Kalinzu Forest Reserve.

Kalinzu Forest Reserve is made-up of a thick natural rainforest, located in the outskirts of the magnificent Queen Elizabeth National Park. A walk through the forest reserve will expose your eyes and mind to a whole new exciting life due to the animals, beautiful scenery from all sides of the reserve especially those of the Rwenzori mountains, Lake George and the Kazinga channel that it parades.

The forest is a habitat to several species of plants and animals encompassing the primates, beautiful bird species, rare tree species and grasslands. Kalinzu Forest Reserve is made-up of over 414 species of trees, 378 bird species, 6 primate species, and 262 butterfly species to elevate your exploration. There are well stationed accommodation facilities at the forest. They ensure that the travelers have a good time while exploring the natural area, thus a favorable destination.

History of Kalinzu Forest Reserve.

The Captivating Kalinzu forest reserve was established in 1932 by the British colonial masters. It was done with the aim of protecting the biodiversity within. The reserve covers an area of nearly 137 square kilometers in Bushenyi district. Part of the forest reserve was cleared to establish the Kyaruhunga and Igara Tea plantations which led to loss of various tree species.

The government thereafter enforced a stop on deforestation in the area to protect the remaining part of the forest and the tree species within as a habitat for a variety of wildlife species. The forest reserve has a huge ecological significance to the region. Kalinzu Forest Reserve is currently managed by the National Forestry Authority.

What Tourist Attractions are found in Kalinzu Forest?

Kalinzu forest reserve is renowned for its extraordinary beauty and has a number of tourist attractions within which partly explains why thousands of tourists flock to the forest every year. The attractions encompass;

Bird species. The forest is a home to a variety of bird species which tourists enjoy viewing when in the reserve. They can be viewed at the designated bird watching centers which have improved binoculars to enable the visitor to see birds that are even at a longer distance. The birds in the forest include the sunbirds, hammerkops, African fish eagles, turacos, abyssinian ground hornbill, black bee eaters, cinnamons, egrets, African paradise flycatchers, secretary birds and shoebills.

Primates. It is important to note that Kalinzu forest reserve is home to over six primate species which the tourists to the reserve can get to observe. These include the red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, chimpanzees, l’hoest monkeys, blue monkeys, baboons, Galagos, pottos and vervet monkeys.

Nature Trails. The forest itself is substantial tourist attraction due to the beautiful scenery of the canopies that is good for photography and sightseeing. Nature walks can be conducted in the forest to help the travelers explore more of the reserve. The forest is made-up of rare and attractive to species such as the ficus, strobania, parinari and prinus Africana.

The Kilyantama Waterfalls are also an iconic Tourist attraction in the forest reserve. Visitors enjoy photography while at the waterfalls and sightseeing.

The reserve is also a home too over 262 butterfly species which the travelers get the chance to observe. The butterfly watching activity is enjoyable especially on the nature walks conducted within the forest.

Activities carried out in Kalinzu Forest Reserve?

Forest hikes. These are conducted within the forest and help the visitors to observe the various attractions within the reserve. Visitors hike on nature trails such as palm trail, waterfall trail and valley trail etc. The cost of hiking on nature trails is $40 for each non-resident and $20 for East Africans and $10 for Ugandans.

Birding. Walk in the lush forest of Kalinzu to spot a variety of bird species. When lucky you might find the ones never before identified to make you feel happy. The cost of each birding trip is $40 per person if you are a non-resident. East Africans and Ugandans can pay $20 and $10 per person to enjoy birding excursions.

Chimpanzee tracking. The forest reserve is a home to chimpanzees that have been habituated over the years by scientists. These chimpanzees can be watched by the travelers to the forest reserve which makes the adventures more satisfying. Chimp trekking in Kalinzu Forest is done at $130 per person for non-residents and $65 for East Africans, Ugandans inclusive.

Research activities are also carried out in the magnificent Kalinzu forest. These are usually carried out by the scientists about the medicinal trees and also to gather data on the various animal species within especially the primates. The cost of research in Kalinzu Forest is unform for all visitor categories $100 per person.

How to get to Kalinzu forest reserve?

Kalinzu Forest reserve can be accessed through Kampala- Mbarara – Kasese road. It is located along the highway just 10 kilometres into Bushenyi district In the West of Ishasha sector. The journey usually takes approximately six to seven hours.

Best time to visit Kalinzu Forest?

The best time to visit Kalinzu forest is during the dry seasons. There is a long dry season every year running from June to August. Then, there is the short dry season of December to February. They offer the very best to visit and have a good time in the forest reserve. There appeal is thanks to no interruptions of rain and slippery grounds. Therefore the visitor gets to smoothly participate in all activities and have the best experiences.

