Kibale Forest National Park can be visited all year round, it is one of the most visited national conservation areas known for its resident species the Chimpanzee, the park was gazette in 1993 as a way of protecting wildlife of the park, and there are 13 species of primates living in the biodiverse ecosystem including large numbers of the red colobus monkeys. The park experiences 2 seasons the dry season in the months of December -February and June- September each of these times presents a different set up of the environment, the forest occupies most of the land area of Kabarole district approximately 795square kilometers and is managed by the Uganda Wildlife authority.
The best time to visit Kibale Forest National Park is during the dry season it is also regarded as a tourism peak season as most travelers prefer traveling during this time, the trails of the park are less slippery, and moist and dry underneath which makes it simple to do activities chimpanzee tracking is the most popular thing to do in the national park preferably during the dry season, tracking chimpanzee first begins at the Kanyanchu visitor center. It takes 2-3 hours in groups of 6 to track the primates, along the way there is a possibility of meeting other species like the black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys mention a few. The forest is less dense during this time compared to the wet season, however despite the park being dry, bare in mind the ever-changing climate conditions, this implies that it can rain anytime even during the dry season.
The wet season can be visited, except for more rain in the months of March, May, April, and November, it is a fruiting time in the forest attracting many birds including migratory species, it is a great time to go birding there are over 300 species of birds in the park plus visitor birds, common spots are the sunbirds, African green pigeon, Ruwenzori turaco, among others. The trails are mostly wet and slippery however there is less crowd for travelers who look at less crowded regions, accommodation facilities offer discounts in the wet season as business is generally low.
Kibale Forest National Park is situated about 6 hour’s drive from Kampala. The drive through the western part of the country passing past amazing hills, farmlands, and tea plantations is beautiful. The drives can be on self-drive or with guidance from tour operator. The park by road can also be accessed from the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth national park, a known home to tree climbing lions, flights can be arranged to the destination from Entebbe of Kampala Kajjansi.
The best time to visit Kibale Forest National Park will offer a great chance to know when exactly to go to the national park. There is available accommodation ranging from the best budget to luxury, example facilities include Primate Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, Ndali Lodge, Kibale forest camp o mention a few.