Kibale National Park & Semuliki

Fragrant rainforest, drumming colobus and the excited pant-hoots of a waking chimp troop—Kibale National Park In the western part of Uganda, is Uganda’s primate capital, home to 13 primate species and over 1,000 chimpanzees.

Time permitting, also visit the savanna-and-wetland mosaic of Semuliki Wildlife Reserve, where Lake Albert shores tempt shoebills and other wildlife. All framed by crater lakes, tea estates and the distant Rwenzori peaks.

 Walk with Chimps in Kibale’s Ancient Rainforest

Kibale National Park is the best place to see chimpanzees in Uganda – and possibly the whole of East Africa - in terms of both numbers and variety. Kibale is home to over 1000 chimps, including one group of 80 individuals.

Most of the activities are organised from the Kibale National Park headquarters. The most popular are the chimpanzee tours which takes place in the morning and the late afternoon, where you spend an hour with the chimpanzees once located.

Or you can opt for the Kibale Chimpanzee Habitation Walk which allows you to spend more time with them. You follow a troop from wake-up to nesting. This gives you the chance to watch as they wake up, search for food, rest and play and then settle down to sleep again.

A nocturnal walk is a particularly unusual and thrilling treat. But it is only possible for those staying close to the park gate at lodges such as Primate Lodge or Kibale Forest Lodge.

Outside the park, you enjoy guided village walks around their community and to the nearby wetlands. Local crafts such as woven raffia baskets are often on sale.

Semuliki (or Semliki) Wildlife Reserve

This was originally the Toro Game Reserve back in 1926. It covers 540 km² of savanna, woodland and riverine forest between the Rwenzori Mountains and Lake Albert. It has good numbers of buffalo, forest elephant, the shy leopard and various monkeys and antelope. Look out for Uganda Kob, with occasional sightings of giant forest hog and forest elephant.

Boat cruises or game drives along  the shimmering shores of Lake Albert often produce shoebill stork sightings.

And being a centre for primate research, it’s also possible to enjoy chimpanzee tracking here on guided walks and safaris. But it’s far less common as they are less habituated and more elusive. Guided primate walks, often near Mugiri River Forest or around Semliki Safari Lodge, may encounter chimpanzees, plus other primates such as baboons, colobus, and red-tailed monkeys.

It’s easy to combine a visit here with Kibale or Queen Elizabeth Park.

Semuliki National Park

Confusingly, Semuliki National Park is a separate smaller reserve. It sits on the eastern edge of the ancient Ituri Forest and feels more like Central Africa than East Africa. Indeed the Semuliki River forms the border with the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo).

This, coupled with the fact that there is no accommodation in Semuliki National Park means that it is rarely visited. However keen birders and specialist primate watchers (to see the De Brazza’s monkey) make day visits.

Sempaya Hot Springs - which  gurgle up in a swamp in the forest -  are culturally significant, with distinct separate male and female sites used in local rituals.

“Semuliki hot springs Sempaya” → Include in the Semuliki NP paragraph and a photo caption.

Rwenzori Mountains

Between the parks is the dusty old colonial outpost of Fort Portal, surrounded by lush tea plantations and numerous crater lakes. The ridges of these extinct volcanoes are ideal for a scenic hike. Here you can admire not only the sparkling waters of the lakes, but also the misty grandeur of the towering Rwenzori Mountains. Only the solo peaks of Kilimanjaro and Kenya are higher in Africa.

Make it a Uganda hat-trick: Kibale chimps, Semuliki birding, and Bwindi gorillas—tell us your dates and pace, and we’ll tailor the flow.

Frequently Asked Questions about Kibale

How long is a chimp trek in Kibale?
Typically it takes half day in the morning, or late afternoon, starting from Kibale HQ. However Chimpanzee Habituation excursions will take longer.

What’s the difference between a Chimpanzee trek and the Habituation Experience?
The Habituation Experience lasts much longer, as you are shadowing a troop through their day. So you spend up to 4 hours with them (compared to one hour). But there are limited spaces/permits for this.

Can I do a night walk?
Yes, nocturnal walks are possible, but only when you are staying close to the park gate (e.g. your lodge is by the entrance).

Is Semuliki worth adding?
Yes if you have time. It provides a scenic contrast with savanna and forest. Plus Uganda specials such as Uganda Kob, occasional forest elephants and shoebill storks on Lake Albert. The Sempaya Hot Springs are a signature stop in Semuliki National Park.

Where do I base myself for crater lakes & views?
The Fort Portal area is ideal—tea estates and crater-rim hikes with Rwenzori backdrops.