Kibale Forest National Park

The park sits on an area of 795 square kilometers consisting of lowland tropical rain forest, tropical deciduous forest, marshes, grasslands and crater lakes. It is best place in Uganda for chimpanzee trekking with 12 other primate species found here; including 9 diurnal primates that you might spot while trekking – these include the black-and-white colobus monkey, red colobus, gray-cheeked mangabey and red-tailed monkey.
Other animals that call the park home include blue duiker, Harvey’s red duiker, bushbuck, and bush pig. Kibale also boasts more than 250 butterfly species.
Primate walks conducted in the park give visitors an excellent chance to see some of the park’s larger chimpanzee populations, as well as other primate residents. Over 350 species of birds have been recorded, and experienced local guides — with their knowledge of calls and behavior are invaluable in this challenging bird watching environment. Green-breasted pitta, black bee-eater, white-headed wood hoopoe and the tiny chestnut wattle-eye are among the possible delights for keen observers.

In addition to escorted walks, the park offers a Chimpanzee Habituation Experience. Rather than the typical 3-hour trek, this unique program allows visitors to spend an entire day with the chimps. An early start at 6:00 a.m. allows visitors to observe the chimpanzees rouse from sleep before they leave their nests. Trekkers then follow the chimps throughout the day, offering a unique opportunity to observe their natural behavior and to gain an insight into the individual animals’ personality. The experience lasts until around dusk, giving participants the chance to share the end of the day with the chimps as they begin to nest for the night. This is a must for real primate enthusiasts and for aspiring researchers. The Chimpanzee Experience needs to be booked well in advance.