Walking safaris in Kibale: Western Uganda’s Kibale Forest National Park is well-known for housing endangered chimpanzees. The 776 square kilometer national park is home to a variety of species and attractions. Hiking and nature walks are the finest ways to experience the many sights in and around Kibale Forest National Park.
For those who would prefer to spend some leisure time exploring the region on foot, or even after engaging in a big activity like chimpanzee trekking, the national park and lodges of Kibale Forest National Park provide walking safaris. While doing nature hikes, visitors may enjoy a variety of attractions both within and outside the park.
Kibale Forest National Park offers a variety of locations for nature hikes, some of which are inside the forest and others outside. Each of these locations has unique attractions, so it’s best to specify what you want to visit before deciding which path to follow. The following locations are used for nature hikes in Kibale Forest National Park.
Nature Walks in forests
Tourists are led by armed ranger guides during the forest walks, which are conducted in designated locations of Kibale Forest National Park. Visitors who enjoy nocturnal wildlife may take day and nighttime hikes in the Kibale forest. Depending on the path taken, the forest walks last anywhere from one to five hours, during which time visitors may observe a variety of flora, animals, and birds.
The 12-kilometer woodland trail in Kibale woodland National Park begins at the Kanyanchu Visitor Center and winds through a marsh and forest.During the three to five-hour forest trip, visitors get the opportunity to see a large number of elephants and interact with many bird species, primates, and animals.
Sebitoli woodland stroll.
The Sebitoli Forest Walk is one of the locations in Kibale Forest National Park where walking safaris are conducted. From the Fort Portal side, this area is part of Kibale Forest National Park, which is primarily made up of evergreen forests. Numerous bird species may be seen in the region, and bird enthusiasts typically take walks here.
The 12-kilometer Sebitoli Forest Walk walking path takes three to five hours to complete. You will get the chance to witness a variety of primates on the Sebitoli walk, including vervet monkeys, olive baboons, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and Uganda red colobus.
The African pitta, yellow-footed flycatcher, crowned eagle, red-faced warbler, collared apalis, blue-breasted kingfisher, black bee-eater, little greenbul, crowned eagle, and Nahan’s francolin are just a few of the bird species that can be found on the Sebitoli forest walk, making it an ideal trail for bird lovers.
Kibale Crater Walks
Because Kibale has so many crater lakes, you may visit several of them while on your nature hikes. Which crater lake in Kibale to visit depends on where you are in the park; some are close to the lodges, while others are close to one another. You will discover how the crater lakes were produced while on a walking safari around them.
If you are an experienced birder, you will be able to see a variety of bird species on the crater treks in Kibale. The African pitta, African pied wagtail, brown illadopsis, crowned eagle, little greenbul, grey parrot, blue-headed bee-eater, cassin’s spinetail, Rwenzori apalis, yellow-rumped tinkerbird, western nicator, and many more are among the bird species found in Kibale Forest National Park.
You will see tiny animals, primates, reptiles, and other plant species while on the crater hikes in Kibale. The guide will be prepared to respond to various inquiries and will be knowledgeable on the majority of these topics. You may explore these craters on foot during crater walks in Kibale, which is very different from riding in a safari vehicle.
Lake Nyinambuga, Lake Kifuruka, Lake Nyabikere, Lake Kuruba, Lake Kyaninga, and Lake Nyamirima are a few of the crater lakes in Kibale Forest National Park. The Rwenzori mountains may be seen from the trekking routes that lead to the summit of these lakes.
Kibale’s Bigodi Wetland
A short distance from Kibale Forest National Park is the Bigodi Wetland, which provides birdwatchers with guided nature hikes. The 138 bird species that call the marsh home are best observed on nature hikes. Numerous wildlife, particularly primates like olive baboons, vervet monkeys, black and white monkeys, and blue monkeys, to name a few, may be seen at Kibale’s Bigodi Wetland.
The great blue turaco, African pitta, black-capped apalis, brown-chested alethe, white-spotted fluff tail, purple-breasted sunbird, brown-crowned tchagra, black gonolek, western nectar, Abyssinian ground thrush, brown-throated wattle eye, and Bocage’s bush shrike are just a few of the bird species that visitors to Bigodi wetland Kibale can see.
Where to stay in Kibale
If you plan to stay overnight or longer on your safari, lodging is a crucial consideration. There are several lodging alternatives in Kibale Forest National Park, ranging from low-cost to mid-range to high-end choices.Kanyanchu River Camp, Papaya Lake Lodge, Crater Safari Lodge, Ndali Lodge, Primate Lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Lodge, Turaco Treetops, and Chimpundu Lodge are just a handful of the lodges.
The best time of year to go on a walking safari in Kibale
In Kibale Forest National Park, walking safaris are most enjoyable during the dry season. The park receives little to no rainfall during this time of year, which runs from June to September and December to February. The trekking routes are dry and manageable during the dry season. The majority of the park’s parts are accessible to visitors.
Although it’s not the ideal time, visitors may still go on nature hikes in Kibale Forest National Park during the rainy season, which runs from March to May and October to November. Because hotels and tour operators lower their rates during this time, budget tourists benefit. Imagine going on a walking safari in the rainy Kibale Forest National Park. The encounter won’t be pleasant, in my opinion.
The strong rains during the rainy season make the walking safaris muddy and slick. The towering, dense forest makes it difficult to see some of the sights and fauna. It takes a while to travel to the park during the rainy season since safari trucks might become bogged on muddy roads, which makes for the worst experience.