Kibale national park is found in Kabarole district in western Uganda and has an area cover of 795 square kilometers and standing at 1,590m above sea level. The national park is a tropical rainforest that harbors a number of wildlife species that attract a number of tourists. The national park is famous for having the largest population of chimpanzees amounting to 1500 chimpanzees and thus making chimpanzee trekking the main activity within the national park.
Besides chimpanzees the national park is a home to 70 wildlife species such as buffaloes, elephants, as well as antelopes. The park has over 375 bird species that make it among the top birding safari destination.
ATTRACTIONS IN KIBALE NATIONAL PARK
PRIMATES
The national park is a home to various primates in uganda. With the thick vegetation cover as well as big tall trees the primates most especially, the chimpanzees call it home and as well feed and build nests to rest. The national park has 13 primate species such as the chimpanzees, blue monkeys, white and black colobus monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, L’Hoest monkeys, red tailed monkey among others. However, the chimpanzees have the largest population with 1450 individuals. The national park gives the tourists the best chimpanzee trekking and chimpanzee habituation experience and these are carried out in kanyanchu.
WILDLIFE
The national park is as well a home to wildlife species that live within the thick forests around the park. Animals in the national park include elephants, leopards, golden cats, bushpig, African palm civet, Peter’s and Harvey’s duiker, alexander’s cusimanse, warthogs, serval cat, bushbucks, giant forest hogs, sitatunga, swamp otter among others
BIRDS
The national park boosts with over 375 bird species which include ground thrush bird species, forested bird species and migratory birds that move from queen Elizabeth national park as well as the neighboring society. Birds within Kibale national park include African grey parrot, olive long-tailed cuckoo, western tinker bird, blue breasted kingfisher, yellow rumped tinker bird, red-faced woodland warbler, black bee-eater, little green bul, black-capped apalis, purple breasted sunbird among others.
NDALI-KASENDA CRATERS
The national park has craters that are referred to as Kibale ndali kasenda crater lakes that gives a serene scenic view. The crater lakes are found next to the national park and can be seen at any time while on a safari within the national park. The lakes include lake Mubiro, Ntambi, Nyamasingiri, Nyanswinga, Nyinabulitwa, Jifuruka, Lyantonde, Nyinambuga, Nyabikere and Nkuruba among others
VEGETATION
The national park comprises of a thick evergreen as well a flash forest cover that is composed of over 250 tree species such as Cordia millenii, entandrophgragma, lovoa, swynnertonni as well as the eucalyptus and pine trees.
ACTIVITIES IN KIBALE NATIONAL PARK
CHIMPANZEE HABITUATION
Chimpanzee habituation is the same as the trekking just that the habituation process is more expensive but tourists have an opportunity to spend more time with the primates. Chimpanzee habituation is carried out with research personnel’s and takes half day as well as full day. The entire process takes almost three years to be complete.
CHIMPANZEE TREKKING
Chimpanzee trekking within Kibale national park is one of the major activities and the main reason as to why the forest is a conservation area. The national park has a large population of primates that add to over 1500 primates. Therefore, for one to carry out the chimpanzee trekking in Kibale national park tourists pay a fee of 150 USD for the permits.
BIRDING
The national park is a home to over 375 bird species making it a bird haven. The tourists wake up so early since the bird watching starts at 7am in the morning. Bird species that are spotted include white-tailed ant-thrush, black and white shrike flycatcher, superb sunbird, yellow-billed barbet among others.
NATURE WALKS
Natural walks are guided walks within the national park where tourists get to feel the natural presence of the forest and learn more about the flora and fauna. During the nature walks tourists get to know more about the various bird species as well as primates. Only 6 tourists are allowed to engage in the nature walks. These are categorized in the morning, afternoon and evenings and they take 2-6 days.
BIGODI WETLAND SANCTUARY
This is a swamp which is a project that was setup by the local community to conserve the nature as well improve their standard of living by setting the jungle swamp as a tourist attraction. The swamp gives the tourists an opportunity to do bird watching as well as spotting mammals and vegetation. Charges are levied on tourists who come to visit the swamp and it’s used to improve the well being of people within the community such as building schools, water accessibility and health care centers.
CRATER LAKES TOUR
The crater lakes visit is a most to the tourists who come to Kibale national park. During the Uganda tour tourists walk on foot with an experienced ranger to hike the volcanic slopes which lead to the amazing and spackling crater lakes. Tourists can as well spot the forests of Kibale, Rwenzori ranges and the beautiful landscape features.
VISIT TO AMABERE GA NYINA MWIRU
The rocks are found in a cave past the nyakasura school within fortportal-kabarole district. Tourists on their visit pass through the stunning waterfalls that welcome them. The scientists say the amabere ga nyina mwiru are features that where formed as a result of the formation of stalagmites and stalactites. However, the batoro also have their attachment and story. The batoro’s believe that young called Nyina Mwiru refused to marry the man his father the king had chose for her and due to anger the king cut off her breasts so that no man can marry her. Tourists who come to see this feature learn more about it.
