How to Spend 5 Days in Kibale National Park

How to Spend 5 Days in Kibale National Park

From this write-up, you find out how to spend 5 days in Kibale National Park. Kibale National park is home to the biggest chimpanzee family in Africa. This tropical forest occupies 795sq km of land. A number of primates including chimpanzees spend the entire day and night in this park.

Since Kibale Forest neighbors Queen Elizabeth National park to the south, a number of other wild animals cross the forest like Elephants, bushbucks, duikers, and waterbucks to mention but a few. Although they rarely come into sight, expect to find them during chimpanzee trekking.

For a great birding experience, Kibale National park is one African safari worth visiting.  More than 325 bird species live in the park including the rare shoe bill. 6 of the Albertine endemics may be seen spotted. Some resident birds of Kibale forest include red-faced woodland, yellow spotted nectar, collared Apalis, purple-breasted sunbird, and blue-breasted kingfisher to mention but a few.

Children below 12 years are not allowed to do chimpanzee trekking but children’s activities are on to keep them busy and engage them in the conservation plan. A 1 to 2 hours walk into the forest with an educational forest walk keeps them busy. They are kept busy while their parents go chimpanzee trekking.

Highlights

• Day 1 Drive to Kibale National park
• Day 2 Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National park
• Day 3 Forest Hike in Kibale National Park
• Day 4 Visit Amabere Ga Nyinamwiru and Tooro kingdom Palace
• Day 5 Departure day

Detail itinerary

Day 1: Drive to Kibale National Park

Take your breakfast and head to Kibale National Park. The drive takes about 5 hours on the road. Enjoy the amazing scenery that you pass by, especially the gardens. You may make an optional stop at Nyakarima mythical tree which is believed to possess powers to conceive. Get to the lodge and relax

Accommodation at Kibale National Park

A variety of accommodations facilities most of which offer full board service are available within and on the outskirts of the park. Different accommodation plans ranging from up-market to mid-range to Budget can be booked. A wide range of accommodations are available in Fort Portal town. Some accommodations available include Ndali lodge, Primates Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, Kibale Safari Lodge, C.V. K, Chimps Nest, Chimpanzee Guest house

Day 2: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale National Park

Start the day with a briefing from the ranger guide early morning if you are on the morning shift. Gather at Kanyanchu or Sebitori ranger station for briefing. Chimpanzee trekking rules are some of the details talked about. Rules like do not eat near the chimps, keeping a distance of 8 meters between you and the chimpanzees, never enter the park without a park guide, no flash photography.

Look out for other primates like olive baboons, bush babies, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, bush babies, and others. Numerous birds spend the day in the forest and during your trek, you may get to identify some of them like little greenbul, blue-breasted kingfisher, yellow-rumped tinker bird, African pitta, and blue-headed sunbird, black bee-eater mention but a few.

Chimpanzees normally communicate by beating the tree trunks to send a warning to the rest. Follow the guide’s instructions till you locate the chimpanzees. They live in a community under the leadership of an alpha male.

When you meet the chimpanzees wait and put a distance of about 8 meters apart from them. Watch them eat the day’s meal which is mainly foliage. During extreme drought, the chimpanzees may eat monkeys to survive but this is rare. Take photos as souvenirs for your chimpanzee trekking experience. It is like a trip to the lost relatives in the Jungle because chimpanzees have the closest DNA to about 98% of humans.

An optional visit to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary in Magombe swamp may give you chance to see primates you may have missed in the forest. Some of the primates include red colobus, black and white colobus monkeys, and Pottos monkeys to mention but a few. Over 138 bird species may be identified too including the serene shoe bill. It is a community-run project. Get back to the lodge to relax.

Day 3: The Forest Hike in Kibale National Park

This is a 12 km hike from Kanyanchu visitor center to the elephant wallow. This trek begins from 0800hrs to 1400hrs. During the hike you by-pass diverse habitats like a tropical rainforest, riverine forest, swamp, and grassland.

This walk gives you chance to see more primates, a number of birds, bushbucks, and duikers. This hike is more effective from June to September and mid-November to February.

