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Kibale National Park
Kibale National park is home to Chimpanzees among other primate species. Chimpanzees are in the family of Hominidae with gorillas, orangutans and humans although they separated from humans about 6 million years ago. They share 98.8% DNA with man making them man’s closest cousins being members of the Homini a long with extinct species of the sub tribe Hominina. Male chimps are bigger than female chimps. They can stand up to 5.6 ft high and weighs about 150lbs. Chimpanzees also live 40 years in the wild and about 60 years in captivity. Chimpanzee’s arms are longer than the legs and they can walk with knuckles, or walk on all the legs and arms. They can also walk on two and hold things in their hands
The park can be visited all year round and is one of the last remaining expanses to contain both lowland and montane forests and forms a continuous forest with Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is a bird watcher’s paradise and the Green-breasted pitta which is one of the highly thought after birds, is here. You can book a bird watching safari with Gorilla Link Tours.
Apart from chimpanzees, there are about other 13 primate species which include the black and white colobus monkeys, red colobus monkeys, red tailed monkey, L’Hoest’s monkeys among others. Colobus is a greek word which means ‘missing’. The colobus monkeys miss the 5th finger. Instead of chimpanzee tracking, a traveller may opt for chimpanzee habituation. With habituation, you spend the whole day with chimpanzees and this can prepare you for your gorilla trek safari. The full day chimpanzee habituation is worth the money and the effort; you will feel like Jane Goodall. You only spend one hour with the chimps for the normal chimpanzee trek. You can combine the chimpanzee trek with a guided nature walk to Bigodi swamp, a community run activity.
Things to do
Chimpanzee Tracking
Chimpanzee tracking is one of the highlights that make a Uganda safari unique. What makes Uganda safaris more special is that you can go for chimpanzee and gorilla tracking in the same country. Kibale Forest National Park is with no doubt the best place in Uganda and in the world to see chimpanzees in their wild nature. The chimpanzee tracking starts at 8am from the park head quarters where visitors are briefed first. Then they are led to the forest by 2 ranger guides from Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Many chimpanzee families call this forest home but there are also other primates that include the red colobus monkeys, the grey checked mangabey, blue monkey, L’Hoest monkey among others. There are also olive baboons and the nocturnal bush babies and pottos which may be seen on a night walk in the forest.
Chimpanzee Habitation
Chimpanzee habituation in Kibale Forest National park, a tropical forest is now popular and it is an experience like no other. Because chimpanzee trekking is very popular, another group is being habituated and visitors have an opportunity to participate in the chimpanzee habitation process at $220 per person. The price such as park entry fees; ranger guides fees and habituation fees. For a long time now, since the 1960s, a team of scientists have been habituating chimpanzees so visitors are able to go chimpanzee tracking.
Chimpanzees are found in 19 African countries but they are endangered since their habitant is being destroyed by man. You will spend a whole day with chimps contributing to the habituation process with rangers and habituation experts from UWA.
Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
Bigodi Wetland swamp sanctuary is about 6 km south of Kibale National park. Ran by the community surrounding the park. 200 bird species that include the great blue turaco, about eight different primates for instance the grey checked mangabey, the blue monkey, the red tailed, the black and white colobus monkey among others. Beautiful butterflies call this swamp home. The guided swamp walk takes bout 2 to 3 hours walking. Through beautiful grasslands and communities with children waving at you warmly. The scenery too is beautiful.
About 370 bird species recorded in Kibale National park and surrounding area. What more can a bird watcher ask for? The breasted pitta is one of the highly thought after birds, and our bird watching itinerary includes birding in Kibale national park. Bird watching in Kibale National park can be done thought the year. The other best bird spot is the Bigodi wetland sanctuary that is home to the great blue turaco, black and white cascade hornbill among others.
Crater walk lakes
With over 70 crater lakes found are the area, a visitor can go for a 2 to 3 hour crater walk or more and hike to the top of the world for stunning views. Some of the crater lakes that are due to volcanic activities and explosions ages ago are Lake Nyabikyere, Ndali and Kyaninga.
Visit to Palace
On your way to Queen Elizabeth National park, one can decide to visit Toro palace to learn more about Toro kingdom which is one the 5 traditional kingdoms in Uganda and King Omukama Oyo Rukidi IV became the youngest king in the world in 1995 at the age of 3.
Cultural home stays
It is also possible to visitors to do a home stay at one of the homes in the communities and experience first hand how the local people go by their lives. You will also participate in going to the farms with them, preparing and enjoying traditional Ugandan food. .
Night nature walk:
If booked early through the national park, one can go for a guided night walk to look out for bush babies, golden cats and pottos. Before the night walk, forest elephants that call Kibale Forest National park monitored first for peaceful night nature walks