Is it safe to visit Kibale National Park
Is it safe to visit Kibale National Park: Several tourists worldwide have the love and spirit of adventure to visit Kibale National Park; however, their major concern is about safety. This perception cuts across several in all fields of adventure since every traveller mind about safety as the first priority of their lives, but worry not because Kibale Forest National Park is safe for travellers.
Kibale Forest National Park is safe because Uganda is one of the most peaceful and safest countries in Africa. Therefore, tourists shouldn’t get worried about their safety in Kibale Forest National Park. The park covers a total area of 776 sq. km with a broader team of armed ranger guides that are committed to their work.
Special thanks go to the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the governing body in charge of the country’s wildlife resources, for the great work of training quite a big number of armed ranger guides. These armed personnel are distributed across different national parks, including Kibale. Always be keen along the way to Kibale National Park; you will almost come across them everywhere within the park premises.
The reason behind this ranger distribution is to ensure safety for tourists and wild animals, particularly chimpanzees and their habitat. These armed ranger guides are equipped with firearms for safety, especially in case these wild animals misbehave in an awkward way that is not safe for the visitors.
Is it safe to visit Kibale National Park: These arms are not used for killing people or animals but instead used to shoot up in the air such that the sound scares away the animal. Therefore, all is good for Kibale Forest National Park, and travellers should not worry about their safety because the park offers maximum protection in the jungle. This is also supported by the friendly or hospitable locals who stay around the park’s forest edges.
Kibale Forest National Park is also surrounded by various local communities with a passion for tourism after a thorough sensitization from the park authority. Way back before the park was gazetted, these locals never knew how valuable tourism was, and many of them were opposing the restoration measures of the authority. This was highlighted based on the activities they used to carry out, such as poaching innocent animals and deforestation, among others. When the Uganda Wildlife Authority started controlling and managing park activities, the locals were sensitized to how important tourism was to the community and the country at large.
Currently, the locals no longer engage in poaching; instead, they enter the forest mainly for firewood and controlled charcoal burning. They always stay in their communities and wait for their share at the end of the year, which is 10% of the total amount of money collected per year. This has empowered some locals to embark on community projects such as craft making, site guiding, coffee making, gin making, and lodging establishments, among others.
Uganda has not registered anything like wars in the past years, an indicator that makes all parts of the country, including Kibale Forest National Park, very safe for visitors and safaris. This means that Kibale Forest National Park is free from any kind of disturbance both inside and outside it, making it a destination for peace and serenity. While in the jungle, tourists are always advised to move in groups, not necessarily because there are rebels, but because the animals are wild and remain wild in nature.
During the park activities, especially chimpanzee trekking and chimpanzee habituation, tourists are briefed first about the rules and regulations of the activity for the safety of both trekkers and wild animals, particularly chimpanzees. These armed ranger guides lead trekkers into the jungle and advise them to keep in groups for purposes of not getting off the trekking trails and also not risking being harmed by dangerous animals.
Is it safe to visit Kibale National Park: More still, to travelers who are concerned about getting or picking up illnesses from these primates, worry not because according to the park regulations, the rule says visitors must maintain a 7-meter distance away from the chimpanzee family or group. This aims at reducing the spread of diseases from both parties, just in case that scenario happens to exist.
The park has several rules and regulations disseminated through various channels of communication, such as posters and road signs, especially as you are approaching the park. These precautions are put in place for tourists to follow during their safari within the park, such as keeping a normal speed when driving because some animals, especially primates, always keep welcoming visitors along and in the middle of the roads.
When is the best time to visit Kibale Forest National Park
Although the park can be visited throughout the year, the dry season is the best period to visit Kibale Forest because it’s characterized by little and sometimes no rainfall. The dry season occurs from June to September and December to February every year, and this is the time when the park receives the highest number of visitors, commonly known as the peak season. The dry season is the best time to visit Kibale Forest because the vegetation tends to be dry, offering clear views of wildlife; roads connecting to the park are passable; and trekking trails inside the park are dry and easily accessible.
However, visitors can also visit the park during the wet season; however, it mainly caters to budget travelers because many lodges offer huge discounts on accommodation and some tour packages. This rainy season runs from March to May and October to November but is subject to heavy rains, which makes roads heading to the park impassable, thick vegetation cover, and unclear views of these primates and other species.
