Top budget activities to do in Kibale forest
Top budget activities to do in Kibale forest: Budget activities in Kibale forest national park are those that are affordable to budget travelers. A budget safari to Kibale forest national park is done by those that are searching for cheap and affordable tours. Kibale forest national park is among the most popular tourist destinations in the western part of Uganda. The national park is well known for its chimpanzees which are over 1500 in number.
Kibale forest national park is a habitat for over 13 primates, $60 mammals, and 372 bird species. With the different attractions found in Kibale forest national park, a number of activities can be done there and many of these are affordable by budget travelers. With all that Kibale forest national park has to offer, below are some of the top budget activities in Kibale that travelers can take part in.
Chimpanzee trekking: This is a very affordable activity to budget travelers intending to visit Kibale forest national park. Chimpanzee trekking can be done by all kinds of travelers as long as they have chimpanzee trekking permits that are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority. Each chimpanzee trekking permit goes for $200 for foreign non-residents, $150 for foreign residents, and UGX150,000 East African citizens.
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest national park is carried inside the forest where trekkers together with armed ranger guides search for where the chimpanzees are. The search usually takes 2 to 6 hours and while searching trekkers get to see different mammals, primates, and birds. When chimps are spotted, trekkers are given 1 hour to be around them, watch them do daily activities, take photos and learn about the chimpanzee habits among others.
Bigodi community tour in Kibale: Bigodi community tour in Kibale is among the budget activities tourists can have in Kibale forest national park. The community tour is very affordable as it goes for only $16 per person. Bigodi community tours take you to three homes in the village of Bigodi and these include the coffee home, wine-making home, and the home of the medicine man.
Bigodi community tour kibale takes you to the coffee home in Bigodi village will give you an opportunity to see see how coffee processing is done. You will be able to see how coffee is produced right from the seeds to the powder. Visiting the medicine money will give you a chance to see how he heals diseases using plants and bones from the skulls of dead animals. The wine-making home will enable you to see how wine is made from local matoke.
Bird watching: This is another affordable activity done in Kibale national park by travelers that love bird watching. Bird watching in Kibale national park is carried out in areas such as Sebitoli wetland, and Bigodi wetland. Bird watching in Kibale forest national park is led by armed ranger guides who know the best trails to use and spot different bird species.
Bird watching activities in Kibale forest national park give tourists an opportunity to see bird species such as African pitta, papyrus canary, white-collared olive, white-breasted negrofinch, little greenbul, purple-breasted kingfisher, red-faced woodland warbler, black bishop, red chested owlet, Rwenzori apalis, yellow spotted barbet, zebra waxbill, emerald cuckoo, chubb’s cistocola, Cameroon sombre greenbul, blue head bee-eater among others.
Bird watching is very affordable to all kinds of travelers including budget travelers. A single bird watching permit for Kibale forest goes for $30 for foreign non-residents, $25 for foreign residents, and UGX20,000 East African citizens. The money for chimpanzee permits can be paid at Uganda Wildlife Authority or park offices at Kanyanchu visitors centre.
Nature walks: Nature walks are budget activities that can be done in Kibale forest by tourists that love to explore the wild on foot. Nature walks in Kibale forest are carried out during the day and night hours for those that love nocturnal animals. Nature walks are guided by armed ranger guides whose role is to take you through the right trails and also protect you from dangerous wild animals.
The nature walks in Kibale forest national park give budget travelers an opportunity to see wild animals such as olive baboons, wild chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, duikers, giant forest hogs, leopards, forest elephants, buffaloes, different bird species like the African pitta, great blue turaco, tropical boubou, water sources, and plants among others.
The price of nature walks is very affordable to all budget travelers because the nature walks go for $30 for foreign non-residents, $15 for foreign residents, and UGX10,000 East African citizens. Night nature walks go for $40 for foreign non-residents, $20 for foreign residents and UGX15,000 East African citizens.
Best time to visit Kibale forest
When talking about Best time to visit Kibale forest, tourists can have budget activities in Kibale at any time of the year however certain months are better than the est. The dry season months is the best time to visit Kibale forest to have budget safaris in Kibale and they happen from June to September and December to February. They are good because they have little or no rainfall which leaves the trekking trails dry, vegetation is short and thin with the best views of wildlife, and roads leading to the park are passable.
Travelers can still have budget activities in Kibale during the rainy season from March to May and October to November and this helps to save because lodges and tour operators have discounts. Travelers need to know that the rainy season has a lot of rainfall that makes the trekking trails muddy and slippery, vegetation is tall and thick with unclear views of wildlife, and roads leading to the park are in poor condition.
Budget accommodation in Kibale
Travelers that are looking for activities in Kibale national park need affordable lodges such as Chimpundu Lodge, Kibale Forest Lodge, Kibale Forest Camp, Rweetera Safari Lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Lodge, Chimp Nest Lodge, Kibale River Camp, Kibale Guest Cottages, and Kitojo Guest Cottages among others
Accessing Kibale forest national park
Tourists can get to Kibale forest national park for budget activities at any time of the year
Accessing Kibale national park by road transport. Getting to Kibale forest takes 6 to 7 hours depending on the nature of the roads and the number of stopovers. Road transport has got two routes and one starts from Kampala takes you through Masaka, Mbarara, Bushenyi, and Kasese to the park. The second route goes is from Kampala via Mityana, Mubende, Kyenjojo, and Fort Portal to the park.
