The park has the greatest density of primates in East Africa, so makes a wonderful addition to any wildlife itinerary, especially if you are visiting the mountain gorillas too. There are a total of 13 species to be found here which, aside from our close relatives the chimpanzees, includes the grey cheeked mangabey, endangered red colobus, black-and-white colobus, blue monkey, olive baboon, potto, bush baby, red-tailed monkey and the, rarely seen, Hoest’s monkey. The fascinating chimps tend to be heard before they are seen and their screams pant hoots and barks are used by our local tracking experts to bring you even closer to them. Once you locate the animals you can usually spend up to one hour with them before the forest walk continues in search of other primates.
Whilst other mammals do exist within the park, including some larger species such as lion, buffalo, elephant and leopard, sightings can be difficult due to the thickness of the foliage. You will however see a huge variety of birdlife, as there are in excess of 300 species that live within the forests, such as the endemic Kibale Forest thrush, great blue turacos and African grey parrot.
Located just outside the park itself, the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is a highlight of the area, a community-run reserve that provides a great example of how tourism and local communities can work hand-in-hand to benefit the environment. The sanctuary has over 335 bird species and at least five primate species.
