Bwindi Imepentrable Forest National park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a diverse tropical rainforest situated in south-western Uganda covering the districts of Kisoro, Kabale, and Kanungu in border with DR Congo at the foot of the Albertine Rift. It is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its global eco-system and it’s a home to a bigger number of endangered mountain gorillas in the world of about 50 gorilla families inclusive of the 25 mountain gorillas that are habituated starting with the Mubare Gorilla Group which was first to be habituated for Tourism in April 1,993 in Uganda. The word “Bwindi” means “Darkness” and the Park name was derived after the Thick Impenetrable Tropical Rainforests lying between an altitude of 1,190 meters to 2,607 meters protecting about 120 mammal species including large mammals like Chimpanzees, Baboons, Elephants, forest antelopes among, over 350 bird species featuring 23 Albertine Rift endemics such as African green broadbill and Shelley’s crimson wing, over 200 butterfly species, reptiles and amphibians.
LOCATION OF THE PARK:
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a diverse tropical rainforest situated in south-western Uganda covering the districts of Kisoro, Kabale, and Kanungu in border with DR Congo at the foot of the Albertine Rift amidst the green slopes of Kigezi. It was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1,994 for its global eco-system, rich faunal, floral and avifaunal species. Bwindi covers an area of 331 square kilometers which was established in 1,991 primarily to host the endangered Mountain Gorillas.
ATTRACTIONS IN BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK:
- MOUNTAIN GORILLAS
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that protects an estimate of over 459 endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitats making it half of the world’s mountain gorilla population with a comprise of 25 habituated families of mountain gorillas which are open for tracking in Ruhija, Buhoma, and Nkuringo areas.
- BIRDS IN BWINDI
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has a record of over 350 bird species comprising of 23 Albertine Rift endemics such as African green broadbill and Shelley’s crimson wing, and the forest species. The most common bird species include handsome francolin, short-tailed warblers, Chapin’s flycatchers, Archer’s robin chat, African wood owl, Western green tinker bird, Doherty’s bush shrike, Kivu ground thrush, red-throated alethe, African swallowtail, great blue turacos Cream-banded swallowtail, regal sunbird, Standard-winged nightjars, and others.
- FLORAL AND FAUNAL SPECIES IN BWINDI:
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park consists of a wide variety of floral and faunal species in East Africa. The Floral species of over 210 tree species including the African Mahogany which grows taller, over 100 fern species, more than 1,000 flowering plants and the different vegetations like Bamboo. The Faunal species comprises of above 120 mammal species like the Chimpanzees, antelopes, forest Elephants, jackals among, more than 350 bird species including African green broadbill and Shelley’s crimson wing and forest species, over 200 butterfly species such as African giant’s swallowtail and cream-banded swallowtail, the reptiles and amphibians as well as the primates like the mountain gorillas, black and white colobus monkeys and Olive Baboons.
Activities In Bwindi Imepentrable Forest National park
GORILLA TREKKING
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to over 459 endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitats which is literally half of the world’s mountain gorilla population remaining hence Gorilla Trekking as the top adventurous activity in Bwindi. The dry season is the best time to visit Bwindi in month of June to August, and December to February, because during wet rainy seasons, the trekking is challenging since trails are muddy and vegetation is longer.
Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi is usually conducted in the early morning hours where a group of tourists is briefed and led by a professional experienced tour ranger into the forest in search for Gorillas. The trekking normally takes between 2 to 6 active hours for 95% chance to sight gorillas in the wild. The Gorilla Families to visit in Bwindi include Rwigi, Kahungye, Bikingi, Mucunguzi, Mishaya, Bitukura, Mubare, Kyaguriro, Oruzongo, Nkuringo, Bushaho, Bweza, Kutu, Rushegura, Christmas among more.
Kindly note that Gorilla trekking requires a permit which has to acquired earlier before the day of trekking.
GORILLA HABITUATION IN BWINDI:
Gorilla Habituation is where tourists are granted more time to spend with the habituated mountain gorilla families for close to a day with at least 4 hours of close interaction in the wild and even lunch is heard in the forest. Gorilla Habituation is the process that gradually exposes a wild gorilla group to humans until they accept human visit and communication. The habituated gorillas are less exposed to humans hence they go through habituation process for about 2 years less or more, than the gorilla families seen during a gorilla trekking though the gorilla habituation experience is safe and tourists can learn about the gorilla behaviors and social dynamics. The Nkuringo Gorilla Family was the first family to be habituated in the southern parts of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Rushaga area.
