Kibale Forest: Chimpanzee Tracking

A forest alive with chimpanzee calls.

Best time

Dec-Feb and Jun-Aug are drier; chimps can be tracked year-round

Budget

Mid-range

Ideal stay

2 days

Last checked

2026-10-22

Kibale Forest begins with a hush, then a whoop. Somewhere above you a chimpanzee has begun to call, and soon the canopy answers. Kibale is one of the best places in Africa to track chimpanzees, with many families living in its mix of forest, swamp and clearings. Your guide leads you along muddy trails, listening for falling fruit and shaking branches. When you reach the group, you may find them feeding in the trees, grooming each other in the shade, or racing across the forest floor. You get about an hour with them. Kibale also shelters other primates, butterflies and birds. Nearby, the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary offers community-led walks, and the crater lakes and tea estates around Fort Portal make a lovely backdrop for the rest of your stay.

Getting there

Western Uganda near Fort Portal, roughly a day's drive from Kampala. It pairs well with Queen Elizabeth National Park and the Rwenzori mountains.