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Kibale National Park: Chimpanzees Before or After the Gorillas
Kibale National Park is Uganda's chimpanzee capital, and on a rwanda vs uganda gorilla trekking trip it fits best as a two or three day add-on either before the gorillas in Bwindi or after them in Rwanda. Chimp trekking permits cost $250.00 (UGX per Uganda Wildlife Authority rates published by the park's own guides), the tracking success rate tops 95 percent, and the park holds 13 primate species.
Quick answer Kibale National Park in short: chimp permits, costs, and how it fits your gorilla trip
A chimp trekking permit in Kibale National Park costs $250.00 for foreign non-residents, and tracking succeeds on more than 95 percent of attempts. The park sits 300 km from Kampala, about 4 to 5 hours by road, so most travellers give it two nights and slot it before or after their gorilla trek.
Key takeaways
- Compare permit prices on how much gorilla trekking costs before you book either trek
- See how Bwindi pairs with Kibale on the same route in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Pick your months with the best time to visit Uganda
- See the all-in-one option in the 5 Day Uganda Gorilla and Chimpanzee Safari
Where to see chimpanzees in Uganda?
Kibale National Park near Fort Portal is the main place to see chimpanzees in Uganda, with Budongo Forest, Kalinzu forest and Kyambura Gorge as alternatives.
Kibale is the standard answer for a reason. Habituation here took up to two years of daily work by park rangers, so the chimp groups tolerate visitors and tracking almost always works. For a gorilla trip the choice is simple: Kibale is the site that pairs naturally with Bwindi and the southern route.
Why Kibale works for a gorilla trip
The park holds 13 primate species including chimpanzees, Ugandan red colobus and L'Hoest's monkey. Chimps are the second most popular primates in Uganda after the mountain gorillas of Bwindi, and the two parks sit in the same western circuit. That means one itinerary can cover both treks with a single overland route.
If you would rather see chimps and gorillas in one organised trip, the 5 Day Uganda Gorilla and Chimpanzee Safari does exactly that.
How much does it cost to go chimpanzee trekking in Uganda?
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale costs $250.00 per person for foreign non-residents, $200.00 for foreign residents and UGX 180,000 for East African residents, according to the park's own guide site.
The permit is far cheaper than a gorilla permit in Rwanda, which is one of the big levers in the Rwanda vs Uganda decision. Budget the permit plus transport plus one or two lodge nights and you have the full Kibale cost.
What the chimp permit covers
The $250.00 permit covers park entry, a guide, one hour with the chimps and ranger security, per the park guide site. Book 2 to 3 months ahead for the June to September and December to January peaks, through the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Compare that with gorilla trekking: Rwanda charges $1,500.00 per person per day for a foreign non-resident gorilla permit, per the Rwanda Development Board booking portal.
Uganda's gorilla permit and full cost comparison are set out on our gorilla trekking cost page.
Cost summary
Use this to budget the Kibale leg of a combined trip.
| Item | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Chimp trekking permit, foreign non-resident | $250.00 | Kibale Forest National Park guide site |
| Chimp trekking permit, foreign resident | $200.00 | Kibale Forest National Park guide site |
| Chimp trekking permit, East African resident | UGX 180,000 | Kibale Forest National Park guide site |
| Gorilla permit, Rwanda, foreign non-resident | $1,500.00 per person per day | RDB booking portal |
Source: Rwanda Development Board.
Should you trek chimps in Kibale before or after the gorillas?
Trek chimps in Kibale before the gorillas if you fly into Entebbe and start in Uganda, or after if you finish in Rwanda, because the route logic works both ways and the chimp trek is the lighter warm-up.
This is the sequencing decision no other page makes for you. Here is the logic for a combined trip.
Chimps first, then gorillas
Fly into Entebbe, drive 4 to 5 hours to Kibale, trek the chimps, then continue south towards Bwindi. Kibale connects to Queen Elizabeth National Park in a 180 km wildlife corridor, so the drive south passes game country on the way. This order builds you up: the chimp trek is shorter and cheaper, and it teaches you how forest tracking works before the harder gorilla hike.
