Both primates and nature enthusiasts will find heaven at Kibale National Park. The park is situated in western Uganda, close to the districts of Fort Portal, Kyegegwa, and Kamwenge. Astonishingly diverse primates, animals, and bird species may be found in Kibale National Park, which also offers fantastic nature trails for park visitors. The park’s proximity to numerous other must-see sights is what thrills visitors.
Before we continue, there are five main reasons to adore Kibale Forest National Park. After reading this post, you will understand why. We advise explore Uganda Tours to plan a minimum 3-day visit to Kibale Forest National Park so that you may learn more about it and enjoy its many attractions.
- Carry out chimpanzee tracking
When it comes to chimpanzee tracking, Kibale Forest National Park is the best place to go. Similar to gorilla trekking in Uganda, you can go chimpanzee trekking and habituation in Kibale Forest at the same time, however, habituation takes a lot of time and concentration. Chimpanzees are the main attraction in this park. It costs $200 and $250 to go chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park. A briefing always precedes a small-group tracking trip with a qualified ranger guide to see these wonderful animals in their native habitat. Once you locate a group of these obstinate and active primates who like to live in trees, you are permitted to spend an hour observing their actions and recording them with photos and videos for your historical record and memory keeping.
2. The bird watching is hilarious
One of the main activities of Kibale National Park, which has since been dubbed the “birder’s refuge,” is birding. More than 350 different bird species can be found there, of which 6 are indigenous to the area. During forest and nature hikes to the forest and at the Bigodi wetland, one can see these lovely rare bird species. Although it can be done throughout the year, the optimum months are from March to May and from September to November. Food and fruit are more plentiful in the forest during this time, luring more birds to dine on them.
Among the fascinating bird species to see while on your tour of Kibale Forest National Park are the violet-backed starling, African pitta, dusky crimson wing, blue-breasted kingfisher, and green-breasted pitta, black bee-eater, yellow-rumped tinkerbird, eastern nicators, and sunbirds.
3. The nature walks and hikes
In Kibale Forest National Park, there are numerous and magnificent nature trails, but some are seasonally designed. You may enjoy and explore a wide range of attractions, including vegetation like the tropical rainforest, riverine forest, swampland, and grasslands, as well as other animal species, like the antelopes, elephants, and several primate species that live in the park.
4. Home to 12 primate species
Kibale National Park is the place to go if you enjoy seeing primates. More primate species than any other national park in Uganda can be found there, with 12 in total. I’m going to present them to you, and if we were betting, I’d wager that you haven’t heard of them before. They are as follows:
Olive baboon
These monkeys need to be handled gently and given room because they are the most destructive of all species. They use vocalizations to communicate, such as furrowing their brows or showing their jaws in an aggressive manner. They are omnivores with a varied and opportunistic diet who may live in a variety of settings, including those along the coast. They are able to consume anything they come upon, including young birds, frogs, grasses, fruits, seeds, and a variety of other things.
Gray-cheeked mangabeys
There is only a limited portion of Uganda where gray-cheeked mangabeys can be found. Experts can’t clearly spend a lot of time on the ground because their numbers are unknown.
Their thick, almost-black brown fur and light gold mane around their neck make them look like a little, hairy baboons. The only significant difference between the female and the male is that the females are smaller.
L’Hoest’s monkey
These are a time called mountain monkeys, they have tails that can grow as lengthy as 80cm. the white beard is a dead giveaway that you have seen a L’Hoest’s monkey all through your walks. They are most active in the morning and in the course of the afternoon hours and are usually observed on the ground foraging for food. When threatened from the ground, they flee to the trees to get away from the threat and flee from the trees when threatened by the eagles to the ground.
Black and white colobus monkey
These stunning monkeys can be identified by the white fur that is present at the tip of their tails. The name “colobus” is derived from the Greek word “Kolobos,” which describes a thumb that resembles a stump. When these monkeys are reunited with people they know, they engage in a ritual that may include embracing.
Red colobus monkey
These individuals are classified as vegetarians because they exclusively eat leaves, flowers, and fruits. The giant apes prey on these red colobus monkeys surprisingly frequently (the chimpanzees). When they are assaulted, the group comes together to defend itself while the young ones and females attempt to flee.
Red-tailed monkey
There are other names for the red-tailed monkey that you can use, including Schmidt’s guenon, black-cheeked white-nosed monkey, and red-tailed guenon. Overall, the tail of this particular monkey is a sure sign when it comes to identification. The tail can develop and expand to a maximum length of 35 inches, or 90 cm.
Patas monkey
Since they spend most of their time on the ground, the Patas monkeys are simple to find in Uganda. They stand out from the other monkey species thanks to their strikingly colored skin. Patas monkeys are swift; they can run at speeds of up to 55 km/h. The most astounding and distinctive characteristic of Patas monkeys is that they just place their fingertips on the ground when they walk, rather than their entire hand.
Potto monkey
A type of nocturnal primate known as the potto monkey prefers to reside in tree branches. The potto has small, round ears and is between 30 and 50 cm long. In contrast to other species, it has a short, 5-cm tail. Each of its feet has a toe that resembles a claw, which is horrifying to look at but quite useful for grooming. This primate is rarely visible during a daytime trip through the jungle; instead, it is exclusively visible at night.
Bushbaby (Galago)
This is a different kind of primate that lives in Kibale Forest National Park. The smaller Galago (also known as the bushbaby) is a nocturnal monkey that resembles the potto in length and appearance, however, it has a longer, fluffier tail and larger ears. They are most likely to be sighted at night and less often on daytime hikes.
Vervet monkey
These are the most common monkeys in Africa, and they have dark faces with a white stripe running across them. Do not wave your food in front of the vervet monkeys since they are not timid and will steal it from you.
Blue monkey
A wide-faced, white forehead banded primate with a skull that is darkly pigmented is known as a “blue monkey.” The name’s reference to “blue” is a little deceptive because its fur only occasionally exhibits a bluish quality. The body of the blue monkey is covered in little black and white dots. Due to the red-tailed monkeys’ ability to protect them, they frequently congregate with them. The two species will also groom one another.
5. Its closeness to epic destinations
In the southwest of Uganda, Kibale Forest National Park is ideally situated and contains a number of attractions that are encircled by other magnificent characteristics. In general, the southwest has a lot to offer tourists interested in nature and adventure. A simple list of the top nearby sights to the Kibale Forest National Park include Semuliki National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, the Crater Lakes Region, Tooro Royal Palace, Karambi Tombs as well as the Amabeere Caves.
We offer adventure packages to all of these exciting top destinations, if you find our article interesting please don’t hesitate to drop your inquiry and look at some of our sample itineraries to know more about the Uganda safaris and we would be able to tailor a trip of your choice to meet your exact taste of preference.
