How do you reach Kibale National Park? There are two ways to reach the park: by air transport and by road transport. Air transport is mostly used when flying from your home country to Uganda’s main airport (Entebbe International Airport) or when flying to Kasese, which can be accessed through different airstrips.
To reach Kibale, however, you will need to use road transport, as there are no direct flights to the park. The closest airstrip is in Kasese. From Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, it takes about six hours to reach Kibale if there are no stopovers.
The distance is approximately 330 kilometers. The most recommended public transport is the bus that travels along the Kampala–Fort Portal route.
The bus travels daily to Kibale, passing through Sebitoli along the Kamwenge road and continuing to the Kanyanchu Visitor Centre. To reach the southern area where Kibale is located, you can drive through the Mbarara or Kamwenge road.
To save time, it is better to use the northern route, which is the shortest. It covers 330 kilometers on a tarmac road to Fort Portal town and 36 kilometers on a murram road to the Kanyanchu Visitor Center.
From Fort Portal town, you can hire a private taxi or take a boda boda (motorcycle taxi) to the park. Private taxis are more expensive than public transport.
Public buses have fixed stopovers and do not pick up or drop off passengers along the way. Bus tickets are bought at the station before departure. In taxis, passengers can stop at different points along the way as they move from one location to another.
Kibale National Park is located near Fort Portal in western Uganda. It offers several activities, including chimpanzee trekking, which starts at Kanyanchu Centre, about 33 kilometers southeast of Fort Portal. This drive usually takes about 40 minutes.
To enjoy more of nature, visitors often combine a trip to Kibale with visits to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and Murchison Falls National Park.
While at public transport stations, be sure to find a trusted person to help you carry your luggage and watch your bags. Thieves sometimes operate in busy bus or taxi parks, so stay alert.
Kibale National Park is open all year round. Feel free to visit anytime.
Visit Kibale National Park in Uganda with these recommended Uganda chimpanzee companies or inquire with us below to book your tour directly through this website.
