Kibale Forest was established as a forest reserve by the British in 1948. The British continued to clear the forest of trees, but they also planted exotic tree species where the trees had been removed. Kibale Forest Reserve was, nevertheless, formally designated as Kibale National Park in 1993. The Uganda National Parks (UNP) assumed management of the national park in 1994, and they were in charge of all the conservation efforts in the forest.

The government agency in charge of Uganda’s Kibale National Park and other national parks was established in 1996. The Uganda wildlife authority was created after the Uganda national parks and another entity known as the game department of Uganda combined (UWA). The management and facilitation of wildlife protection and management within Kibale National Park was taken up by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The Uganda Wildlife Authority has been quite forward-thinking in its efforts to preserve the forest and update bag authenticity.

History of the Earth’s Resources in Kibale Forest National Park

The Albertine Rift and the Rwenzori Mountains, two of the region’s most beautiful natural features, were created by the folding and metamorphosis of sedimentary rocks during the Precambrian epoch, 600 to 3000 million years ago. Kibale National Park spans the Rift escarpment and is home to many of the tiny lakes that were once found in the accompanying volcanic craters. As a result, the park’s southern region is lower in altitude, hotter, and drier than its northern region, and its vegetation is adjacent to the grasslands of Queen Elizabeth National Park, while the northern region is still covered with tropical forest.

Despite the common belief that tropical forests are the product of millions of years of stability,

Although it is frequently believed that tropical forests are the result of millions of years of stability, they have been rapidly waxing and waning, particularly during the Pleistocene Ice Ages (1.5 million to ten thousand years ago). In the warm, wet seasons, forests covered virtually the entire surface of tropical Africa. During the cold, dry seasons, these woods withered into a few damp, mountainous “island refuges” that held the building blocks for further growth.

The Rwenzori and Rift escarpments, which are close to Kibale, are the most eastern mountain refugium, allowing a wide variety of flora and animals that are currently linked with the forest to survive and reestablish themselves.

When Did Kibale National Park’s Chimpanzee Trekking Start?

Since 1993, visitors can go chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park.

The Kanyanchu region of the Kanyantale Chimpanzee Community is the traditional location for Uganda chimpanzee safaris in Kibale. Visitors often have a 90% probability of seeing chimpanzees.

Kibale National Park: What Should I Know?

In western Uganda, Kibale National Park spans around 766 km2. Due to the park’s extraordinary concentration of primates—unmatched by any other park in Africa—it is known as the Primate Capitol of Africa.

Kibale is the top location for Uganda chimpanzee safaris because it is home to around 1500 chimpanzees and 13 different primate species. Kibale is home to around 370 bird species, 351 tree species, 250 types of butterflies, and perhaps 70 mammal species.

What is the headquarters of Kibale Forest National Park?

The Kanyanchu Visitors’ Center is the headquarters of the kibale forest national park since 1993

The main activity of Kibale Forest National Park, chimpanzee trekking trips, begin from the trailhead at Kanyanchu Visitors’ Center, which is about 10 kilometers from the park headquarters in Isunga. Also, this location is easily accessible by the paved Fort Portal – Kamwenge route and is approximately 35 kilometers from Fort Portal town.

Important Events Near the Kanyanchu Tourist Center
Kanyanchu, which has five habituated chimpanzee communities, is the most popular place to go chimpanzee trekking in both Kibale Forest National Park and all of Uganda. Here, generally in the morning or late afternoon, the briefing for chimpanzee treks starts, outlining the laws and guidelines to be followed while looking for these giant apes in their natural habitat.

In this park, there are two chimpanzee trekking excursions that start at Kanyanchu.