Kibale Forest National Park, Uganda

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Location Once this tropical rainforest provided a (very substantial) dinner, bed and breakfast for large herds of migrating forest elephants and, even now, the park contains the largest population of this subspecies in Uganda. Although they're rarely seen, and dangerous, the signs of these elephants' presence are abundant. However, Kibale's claim to fame is its enormous variety of primates and its families of habituated chimpanzees - it's home to an astonishing 12 species of primate and provides one of the highest primate densities in the world. Here, on a daytime or evening guided forest walk, you may find families of chimpanzees and red colobus monkeys chattering and swinging through the ancient forest trees. The sightings of birds in the forest are no less impressive - there are at least 325 species, many of which are found nowhere else. In addition there are over 144 species of butterflies. Kibale, with ancient trees up to 55 metres in height, is a wonderful place to experience the extraordinary diversity of life in a tropical rainforest. Take part in a guided forest walk - you may see a crowned crane nesting and feeding site, you may climb up a tree house viewing platform to see the exotic looking Dura River screw palms, you may take a walk along the Kanyanchu river. You will certainly be more than impressed by the grandeur of the forest and the abundance of exotic life forms in this thriving and ancient environment. Kibale, 766 km2, is one of Uganda's enchanting forested parks. Here, you can hike in the park for hours observing the drama of life in a rainforest. The park contains pristine lowland tropical rain forest, montane forest, and mixed tropical deciduous forest. In addition to forest, you will also notice areas of grassland and of swamp. Access The park is located 35km south, of Fort Portal. A 4 wheel drive vehicle is recommended, especially during the rainy season. Accommodation There are a number of hotels in Fort Portal. The RuwenZori View Guesthouse is situated in beautiful and quiet Surroundings. All rooms have hot and cold running water, shower and toilet. In this family-run establishment the ambience is friendly and the food is extraordinarily good. At Ndali Lodge, each of the four cottages face the Mountains of the Moon. On a clear morning, the snow on the peaks is clearly visible. All cottages have private facilities. The lodge sits near a delightful crater lake. Mark Price provides a friendly welcome and an interesting stay. CVK (Crater Valley Kibale) Resort Beach Lodge, 21 km from Fort Portal town and just on the border of the Park, 10 km from Kanyanchu, is another alternative to the above. It is elevated to provide beautiful views of the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains and has a myriad of crater lakes to which tourists can walk. CVK is a beautiful example of ECO-TOURISM being practised...details here >> Kanyanchu Tourist Camp just 35 km from Fort Portal town. With an open forest and large community of chimpanzee, Kanyanchu offers an enjoyable chimpanzee tracking experience. There is an on-going habituation project of chimpanzees and monkeys run by The Jane Goodall Institute & Uganda Wildlife Authority. All of the guides are actively involved with the Kibale Habituation Project. Visitors are assured that they are supporting a sustainable eco-tourism initiative for effective conservation of the Park. At the nearby villages of Bigodi and Nkingo, there are simple Lodges and Camps, and meals are available. A good spot for campers and backpackers is Rwengo Lakeside Tourism Camp. Inside the park, camping facilities are available. There are two, private campsites, each with a tent which sleeps two. Bedding is provided. There are four additional campsites, where you must bring your own tent and bedding. At all sites, you must bring your own food and utensils. Fuel can be provided for cooking. Wildlife The forest is rich in wildlife. It is most noted for its primate population. Some of these are red-tailed monkey, diademed monkey, blue monkey, white cheeked mangabey, olive baboon, chimpanzee, black, white and red colobus. Some of the other mammals you might see are bushbuck, Harvey's red duiker, blue duiker, Uganda kob, genet, bush pig, and African civet. More difficult to spot are buffalo, waterbuck, hippo, warthog, and giant forest hog. Herds of elephant once travelled back and forth through the area. These elephants have become more and more rare, and now are seldom seen. The bird life in the forests and grasslands of the forest is abundant. There are almost 300 species that have been identified here, including hoopoe, grey parrot, ant thrush, Negro finch and one particularly worth noting is the Kibale forest thrush, which is endemic to Kibale forest. There are 144 species of butterfly in the park and a diverse population of moths and other insects. A system of trails has been developed within the park, and tour guides are available to guide visitors. Vegetation This is the richest forest in Uganda, in terms of the number of plant species, as the area is one of the few large expanses of forest in East Africa where lowland and montane communities merge. The valley bottoms contain a dense ground cover of herbs, vines, and shrubs with only a few trees hence its name, the 'impenetrable forest."

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