Soledad Gomez

Fun Safari. Loved it. Godwin was an amazing guide! He was informative, funny and took us around well. He was able to find so many animals and the weather was amazing. He allowed us to take time at each spot when we saw an animal we were looking forward to seeing. All our lodges were carefully chosen by Coleb and we all loved them. We booked the 6 days safari and highly recommend it to everyone visiting Uganda. We had a wonderful time!. 10/10 recommended!!

Maria Torondel

We rated this experience top of everything, because it truly was outstanding in every way! From our pickup which was punctual, quick and comfortable to our Safari in Murchison falls, Kibale and Bwindi NP, Standard safaris delivered to the dot. Our guide was a very Kind, punctual and extremely knowledgeable person who could tell us many facts about each and every animal we encountered. Due to his insights we were able to spot 4 of the Big Five, the Rhinos, buffaloes, lions and Elephants multiple times, as well as Hippos, Crocodiles, Giraffes and many more. Thanks to his calm and patience we were even able to watch an elephant fight right in front of us without any safety concerns. It was truly a very memorable day with a lot of fun and also good food.This is truly an experience for everyone, from solo travellers to big groups! Great tour company with a great guide!!!!!!!

Alexis F

This was an amazing experience organised by Standard Safaris through Coleb. During the tour itself, we got a chance to see so many animals and we learned a lot of interesting facts from our tour guide Godwin. He was funny and made sure we all got a chance to speak and see the full beauty of Uganda. We had an excellent time and a good tour for the whole family.

Elena Hoya

It was my first time in Uganda and honestly it was an amazing tour. Our pick up and drop off were comfortable. Our guide throughout the safari was excellent at his job. He was attentive with everyone and was very knowledgeable about all the cultures and landscapes of the country. During planning, Coleb did his best in tailoring our itinerary to fit our travel needs. I'm so glad we booked this tour. It was one of a kind.

E A

My wife and I had the trip of a lifetime, an unforgettable experience from start to finish. From gorilla trekking to game drives, every moment was magical and the wildlife encounters were simply breathtaking. Our guide Godwin was knowledgeable and attentive, and every detail of the trip was perfectly organized. Uganda’s beauty exceeded all our expectations, and the team took wonderful care of us throughout. Thank you for showing us the Pearl of Africa, we’ll cherish these memories forever. Highly recommended

KLAU conde

I LOVE MY SAFARI WE DID GORILLA TREKING AND WE WERE LOOKING FOR THE BIG FIVES, Everything was phenomenal the drivers the lodges my favorite one was Acacia Lodge, where you open the door of your lodge and you have the Elephants and hippos there . we also went to the Ecuatorian line very cool

Elisa Peralta

We spent a WONDERFUL time in Rwanda, thanks to Standard Safaris and especially thanks to our amazing driver George. If you plan to go on safari in Rwanda with Standard Safaris, ask him as your driver guide. He will share all his knowledge and experience about animals, nature, people, food etc… He drives very safely and is friendly. Thanks to him we saw a lot of animals ( especially the big 5😃 in Akagera NP) and Know so much more about Rwanda. We were travelling with our 2 children (7 and 11 years old), and they were delighted. We feel very lucky and we are grateful for this wonderful safari in East Africa.

Susana Lara Valenciano

We booked a 9-Days safari in Uganda with Standard Safaris, all-inclusive with a driver guide, all tour activities, permits and lodges. Honestly, we were very happy to have George as our guide. He drove us safely around the country and explained many things along the way. Thanks to him, we were able to spot many animals in the national parks, and we always stayed on track with our itinerary. The jeep was new and well maintained, however, the seats in the back were quite high with small windows, which made it difficult to look outside. But nevertheless, we still had a 10/10 safari experience in Uganda. We look forward to returning for another safari next year and telling our friends about Standard Safaris.

Pablo Sanchez Rubio

My wife and I had a gorilla safari of a lifetime in Uganda late last month. Our driver/guide Denis was incredible. He gave us so much information about Uganda and was so knowledgeable about the wildlife, cultures, people, politics, the geography, etc. By the end of the week we considered him a friend and we will recommend him and Standard Safaris to anyone looking to go to East Africa. Thank you so much guys!

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If there were 10 stars I would give them. From my first "Hello" with Coleb to our last set of selfies on the equator with Denis, this tour company out-did themselves!! Absolutely professional and helpful from beginning to end. We're already booking another trip for next year! They had organised everything- gorilla permits, chimpanzee permits, all national park entrance fees, lodgings, every meal included. It was so easy I didn't even know where we were going until we were there! Pure relaxation. We had a few extra free days at the end so Coleb suggested adding on Mabamba Wetland and this was a wonderful experience with the shoebill and all these beautiful birds. Denis is the best tour guide I've ever met. 100% knowledgeable and professional and accommodating and..a new friend😊.. Thank you Standard Safaris!!