This 3-day chimpanzee trekking tour in Kibale Forest National Park takes you to one of Africa’s primate hubs for wonderful encounters with chimpanzees and 12 other primates. Kibale National Park is located in the Western part of Uganda and covers an area of 795 square kilometres. The park consists mainly tropical rain-forest with vast woodlands and Savannah. The rain-forest is an extension of those found in central Africa although time and human activity have reduced its size considerably.
Kibale National Park has a population of over 1,500 chimpanzees, 12 other primates, 60 mammals, 375 species of birds and 351 of trees. Some of the trees in the forest can grow up to 55 meters in height while others are over 200 years old. Before we go further, it is important to mention that Kibale forest is also home to forest elephants, leopards, lions, warthogs, hippos and giant forest pigs.
The 3-day chimpanzee trekking tour in Kibale National Park includes a primates walk in Kanyanchu, birding and a visit to the local Bigodi community with a Professional English-speaking female driver guide.
After your breakfast, our female driver Guide will pick you up from the airport/hotel to start your journey to Kibale National Park. You will continue to Fort Portal town via Mubende where you will have lunch. Fort Portal is one of the most beautiful towns in Uganda. After your lunch, the lady Guide will take you to spot the ‘Amabere ga nyina mwiru’ caves, the King (Omukama’s) palace and the royal tombs in Karambi. During your visit, you will be impressed by the beautiful sites of the crater lakes and the Rwenzori Mountains. Later proceed to the park, and you will be taken to your place of accommodation for check-in.
Wake up early for breakfast in preparation for a long day of activities. Then we proceed to the park headquarters for a briefing before we start our key activity, chimpanzee tracking. The Rangers will locate the group by following their hoots and calls. Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale is more predictable compared to the ones in Nyungwe in Rwanda or Budongo forest in Murchison Falls National Park. They are easier to find than anywhere else in Uganda. 3 large communities of chimps have been habituated in Kibale forest. An advance team is sent to locate them before letting the lead ranger know using a radio call. Chimpanzee trekking takes between two and four hours, depending on the location of the particular group you are assigned.
During your one-hour encounter with the Chimps, you will notice that they are very mobile primates. They tend to move a lot and do not stay on the ground most of the time like mountain gorillas. You have to prepare to follow them for a while as they swing from tree to tree. Chimps are also very noisy and vocal compared to mountain gorillas. Apart from the chimps, the primates walk in Kanyanchu will expose you to all of the primates in the park including pottos, Grey Vervet Monkeys, baboons, Colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, grey checked mangabey, blue monkeys and Red Tailed Monkeys. You will return to your hotel for lunch.
Later in the afternoon, take a guided nature walk in Bigodi swamp. Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary is one of the best places to see birds in Uganda. It is also host to several primates and creatures like the swamp antelope (Sitatunga), Bush bucks, Mongooses, Bush pigs and Otters. The Bigodi Swamp is home to the Papyrus Gonolek, Hornbills, and Weaver birds, Waxbills, Kingfishers, Cuckoos, Flycatchers and the Great Blue Turaco.
Enjoy your dinner and overnight at the mentioned lodge above.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Wake up at your leisure and have breakfast. Prepare to start your journey back to Kampala for your drop-off location in Kampala or at the Airport.
End of your 3-day Chimpanzee Trekking Tour in Kibale Forest National Park
The above 3-day Chimpanzee Trekking Tour includes:
The above 3-day Chimpanzee Trekking Tour excludes:
