Kibale Forest – home to the world’s greatest concentration of primates
Kibale Forest National Park has the world’s greatest concentration of primates and is arguably the best place in Uganda to track chimpanzees.
The 13 types of primates include the common chimpanzee, and several species of Central African monkey: the Uganda mangabey (Lophocebus ugandae), the Ugandan red colobus (Procolobus tephrosceles) and the L’Hoest’s monkey. Other primates found in Kibale Forest include Olive Baboons, the Black-and-white colobus (Colobus guereza) and the blue monkey (Cercopithecus mitis). If we add the human primates at the forest-edge, let’s make that 14 😄
Quick facts about Kibale National Park (courtesy of Uganda Wildlife Authority)
- Kibale was designated a National Park in 1993
- Conservation purpose: “To conserve Kibale National Park, a high primate species diversity habitat including its unique, threatened and endangered species especially the chimpanzees while providing ecosystem services for the development of the culturally diverse people around and beyond the borders of the park.”
- Area: 795 km
- Medium altitude tropical rainforest
- Altitude: 1,590 metres (northern tip of the park) and 1,110 metres (southern tip of the park)
- Geology: Volcanic upland region associated with Western Rift Valley pre-cambrian fracture zone subject to minor earthquake tremors.
- Soils: Red ferralitic sandy loams
- Mean annual temperature ranges from 14 C to 27 C
- Mean annual rainfall ranges from 1,100 mm to 1,700 mm
- Rainy seasons: March – May / September – December
- Dry seasons: December – February / June – August
Kibale Forest has over 375 bird species. Kibale’s forest edge is a birder’s paradise too! The forest has over 250 species of butterflies and an even greater number of moths. Listen to “Seeing the light – moths and butterlies revealed. In conversation with entomologist Dr Michael Ochse, a regular guest at Sunbird Hill.
A few of Kibale’s primates! Baboons, Chimpanzees, Black and White Colobus, Red Colobus Monkeys, Uganda Mangabey. All photos COPYRIGHT Charlotte Diary of a Muzungu.
Kibale National Park’s primates
- Home to 13 species of primates, 372 birds, 350 trees and 71 mammals
- Population of over 1,450 chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, of which there are:
- More than 13 chimpanzee communities
- Three chimpanzee research stations (Ngogo, Sebitoli and Kanyawara)
- Three habituated chimpanzee communities (two research groups and one group for tourists to visit). Chimp tracking starts at Uganda Wildlife Authority’s Kanyanchu base on the southern side of Kibale Forest
- Two semi-habituated chimpanzee communities (Sebitoli research group and Buraiga tourism group).
- UPDATE 2024. A third family is being habituated for tourism.
The 13 primate species of Kibale National Park
Chimpanzee, Olive Baboon, Red-tailed monkey, Black and white colobus monkey, Red colobus monkey, Blue monkey, L’Hoest monkey, Vervet Monkey, Uganda Mangabey, Thomas’s Galago, Eastern / Elegant Needle-clawed Galago, Demidoff’s Galago and Potto.
Activities in the Kibale area
A few km outside the park boundary, Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary is habitat for 138 bird species and numerous primates that are arguably easier to see (and photograph) than in the forest. The boardwalk through Magombe Swamp is well worth a visit! KAFRED offers Bigodi’s original swamp walk and has trained most of the local guides. The benefits of doing the swamp walk with KAFRED is that profits go directly to the community.
Scattered around Kibale and the town of Fort Portal are a collection of pretty crater lakes and hills. Some of Uganda’s best lodges sit on hills overlooking such lakes.
Kibale Forest edge proved to be the most wonderful place to spend lockdown and the inspiration for the East Africa Travel Podcast.
Hello,
I love your blog, thanks for sharing all your information! What would be the cheapest way to see primates and monkeys in or around Kibale? Is a walk around Bigodi Wetlands enough? And is Sunbird Hill a good base to do all your activities (not having your own vehicle). We are two people and I was wondering what would be a nice itinerary for three days?
Thanks a million
Koen
Hi Koen
Glad you’re enjoying the blog 🙂
KAFRED is the original swamp walk at Bigodi Wetlands and highly recommended. There you can see a range of primates (and birds) for 50,000 Uganda shillings. You are highly likely to see Olive Baboons on the roadside as you drive through Kibale and en route to Sunbird Hill which borders the National Park.
If you’re lucky, you may hear and occasionally see Chimpanzees, Black and White Colobus, Red-tailed Monkeys and Uganda Mangabeys from Sunbird Hill. They are seasonal and follow the fruiting trees, especially figs.
Sunbird Hill is a couple of kilometres off the main road but it’s walkable or you can get a boda boda. The advantage of staying at Sunbird Hill is there are numerous complementary activities included in your overnight stay, such as ‘walk with the ex-poacher,’ birdwatching, butterfly watching and nature walks. Sunbird Hill has its own site guide and a library of reference information.
Thanks for the fast reply! I read there are some cheaper chimpanzee trekking alternatives in the region (Kyambura?) Do you know anything about that? We would arrive on a sunday in Mbarara coming from Kigali by bus. (don’t think we can make it any further in one day). The following Friday evening we’d like to be in Kampala. What would be a good itinerary to include Sunbird Hill Lodge with the discussed activities and do some cheaper chimpanzee trekking, using public transport and an affordable accomodation? Any ideas? I want to avoid paying heavy park fees as we will already stay a week in Kidepo.
Thank you very much. Btw, I live in DRC, so if you ever have any questions regarding traveling here, I’m your guy :).
Hi sorry for slow reply. Been laid low with Malaria.
I’m brief, Kyambura Gorge chimp tracking is cheaper but chances of seeing chimps lower. However it is an amazing environment with fewer tourists.
Kalinzu Forest Reserve is probably your best bet as cheapest option plus accessible by public transport from Mbarara. Chances of seeing chimps high (but Kibale almost guaranteed).
Thanks! So, it is possible to use Mbara as a base camp and go chimp trekking in Kalinzu forest? Would you know of a place in the area where to stay? Thank you so much.
It’s one and a half hours drive from Mbarara to Kalinzu, whereas it is only 45 minutes to Kichwamba Escarpment, which overlooks Queen Elizabeth National Park. Kichwamba has a range of tourist accommodation. My favourite is Kyambura Gorge Lodge. Other options include Kingfisher, Parkview Lodge, Two Lakes (Nyanzibiri), Katara Lodge and many others. It depends on your budget.