The best time to visit Kibale national park

Visiting Kibale National Park Uganda

The best time to visit Kibale national park

Kibale National Park is available for wildlife watching all year, although the ideal time to come is during the dry seasons of June to September and December to February. The wet season lasts from March to May and September to November, making animal viewing difficult, however, it is ideal for bird watching. Chimpanzee sightings are quite likely during a 2-3 day safari at any time of year.

In summary, the best months to visit are June to September and December to February (trails are drier and chimpanzee trekking is easier) Peak season is from June through September. March, April, May, and November are considered low seasons (it is the rainy season and some camps and lodges are closed) June, July, and December to February have the best weather (there is less rainfall during this time.)

Severe weather: March to May and September to November (there is heavy rainfall and trails become hard to travel) The dry season lasts from June to September, then from December to February. These are the warmest and driest months, yet they are ideal for chimp tracking. The jungle is less thick, and the chimps are much easier to spot. During this season, there is a lot of sunlight and relatively little rain. Because there are few or no mosquitos, the chances of developing malaria are quite low.

Because it is high season, there are many visitors, so it is typical to see other people when chimp trekking, yet the park and forest are never overcrowded. The rainy season lasts from March to May, then from September to November. Characteristic of rainforests, the park is lush and green during this time of year. When migrating birds are present in the park, this is the greatest time to go bird-watching. Chimpanzees are normally more difficult to follow, especially since the paths are slick and difficult to navigate during this time of year. It is also very hot and humid during this time of year.

Kibale National Forest features one of Africa’s highest primate diversity and concentrations. It is home to many endangered chimps, as well as the red colobus monkey and the uncommon L’Hoest’s monkey. The park also has over 325 bird species, 4 wild felids, 13 types of monkeys, at least 70 additional animal species, and over 250 tree species. Kibale’s major environment is wet evergreen and semi-deciduous forests.

During its tenure as a Forest Reserve, much of the forest was cut, and some alien tree species were planted in plantations (pines and eucalyptus). Several of the exotic trees have been removed since the national park was established, and logging has ceased. Kibale is the highest point in the park, rising 1,590 meters above sea level. To the south, the lowest point is 1,100m on the Albertine Rift Valley level.