Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK- The ultimate gorilla experience

Bwindi is Uganda’s hotspot for tourism and most tours to Uganda are always deemed complete with a visit to the 331sqkm forest park in the rugged steep hills and valleys of Kigezi Highlands in the districts of Kisoro, Kanungu, and Rubanda in the Albertine Rift Valley.

The famous activity here is gorilla tracking since the diverse fauna here includes the half population of the giant apes. The first group of gorillas was tracked in 1993 after the habituation process that started in 1991 at Buhoma which also doubles as the park headquarters and major trailhead. Later other 3 trailheads were opened up at Nkuringo, Ruhija, and Rushaga which are all operational and each is a starting point to access one of the 19 gorilla groups available for tracking at the park.

The park is one of the most biodiverse parks in Africa with about 160 tree species, 120 mammal species which include over 500 individuals of mountain gorillas, 200 butterflies, 350 bird species that include 23 Albertine endemic species like the Regal Sunbird, Rwenzori Batis, Narina Tragon and other species of reptiles, Amphibians. It is this diversity that was brought into account by the International Union for Conservation of Nature- IUCN that made the park listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO IN 1994.

In the communities outside the park are cultural programs that offer a chance to interact with the Batwa pygmies who were settlers in the forest and were evicted to protect and conserve the forest. A visit to the centers where these programs help improve the welfare and also is a benefit from tourism to the communities and helps a lot in conservation.

What to do at the park

Gorilla Tracking and Habituation

The Bwindi impenetrable forest is the best place to track mountain gorillas because while here you will be with half of the population of mountain gorillas. The four sectors of Ruhija, Buhoma, Rushaga, and Nkuringo operate independently and together have 19 gorilla families that are tracked by 8 people every day. Trackers should be above the age of 15 years. At 700 USD for foreign visitors, 600USD for foreign residents you can have a one-hour encounter with these gentle giants and at 1500USD you can spend more time-4 hours with the gorilla by engaging the gorilla habituation experience. 

Nature walks

Enjoy walking in the lush vegetation of the old forest. The knowledgeable site guides will lead you through the well-maintained forest trails of the park. The trails include the Ivi’s river trail, Habiyanja trail, Muzubijiro loop trail, Rushura hill trail, and Muyanga waterfalls trail and all these offer fantastic sights of the parks less know secrets like the waterfalls, insects, reptiles, and other flora and fauna.  

Birding

Housing 360 bird species of which 23 of the 24 Albertine Rift Valley endemics can be sighted here. It is one of the ecologically rich forests on the continent and birders who have been here referring to it as the best birding spot in Africa. Notable species include Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Batis, Wood warbler, Grey Apalis, Klass’ Cuckoo, Red-throated alethe among others.

Cycling

Follow the 13km River Ivi trail from the park headquarters-Buhoma, a ride that will last hours as you enjoy riding past wildlife that includes primates like black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, birds among others. The services are offered by a women’s group known as Ride 4 a woman

Cultural encounters

Get involved in learning about the culture of the locals. Cultural programs that offer a chance to interact with the Batwa pygmies who were settlers in the forest and were evicted to protect and conserve the forest. A visit to the centers where these programs help improve the welfare and also is a benefit from tourism to the communities and helps a lot in conservation. So in the evening or afternoon after gorilla tracking or a birding session, you can engage these groups.

Getting to the park

Just 62km south of Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishasha sector, 2-3 hours can get you to the park headquarters. From Kampala, it is a 6-8 hours’ drive for 512km with stops at the equator and Mpambire drum makers along the way.

Visitors who wouldn’t like long drives on road can fly directly from Entebbe or Kajansi airfield to either Kihihi, Kayonza airstrips in the northern sector or Nyakabande airstrip in Kisoro for the Southern Sector and Eastern in Rushaga or Ruhija.

Bwindi can also be accessed from Rwanda side about a 4-hours (170km) drive from Kigali