The best season to do Gorilla Habituation in Uganda is in the dry season that is to say June to Mid-September and December to February.
BIRD WATCHING IN BWINDI
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park consists of many bird species of over 350 bird species featuring the 23 Albertine Rift endemics and endangered species such as African green broadbill, Shelley’s crimson wing, Grauer’s Warbler, Short-tailed Warbler, Chapin’s Flycatchers and other bird species like the Western green tinker, Rwenzori Batis, Flycatchers, and Cinnamon-chested bee-eater many more.
The main bird watching spots in Bwindi include Bamboo Zone, Mubwindi Swamp Trail and Waterfall Trail.
- NATURE WALKS IN BWINDI
Bwindi has about six main trails in Buhoma region that’s Bamboo trail, Ivy River Trail, Kashasha River Trail, Mubwindi Swamp Trail, Muzabajiro Loop Trail and the Habinyanja Trail offering great opportunity to enjoy the tranquility of the forest on foot and feel the real experience.
- CYCLING
Bwindi offers a variety of cycling trails that are beginner-friendly and exciting to experienced bikers. Cycling in Bwindi takes about 3 hours of guided bicycle-ride through the forest exploring the local communities encountering birds. Cycling in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park follows well- maintained trail from the park at Buhoma Trail to Ivi River.
BATWA EXPERIENCE
Batwa People are traditional people who originally lived in the Bwindi Impenetrable forests till in 1,991 when the Park was officially reserved in Uganda. Since 1991, the Batwa people were sent away from the forests of Bwindi though still conduct Batwa Trails where they take tourists to the forest teaching them about Batwa People, storytelling, demonstrations and hikes to the villages.
BEST TIME TO VISIT BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK:
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is available for visitation all year round though the best time is during the dry season in Uganda. The Dry season in Uganda has 2 major phases that’s to say the long dry season in the months of June, July, August and early September as well as the short dry season in the months of December, January, and February. During the dry season, Bwindi impenetrable National Park experiences less rains, clear bright blue skies and sunny days with less mosquito attacks making the trails in Bwindi less slippery and easy to walk through leading to high chances of taking beautiful gorilla photos and other primates’ photos with clearer views. The wet season in Bwindi is ideal for birding.
ACCOMODATIONS IN AND AROUND BWINDI:
There are accommodations that can be booked in the different sectors of Bwindi like Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija, and Nkuringo ranging from Budget, Mid-Range and Luxury.
The Budget Accommodations include Rushaga Gorilla Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge, and Bwindi Backpackers Lodge.
The Mid-Range Accommodations like Cuckoo land Lodge in Ruhija, Buhoma Lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Bwindi Bakiga Lodge, Gorilla Mist Camp, Ichumbi Safari Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Camp, Broadbill Forest Camp, and Silverback Lodge.
The Luxury Accommodation include Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Kiho Gorilla Safari Lodge, Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge in Rushaga sector, Buhoma Lodge, Trackers Safari Lodge in Buhoma sector, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Crater Safari Lodge and Engagi Lodge.
BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK DIRECTIONS:
Bwindi is situated in the southwestern Uganda about 478KM from Kampala and can be accessed through several directions by Road in about 8 to 9 hours drive or by Air.
By Road, Bwindi can be accessed from Kampala to Kabale along Masaka – Mbarara Highway to Kabale, Kanungu to Buhoma or it can be reached from Queen Elizabeth National Park through Mweya in about 165 km approximately 3 hours’ drive or 65 Km from Ishasha.
By Air, Bwindi can be reached by taking a flight from Entebbe Airport/Kajjansi Airfield to Kisoro Airstrip or Kihihi Airstrip. The Park is divided into 2 sectors that’s northern sector and southern sector, Kisoro arrival is best for the southern sector of the park in Rushaga and Nkuringo well as Kihihi arrival is best for the northern sector in Buhoma and Ruhija.
THANKS FOR VISITING BWINDI IMPErkNETRABLE FOREST NATIONAL PARK.