How is chimpanzee trekking done in the park?
Chimpanzees are almost similar to gorillas as they share 98% of their DNA. Chimpanzee trek is legalized after acquiring a chimpanzee trekking permit which is only issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority, and only valid for a specific date of trekking.
On the day of chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest, visitors are first briefed about the whole chimpanzee activity at Kanyanchu visitor centre as early as 8:00am in the morning. Later groups of 8 individuals are made with the guidance of an experienced, trained guide to lead them into the park.
With over 2-3 hours of galloping on rough terrain visitors get amazing views after stopping at a chimpanzee family. At the sight of chimpanzees, visitors are permitted an hour of enjoying.
When to go for chimpanzee safaris in Kibale national park?
Chimpanzee trekking is an all-round activity and visitors are highly welcome to this park throughout the year. However, the best time for trekking through the forest while searching for the chimpanzees is June to September and December to February which are the driest months of the year.
The dry season is the most interesting season and as a result, trekking permits become highly demanded and they go for $200, while the chimpanzee habituation experience costs 250$ per person for foreign non-residents.
Other activities done in Kibale National Park
- Chimpanzee habituation expeditions.
Travelers who don’t get content with the one hour offered to them while glimpsing on the chimps always opt for this activity. With a few more bucks added to the normal trekking permits for chimpanzee habituation, visitors enjoy exclusive six hours of researching and learning about these amazing primates.
- Nature walks.
Guided nature walks review the spectacularly rarely seen world of nature like spotting chameleons slowly galloping and changing colors with change of surfaces, butterflies, insects and fresh breaths as trekkers in groups of 8 walking through the park as they spot nature, marshes and rough hills.
- Crater lake tours
Crater lakes tours are slowly gaining popularity and enjoyed by visitors as a supplement to chimpanzee trekking. There are many crater lakes that visitors can glimpse on including Kasenda – Ndali area which is home to about 50 crater lakes.
Craters like Rukwanzi,Nyinambuga offer loyalty to visitors as they dazzle them with beauty but the fascination travelers get from Kyaninga crater lake is unmatched.
A visit to Amabere G’anyinamwiru caves
Rocks in a breast – like form giving off water is just an epic scene that gets more interesting with various theories that come out to explain this phenomenon. Geologists believe this was a result of formation of stalagmites and stalactites rocks while the Batooro natives have explicit epic theories about King Bukuku and his daughter that visitors find intriguing.
- Birding
Kibale national park is defined by a myriad of fantastic inhabitants. With over 150 different bird species harboring the forest and other havens like water areas, birders wake up as early as 7:00am in the morning will definitely catch the early worm as birds like superb sunbird, yellow billed barbet, white- spotted flufftail and great blue turaco can be spotted by trekkers as they raise with the sun to also catch an early bird.
- Community encounters
Kibaale forest national park is blessed to be surrounded by two of most proficient tribes in the region. Either a visit to Batooro or Bakiga people or both depending on the visitors’ needs offer them incredible information about locals in the country. A visit to Bigodi community that annexes the park equips visitors with amazing information about local medicine healers, stories about marriage, births, and a visit to Bigodi women’s group.
