Kibale National Park Safari Cost with All Park Entrance Fees
What is the cost of a Kibale National Park Safari?
Kibale Forest National Park is a haven of wildlife lovers nestled in the western part of Uganda in Kabarole and Kamwenge district, and it is commonly termed as the “primate capital of Uganda “with 13 primate species living within the ecosystem including the Chimpanzees. A safari to Kibale Forest National Park offers the chance to view several wildlife species including over 300 species of birds and a few mammal species like elephants and giant forest hogs although these are rarely seen. Understanding the cost of a Kibale National Park Safari is an important aspect of a successful trip, as it includes several factors combined together and how much you, as an individual, family, or group, are willing to spend.
The cost of safari in Kibale Forest National Park varies depending on several factors including your time of travel. The park can be visited any time of the year but best during the dry season, typically the high season lies between January, February, June, July, August and September and these are the most visited times of the year as the trails in the forest are drier and easier to hike, although the wet season in April, May, March and November can be visited as well. The cost of a trip during the dry season tends to be higher compared to the low season due to a high demand from travelers, as many travelers prefer to travel during this time.
The type of accommodation contributes towards the cost of safari, budget accommodation varies between $50-$150 per night, midrange accommodation ranges between $200-$500 per night while luxury accommodation varies between $500-$1,000per night. There is a wide choice of facilities offering a comfortable place to stay for example the Kibale Tourist Safari Lodge, Kibale Forest Camp, Primate Lodge, Chimpundu Lodge, Volcanoes tops to mention a few. Many lodges operate on different rates in season. The dry season has standard rates, while in the low season, they tend to offer discounts during the low season with accommodation going as lower to 50% off the actual price and during the holidays.
The cost of Safari is also dependent on the type of car that guests will be using, with commonly used safari car types include; 4*4 safari land cruisers, mini safari vans, and Prados, these are costed differently depending on the company of hire some of these can be rented on self-drive while others are others come with a guide are on full package, the prices are costed differently between $50 -$350 depending on the number of travelers and fuel in most cases comes at an extra cost inclusive of the guide fees. Some Lodges that own shuttle vans/vehicles can offer a wide option of transport means and this can be a cheaper option especially if you’re travelling to Kibale by air and need transfer services.
The choice of Safari activities in the forest determines the cost of chimpanzee tracking, chimpanzee habituation, birding experience in the park, guided nature walks, carter walks and visits, Bigodi Swamp walk, to mention a few. This year, the chimpanzee permit costs $250 for foreign nonresidents and 180,000 shillings for EA citizens. The chimpanzee habituation permit costs $300 per permit for foreign nonresidents, $250 Foreign residents, and 200,000 shillings for EA residents.
Duration of safaris, shorter safaris cost less compared to longer stays while at the destination, the overall cost of the trip is determined by how long, inclusive of the combined factors, most people visit Kibale combined with other destinations in these cases the safari cost generally costs $700-$1,200 per person on budget, $1,200-$1,800 on midrange, and $2,000- $3,800 and above for luxury experiences. The cost includes ground transfers, accommodation, chimpanzee tracking permits, car, fuel among other inclusions, normally the international flights are excluded as well as visas