Kibale Forest National Park

Chimpanzees are the closest relatives to humans sharing about 98% of their DNA composition with humans. They are sociable animals and their groups can be comprised of anywhere between 10 and 100 members. They are very intelligent animals and have utilized traits and actions that have been passed on from generations, such as using rocks for crushing nuts and using empty pods for collecting water.

In Kibale, a chimpanzee trekking experience will allow you to spend approximately an hour with these mesmerizing primates. You will observe them swinging in trees, playing with one another and feeding around you, unfazed by your activity and presence. The group size is 6 people, accompanied by a guide of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).

As well as chimpanzees, Kibale Forest homes 12 other species of primates, including the black and white colobus monkeys, the red-tailed monkey and the grey cheeked mangabey, so definitely keep an eye out for these species. Bird life is also exceptionally good in Kibale forest and the guides will be exceptional in spotting the different varieties and species.

Do see our best camps & lodges in Kibale Forest National Park picks for 2026/27 on this page.

For accommodation, there are several lodges you can stay in during your stay in Kibale National Park. These include Primate Lodge, Papaya Lake Lodge and Kyaninga Lodge. You can either drive or fly into Kibale Forest.

Just like gorilla permits, chimpanzee permits need to be acquired beforehand and you can get these through your tour operator or travel agent. The cost of a single chimpanzee permit is $150 per person and the trek can be either morning or afternoon. Although you are restricted to one hour with the chimpanzees, the walk can be much longer as there is other flora and fauna to see.

Do see our best camps & lodges in Kibale Forest National Park picks for 2026/27 on this page.

Trekking to see the chimps is a rewarding experience throughout the year with the drier months between June and September and again from January to March being the preferred for those wanting to have dry trails. This being said, the wetter months of December, April and May offer fewer visitors and lower rates (if muddier trekking).

Do see our interactive best time to visit Kibale Forest National Park guide on this page as well as on our parent guide to uganda page for more in-depth information on when to go.

Or call us on +44 1525 840 149. That’s what we’re here for.

As much as AI has changed the way we all approach our lives, there is still no substitute for picking up the phone and having a chat through the options with one of us on +44 1525 840 149

This allows us to completely tailor the property choices, costs and itinerary length to your needs…but we also understand that this is not always possible with the busy lives we all lead.

With this in mind, we have also put together a safari finder tool that should help you to narrow down the initial stages at which point we can jump in to “round off the edges” as it were.

Alternatively please feel free to send us an email with your timings, group size and rough likes and dislikes and we can get the ball rolling.

As much as AI has changed the way we all approach our lives, there is still no substitute for picking up the phone and having a chat through the options with one of us on +44 1525 840 149

This allows us to completely tailor the property choices, costs and itinerary length to your needs…but we also understand that this is not always possible with the busy lives we all lead.

With this in mind, we have also put together a safari finder tool that should help you to narrow down the initial stages at which point we can jump in to “round off the edges” as it were.

Alternatively please feel free to send us an email with your timings, group size and rough likes and dislikes and we can get the ball rolling.