Kanyanchu Visitors’ Center, is where Kibale National Park headquarters are found, literally the starting point/trailhead for tourist activities. The center is found in the central part of this spectacular protected area. If you have visited Kibale Forest National Park before, then you are familiar with this visitors’ center but if you haven’t, then worry not.
Kanyanchu Visitors’ Center is the trailhead for chimpanzee trekking tours, the main activity in Kibale Forest National Park, and is situated approximately 10 kilometers from Isunga park offices. Additionally, this center is only about 35 kilometers from Fort Portal town and is reachable on the tarred Fort Portal – Kamwenge route.
Major Activities Around Kanyanchu Visitors’ Center
Featuring about 5 habituated chimpanzee communities, Kanyanchu is the preferred chimpanzee trekking area in Kibale Forest National Park and Uganda in general. Briefing for chimpanzee treks begins here, usually in the morning or afternoon, which includes rules and regulations to be followed while searching for these great apes in their natural habitat.
There are two chimpanzee trekking sessions in this park which begin from Kanyanchu. These are the morning sessions, starting at 8:00am as well as the afternoon sessions, starting at 2:00pm.
Taking a chimpanzee trekking tour in Uganda, may last between two and five hours, including a one-hour session of observing and photographing them as they go about their daily activities. Tracking is done by an experienced guide and an armed ranger who accompany visitors as they walk through the jungles searching for the great apes. While on these treks, one can sight several primates, especially the L’Hoests, black and white colobus, blue, red-tailed and vervet monkeys or olive baboons and grey-cheeked mangabeys. Several bird species, butterfly species, reptiles, amphibian species and unique tree species can also be sighted.
There are about 1,500 chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park, that’s over 30% of the total 5,000 individuals found in the country. These also make up the 70 mammal species found here. Expect about 375 bird species, 200 butterfly species and about 70 reptile species, to mention but a few.
Aside from chimpanzee trekking, other Kibale Forest National Park activities that begin at the Kanyanchu Visitors’ center include the chimpanzee habituation experience, guided forest walks and birding tours.
Lodges Nearby
The closest accommodation facility to Kanyanchu Visitors’ Center is the Primate Safari Lodge, hence making it the ideal base for visitors interested in trekking the endangered chimpanzees, undertaking birding tours around the center or guided forest walks. Interestingly, chimpanzees sometimes pay surprise visits to the lodge thus providing the perfect sighting of the great apes, without having to walk through the jungles. Other lodges around Kanyanchu Visitors’ Center include Kibale Forest Camp, Chimps’ Nest, Chimpanzee Guesthouse, Ndali Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, and Crater Safari Lodge, to mention but a few.
How to Get to Kanyanchu Visitors’ Center
Located within the heart of Kibale Forest National Park, the Kanyanchu Visitors’ Center is reachable by road. It is about 300km, that is about 5-6 hours’ drive from Kampala and 35km (30 minutes) drive from Fort Portal town.
Besides Kibale Forest National Park, you can explore more about Uganda, as a superlative destination, with astounding and epic center for game and primate safari. You can see all sorts of wildlife treasures including a chance to do gorilla habituation in Bwindi or simply immerse in a boat safari up and down Murchison Falls to see aquatic animals including the hippos, and crocodiles and spectacular birds.