A ready-made version is the Dav Safaris 3 Day Gorilla Trekking Uganda and the 5 Day Uganda Gorilla and Chimpanzee Safari.
Gorillas first, then chimps
If you track gorillas in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, it is about 3 hours by road from Kigali, per Visit Rwanda. From there you cross into Uganda and add Kibale at the end, finishing in Entebbe. This order suits travellers who want the headline trek first while they are fresh, with the chimp hour as a relaxed finish.
| Order | Best for | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Chimps first | Entebbe arrivals, Uganda-first trips | Kampala to Kibale 300 km, then south to Bwindi |
| Gorillas first | Kigali arrivals, Rwanda-first trips | Kigali to Volcanoes, then north to Kibale |
Source: Visit Rwanda.
Kibale National Park size and animals?
Kibale National Park covers 766 square km at 1,100 to 1,600 m elevation, with 13 primate species, over 120 other mammal species and 325 bird species.
Know the basics before you go, because they shape what you will actually see on the trail.
The numbers
The park was gazetted in 1932 as a forest reserve and established as a national park in 1993. It forms a continuous forest with Queen Elizabeth National Park, creating a 180 km wildlife corridor. Beyond the primates it hosts over 120 other mammal species including olive baboons and forest elephants.
| Fact | Figure |
|---|---|
| Park size | 766 square km (a related guide site says 795) |
| Elevation | 1,100 to 1,600 m |
| Primate species | 13 |
| Other mammal species | Over 120 |
| Bird species | 325, including the endemic Kibale ground thrush |
| Tree species | 351, some over 55 m tall and 200 years old |
What you will see on a trek
On a chimp trek expect chimpanzees, red colobus, L'Hoest's monkey and baboons. Birders should allow extra time, since the 325 species include the Kibale ground thrush found nowhere else.
What is unique in Kibale National Park?
Kibale's uniqueness is its chimp habituation success: trackers now find the chimps on about 99 percent of treks, against roughly 20 percent years back, and the park links to Queen Elizabeth in a 180 km corridor.
Two things set Kibale apart from every other chimp site in Uganda.
The corridor
The continuous forest running to Queen Elizabeth National Park means Kibale is not an island. Forest elephants and other mammals move through it, and it makes the park easy to chain into a longer western Uganda route on a gorilla trip.
Kibale National Park entrance fee?
For foreign non-residents the chimp trekking permit of $250.00 includes park entry, guide, one hour with the chimps and ranger security, per the park guide site.
Unlike some parks, Kibale bundles the practical fees for trekkers into one permit.
What you pay and when
Permits are pre-booked through the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The park is open daily 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Book 2 to 3 months ahead for June to September and December to January, the busy seasons.
No separate entrance figure for visitors not trekking is published on the pages behind this guide, so if you only want to walk in without trekking, ask UWA directly when you book. For the Rwanda side of your budget, see our gorilla trekking permit page.
What is there to do in Kibale National Park besides chimp trekking?
Beyond the chimp hour, Kibale offers bird watching on 325 species, forest walks among 351 tree species, and dayside trips along the Queen Elizabeth wildlife corridor.
Give the park a second day if you can. These are the activities that fill it.
The activity list
Chimp trekking takes 2 to 5 hours including your one hour with the chimps. Bird watching rewards patience, since 325 species are recorded here. Forest walks let you take in trees over 55 m tall and up to 200 years old.
The corridor towards Queen Elizabeth National Park extends the trip into classic savanna game country.
| Activity | Time it takes | Cost | How to do it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chimpanzee trekking | 2 to 5 hours, 1 hour with chimps | $250.00 permit, foreign non-resident | Book via Uganda Wildlife Authority 2 to 3 months ahead |
| Bird watching | Half day or more | not stated | Local guide from the park, 325 species on record |
| Forest walk | Half day | not stated | Park gates open 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily |
| Queen Elizabeth corridor day trip | Full day | not stated | Overland from Kibale along the 180 km corridor |
Which tours cover several at once
The Eco Adventure Safaris 3 Day Uganda Gorilla Trekking and Batwa Pygmies Experience pairs gorilla trekking with a cultural experience in the same western circuit, and the 5 Day Uganda Gorilla and Chimpanzee Safari covers chimps and gorillas in one booking.
