Kibale National Park

Kibale National Park is a protected rainforest in western Uganda noted for its high primate diversity and long-established chimpanzee-tracking programs. The park was gazetted as a national park in the early 1990s and protects one of Uganda’s most extensive patches of lowland tropical forest.

The park is best known for guided chimpanzee tracking among habituated groups and for sightings of other primates. It supports a rich primate assemblage that includes species such as red colobus and L’Hoest’s monkey, and offers a network of walking trails and community-run wetland walks nearby. Birdwatching, short forest walks and visits to community projects like the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary are common daytime activities.

Kibale was formally protected in the 1990s to conserve its remaining lowland forest and primate populations after decades of selective use and forest clearance in surrounding areas. Management since gazettement has focused on combining conservation with local community initiatives and ecotourism income.

The park sits in the Western Region of Uganda near the town of Fort Portal, set among rolling farmland and forested hills. Access is typically by road from Fort Portal or from Kampala via the western highway.

• Chimpanzee tracking: Habituated chimpanzee groups are available for guided tracking; treks typically take a few hours and are best arranged through the park’s visitor centres.

• Reserve chimpanzee-tracking permits in advance and choose an early-morning tracking slot from the Kanyanchu Visitor Centre for the best chance of locating habituated groups.
• Combine your chimp trek with an afternoon visit to the nearby Bigodi Wetland Community Sanctuary - it's often quieter later in the day and adds good birding and cultural context that many visitors miss.