The nocturnal walks in Kibale Forest National Park start at around 7:30 p.m. This is a great opportunity to explore the forest and spot wildlife that you might not have seen during chimpanzee trekking in the daytime.
To see night animals clearly, you will need a bright and clear torch. Some of the animals you might see during the night walks include pottos, crickets, tree hyraxes, bush babies, civets, giant forest hogs, and many others. Nocturnal birds you may encounter include owls and nightjars.
Night walks in Kibale Forest National Park usually take 1 to 2 hours and start after a briefing at the Uganda Wildlife Authority headquarters.
Daytime Walks in Kibale Forest
Apart from nocturnal walks, there are also daytime walks in Kibale Forest National Park. These walks use different trails, each leading to unique destinations, and can take from one to eight hours to complete.
Chimpanzee trekking is the most common activity in Kibale Forest National Park. The chances of seeing chimpanzees here are higher than in any other place in Uganda. The cost for trekking chimpanzees is $250 per person. Children under 15 or sick adults are not allowed to participate.
Another popular activity in Kibale Forest National Park is chimpanzee habituation. This is the process of getting wild chimpanzees used to human presence in their natural habitat. Visitors can join researchers and rangers in their daily work of habituating chimpanzees, an experience that allows for more time with the chimpanzees and plenty of opportunities for photos.
What to Bring
For nocturnal walks, just like day walks, you need to be well prepared. You should bring a rain jacket, warm long-sleeved clothes, insect repellent to protect against mosquitoes and other insects, garden gloves, waterproof hiking boots, and a good torch with extra batteries or fully charged.
Best Time to Visit
Kibale Forest National Park can be visited all year round, but the best time to visit is during the dry season, from June to September and December to February. During these months, the roads to the park are in good condition, and the chimpanzee trekking trails are easier to pass.
Other Places to See Chimpanzees in Uganda
Other places to see chimpanzees in Uganda include Budongo Forest, near Murchison Falls National Park, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Kalinzu Forest Reserve. Each of these places offers chimpanzee trekking at different prices.
Combining Day and Night Experiences in Kibale
Many visitors choose to pair a daytime chimpanzee trek with a nocturnal walk during the same stay in Kibale Forest, since the two experiences reveal very different sides of the same ecosystem. While chimpanzee trekking focuses on Kibale’s most famous residents, the night walk offers a rare chance to see the forest’s more elusive nocturnal species, making for a fuller picture of the park’s biodiversity within a single visit.