How do you get to Kibale National Park?
Kibale sits near Fort Portal, 300 km from Kampala, 4 to 5 hours by road, or you can charter a flight to Kasese airstrip and drive in from there.
The journey is a full travel day, so plan around it.
Road or air
By road it is 300 km from Kampala, taking 4 to 5 hours. By air, charter flights serve Kasese airstrip, from which you continue by road to the park. Coming from the gorilla side, Bwindi and Kibale share the western circuit, so a combined trip means one long drive rather than a return to Kampala.
Check the East Africa Tourist Visa if your combined trip crosses between Rwanda and Uganda, since one visa covers both.
When is the best time to trek chimpanzees in Kibale?
The dry seasons of December to February and June to September are best, with chimp tracking success above 95 percent.
Timing matters less in Kibale than in most parks, because the success rate stays high all year. It still shapes your booking.
Seasons and booking windows
In the December to January and June to September peaks, book your permit 2 to 3 months ahead. The wetter months mean muddier trails but easier permit availability. For the gorilla side of the calendar, month by month, see Uganda weather for gorilla trekking.
Tours That Fit
Tours that cover Kibale chimps, gorillas or both on one trip.
3 Days gorilla trekking Safari tour in Uganda
Private three day Uganda gorilla safari with the permit, two nights lodging, meals, a Batwa tour and a Lake Bunyonyi canoe ride for $2600 per person.
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Dav Safaris
3 Day Uganda Gorilla Trekking and Batwa Pygmies Experience
A private 3 day Uganda gorilla trek with a Batwa cultural experience, permit of $800 included in the $1860 price, from Entebbe or Kampala.
- Cancellation
- Full refund 6 days ahead, 50% between 2 and 6 days, no refund within 2 days
- Operator
- Eco Adventure Safaris
Kibale National Park FAQ
Which game park in Uganda is famous for crocodiles?
Crocodiles are not a Kibale draw, since it is a forest park. The pages behind this guide name Queen Elizabeth National Park only as Kibale's forest neighbour, and no crocodile park is stated, so ask your operator which park to add for Nile crocodiles.
Where to see chimpanzees in Uganda?
Kibale National Park is the main chimp site, with Budongo Forest, Kalinzu forest and Kyambura Gorge as alternatives, per the Kibale guide site.
What animals is Uganda known for?
For this site's readers the answer is mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, the second most popular primates in Uganda after the mountain gorillas of Bwindi. Kibale adds 13 primate species, forest elephants and olive baboons.
Is one day enough for the chimp trek?
The trek itself takes 2 to 5 hours in the morning, but the drive from Kampala alone is 4 to 5 hours, so give Kibale at least one lodge night before and trek the next morning.
How does the chimp permit compare with the gorilla permit?
The Kibale chimp permit costs $250.00 for foreign non-residents while Rwanda's gorilla permit costs $1,500.00 per person per day, so the chimp hour is the budget-friendly add-on. Full numbers are on how much gorilla trekking costs.
Can I do chimps and gorillas on one visa?
If your trip crosses Rwanda and Uganda, the East Africa Tourist Visa covers both countries on one document.
More Guides
- How Much Does Gorilla Trekking Cost in Rwanda and Uganda?
Gorilla trekking cost 2027: permits, tour prices and booking rules. 96 permits daily in Rwanda, treks of 2 to 7 hours. Compare and plan your trek.
- East Africa Tourist Visa for Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda and Uganda
The East Africa Tourist Visa covers Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya for 90 days in 2027 on one $100 visa. See how to apply for your gorilla trek.
- Best Time to Visit Uganda for Gorilla Trekking
Plan the best time to visit Uganda in 2027. Two dry seasons, June to September and December to February, See the month table and book.