Day 4: Visit Amabere ga Nyina Mwiru stalactites and stalagmites and Tooro Kingdom

Step out of the forest to and take a walk to the stalagmites and stalactites called Amabere ga Nyinamwiru. The history behind these land formations is lovely to listen to. It is believed these stalactites and stalagmites developed from a Tooro princess’s breasts that were cut off. Bypass the incredible falls that pour from the many rivers that feed the falls. You’ll proceed hiking through creeping tendrils taking you to the top.

Spend the afternoon in the King’s palace. The kings of Tooro locally have the title of Omukama. Currently the Omukama of Tooro is Oyo Kabamba Iguru. Enjoy the guided walk through the place. When standing in the compound of the Tooro King, you get a clearer panoramic view of the entire Fort Portal town.  Relax in the compound and take photos in front of this incredible circular glass palace building.

If you checked out of your lodge in Kibale National Park, you may book overnight in accommodations available in Fort portal town like Mountains of the Moon Hotel

Day 5: Departure day

After having fun chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National park, drive back to Entebbe to catch up with your return flight.

Getting to Kibale National park

By road

Two main routes are available to get to Kibale National Park and below are the possible routes.

1. If trekking chimpanzees from Kanyanchu River Camp which is the center of this area’s tourist activities, take the Kampala to Mubende to Fort portal route. This route is about 300 km and the shortest route to Kibale National Park through the North approach
2. From Kampala to Mbarara to Kamwenge to Fort Portal but you drive on a murram road for about 36 km to arrive at Kibale National Park.

Sebitori Forest Camp a secondary tourism center of Kibale National Park lies close to the Kampala main road to Fort Portal. This is about 16 km prior to arriving at Fort Portal town. To enjoy the tour to Kibale National Park it is best enjoyed when you take a round trip.

Take the route through Kampala-Mubende- Fort portal at the start and then go through Kibale-Fortpotal-Mbarara-Kampala on Departure day. Respective routes have different and exciting features in the countryside that you can stop by to enjoy or look out of the window to see.

Flights

Daily domestic flights depart Entebbe Airport and Kajjansi Airstrip to Kasese Airstrip. You may opt to take a Fly-in Chimpanzee trekking safari. You need a transfer vehicle to take you from the airstrip to in or out of the park premises. These flights take about 2 hours to arrive at the airstrip and are two schedules morning and afternoon.

Charter flights from Kajjansi Air Strip or Entebbe Airstrip can also be arranged upon request

Booking Chimpanzee Trekking Permits for Kibale National Park

Each day the Uganda wildlife Authority issued chimpanzee permits. Two chimpanzee trekking sessions are available for tourist booking that is morning and afternoon.

Each chimpanzee trekking permit cost $150 per person per trek. You need to book your chimpanzee trekking permit in advance because they get sold out, especially during peak season.

What to Pack for Chimpanzee Trekking In Kibale National Park

Although the Kibale Forest is not as sodden as Bwindi Forest, you need to pack gears that will protect you from jungle conditions.

• Carry warm wear because the forest gets chilly, especially in the early morning.
• Rainproof gears to protect you from getting wet, especially during rainy seasons.
• Closed shoes that can withstand forest conditions
• Insect repellant to apply on your skin and prevent stinging insects from biting you.
• A pair of long trousers to cover up your body from through the jungle.
• The camera to take photos that will remind you about your experience during the chimpanzee trekking.
• Energy giving foods to eat and keep you going while in the jungle. Do not dump wrappings in the forest because these alter the natural setting of the forest.

Dos and Don’ts of Chimpanzee Trekking

• Children below 12 years and below are not allowed to do chimpanzee trekking because of the long trek at times they may not withstand.
• Try not to scare the chimpanzees or provoke them because they will retaliate.
• Avoid eating in front of the chimpanzees because they may grab what you’re holding yet they are wild animals that must search for their own food.
• Leave a distance of about 8 meters from the chimpanzees to reduce the chances of passing any infection to the chimpanzees which are susceptible to human infections.
• Using flash photography is prohibited because this may scare the chimpanzees pushing them into hiding.
• If you want to defecate do so off the trail and bury beyond recognition more than 30 cm deep.

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