Kibale National Park: The Primate Capital of East Africa
If you want to see chimpanzees in the wild, there is only one place on Earth where 95% success rate is guaranteed: Kibale National Park. The park is arguably one of the places with the richest ecosystems in East Africa. It is a home to over 1200 chimpanzees and 13 other primate species. The park sits on 795 square kilometres of the Kibale forest covering the districts of Kabarole, Kamwenge, Kyenjojo, and Kasese.

Chimpanzee Tracking
The major highlight of any visit to Kibale National Park is chimpanzee tracking, which commences with a briefing from Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers in the morning. The trek through the forest is accompanied by the sounds of chattering monkeys, buzzing insects, and melodious bird calls. And when the chimpanzees are located, visitors spend a maximum of an hour observing their fascinating behaviour, such as feeding, grooming, and playful displays of strength and communication.
Visitors who want to spend more time with the chimpanzees in the wild ,take part in an activity known as the Chimpanzee Habituation Experience (CHEX), which allows them to spend an entire day with researchers following chimp families from their morning routines to evening nesting. This immersive  activity provides an incredible opportunity to understand their habits and social dynamics in bit by bit.
Other Primates and Wildlife; Besides chimpanzees, Kibale shelters red-tailed monkeys, black-and-white colobus, L’Hoest’s monkeys, olive baboons, Ugandan manga bey, blue monkey, grey-cheeked manga beys, among others. The park is also home to forest elephants, bush pigs, antelopes, and over 375 bird species.
Nearby Attractions; Fort Portal Tourism city is by far known as the crater lake capital of Uganda, featuring lakes such as Lake Nyabikere, Nyinambuga, Nkuruba, Kyaninga, and Kigere, found in two main geographic fields: the Ndali-Kasende field(Southern cluster) and the Fort Portal field (Northern cluster). Other attractions include: Amabere Caves, Toro kingdom palace, and Fort Portal City’s tea plantations. A visit to these attractions can be combined with chimpanzee tracking in the forest.

How to Get There
The route to Kibale Forest National Park is approximately 300km from Kampala via the Mubende- Fort Portal highway and takes about 5-7 hours. The drive passes through scenic tea plantations and rolling hills. Charter flights to Kasese airstrip are also available, which are followed by a 2-hour drive to Fort Portal.
When to Go
The park is accessible year-round, but the dry seasons (June-September and December-February) offer the best trekking conditions since heavy rains may disrupt the way of life of chimpanzees. The Chimpanzee tracking activity is reliable throughout the year, and booking in the form of purchasing a permit should be done prior to.