Kaniyo Pabidi Forest is located inside Murchison Falls National Park. It is a quiet and peaceful place with rich natural beauty and many types of wildlife.
The forest covers about 8 square kilometers and is filled with hardwood trees like mahogany and ironwood. These trees provide shelter and food for many animals.
Kaniyo Pabidi Forest is found in the southern part of Murchison Falls National Park, about 8 kilometers from the Kichumbanyobo Gate. Its location makes it easy for tourists to visit for chimpanzee trekking, bird watching, and nature walks. It takes around 30 minutes to drive from Masindi town to the forest.
The forest is well known for its chimpanzees. It is home to about 120 chimpanzees, making it one of the best places for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda. These chimpanzees are used to people, so tourists can watch them in the wild without causing stress to the animals.
Other primates in the forest include olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, pottos, and galagos.
Besides primates, the forest is home to over 360 bird species. Some birds are only found in the Albertine Rift region. Bird species include the yellow-footed flycatcher, Puvel’s illadopsis, white-thighed hornbill, and chocolate-backed kingfisher.
The best time for bird watching is early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Visitors walk along forest trails that lead to the best bird viewing spots.
Sometimes, large animals like elephants, lions, and leopards can be seen passing through the forest, although they do not live there permanently.
Kaniyo Pabidi Forest is also a place for scientific research. It is managed by the Jane Goodall Institute. Research and conservation of chimpanzees have taken place here since the 1990s. Because the chimpanzees are well habituated, tourists can see them more easily.
The best time to visit the forest is during the dry season, from December to February and from June to September. During these months, the forest trails are dry, which makes trekking, bird watching, and nature walks more comfortable.
Tourists can reach Kaniyo Pabidi Forest by road from Kampala to Murchison Falls National Park. The distance is about 220 kilometers, and the journey takes 4 to 5 hours. The main entrance is the Kichumbanyobo Gate, but visitors can also use Bugungu Gate in the south or Tangi and Wankwar Gates in the north of the park.
Kaniyo Pabidi Forest is a special place full of life and offers great chances for tourists to enjoy nature.
