Turaco treetop lodge is located at the heart of kibale national park. The lodge is located near bigodi wetland sanctuary. The lodge lies in a mid- range and designed in African and modern architecture with panoramic view of the forest and Mount Rwenzori ranges. Kibale national park is a home of 13 primates which include chimpanzees, baboons, black and white monkeys, vervet monkeys, and many more.
The lodge accommodates 8 cottages which are self- contained with singles, doubles, twins with flushing water, balcony, hot and cold-water showers, towels, slippers, and many more. The lodge is a breathtaking fresh air due to tropical forest of the park.
The lodge is well facilitated with well stocked bar with alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic, swimming pool, restaurant where delicious meals and break fast are served by professionals, free wi-fi where you’re free to chat with families members and friends, and laundry.
What to do while at the lodge?
Chimpanzees tracking and habituation.
While at the lodge, visitors will do chimpanzees tracking and habituation in kibale national park. They will have few drive to kanyachu gate near UWA headquarters for briefing about dos and don’ts of chimp habituation and tracking. After they will be led by rangers and guides into the forest to search for chimps where they will be given one hour visit tracking and for habituation chimps will be given four hours to be with chimps. Visitors are expected to pack cameras, comfortable hiking boots, rain coat, water and snacks, long trousers, long t-shirts and many more.
Birding.
Turaco treetop lodge is a birding paradise since it is positioned in the heart of kibale national park which is a tropical forest. Bird lovers are advised to pack binoculars, cameras, water and snacks, rain coat, long trousers, long t-shirts, and many more. Birding starts with a briefing and may take half or full day with the help of guides who are experts in birding. Some of the bird species include great blue turacos, kingfishers, hammerkob, grey crowned crane, spurfowl, long horned billed bird, dove, owl, white egrets and many more.
Nature walks.
The lodge is the best destination of nature walk since it is positioned near the local communities. Nature walk is always an additional activity done after chimpanzees tracking and habituation. The activity involves footing with the help of guides who takes you to local communities to visit bigodi wetland sanctuary where you will enjoy nature walk for about 2-3 hours. During the activity, you will spot various bird species, 13 primates, wildlife like forest elephants, and farming gardens around the park. You will visit rest in bananas where you will enjoy banana juice made out of ripped bananas, traditional doctors and will be entertained with traditional dances and many more.
Cultural tours
Despite the fact that the lodge lies in kibale national park, it takes few drives to fort portal city which for batoro the natives and bakiga the migrates thus the best destination for culture. You will get a chance to visit Toro kingdom which is known for having the youngest king in Uganda. While in the palace you will be entertained traditionally, will be story telling by the elderly, will meet traditional doctors and local people with local markets. You will have a chance to buy and support the local communities.
How to access the lodge?
Turaco treetop lodge can be accessed by either road transport or air transport. By road transport, visitors may use private, public or bus vehicles passing via mupende- fort portal route. It will take about 5 hours to reach the lodge and various beautiful sceneries will be spotted along the way like forest, bird species, mount Rwenzori ranges and many more.
However the lodge can be reached out by flight from kajjasi or Entebbe international airport to kasese airstrip where it will take about 1 hour then two hours drive to the lodge.
while on a trip to explore Uganda, visitors are advised to visit chimpanzees which can not only be spotted in kibale national park but also kalinzu and kyabura gorge in Queen Elizabeth national park and Budondo forest in murchison falls national park. However other other primates that are more visited on a Uganda safari are Gorillas which are said to be close relative of humans due to 98%DNA.
