Getting to Kibale Forest National Park is either by road or by air.
Kibale National Park commonly known as “the home of chimps and primate capital of the world”, lies in Western Uganda. The park stretches through Kabarole, Kamwenge, Kyenjojo and Kasese districts. It’s just 26km Southeast of Fort Portal city, among gently undulating lush green hills of cultivation.
Kibale National Park, a tropical forest of varying altitudes in western Uganda, is home to more than 1,500 chimps, the highest concentration in Uganda. It is the most diverse, with 13 species in total and densest population of primates in East Africa. These primates include vervet monkeys, olive baboons and red colobus monkeys, found in these woodlands, which make the forest a primate-lover’s dream.
With more than 350 species of birdlife, the park will satisfy all bird enthusiasts too.
Getting to Kibale Forest National Park By Road
The 795sqkm park can be accessed from Uganda’s capital, Kampala, along a newly surfaced road via Kasese, near Queen Elizabeth National Park. The quickest route to the park is from Kampala via Mityana – Mubende – Fort Portal highway, but it can also be reached through Masaka – Mbarara – Kamwenge or via Mbarara – Ibanda – Kamwengye. There is daily public transport between Kampala and Fort Portal by bus.
The northern approach is shorter and quicker, with a 300 km tarmac road running to Fort Portal followed by 36 km on tarmac to Kanyanchu visitor’s center.
The Kanyanchu visitor’s center is 10 km from the park headquarters. The entire road to the park is tarmacked, giving it a good road accessibility.
Airstrips
Kibale National Park has access to two airstrips; Nyakisharara Airstrip in Mbarara (about 98km through Kamwenge to Kanyancu) and Kasese air strip, 75km from Fort Portal town. It can also be reached from the airstrip in Tooro/ Semuliki Wildlife Reserve, only 86 km from Kanyanchu.