Bwindi National Park

Bwindi National Park : In the Kanungu District of southwest Uganda, Bwindi National Park is a popular Uganda gorilla tourist destination. The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, is home to a wide variety of plants and fauna. Half of the mountain gorillas left in the world live in Bwindi National Park. The park’s 321 square kilometers are home to a variety of animals and birds.

The Bwindi National Park’s attractions

Mountain gorillas

One of the biggest attractions in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are mountain gorillas. There are an estimated 400 mountain gorillas living in the park, and they may be found in a variety of gorilla families in the Buhoma Sector, Ruhija Sector, Rushaga Sector, and Nkuringo Sector, among other areas.

Birdlife

Uganda’s Bwindi Forest is a top destination for birders. Over 350 different bird species can be found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, including 14 that are unique to Uganda and 23 that are native to the Albertine region. Tit Hylia, Strange weaver, Dusky Twin spot, Montane Oriole, Regal sunbird, African wood owl, Bar-tailed trogon, Western green tinker bird, Black bee-eater, Dwarf honeyguide, grey gecko-shrike, Kivu ground-thrush, Yellow-sreaked greenbul, Shelly’s greenbul, Handsome francolin, among other bird species, can be found in Bwindi.

The Batwa people

The pygmy Batwa tribe has lived in Bwindi for a very long time. These pygmies reside on the park’s periphery. The Batwa tribe were revered as the forest’s guardians. These are hunters that rely on picking fruit and hunting wild animals. The Batwa continue to live a traditional lifestyle.

Gorilla Trekking

Depending on where the gorillas are, gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest might take anything from 30 minutes to 7 hours. This is because gorillas wander around in quest of food. Four areas make up Bwindi Forest: Rushaga in the south, Nkuringo in the west, Buhoma in the north, and Ruhija in the east. Early in the morning, in the park’s administrative center, gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest begins with a briefing on the rules and guidelines to adhere to. Following the briefing, you are split up into groups of eight, and each group is assigned a habituated gorilla family to travel with and a park guide who is familiar with the jungle’s routes. You can see various species of birds, animals, plants, and other primates when tracking gorillas in the wild.

Gorilla habituation experience

Gorilla habituation is the process of acclimating gorillas, which are wild animals that live in the jungles as their native habitats, to human contact and presence. On Uganda gorilla trekking safaris, participants can engage in a gorilla habituation experience. Only the Rushaga gorilla area of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park offers gorilla habituation experiences in Uganda. The southernmost region of the park is where this sector is situated. The greatest times to experience gorilla habituation are in the months of December, March, June, and October.

Bird watching

With more than 350 bird species reported, including 23 Albertine endemics, woodland birds, and migratory birds, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a birder’s paradise. This makes it one of Uganda’s top locations for bird watching.  In Bwindi, birding may be done in areas such the Mubwindi Swamp Trail in Ruhija, the bamboo zone, and the Buhoma Waterfall Trail. Some of the bird species in these areas include African green pigeon, kivu ground thrush, giant kingfisher, African harrier hawk, common bulbul, cinnamon chested bee-eater, red headed bluebill, white tailed blue flycatcher, Ruwenzori batis, grey crowned crane, buff spotted woodpecker, cape wagtail, archers robin chat, blue spottrd wood dove, African wood owl, double toothed barbet among others.

Nature Walks

In Bwindi, nature hikes can be taken on a variety of trails across the park. Buhoma – Nkuringo track, Rushura Hill walk, Habinyanja trail, Muyanga waterfall walk, Ivi River Walk, Muzubijiro Loop, and others are among these trails. You will have the opportunity to engage with primates and many bird species while taking a ranger on nature walks in Bwindi Forest.

 Batwa cultural tours

Cultural tours in Bwindi are a fascinating opportunity to get up up and personal with the Batwa or pygmies who formerly called the forest home before it was designated a national park. In addition to learning how to hunt and gather honey, visitors to these cultural tours will see their grass hut homes, view various plants that were used to treat various illnesses, speak with medicine men, visit their traditional homes, see how the women prepare regional dishes, hear ancient Batwa tales, and sing traditional songs.

Park Entrance Fees

Adults: East African citizens pay 20,000 UGX, whereas foreign non-residents pay 40 USD. Foreign residents pay a 30 USD per person fee.

Children: East African citizens pay 10,000 UGX, whereas foreign non-residents pay 20 USD. Foreign residents pay a 10 USD per person fee.

Best Time to visit Bwindi impenetrable national park

The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is open all year round for visitors.  The dry seasons of June through August and December through January are the ideal times to explore the park. Due to the low rainfall at these times, the gorilla trekking trails are less slick and muddy.

Where to stay in Bwindi impenetrable national park

You can stay in a variety of accommodations while onon a Uganda Gorilla safari in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. These lodgings come in a variety of price points, including luxury. These include the Bwindi View Bandas, Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge, Gift Nature Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Ruhija Community Rest Camp, Buhoma Lodge Bwindi, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Four Gorillas Lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Ruhija Community Rest Camp, Buhoma Lodge Bwindi, Engagi Lodge, Mahogany Springs Lodge, Silverback Lodge, Nshongi Camp, and many others.

Getting to Bwindi National Park

 Both road and air travel are options for getting to the park.

By Road: Visitors can reach the park using a 4WD safari vehicle by traveling from Kampala or Entebbe to the park headquarters through Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, and then another 8 to 9 hours by road.

By Air: Visitors can also reach the park via scheduled or charter domestic flights as a mode of transportation. Companies offering domestic flights include Aerolink, Bar Aviation, etc.