Kibale National Park is quickly establishing itself as an essential component of the full Uganda wildlife experience, offering the world’s most accessible and rewarding chimpanzee trekking to complement your gorilla encounter. Located a short drive or flight from Bwindi, Kibale protects a unique mosaic of mountain and lowland rainforest, acting as a crucial sanctuary for over a dozen primate species, hundreds of birds, and rich butterfly clouds.
Kibale chimpanzee trekking is rapidly becoming part of the Uganda wildlife experience, giving you the opportunity to view rare chimpanzees in combination with your gorilla trek.
Located a short flight or a morning’s drive from Bwindi, Kibale National Park is home to both mountain and lowland rainforest, providing a unique sanctuary to a dozen different primates as well as hundreds of bird species and clouds of butterflies. And thanks to a conservation corridor between Kibale and next-door Queen Elizabeth National Park, it’s possible to look for other animals too – bush pigs, buffalo, antelope and even elephants.
Chimpanzee trekking accommodation is available in the park itself as well as nearby. Lodges within Kibale Forest are set close to the trekking trails and offer a more immersive experience – animals such as monkeys and small antelope are often seen from camp or indeed pass through it. Kibale lodges located near the park offer a greater range of budgets and include our top family-friendly camps. These lodges come with stunning views and are only a short drive away from the start of the trekking trails.
Chimpanzee trekking is the main focus at Kibale and there are opportunities to experience much more. Nature walks reveal the depth of the bio-diversity in Kibale – a walk with local guides through the Bigodi Swamps is especially recommended – and there are chances to visit and interact with local communities too.
The best time for Kibale chimpanzee trekking is during the year’s two dry seasons which happily coincide with the two gorilla trekking seasons: from December to February and again from June to September. These periods offer the easiest conditions for trekking and the best sightings of chimpanzees; temperatures remain fairly constant at these times – daytime temperatures are 28°C/82°F on average, falling to about 14°C/57°F at night.
We’ve highlighted our favourite Kibale experiences below as well as our suggested accommodation for inspiration and ideas. Contact us with your requirements and we’ll recommend a packaged tour for you or will tailor-make one to your specifications.
The question of when to go to Uganda usually goes hand in hand with when to go gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest. It’s also important to know how the best time for gorilla trekking coincides with other destinations in Africa if you are thinking of combining Uganda with – for example – the Serengeti or Kruger National Park.
Uganda has a predictably warm and wet equatorial climate although the gorilla trekking destinations are often cold as they lie at higher altitudes. Happily for the gorilla trekker, the year has two distinct dry seasons. These periods are certainly when to go to Uganda for gorilla trekking if you want the most comfortable and rewarding experience.
The first dry season is from mid-December to early February and the second from early June to late September. It is at these times that you’ll enjoy the easiest conditions for hiking in the rainforest as well as the best gorilla sightings and the lowest malaria risk.
The best time to visit Uganda’s other destinations coincide nicely with the best gorilla trekking seasons. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest is better during the dry seasons for example – the chimps are easier to see and the jungle trails less challenging to hike on.
Game viewing in Uganda’s big game destinations – Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls National Parks – is best during the dry seasons and especially towards the end of them (February and March and September/early October) when animals such as elephants and buffalo concentrate at water sources. Bird watching in Uganda is fantastic all year round but at its peak between November and April when migratory birds arrive.
The best time to visit Uganda also coincides with some of the continent’s best holiday destinations at their peak. Uganda’s December to February dry season coincides with Cape Town’s sunniest and driest months as well as the Serengeti wildebeest migration during the exciting birthing season. Then during Uganda’s June to September dry season, the wildebeest migration moves to the crocodile-filled rivers that lie between the Serengeti and the Masai Mara for game viewing at its most dramatic.
Meanwhile, the Southern African destinations – the Kruger Park, Botswana, Victoria Falls and Namibia – are their most welcoming for safaris: the weather is at its driest and mildest, the malaria risk is lowest and game viewing is at its best.
For your stay at Kibale Forest National Park, you have a range of excellent choices depending on your budget and desire for proximity to the chimpanzee trekking start point at Kanyanchu Visitor Centre. The most convenient and highly recommended option is Primate Lodge Kibale, which is located inside the forest, offering luxury and standard cottages just a 5-minute walk from the chimpanzee briefing point.
For a more opulent experience, the area features stunning crater-rim lodges like Kyaninga Lodge and Ndali Lodge, which are further away but boast spectacular views of the crater lakes and the Rwenzori Mountains. Mid-range travelers often choose Kibale Forest Camp, which is only a 10-minute drive from Kanyanchu and provides comfortable en-suite safari tents, while budget travelers can opt for their non-self-contained tents or accommodations near Fort Portal town.
Step into one of the nine spacious and luxurious cottages, each tucked away in the heart of the forest for ultimate privacy and an immersive nature experience. Relax in a cozy haven featuring either two double beds or one king-size bed, a comfortable sitting area with armchairs, a reading table, and a sprawling veranda offering stunning forest views.
Kibale Lodge comprises eight bandas, plus spa and pool. Four bandas are open with four more by the end of the year. The lodge has been hand-built to a new level of elegance and luxury by Volcanoes’ in-house teams of African artisans in the renowned Volcanoes style
The well-appointed Crater Safari Lodge is situated in a prime location on a hill overlooking the second largest crater lake in Uganda. The views from the lodge are breathtaking, and rooms either have a full or partial view of the crater lake below. Close to the lodge is the famous Kibale National Park, home of the chimp trekking safari.
Kibale Forest, famously known as the “Primate Capital of the World,” is the cornerstone of any classic primate safari in Uganda. The park is primarily visited for its incredible chimpanzee trekking, but it also serves as a perfect stepping stone between the wildlife savannahs to the south and the mountainous gorilla habitats.
A typical stay in the Kibale region ranges from two to three days, allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves in the forest’s unique ecosystem.
Kibale is strategically located in Western Uganda and is commonly combined with:
Our team of destination experts will design a holiday to meet your budget and interests. Let’s start planning your tailor-made African safari today!
Uganda has such bio-diversity that it can be experienced as a single travel destination but thanks to a well-established network of air connections and on-the-ground logistics, Uganda gorilla trekking easily combines with classic destinations across Africa.
Add on a big game safari in Kenya and Tanzania – the gorilla trekking seasons coincide perfectly with the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti and Masai Mara – or head for the heavyweight safari destinations of Southern Africa: Botswana, the Kruger Park and Victoria Falls for excellent Big 5 game viewing.
It’s also easy to change the mood completely with a beach holiday add-on. Choose from our best East Africa destinations – the island of Zanzibar or Kenya’s beaches on the Indian Ocean coast – or try the water further south in South Africa. Cape Town’s ocean temperatures might not be as warm as in East Africa but the backdrop to the beach is Table Mountain.
We have a wide range of tours that combine Uganda with Africa’s best travel destinations and appeal to all types of visitor from honeymooners and privacy-seeking groups to families and those on a budget. Browse our most popular destination combinations below and visit our Itinerary Ideas page for inspiration or simply contact us with the destinations of your choice and we will tailor-make an itinerary for you.
