Kibale Forest National Park
Chimpundu Lodge offers luxury cottage accommodation in a lush indigenous setting overlooking the Kibale National Park.
The Park features on Uganda's safari tourist trail as being one of the best places to go for an unforgettable chimpanzee encounter. Situated in Western Uganda, the Park is 766 square km in size, and protects a lush tropical rainforest, which is home to over 1,000 chimps.
As well as chimps, the forest is home to 12 other primate species such as the endangered red Colobus monkeys, black and white Colobus monkeys, blue monkey, L'Hoest's monkeys and the endemic Uganda Mangabay. In addition, elusive forest elephants and leopards can sometimes be seen, as well as giant forest hogs, several different antelope species and buffalo.
The Park is also home to 325 bird species.
Guided morning or afternoon walks into the forest, which start from the Park's Visitor Centre, set off to trek the habituated family groups. Visitors are put into groups of just 6, and the experience usually lasts for 3-4 hours.
Once you find the chimpanzees, you will spend approximately an hour watching them playing and feeding, but you must maintain a distance of 7-8m from the chimps at all times. Unlike their cousins, the gorillas, chimpanzees tend to be more active and often keep moving through the forest canopies, so you may find yourself following a troop through the dense jungle.
Luxury cottage accommodation provides a true Kibale Forest ambience, with every comfort catered for, including spacious full bathrooms and a 180 degree private balcony. The dramatic open-air bathroom opens up in three directions, with tropical views in your eye line whichever way you look from your indulgent clawfoot bathtub.
The main lodge area has a swimming pool which overlooks the Kibale Forest, or the spa offers massage treatments - a perfect way to relax after a chimpanzee trek in the morning.
