BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK

Set suitably in the southwestern part of Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is incredibly one of Africa’s most spectacular montane national parks. It lies strategically along the Albertine rift valley, just at Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Bwindi National Park spans up to 331 square kilometers, making it one of the smallest parks. It forms part of the vast Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, which is Uganda’s one major water catchment area. This rainforest park straddles between altitude 1160 and 2607 meters.

What to see while on a Uganda safari in Bwindi National Park

There are many things to see while you are on safari in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This park boasts of its natural endowment, and remarkably, it is a host to 11 primate species, including over 440 mountain gorillas that makeup about half the total population of mountain gorillas that still thrive on the planet today. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park also inhabits other remarkable primates, including chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, L’Hoest monkeys, and olive baboons, to name but a few. More than 350 bird species thrive within the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, 23 of which are Albertine Rift endemics, and 14 may not easily be spotted in any other part of Uganda. The notable birds for you to spot while on a birding tour in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park include the African green broadbill, brown-necked parrot, Frazer’s eagle owl, white-tailed flycatcher, blue flycatcher, and many more. Besides, there are also over 200 colourful butterfly species for you to catch a glimpse of.

Activities in Bwindi  Impenetrable National Park

Gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking is a major safari experience that every visitor on a Uganda safari to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park shouldn’t miss. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is one of the four parks where mountain gorillas can only be tracked in the wild. This park features among a few preferred destinations for gorilla trekking given its many tracking areas that make up the 4 major regions, namely Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo, and Rushaga. Each of these areas has its own habituated gorilla families, which have been set up for visitors to track while on a Uganda safari in Bwindi National Park. For a memorable gorilla safari, the habituated groups in Bwindi National Park include Mubare, Habinyanja, Rushegura, and Katwe in Buhoma sector; Rushaga area has Mucunguzi, Rwingi, Mishaya, Busingye, Kahungye, Bweza, and Nshongi; Ruhija sector is composed of Bitukura, Oruzogo, and Kyaguriro; and Nkuringo sector has Nkuringo and Christmas. To take part in gorilla tracking in Bwindi National Park, you need $700 to secure a gorilla permit. You can obtain one through a reliable, trustworthy tour operator in Uganda or a reservationist at the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).

Gorilla habituation experience

A visit to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park allows you to take part in gorilla habituation experiences in addition to the usual gorilla treks, a unique primate adventure that allows you to spend more hours face-to-face with a group of mountain gorillas while they are in their natural habitat. The gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi National Park gets you four hours of magical encounters, unlike the usual gorilla trekking, where you have only one hour. There are 2 groups set aside specifically for this extra-ordinary primate experience, and they include Bushaho and Bikingi. Permits for the mountain gorilla habituation experience cost $1500 per person.

Birding

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a true birder’s haven. About 350 bird species do thrive within this forest park, and they include the western green tinker bird, chestnut-throated apalis, Kivu ground thrush, montane oriole, African green-broadbill, collared apalis, shinning African blue, common bulbul, white-tailed flycatcher, fine-banded woodpecker, and short-tailed warbler, to mention but a few.

Nature walks

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is ideal for nature walks. With nature walks, you have a chance to get close to nature and explore the hidden treasures within this pristine park. A nature walk in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park takes you through different trails, including the Munyanga River trail, which gets you the best sights at distinct species of primates and birds, among others. The waterfall trail: this takes you to the 3 scenic waterfalls; the Muzubijiro loop: which gets you the best views over Bwindi forest, the western rift valley, the Virunga volcanoes, and others; the bamboo trail, which is characterized by 14 different vegetation types; the Ivi river trail, which is ideal for bird watching; the Buhoma village tourist walk that takes you to Batwa and Bakiga communities; the Rushura trail, and others.

Cultural encounters

Bwindi National Park, like most parks in Uganda and Africa at large, is surrounded by local communities. The residents in the adjacent communities do have unique cultural and traditional practices that are worth exploring while you are on safari. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is surrounded by the Batwa and Bakiga communities. Each of which has its own story to tell. However, a cultural safari in any of these communities allows you to explore more about their unique lifestyles, cultures, dances, music performances, and much more.

You may also take part in mountain biking, village walks, and others.

Safari lodges in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has many accommodation options; they range from budget to luxury. Visitors on Uganda safari in Bwindi can choose to spend a night in any of the following safari lodges-luxury options-Buhoma lodge, Clouds Mount Gorilla Lodge, Mahogany Springs Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Gorilla Forest Camp, Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge; Budget lodges for overnight stay in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park include wagtail eco safari camp, gift of nature lodge, Buhoma community rest camp, Broadbill forest camp, Nshongi camp, Ruhija community rest camp; the midrange/moderate options include Nkuringo Gorilla Camp, Silverback lodge Bwindi, Gorilla Mist Camp, Eco Marvels Gorilla Resort, Engagi Lodge Bwindi, Lake Kitandara Bwindi Camp.

When to visit Bwindi National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an all-year-round safari destination. But most significantly, any intending visitor to Uganda’s Bwindi National Park needs to take note of the dry and wet seasons. The dry season always begins from June through September and from December through February. The dry season is the most preferred period for most visitors on a Uganda safari to Bwindi National Park. The rainy or “wet season normally begins from March to May and October to November. This is characterized by heavy rainfall, muddy ground, and slippery steep slopes.

How to get to Bwindi National Park

There are two options for you to get to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: by road or by air. By road, it takes you about 8 to 10 hours to get to Bwindi National Park. Your journey starts from Kampala or Entebbe in a good 4-wheel-drive safari car. From Kabale, drive for about 108 kilometres to Buhoma via Ruhija, which takes about 3 hours. The Kampala-Buhoma route is good from Kabale to Ntungamo. From Ntungamo, drive 45 kilometres to Rukungiri, where you then drive via Kambuga to Kanungu and finally to Butogota, about 17 kilometres from Buhoma.

Alternatively, you can save time by taking a flight from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi airfield and then landing at Kisoro/Kihihi airstrip, where you can easily connect up to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park by road.

In summary, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of Uganda’s most magical tourist sites that you need to pay a visit to. A visit to this park allows you to explore a lot more of its intense biodiversity and also to take part in different exciting safari experiences.