The primate capital of East Africa: around 1,500 chimpanzees, 13 primate species, and the crater lakes and tea estates of Fort Portal on its doorstep.
Kibale National Park protects 795 km² of moist evergreen forest near Fort Portal in western Uganda. It holds around 1,500 chimpanzees, one of the densest populations in Africa. It also has 12 other primate species, including the red colobus and L'Hoest's monkey, plus forest elephants and about 375 bird species. Kibale is also home to the Ngogo chimpanzee community featured in Netflix's Chimp Empire.
| Location | Western Uganda, near Fort Portal |
| Size | 795 km² |
| Established | Forest reserve from 1932; national park since 1993 |
| Famous for | About 1,500 chimpanzees and 13 primate species |
| Other wildlife | Forest elephants, forest buffalo, about 375 bird species |
| Trekking base | Kanyanchu visitor centre |
Treks start from Kanyanchu visitor centre at 8:00 am and 2:00 pm. Groups of up to six walk with a ranger, usually for 2–3 hours through fairly level forest, and get one hour with the chimps once they are found. Success rates are well above 90%. In 2026 the permit costs US$250 for foreign non-residents (US$300 from 1 January 2027). The chimpanzee habituation experience (US$300 in 2026) lets you spend a full morning with a community being habituated. See chimpanzee trekking.
| Diurnal | Nocturnal |
|---|---|
| Chimpanzee, Uganda red colobus, black-and-white colobus, L'Hoest's monkey, red-tailed monkey, blue monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, olive baboon, vervet monkey | Potto, demidoff's galago, Thomas's galago, and other bushbabies |
The Uganda red colobus is endangered, and Kibale holds one of its most important populations. You will usually see several monkey species on the way to the chimps. A night walk offers the best chance of pottos and bushbabies.
The Chimpanzee Habituation Experience (CHEX) lets a small group join researchers and trackers from the moment the chimps wake up and leave their nests, around 6:00 am, through the day until they build new nests in the evening. You watch feeding, grooming, hunting, displays and play, and you learn how researchers identify individuals and record behaviour. It is a long and sometimes physically demanding day, but for many visitors it is the best primate experience in Uganda after the gorillas. In 2026 it costs US$300, and it is announced to rise to US$400 from January 2027.
Just outside the park, the Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development (KAFRED) runs guided walks through the Magombe swamp. It is one of Uganda's longest-running community tourism projects, and fees fund local schools and clinics. The 3–4 hour walk on boardwalks and trails turns up great blue turacos, papyrus gonoleks and many other birds, plus red colobus, grey-cheeked mangabeys and other primates. It is an ideal afternoon after a morning chimp trek.
Fort Portal, the capital of the Tooro kingdom, sits at the foot of the Rwenzori and is surrounded by tea estates and dozens of volcanic crater lakes. Lake Nkuruba, Lake Nyinambuga, Lake Kyaninga and the Ndali-Kasenda cluster are popular for walks, swimming and viewpoints. The "Top of the World" viewpoint looks over several crater lakes at once. The Tooro Palace, the Amabere ga Nyina Mwiru caves and waterfall, and the town's markets add a cultural dimension.
Kibale features in our 5-day gorillas and chimps, 5-day Murchison and Kibale and 6-day primates and wildlife tours. See also 3-day Kibale chimp safari.
Chimp trekking runs all year. The drier months (June–September and December–February) make trails easier. During the rains, the forest is at its most beautiful and chimps often feed on fruiting trees. Mornings are the most active time for chimps.
Kibale is one of the most studied tropical forests in Africa. The Makerere University Biological Field Station at Kanyanchu has hosted researchers for decades, and long-term projects follow chimpanzee communities, including the huge Ngogo group of about 200 chimps, as well as red colobus and forest ecology. Much of what is known about wild chimpanzee hunting, alliances and territorial behaviour comes from Kibale. Permit fees fund ranger patrols against snares and illegal logging, and revenue sharing supports schools and clinics in surrounding villages. See visiting the Ngogo chimps and chimpanzee holidays in Uganda.
The chimpanzee permit (US$250 in 2026) includes park entry for the trek day. The habituation experience is US$300. Nature walks and Bigodi Wetland have separate fees, with Bigodi's going to the community. On our tours, fees for the listed activities are included.
Two nights is ideal: one full day for chimp trekking in the morning and Bigodi Wetland in the afternoon, plus time to enjoy the crater lakes. Stay three nights if you want the chimp habituation experience or a night walk. If time is short, one night works when you arrive by early afternoon and trek the following morning before continuing to Queen Elizabeth.
By road, the fastest route from Kampala or Entebbe runs west via Mubende to Fort Portal, taking 5–6 hours. From Murchison, it is about 5–6 hours via Hoima. From Queen Elizabeth, about 2–3 hours north. Scheduled flights to Kasese, about 1½ hours away, can shorten the trip.
US$250 per person for foreign non-residents in 2026 (US$200 in low-season months), and US$300 from January 2027.
Kibale has more habituated chimps and higher sighting rates. Nyungwe offers the canopy walk and pairs with Rwanda's gorillas.
12 years.
About 1,500, one of the highest densities in Africa.
About 2–3 hours by road, which is why they are usually combined.
Several crater lakes, such as Nkuruba, are popular for swimming. Your guide will advise which are safe.
Long trousers, a long-sleeved shirt, boots, a rain jacket, water, snacks, binoculars and a camera that handles low light. See our packing list.
Children over 12 can join chimp treks. Younger children enjoy Bigodi Wetland walks, crater lakes and nature walks.
Through a tour operator or directly with UWA. Permits are dated and paid in advance. We book them in your name as part of your itinerary.
Bigodi Wetland walks, the Fort Portal crater lakes, tea estates, the Amabere caves, and Semuliki National Park's hot springs, about 1–1½ hours away.
Yes. Chimpanzee treks run every day of the year, in morning and afternoon sessions.
Forest elephants live in Kibale but are shy and rarely seen. For elephants, visit Queen Elizabeth or Murchison Falls.
At Kanyanchu visitor centre, in the centre of the park, about 35 km from Fort Portal.
Yes. Treks run all year, and chimps are often active around fruiting trees during the rains. Trails are muddier, so wear boots.
A community-run swamp walk next to Kibale, known for primates and birds such as the great blue turaco. Fees support local schools and projects.
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