park guide who knows the different chimpanzee trekking trails. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours, based on where the chimpanzees are. This is because chimpanzees like to move around in search of food, so they can be in different places at the same time. During chimpanzee trekking safari, you’ll be able to see other primate species, different bird species, plant and tree species, and more. Once you find the chimpanzees, you’ll be able to spend an hour with them in their natural habitat, which gives you a chance to learn more about their habits, lifestyle, and watch them do their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, playing, hunting, resting, grooming young ones, taking photos and videos to show people back home.
Chimpanzee habituation experience.
Chimpanzee habituation is another exciting safari activity to do in Kibale Forest National Park. This is where wild chimpanzees are taught to get used to people so they can be trekked with. Chimpanzee habituation starts very early in the morning, around 6:00 a.m., with a briefing at the Kanyachu park headquarters about the rules, regulations, and what to expect during chimpanzee habituation. After the briefing, you will go into the jungle with a group of researchers, park rangers, guides, and scientists to look for chimpanzees. Chimpanzee habituation experience in Kibale forest national park takes a whole day and during trekking, you will be able to observe colourful biodiversity like primate species, birds, and plant and tree species among others. Once you find the chimpanzees, you will be able to spend four hours with them. This will give you a chance to learn and observe their behaviors, such as watching them feed, groom their young, mate, breastfeed, patrol, hunt, rest, build new nests for the night, participate in the naming process, take photos among others.
Birding watching.
Kibale National Park is a wonderful safari destination place to see many beautiful bird species. About 370 bird species live in the park’s thick forests, making it a fantastic safari destination to watch birds. During chimpanzee trekking, nature/forest walks in the forest, you can see many beautiful birds, such as the yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, brown crested Alethe, red-chested owlet, red-faced woodland warbler, black bee-eater, Nahan’s francolin, little greenbul, little green bul, brown illadopsis, black-eared ground thrush, little green bul, yellow spotted Nicator, and many others.
Cultural encounters.
As a tourist, cultural encounters in Kibale National Park take you to visit local villages on the park’s edges. On a cultural encounters excursion, you go to batooro and bakiga. On your visit in these communities you experience traditional art pieces, local way of family, houses built using local materials, get entertained by local dances and drama and also get in touch with the local elders who will share interesting stories with you. At the moment, these two tribes that put on shows for guests are part of an organization called rural environment development (KAFRED). Most of the money made from the cultural contact activity is used to help the people who live there.
Forest/ nature walks.
Forest/nature walks in Kibale Forest National Park are breathtaking safaris that takes place through the thick green forests. This activity is a 12-kilometer walk that takes about 6 or more hours of walking and hiking on a trail that goes through savannah, riverine forest, tropical forest, and swamp areas of the park. This adventure starts at the Kanyanchu Visitor’s Centre. On this walk, you’ll see chimpanzees, olive baboons, bush bucks, antelopes, elephants, and many colourful birds in the forest.
Hiking and nature walks in Kibale Forest National Park are best done with the presence of a guide and during the dry months of December to February and June to September. When you go for this activity, make sure you have strong, well-fitted hiking boots, a waterproof bag, long-sleeved shirts and long trousers
Children activities.
Kibale national park is an outstanding tourist safari destination which does not only cater for the adult tourists but also for kids, chimpanzee trekking is the pioneer safari activity in the park but kids are not allowed to participate in this activity. Because of this, the park has activities for kids, such as a short walk through the forest that lasts between one and two hours and is led by a professional. Other activities include shooting, pond dipping, making batik, and playing games.
Best time to visit Kibale forest national park.
Kibale Forest National Park can be visited at any time of the year, but the best time is during the dry season, from June to September, December to February. During the dry season, the national park gets little or no rain. This means that the tracks for chimpanzee trekking and nature walks will be dry and easy to walk.
You can also go to Kibale Forest National Park from March to May and October to November, which is the rainy season. This is the best time for birding, and bird fans will be able to see colourful and migratory bird species.
Where to stay in Kibale forest national park.
Kibale forest national park has a variety of accommodation facilities that vary between budget, midrange and luxury where you can stay during your safari including Primate Safari Lodge, Turaco tree tops, Chimpundu Lodge, Ataco Country Resort, Aramaga Rift Valley Lodge, Crater Safari Lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Lodge, Chimp Nest Lodge, Isunga Lodge, Kibale Forest Camp, Kibale Guest Cottages, Kyaninga Lodge, Kibale Safari Lodge, Ndali Lodge, Mountain of the Moon Hotel, Papaya Lake Lodge, Rwetera Safari Park, Lake Nkuruba nature reserve , Kanyanchu river camp, Sebitoli camping group, safari hotel bigodi, among others.
How to get to Kibale national park.
Kibale national is situated in western Uganda which is approximately 308.1 kilometers of distance from Kampala the starting point of most safaris and it is a 5 hours’ drive, as a tourist on a trip you can get kibale national park using both road and air means of transport.
By road, there are many ways to get to the park, including the Kampala to Mubende to Fort Portal route, the Kampala to Hoima to Kyenjojo route, and the Kampala to Mbarara to Kamwenge route.
By air transport, flight companies like Aero-link offer daily flights to kibale national park from Kajjansi airstrip and Entebbe national park to three airstrips that is Nyakisharara airstrip and Kasese airstrip. From the Nyakisharara airstrip in Mbarara, it’s 98 kilometres to Kanyanchu, and its 86 kilometres from the Kasese airport.
