Kibale National Park is the best-known safari destination in Uganda for primates, which is situated in the Kabarole district in the country’s western region. In addition to chimpanzees, Kibale National Park is also home to other primates including white and black colobus monkeys, Vervet monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, olive baboons, grey checked mangabeys, red-tailed monkeys, and others. Other animals that can be found in the park include bushbucks, buffalos, forest elephants, duikers, warthogs, and bush pigs.
Attractions in Kibale national park.
Primates.
The presence of a dense forest with large trees, where the primates typically live, makes Kibale National Park the top sanctuary for primates. There are over 1450 chimpanzees living in this park. The park as well is a habitant of over 13 primate species like the black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, grey checked mangabey, L’Hoest’s Monkey, Central African Monkey and among others, the park also habits the nocturnal primates like pottos, bush babies and others that usually move during the night in the park.
Wildlife species.
Kibale national park is a home of impressive various numbers of wildlife. The park hosts the diverse number of wildlife like animal species that includes the golden cats, leopards, elephants, lions, buffalos, bush pigs, mongoose, warthogs, bushbucks, duikers, sitatunga and among others. Also the park is a home of vast numbers of bird species and among many others.
Bird species.
Kibale national park is an important birding site favored with the presence of the forested nature of the park. The park has over 375 beautiful and colorful bird species including the Albertine endemics. Some of the bird species in Kibale national park includes the Olive long-tailed Cuckoo, yellow-rumped Tinker bird, black bee-eater, Abyssinian ground thrush, Brown illadopsis, Cassin’s spintail, tabelack-eared ground thrush, African pitta, black-capped Apalis, purple-breasted sun bird, white napped pigeon, African grey parrot, little greenbul, African pitta, Barn swallow, African dusky flycatcher, African Emerald Cuckoo, Barn swallow, Black-and-white shrike-flycatcher, Blue-shouldered Robin-chat, papyrus canary and among others.
Activities to do in Kibale national park.
Chimpanzee trekking.
Chimpanzee trekking is the upper safari activity to do in Kibale national park, that’s why very many visitors collaborate themselves together in safari activity. A briefing on the guidelines to follow before beginning chimpanzee trekking in the park takes place early in the morning. Following the briefing, you will be divided into groups of approximately 6–8 people, and each group will be assigned a family of chimpanzees to trek within the company of the park guide.
Depending on the chimpanzees’ location as they move around in search of food, chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 5 hours. Visitors also have the chance to see other primates that live in the park while trekking, such as black and white colobus monkeys, various bird species, buffalos, and elephants, among many others. After finding the chimpanzees, the chimpanzee trekkers are given an hour to spend with the primates and observe their behavior, including watching them feed, hunt, play, and breastfeed, while also taking pictures and videos of them.
Chimpanzee habituation experience.
The second safari activity in Kibale National Park includes a chimpanzee habituation experience, where the primates are taught to become familiarized to human presence in preparation for trekking. Chimpanzee habituation in the park takes long time that is four hours compared to one hour in chimpanzee trekking. Chimpanzee habituation safari activity begins with a briefing at the park’s head center of the Kanyachu Park, after you’re able to choose a park guide and begin trekking through the forest in search of the chimpanzees. Once they are located, you spend four hours with them in their habitat where you can observe and learn about their behaviors, take pictures, and engage in a variety of other activities.
Bird watching.
A birdwatcher’s paradise, Kibale National Park is home to over 375 different bird species, including endemics to the Albertine Rift and migratory bird species, forest bird species which makes the park an ideal place to go birding. Visitors go on a safari while an expert bird guide leads them along various bird trails where they can see a variety of bird species, including Tropical Boubou, Slender-billed Weaver, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Black Cuckoo, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Ruwenzori Apalis, Black-eared Ground Thrush, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Masked Apalis, Chubb’s Cisticola, and more.
Nature walks and hiking.
Hiking and nature walks are two of the thrilling safari activities that can be enjoyed in Kibale National Park. Visitors have the opportunity to explore the park on foot while being accompanied by an expert park guide who is also armed to protect you from potential dangers. The tourists can spot various primate species, bird species, mammals, plant species, and tree species while on nature walks and hiking, and among others. This is when the tourists get the chance to take beautiful pictures while in the presence of nature.
Cultural tours.
The most fascinating safari activity in Kibale National Park is cultural tours, which give visitors the chance to talk to residents like the Batoro and Bakiga who live nearby. During the cultural tours the visitors get to learn about the local people culture, visiting their homesteads, farmlands, ways of living, enjoying their dances.