Kibale National Park

Introduction

The 795km2 Kibale National Park contains one of the loveliest and most varied of tropical forest in Uganda. This is home to a host of forest wildlife, most famously 13 species of Primate including Chimpanzees. Forest cover predominates in the northrn and central parts of the park on the elevated FortPortal Plateau. Kibale is the highest at the Park's northern tp which stands 1590m above sea level. Northern Kibale is also the wettest area, receiving a mean annual rainfall of up to 1700mm, mostly during March-may and september-November. The climate is generally pleasant with a mean annual temperature range of 14-27oC. Temperatures are highest (and rainfall lower) in the south where the terrain drops down onto the hot rift valley floor and forest gives way to open grassland.

Southern Kibale adjoins Queen Elizebeth National Park and together these protected areas mantain a 180km-long migration corridor for Wildlife which extends from Ishasha, the remote southern sector of Queen Elizabeth NP, to the Sebitoli forest in the north of Kibale.

The Kibale-Fort Portal area is one of Uganda's most rewarding areas to explore. The Park lies close to the tranquil ndali-Kasenda creter area and within a half day's drive of the Queen Elizabeth, Rwenzori mountains and Semulike National Park and the Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve.

How to get there

Kibale National Park is located in Western Uganda, 26km south-east of Fort Portal town. Kanyanchu River Camp, the primary centre for tourism activities, can be reached from Kampala either from the north, via Mubende and Fort portal, or the south through Mbarara and Kamwenge. The northern approach is shorter and quicker, with a 300km tarmacroad running to Fort Portal followed by 36km on murram to Kanyanchu. Sebitoli Forest Camp, A secondary tourism centre, is even easier to reach . This stands directly on the Kampala road. 16m before Fort portal. Public transport runs throughout the day between Kampala and Fort Portal ( passing sebitoli) and Fort portal and Kamwenge (passing Kanyanchu)

Accommodation

Kibale Primate Lodges provide a choice of accomodation at Kanyanchu including stone cottages, tree houses and an upmarket tented camp. Simple cottages are found at Sebitoli. Both sites provide campsites and canteens that provid basic meals to order.

Basic and mid range accomodation is available in the nearby villages of Bigodi and Nkingo while a wider choice is to be found in the Ndali crater area. This ranges from the upmarket Ndali Lodge to good budget options at Chimpanzee Guesthouse and Lake Nkuruba. Accomodation can also be found in Fort Portal town.

Flora and fauna

Kibale's varied altitude supports different types of habitat, ranging from wet tropical forest (moist evergreen forest)on the Fort Portal Plateau, through dry tropical forest (moist semi deciduous), to woodland and savannah on the rift valley floor.

Aruond Kanyanchu, in the centra part of the park, the high forest contains a mixture of deciduous and evergreen trees with the evergreen species dominant. Trees rise to over 55m and exhibit a semi-closed canopy of stratified tree rowns. The undergrowth is sparse with shade tolerant herbs,shrubs, a variety of ferns and broad leaved forest grasses. 351 tree species have bee recorded in the park.

The diversity and density of primate in Kibale is the highest in Africa. The most famous of it's 13 species is the Chimpanzee, our closest relatives. Kibale's 1450 Chimpanzee represnt Uganda's largest population of this endengered primate. Kibale is also home to the rare i' Hoest's monkey and East African's largest population of the threatened red colobus, blue monkey, primate includes the black and white colobus, blue monkey, grey cheeked mangabey, red tailed monkey, olive baboon, bush baby and potto

Other mammals are present, though rarely seen. These include forest elephant, buffalo, leopard, bush pig and duiker. A keen observer may also spot reptiles and amphibians as well as a colourful variety of butterflies.

The Park boasts 325 species of Birds, including 6 that are endemic to the albertine Rift region, namely black-capped apalios, blue-headed sunbird,collared apalis, dusky crimson-wing, purple-breasted sunbird and red faced woodland warbler. other Kibale specials include the African pitta, green breasted pitta, black bee-eater, yellow spoted nector, yello rumpedtinker bird, little greenbul, black-eared ground thrush, brown chested alethe, blue-breasted ki8ngfisher, Abyssinian ground-thrushand the crowned eagle.

Local people

The people living around the park are mainly Batoro and Bakiga. The Batoro are indigenous to the are while the Bakiga are immagrants from the densely populated southwestern parts of Uganda. the Batoro take pride in the cultural heritage of the Toro kingdom, a scion of the ancient kingdomsof African's great Lakes region. The Omukama (King) and the Kingdom embody the traditional and cultural values of the Batoro. the Bakiga immigrants still mantain their tradition and cultural as expressed in their forklore, dance and Language.

The park plays an important role inthe lives of the local people who enjoys a variety of benefits from the forest. The forest provides with them many traditional forest products such as wild coffee, food, fuelwood,building materials and herb medicine.

Kibale Tourist Activities..>>