KIBALE NATIONAL PARK
CHIMPANZEE TREKKING
Kibale forest national park is located in the western side of Uganda covering a total surface area of 766 square kilometres and the entire landscape is green, full of lush vegetation of trees, shrubs, ferns, grass among others and this has created a natural home for variety of wildlife like 13 primate species including chimpanzees, vervet, red-tailed, L'Hoest's, blue monkeys, grey-cheeked manabey, red colobus, black and white colobus, olive baboon, and over 335 bird species like the ducky crimson wing, black capped Apalis, blue headed sunbird, red faced woodland warbler and purple breasted sunbird among others and over 60 other kinds of mammals besides the primates like the bush pigs, elephants, duikers among others.
The park is the most accessible of all the Ugandan parks with only a 5 hours’ drive from Kampala and a must visit for a perfect trip exploration and satisfaction.
What our experts love about Uganda
Uganda is renowned for its stunning natural beauty, including the Rwenzori Mountains, the Nile River, and numerous national parks like Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, It's a prime destination for wildlife lovers
Lovy - Travel Expert
Activities Around Kibale National Park
Chimpanzee. tracking in kibale national park
The day starts after your breakfast before proceeding to the starting point for Chimpanzee tracking. The drive to the park headquarters is for about 1 hour for lodges like Ndali lodge, Papaya lodge and only a 2 minutes’ walk for clients overnighting at primate lodge, Turaco safari lodge.
Attend the briefing which lasts for about 15 minutes, listen to the rules and regulations from the ranger guides.
Proceed with your trek that normally lasts for over 3 hours or more basing on when you find the chimps. As you get closer to the chimps, you hear them hooting from a distance and this will need you to increase on your speed so that we don’t miss out the chimps because they keep moving and going deeper into the forest. So many people can’t hide their excitement upon the first sight of the chimps as they swing from one tree to the other, showing off different poses. It is normal to be scared when you first get close to the chimps but all this is long forgotten because the chimps are so welcoming.
Spend 1 hour with the chimps as you take photos of the chimps as the ranger was give you more information about the chimps like different families in Kibale forest, mating periods, ways of living, feeding etc.
After about an hour of remarkable experience with the chimps, exit the forest to the park for your certificate.
Chimpanzee habituation in kibale national park
Just like the chimpanzee tracking, the excursion starts from the park headquarters with a briefing and registration. Chimpanzee habituation is the process the chimps are undertaken to get more familiar with the human surroundings, the activity is only done in Kibale forest national park in the whole of Uganda and it takes two years before clients are allowed to meet the chimpanzees and only 12 persons are allowed to spend the day with chimpanzees with clients divided in 2 groups of six a factor that has made permit availability very limited hence an advance booking is very recommendable.
The five hours excursion involves clients assisting the researchers to collect data and information related to the chimpanzee’s diurnal lives like the way they feed surprising how chimps love antelope and goats meat, watch them as they play and swing from one tree to the other, how the juvenile provoke and poke each other – watch them defend themselves, See how they construct their nests and what materials they use and best chance to see the chimps nurse their young ones, Get more information from the ranger guide about their mating periods, the reproduction system, the physical gestures and different sounds made among others that you will get to know of during your habituation.
Definitely a little bit of fitness is very crucial and wearing long sleeved clothes and gloves plus hiking shoes is a safety measure.
Nature walk in kibale national park
The nature walk in Kibale national park is both a day and night activity that goes through the demarcated trails of the forest bringing you to a closer encounter with the different wildlife that have found a home in the forest canopy like 13 primate species including chimpanzees, vervet, red-tailed, L'Hoest's, blue monkeys, grey-cheeked manabey, red colobus, black and white colobus, olive baboon, and over 335 bird species like the ducky crimson wing, black capped Apalis, blue headed sunbird, red faced woodland warber and purple breasted sunbird among others and over 60 other kinds of mammals besides the primates like the bush pigs, elephants, duikers among others. The activity is done in an accompaniment of the guide ranger and you could need the spot light for cases of a nocturnal walk.
Birding in kibale national park
Embark on a birding adventure in the forest canopy of Kibale with over 335 bird species including 6 endemic species including the ducky crimson wing, black capped Apalis, blue headed sunbird, red faced woodland warber and purple breasted sunbird among others.
Birds can be spotted on your swamp walk visit, crate lake visit, chimpanzee tracking and habituation. Enjoy a view of the night birds on your nocturnal visit. Please carry along binoculars, field guide book to tick whatever bird you have seen, water, insect repellant among others should not miss out in your back pack.
Other activities in kibale national park
Cultural walk in kibale national park
At the edge of Kibale forest, you will find different tribes of people that have used the land for human settlement and these include the soft spoken batoro people plus the Bakiga immigrants.
You can support the local community by taking a visit around Kibale with very interesting and pleasing activities put in place for you can participate in like visiting the locals homes for a diurnal experience of an African life, local orphanages and schools, banana brewing demonstrations, visiting hospitals and even meeting traditional medicinal healers, enjoy the kitooro dance and songs that promote their cultural, the beautiful dressing code of the batoro is truly amazing. The cultural visit is designed based on your interests and experience.
Bigodi swamp walk in kibale national park
Bigodi swamp walk is a project that was introduced by Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development (KAFRED) to conserve the wetland and also improve on the financial wellbeing of the local population around the swamp.
The walk provides one of the best birding spot for a keen birder on the safari as well as a good sighting for some of the primates in Kibale forest like black and white colobus, red tailed Colobus etc.
Tinka's lunch in kibale national park
Tinka is among the founders of Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development (KAFRED) and he is also a community leader in Bigodi community.
Tinka is kind enough to host people at his home to enjoy a traditional Ugandan meal served with a variety of local dishes in honour of culture, staple foods from different regions of the country and Tinka will explain the background information on the farming, harvesting, cooking methods and eating of the traditional foods served. What a cultural experience!
Talk to an expert
Our Travel Specialists are experts in East Africa adventures. They can answer your questions and help you pick the perfect trip. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
If you need any help highlighting the experiences or creating memorable safari, feel free to ask!
CONTACT INFORMATION
© 2024 Berengei African Safaris | Crafted by Robylinks Solutions