Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi impenetrable national park is the most popular safari destination in Uganda found in southwestern Uganda, Bwindi impenetrable national park is a much forested national park famous for mountain gorilla trekking adventures and it is a home to half of the world’s mountain gorilla population recorded to be over 600 individuals living in the thick forests. Bwindi impenetrable national park covering an area of 321 square kilometers is a UNESCO World Heritage declared in 1994 because of the rich diverse ecosystem of different species of flora and fauna and being a home to the world’s biggest population of the critically endangered mountain gorillas.

Bwindi impenetrable national park lies on the altitude range between 1160 meters – 2607 meters above the sea level, the park is generally covered by impenetrable forests including bamboo and shrubs and the landscape is made up of steep slippery valleys with ridges and hilltops.

Bwindi impenetrable national park is divided into four sectors that is Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo gorilla sectors, these sector inhabit habituated mountain gorillas which are trekked on mountain gorilla trekking. Habituated mountain gorilla in Bwindi impenetrable national park are 19  and they include Mubare Gorilla Family, Habinyanja Gorilla Family, Rushegura Gorilla Family, Bitukura Gorilla Family, Oruzogo Gorilla Family, Nkuringo Gorilla Family, Nshongi Gorilla Family, Mishaya Gorilla Family, Kahungye Gorilla Family, Bweza Gorilla Family- Rushaga, Busingye Gorilla Family, and Kyaguriro Gorilla Family  .

Bwindi impenetrable national park is a home to other 120 mammal species such as Elephants, duikers, buffaloes, golden cats, bush pigs, and giant forest hogs, black-fronted Duiker, yellow-backed duiker, clawless otter, side-striped jackal, civet, numerous bats, rodents and many more. Bwindi impenetrable national park also hosts 11 primate species that include black-and-white colobus monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, De Brazza monkeys, Red-tailed Monkey, Blue Monkey, Potto, Demidoff’s Galago, Spectacled  Galago, Baboons, Chimpanzee and mountain gorillas.

Bwindi impenetrable national park boosts over 350 bird species including 23 Albertine Rift endemics, 14 species found only in Uganda and globally threatened species, birds in Bwindi impenetrable national park include Handsome Francolin, Mountain-masked and Collared Apalis, White-bellied Robin Chat, Black billed Turaco, Fraser’s Eagle, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Purple-breasted, Blue-headed and Regal Sunbirds, Grauer’s broadbill, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Shelley’s Crimson-wing and many more.

Activities to do in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Mountain gorilla trekking

Bwindi impenetrable nation park is a home to half of world mountain gorilla population with habituated gorilla families which are trekked on mountain gorilla trekking safari, this activity is done in a group of 8 people to one gorilla family per day. Tourists engaging in this activity have to have mountain gorilla trekking permit and trekkers have to be from 15 years old and above, mountain gorilla trekking involves locating mountain gorillas in their natural habitat which takes about 3-5 hours depending g on the movement of the gorillas. Mountain gorilla trekking offers only 1 hour in presence of mountain gorillas and your presence is governed by a set of rules and regulations which are read to you before the experience begins.

Bird watching

Bwindi impenetrable national park is an excellent birding spot in Uganda listed as the top number one birding spot in Africa by Africa bird club, the forests of Bwindi inhabit about 350 bird species including 23 Albertine Rift endemics and 14 species recorded to only be found in Uganda. Bird watching in Bwindi impenetrable national park offers an opportunity to spot many bird species such as African broadbill, Black bee-eater, Black-billed turaco, Black-faced Rufous warbler, Black-faced warbler, Blue-headed sunbird, Cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Grauer’s broadbill, Handsome francolin, Many-coloured bush-shrike, Mountain masked apalis, Neumann’s warbler, Olive-breasted greenbul, Purple-breasted sunbird, Regal sunbird, Ruwenzori apalis, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Western green Tinkerbird, Yellow-streaked greenbul and many more.

Nature and waterfalls walks

Nature and waterfall walks in Bwindi impenetrable national park is a nature rewarding activity done on numerous nature trails running through the forested terrain of the park and are conducted in company of an armed Uganda wildlife ranger guide. nature walk trails used on nature and waterfall walks include Buhoma – Nkuringo trail of 4-5 hours running through the thick forests of the park, Rushura hill walk a trail running through the forests between Congo and Uganda, Muyanga waterfall walk, Ivy River walk of 14 kilometers taking 7 hours and Muzubijiro loop of 6 kilometers around the hill and offers sights of many bird species and primates such as olive baboons and many more.

Mountain biking

Mountain biking in Bwindi impenetrable national park are done in the mountainous area of kigezi region with beautiful scenery, this exercise is done on special trails such as Ivy river trail starting from Buhoma park headquarters. Biking in kigezi region on ivy river trail are organized by women and proceeding from this exercise support women community

Community visits

Community visit in Bwindi impenetrable national park are done in the Batwa trail in the community of the Batwa people who are the former in habitat of the forests of Bwindi. The Batwa are hunter gatherers and pygmy people depending on forest for survival, on this trail you will enjoy many Batwa cultural and traditional practices such as hunting, building of local houses using local materials, visiting herbal doctor and learn the process of collecting herbal medicine and many more.

Getting to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi impenetrable national park is located in the southwestern region of Uganda and it is accessed by road and air transport means, by air scheduled/ chartered flights are offered from En or Kajjansi airstrip Entebbe international airport to 2 airstrips serving the park that are kihihi airstrip and Kisoro airstrip.by road transport there are 3 routes used to get to the park from Kampala and these are

Kampala – Kabale – Ruhija,  Kampala – Ntungamo – Rukungiri – Kihihi – Buhoma/Nyondo  and Kampala – Kabale – Kisoro – Rushaga/Nkuringo.

Where to stay in Bwindi impenetrable national park

Accommodation in Bwindi impenetrable national park is offered in safari lodges and camps which are situated in the 4 sectors of the park, safari lodges and camps in Bwindi impenetrable national park are as follows

• In Buhoma sector there are Buhoma Lodge, Bwindi Lodge, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Lodge, Mahogany Springs, Buhoma Haven Lodge, Silverback Lodge and Buhoma Community Rest Camp
• In Rushaga sector there are Chameleon Hill, Bwindi Jungle Lodge, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Camp and Gorilla Valley Lodge
• In Ruhija sector there are Bakiga Lodge, Broadbill Forest Camp and Agandi Lodge
• In Nkuringo sector there are Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge and Nkuringo Safari Lodge