Kibale & Crater Lakes

A hilly tea-country town in western Uganda, the base for chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest, the primate capital, surrounded by crater lakes.

Fort Portal lies in western Uganda, about 300 km from the capital, Kampala, at an altitude of around 1,500 m. It is the royal capital of the Tooro Kingdom, with tea plantations rolling out from the edge of town and the snowy peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains to the west. Thanks to its cool climate, it is often called one of Uganda's most livable towns. It's the base for visiting Kibale National Park: Kibale Forest is home to around 1,500 chimpanzees and 12 other primate species, and offers the highest chimpanzee-tracking success rate in East Africa. Dozens of crater lakes are scattered between the south of town and Kibale, most densely in the Ndali-Kasenda cluster, good for hiking, cycling and swimming. West of town, over the northern foothills of the Rwenzoris, are Semuliki National Park and the Sempaya hot springs, and further north is the Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve. Climate: December–February and June–September are the dry seasons, when forest trails are dry and chimpanzee tracking is best; the March–May and October–November rainy seasons make trails slippery, but the scenery is greener and there are fewer visitors. Getting there: the road from Kampala via Mubende takes about 5–6 hours, and buses such as Link run the route; small planes fly daily to Kasese or airstrips near Fort Portal. Kibale's Kanyanchu Visitor Centre is about 35 km away, and the dirt roads into the crater lake area are badly potholed, so hire a car or ask your lodge to arrange a driver. Plan on 2–3 days: one day tracking chimpanzees in the morning and walking the Bigodi Wetland in the afternoon, another for the crater lakes, the royal palace in town and the Amabere Caves, with the Sempaya hot springs if time allows. Chimpanzee tracking permits must be booked in advance through the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and often sell out in high season. Wear long sleeves, long trousers and non-slip shoes in the forest, keep at least 8 m from the chimps, and stay away if you have a cold. Fort Portal is often combined with Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi on a classic western Uganda circuit.

Top sights

• Kibale National Park – The “Primate Capital of the World,” a tropical rainforest home to about 1,500 chimpanzees and 13 primate species. It is East Africa's top c…
• Ndali-Kasenda Crater Lakes – Dozens of emerald crater lakes between Fort Portal and Kibale. From the “Top of the World” summit, you can see several lakes at once.
• Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary – A community wetland on the southern edge of Kibale. Boardwalk trails loop past more than 200 bird species and several monkey species, and i…
• Lake Nkuruba – A crater lake surrounded by forest. Black-and-white colobus monkeys can be seen in the community nature reserve, you can swim in the lake…
• Amabere Caves – Limestone caves and a small waterfall on the western edge of town. The stalactites look like breasts, and they are linked to a legend about…
• Tooro Royal Palace (Karuziika) – The royal palace of the Tooro Kingdom on a hilltop. The views take in the whole town and the Rwenzori Mountains, and it is a good place to…
• Semuliki National Park & Sempaya Hot Springs – An extension of the Congo Basin rainforest into East Africa. Two hot springs, the "male" and "female", bubble up boiling water, where you c…
• Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve – Grassland and woodland on the southern shore of Lake Albert. You can see Uganda kob, forest elephants and waterbuck, boat trips search for…
• Lake Kyaninga – A deep crater lake north of town, famous for its wooden lodge perched on the cliff. The lake and the Rwenzori Mountains can be seen togethe…

Where to eat

• Dutchess – An established hotel restaurant run by a Dutch couple; travelers call its stone-oven pizza the best in western Uganda.
• Gardens Restaurant – A Lonely Planet–recommended local institution; the lunchtime Ugandan buffet and local coffee are favorites with travele…

Itineraries

• Uganda Waterfalls, Primates & Lakes Classic Loop – A classic loop connecting Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi, and Lake Bunyonyi from north to south.
• Western Uganda Backpacking Route by Public Transport – Take long-distance buses and shared minibuses through Fort Portal, Kibale, and the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains…