The Kalinzu Forest Reserve is a very interesting safari place to visit. You can relax thank to the lovely guided walks along the ridges. Your imagination will be opened to a completely new realm of forest life by taking a nature walk through the valleys. You may admire the beauty of the Kazinga channel, Lake George, and Mount Rwenzori while taking a walk in the forest.

The Kalinzu Forest Reserve is home to a variety of wonderful wildlife species as well as over 414 tree species with uses that will broaden your understanding of African culture. The forest also has 6 different primates, 97 moth species, reptiles, flowers in the field that will treat your moods right, and 262 butterfly species that will make you smile when you see them flying under the dense tree canopies in different colours. These additional wildlife species will take your birding safari experience to a whole new level.

The majority of people adore the chimpanzee trekking safari experience that takes place in the Kalinzu forest reserve. About 40 of the 300 chimpanzees in the Kalinzu forest reserve had been habituated by a Japanese study team two years ago. This increases the probability that you will see chimpanzees when you visit the Kalinzu Forest Reserve. Additionally, Kalinzu Forest Reserve is the most affordable option for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda when compared to other regions like Budongo, Kibale, and Ngamba, among others. This is because Kalinzu chimpanzee trekking permits are less expensive than everywhere else in the country.

Other primates in the Kalinzu Forest Reserve, besides chimpanzees, will make your nature treks through the forest more enjoyable. Baboons, monkeys, blue monkeys, black and white monkeys, L’Hoest’s, red-tailed colobus monkeys, and black-billed turacos are just a few of the animals that may be found at Kalinzu Forest Reserve.

You will also have the opportunity to visit the Kalinzu Hills fortune teller while in the Kalinzu Forest reserve. This elderly man will fill you in on a lot of knowledge regarding the Kalinzu Forest Reserve’s historical uses by the local population. Your Uganda Chimpanzee safari experience will be enhanced and brought to a whole new level by the nighttime activities in the Kalinzu Forest Reserve. You will love tracking the nocturnal primates that live in the forests at night. You will monitor the nighttime primates, including the Galagos, bush infants, and Pottos.

What nature can’t do, she will do: the sound of the jungle in Kalinzu will make a rhythm at night, mixing the sound of crickets with the sound made by the leaves when the wind blows, putting your life back in the mode you want it to be.

The Kalinzu Forest Camping Site is located deep within the forest to allow you to fully appreciate nature. The camp is located in the forest to remove you from human settlements and provide you with a special natural experience in a wild/natural setting. The camp is situated in the shaded glades at the center of the forest reserve to give you a really natural experience.

There aren’t many other places to stay nearby to the Kalinzu Forest; the Homeland Hotel is closer and is located 10 kilometres from Ishaka. You may, however, spend the night in any lodge in Queen Elizabeth National park before moving to Kalinzu for your forest-related activities;

Mweya safari lodge

Mweya hostels

Jacana lodge

Katara lodge

Katunguru has accommodation facilities like; engiri game lodge and campsite Park View Safari Lodge.

Queen Elizabeth Pvt lodge

Before embarking to the activities in kalinzu forest, these are the rules you need to know;

Only a maximum of 6 people are allowed to move into the forest for a round hike

Remember to keep your voices down and to always stay on the tourist route.

You shouldn’t stay somewhere unless you think you might have company.

Finally, for the benefit of the sustainability of nature, do not leave trash behind or feed animals.

How to get there;

 The Kalinzu Forest is situated alongside the main road between Kasese and Mbarara. It is around 10 km west of Ishasha in the Busenyi area, inside Queen Elizabeth National Park. The location of the visitors’ centre is ideal for both those coming from Queen Elizabeth National Park and those entering the park.

Kalinzu Forest is a 5-hour bus ride from the bus terminal in Kampala. And depending on the season, fares run from 10,000 to 12,000 U.S. dollars. After getting off the bus in Butare, it is only a short walk to the Kalinzu forest reserve. The walk to the visitor’s centre while taking in the soothing sounds of the forest’s birds and its trees is also very interesting.

Nature walks in Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is in the untamed west of Uganda, particularly in the Kalinzu Forest, should be included as a memorable wild safari experience. You may get some exercise after a long day of sitting in tour cars on the wildlife drive thanks to the tourist activities in the Kalinzu Forest. You wouldn’t want to miss out on this stunning introduction to the new untamed world of nature in the Kalinzu Forest Reserve since, to those who pay attention to details, the little things matter a lot.

Kalinzu forest trails.

 Kalinzu forest has got four different trails for nature walks this are:

The valley trail.

This 4-hour walk offers breathtaking views of the majestic steep slopes of the right valley covered in a lush forest canopy, and along the way, you may come across a variety of wildlife.

The waterfall trail.

The trek to the remarkable waterfall known as “kilyantama” is so large and offers breathtaking views of the Kalinzu forest that it should take 4-6 hours to complete. The trail travels through wet and mountainous terrain and offers breathtaking views of the chimpanzee-inhabited Kalinzu forest.

The river trail.

The river route is roughly 2.5 kilometres long and takes an hour to complete. The traveller will also come across River Kajojo, often known as Elephant River because elephants were known to bathe from here, and chimpanzees and other primates are frequently spotted along this trail.

The palm trail.

 This flat, one-and-a-half to two-hour trail leads tourists past fascinating tree species, including the rare flame tree, whose unusual red, large tulip-like leaves, according to the locals, are believed to arouse women’s desire for sex. Other tree species include a variety of palm trees.

Along all of the aforementioned pathways, different bird species and other wildlife, like as butterflies, can be viewed. In addition to taking in the Kalinzu forest’s canopy, visitors can also park and bring a picnic lunch to eat in the park’s picnic sites.