Kibale Forest National Park is the primate capital of Uganda. With chimpanzees dominating the forest, it is home to other primates, a wide variety of bird species and mammals. The forest is interspersed with grassland and swamp making ideal for the flourishing wildlife.The main attraction are the chimpanzees and for any visitor, you have up to 98% chances of seeing them during your visit.

Domestic flights are available via Kasese: Entebbe to Kasese and road transfer of 1h30.

Activities & Special Interest:
- Chimpanzee trekking & Chimp Habituation.

Kibale’s most popular activity is the Kanyanchu Primate Walk. Thirteen species can be sought, and a good variety of diurnal monkeys invariably encountered, but the stars of this trail are the chimpanzees. Kanyanchu’s chimps have been tracked since 1993 and the chances of locating them are excellent.

You will hear them before you see them: from somewhere deep in the forest, an excited hooting, just one voice at first, then several, rising in volume and tempo and pitch to a frenzied unified crescendo before stopping abruptly or fading away.

More information about chimpanzee habituation

See here the Magic Safaris Video about the Chimp Habituation Experience

- The Nocturnal forest walk is a special experience in Kibale. Starting at 7:30 pm, this walk can talk between 1 and 2 hours. Escorted by your ranger/guide and with the help of powerful torches, you will have a chance to see the bush babies, potto which take the night time to explore when their main predators – the chimpanzees are sleeping.

The night walk provides a unique experience as you walk through the very quiet forest devoid of the loud chimpanzees. Take in the fresh air, listen for the nocturnal birds and be on the lookout for as the night comes alive in this beautiful and green forest.

- Primate viewing in Bigodi Wetlands (Outside the park).

Rich in biodiversity and beautiful scenery, the wetland is a birder’s paradise with about 138 species. Located outside the park in Magombe Swamp it also hosts eight species of primates including the black-and-white colobus, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed, l’Hoest’s and blue monkeys, and olive baboons. Bushbucks and mongooses can also be found here. The sanctuary was set up to preserve the exclusive environmental features along with the wetland and is managed by the local community.

- Birding in Bigodi Wetland (Outside the Park).

This amazing wetlands is home to over 200 species including Hornbills, Parrots, Cranes, Kingfishers, Waxbills, Weavers, Cuckoos, Papyrus Gonoleks, Flycatchers and so many more swamp endemics.

This wetland is rightly commonly referred to as the Home of the Great Blue Turaco; nowhere can you better observe this bird.

- Birding in Crater Lakes area (Outside the Park).

The Kasenda Crater Lakes of Kibale National Park are volcanic lakes formed about 10,000 years ago, the area counts around sixty permanent and seasonal freshwater.
They are associated with many bird species that include Olive long-tailed cuckoo, Western tinker bird, Green breasted pitta, Grey parrot, Nahan's francolin, blue headed bee-eater, Prigogine's ground thrush, Joyful greenbul, Mottled and Sabine’s Spinetails, Honey guide Greenbulls, Giant kingfishers and Ross’s turaco to name but a few.

On a lucky day all these species can be spotted.

- Fort Portal City

Situated in the northern foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains, some 50 km north of Kasese and 320Km west of Kampala, this is perhaps the most attractive city in Uganda. The ideal location of this city puts it at the  epicenter of a cluster of highly alluring and reasonably accessible national parks and other tourist attractions. This city is named after the British fortress constructed between 1891 and 1893 on the site of the present day golf club, with the aim of protecting the Toro Kingdom.

If you have time, a visit to the King’s Palace will give you lessons in the history of this land.