Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale Forest National Park sits in the southern Uganda occupied by moist evergreen rain forests. It is approximated to 766 square kilometers in size and located between 1,100–1,600 meters in elevation.
Kibale boasts over 13 species of primates including the localized red colobus, endemic mangabeys and L honest’s monkeys and Chimpanzees, the main reason for all tailor made Safaris to this Park.
Species in the Park
At least 60 mammal species are present in Kibale Forest. It is particularly rich in primates with the highest total among Uganda’s ten National Parks.
To name some of the primates in Kibale, vervet, red-tailed and blue monkeys,grey cheeked mangabey,red colobus,black and white colobus, olive baboon and chimpanzee can’t miss the list.
Kibale Forest area is the main habitat for the red colobus, though small numbers still thrive in the Semliki National Park. Visitors on forest or swamp walks are inspired by breathtaking sights of around five to six primate species.
This Park offers remarkable primate viewing but it is not otherwise an easy place to behold large mammals such as lions, leopard, elephant, buffalo, warthog, giant forest hog, bush-pig, bush-buck, sitatunga and peter’s red and blue duikers.
Elephants found in kibale forest are classified as belonging to the forest race, which is smaller and hairier than the more familiar savanna elephant.They frequently move into the Kanyanchu area during the wet season,but they are not often seen by tourists.
Roughly 335 bird species have been recorded in Kibale Forest including four species not recorded in any other National park. With this, its not hard to understand why numbers of birders from different parts of the World include it on top hotspots for an ultimate Uganda birding Safari.
While in Kibale, Bigodi Wetland is ranked the best bird-watching spot. A four hour trail through the wetland reveals several unusual species to admire along with awe-inspiring views of the luxuriant vegetation. Meet with nature for a couple of hours and this is a hard to forget rewarding experience.
Getting there
You can easily get to Kibale Forest National Park by numerous options. From Kampala to the Park, it’s approximated to 315 km and you can drive for about 5-6 hours via a tarmac road.
The time taken for the drive often depends on speed used and en route stop overs included. The route starts from Kampala via Kampala – Mityana – Mubende – Fort portal highway.
A stop over is included in the spotless Fort portal town to refresh with exhilarating drinks and lunch, after the long jaw dropping journey from Kampala.
Continuing from Fort portal town, you will follow Lugard road to Mpaga river where you turn right immediately before the bridge. You fork left at a junction which is 12km from Fort town.
Keep on driving past Crater Valley Resort and Chimpanzee Guest house until you enter the forest. From the point where the forest begins from, its 10 km to Kanyanchu River camp or centre where all tourism activities in the Park start from. Moreover, from Kanyanchu its 5km to Bigodi.
A little used alternative route to Kibale Forest runs north from Mbarara via Ibanda and Kamwenge.This route is tarmaced and passes between some lovely hills on the way to Ibanda, north of which the road is unsurfaced but mostly in pretty good condition. In a private vehicle the drive should take three hours.
Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
This sanctuary that protects Magombe swamp is adjacent to Bigodi trading centre and out of Kibale Forest National Park boundary.
It’s run by Kibale Association for Rural and environmental development, all money collected for the walking expeditions through the Wetland is used in the community projects.
The 4.5km guided circular trail through the swamp is not only one of the best birding trails in East Africa but also offers great chances to behold six various primate species.
For first timers, in order to be part of this expedition you are required to pay a required fee, after a guide is assigned and the journey starts following the trails crisscrossing the swamp.
Bird watchers, if you are interested in some special species of birds its better you mention them or inform the guide before the journey starts, guides on this walk are good at identifying different species of birds.
You can either do a morning or afternoon walk. Morning walks start very early in the morning, its advised to keep time. Afternoon walks start at 15:00 pm and takes about three hours. Birders are advised to choose a morning walk to catch the early risers but for sights of different monkey species its possible for whatever session you may choose.
The trails through the swamp are muddy though there are fitted with boardwalks, it is advised you come with strong walking shoes or gumboots to free your legs from mud, thorns and hooks.
While on the walk some of the usual species include the great blue turaco, papyrus gonolek that is heard by sound before its seen.
Others are yellow-billed, yellow-spotted and double-toothed barbets, yellow-rumped and yellow-throated tinker-barbets, brown-eared woodpecker, blue-throated roller, black-crowned waxbill, swamp fly catcher, northern-throated weavers to mention but a few.
Different insect species are every where including Butterflies, it’s as well home to sitatunga, Serval, variety of mongoose and numerous primate species. Of the all primates, the red colobus are the mostly seen, on a lucky day you are most likely to behold the black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys and grey-cheeked mangabey.
Mpanga Falls
A cascading waterfall to admire is formed by Mpanga River as it spills over the rim of 1200m mountain Karubaguma, 15km before it empties into Lake George.
Engulfed by a steep gorge and luxuriant cover of spray forest, this fall is approximated to be about 50m high. The gorge’s vegetation is truly remarkable, impressive and is inhabited by numerous Wildlife species you cant stop admiring on a visit.
Activities in the park
Chimpanzee tracking and Habituation
Both excursions stand as the main motives for a tailor-made safari to Kibale Forest National Park. To give a difference between these two, Chimpanzee tracking is done in a group and it involves meeting with the chimpanzees in the jungles for close encounters, one hour is allowed while in presence of the primates.
Then for the habituation experience, you are allowed to interact with the chimpanzees for about four hours while following their movements as well as taking lots of photos and videos.
Both activities start from Kanyanchu tourism center. A permit is a must and the one for Chimpanzee tracking costs $150 USD and habituation experience costs $200 USD per person.
Birding
Kibale is not only ideal for chimpanzee tracking, when it comes to bird watching, this park is definitely a legendary. Bird watching tours start at 7am at Kanyanchu, it is more of recommendation to book in advance.
Some of the rare species to expect on your birding excursion include the Papyrus gonolek, White-winged Warbler, White-collared Olive back and Papyrus Canary.
Bigodi Wetland located just outside the park, a number one hot spot for bird watching in Kibale is home to 138 bird species which may be seen during guided walks along the boardwalk trail and viewing platforms.
Other bird species in Bigodi are the White-spotted Fluff tail, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, Brown – throated Wattle-eye, Superb Sunbird, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Yellow-billed Barbet, Western Nicator, Grey-winged Robin-chat, White-tailed Ant-thrush, Brown-backed Scrub-robin, Bocage’s Bush-shrike, Black Bishop, White-breasted Negrofinch and Black-crowned, Wax bill among others.
Nature Walks
Nothing more you can get close to nature than Nature walks. These walks are often offered in three sessions that start at 8:00 am, 10:00 am and 2:00 pm from Kanyanchu.
It takes about 2-3 hours exposing you to different Wildlife species and plant life. During the walk remind the guide to show you the naked Adam and Eve tree, one of Kibale National Park’s major Landmarks not to miss.
Cultural Encounters
Kibale National Park offers one of the best cultural encounters. While on the walks through the tropical rain-forest you can meet the local people at the community run campsite near the villages of Nyaibanda, Nyakalongo and Kinoni, interact and have an insight about their ways of living and culture.
