Kalinzu Forest Reserve

About

Kalinzu Forest Reserve is a block of tropical rainforest in south-western Uganda and one of the quieter places in the country to track chimpanzees. Managed by the National Forestry Authority as a central forest reserve rather than by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, it covers roughly 140 square kilometres in the Bushenyi area and borders the Maramagambo Forest of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Together the two forests form a continuous wooded landscape of about 580 square kilometres on the edge of the Albertine Rift, at an average altitude of around 1,400 metres. Chimpanzees are the main draw. A 2007 study by the primatologists Hashimoto, Cox and Furuichi estimated around 230 chimpanzees in at least four communities, and the forest has two habituated groups used for tourism and research. Tracking starts early in the morning with a forest guide and can last several hours depending on where the chimpanzees have moved overnight. Kalinzu has a long history of primate research, including studies by Hashimoto, Furuichi and colleagues that documented chimpanzees dipping for ants and eating meat, and a snare-removal programme that began in 2005 after traps were found injuring chimpanzees. The forest is also home to blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, baboons and black-and-white colobus, and records list more than 400 tree species and well over 300 bird species. Vegetation ranges from mature mixed forest to secondary stands dominated by Parinari and Musanga. Guides on the nature trails point out medicinal plants used by nearby communities, along with butterflies and birds, as the paths drop through valleys and streams under a dense canopy. Kalinzu's location is a large part of its appeal. It sits on the tourist route between Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, so it fits neatly into a south-western circuit between a savanna safari and gorilla trekking. It can work as an alternative to Kibale for chimpanzee tracking, or as a second primate day on a longer trip. A small eco-lodge built with timber, stone and thatch stands on the forest edge for those who want to stay close to the trailheads. As with Uganda's other rainforests, rain can fall in any month and trails get muddy, so good walking shoes and a waterproof layer are essential. The drier months of June to August and December to February usually make for easier walking. See our guide to the best time to visit Uganda, and our Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi pages for planning the rest of the route. Photo: SharonDawn / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Highlights

• Chimpanzee tracking with two habituated groups
• Blue monkeys, vervets, baboons and black-and-white colobus
• Forest nature walks with medicinal plants, birds and butterflies
• Convenient stop between Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi
• Borders Maramagambo Forest in Queen Elizabeth National Park