Activities to do in Bwindi Impenetrable Park
Activities to do in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: The park offers a diverse range of activities for travellers to discover and experience the magical wonders of the jungle, such as gorilla trekking, birdwatching, cultural encounters, hiking, nature walks, and gorilla habituation, among others. Located in the southern part of Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the ultimate gorilla experience. Due of its natural beauty, it was gazetted in 1993, covering an area of 321 square kilometres, to protect endangered mountain gorillas. The park protects the highest number of mountain gorillas in the whole world, along with 120 mammals and 350 bird species.
The park, which is divided into the four divisions of Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaaga, and Nkuringo, is located in the foggy forests of southwest Uganda. While incredible activities offered in all these sectors, gorilla trekking is the most popular activity, drawing tourists from all over the world who come to see the gentle giant mountain gorillas with their unique structure.
Activities to do in Bwindi impenetrable National Park
Gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking is one of the top activities to do in Bwindi Impenetrable Park; similarly, it serves as home to the highest number of mountain gorillas in the whole world. The national park harbours more than half of the remaining mountain gorillas in the world within this steep, misty jungle. The park has 12 habituated gorilla groups scattered in different sectors, such as Rushaga, Buhoma, Katwe, Kahungye, Nyakagezi, Mubare, Nkuringo, Habiyanja, and Mishaya groups.
Early in the morning, gorilla trekking starts at the sector headquarters with a briefing on the rules governing the entire trekking experience. Along with an armed ranger guide who provides security and all the information you need to know about the gentle mountain gorillas, visitors are placed in groups of eight and assigned to a certain gorilla family. As they seek out the designated gorilla family in the woods, armed ranger guides take the trekkers over several trekking tracks. Because the mountain gorillas are so mobile, the search takes two to five hours. Visitors can encounter a variety of forest creatures, birds, plants, and water sources while on the search. It is usually a dream come true for many when trekkers finally get to see the mountain gorillas after hours of searching.
Gorilla habituation
Only Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park offers visitors the opportunity to spend up to 4 hours in the wild with mountain gorillas, allowing them to adapt to human presence. A few semi-habituated mountain gorilla groups in Bwindi walked up to four individuals each day. Four people a day can hike with a semi-habituated family in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Since there are only eight people who can habituate mountain gorillas in Bwindi each day, travellers who intend to visit in a group must make reservations well in advance.
Since gorilla habituation permits hikers to spend four hours with mountain gorillas, it is a really exciting activity. Participating in activities that help gorillas adapt to human presence gives tourists an additional benefit. Visitors have the chance to observe gorillas going about their daily lives and learn about their behaviours.
Bird watching
With more than 350 bird species on its checklist, the park is among Uganda’s best places to go birdwatching. More than 23 Albertine Rift Endemics can be found randomly throughout Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This allows visitors to see a wide variety of bird species in every area of the park. In Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, some of the best places to go birdwatching include the Buhoma sector, Mubwindi swamp, Ruhija, and Ruhija Neck.
The park will introduce you to a wide range of bird species, such as the Grauers Broadbill, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Red-throated Alethe, Mountain Greenbul, Bar-tailed Trogon, Barred Longo-tailed Cukoo, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Handsome Spufowl (Francolin), Equatorial Akalat, Red-faced woodland Warbler, African Wood-owl, Black Bee-eater, Black-necked and Black-billed Weaver, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, Stripe-breasted Tit, Regal Sunbird, African Hill Babbler, Northern Double Collared, Eastern Olive and Collared Sunbird, Fraser’s Eagle-owl.
Other bird species include Shelley’s crimsonwing, Dwarf Honeyguide, Kivu Ground Thrush, Little Grey Greenbul, Archer’s Robin-chat, Black-billed Turaco, Mountain wagtail, Black Saw-wing, Cassin’s Hawk-eagle, Strange weaver, Rwenzori Batis, lagden’s bushshrike, neumann’s warbler, red-throated alethe, Rwenzori nightjar, collared apalis, Archer’s Robin-chat, Monane-masked Apalis, Yellow crested Helmet Shrike, Yellow-whiskered Greenbul, Black-headed (Red-bellied) Paradise Flycatcher, Lead-colored Flycatcher, Augur Buzzard, Petit’s Cuckoo-shrike, Pink-footed and Northern Puffback, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Mackinnon’s Shrike, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Western Crested Guinea Fowl, Chubb’s Cisticola, African Stonechat, Black-faced Apalis, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Black-billed and Black-necked Weaver, Crowned Hornbill, Yellow-spotted Barbet and Streaky Seed-eater, among others.
Cultural encounters
One of Uganda’s most remarkable cultures surrounds the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. A cultural excursion around Bwindi will take you to see the renowned Batwa pygmies. To learn more about the way of life of the Batwa pygmies, tour groups interested in Ugandan culture can spend time with them. One of the community’s guides provides activity instructions for a visit to the Batwa households surrounding the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. They are aware of which houses would be ideal for you to visit in order to see or learn about the various items you are curious about.
Tales from the elderly recount to tourists their prehistoric experiences of coexisting with animals in the jungle and gathering food and medicine from the surrounding forest. Visitors do get the chance to witness the Batwa performing their traditional songs and dances in their houses. Through their interactions with various Batwa pygmies, travellers will gain insight into their way of life. Finally, the Batwa will demonstrate their prowess in crafting, fire-making, and hunting, to name a few.
Best time to visit Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Besides the activities to do in Bwindi Impenetrable Park, the best months to visit Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park are the driest ones, but visitors can go at any time of year. The best months to visit Bwindi are June through September and December through February due to the favourable weather. These are months with lots of sunshine and little to no rainfall.
Visitors to Bwindi during the dry seasons will find the trekking trails leading into the park, when in good condition, easy to navigate. This provides better scenic views for photography and a clear opportunity to encounter mountain gorillas.
It is still possible to visit Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in the rainy season. But, you must prepare ahead of time and have the required equipment, such as protective gear. This is a good time for travellers on a tight budget who are looking for cheap lodging options. However, visitors should be aware that Bwindi is extremely muddy as a result of the heavy rainfall. Fortunately, Journeys Uganda’s staff of committed and knowledgeable tour guides is accustomed to these routes and is supported by 4×4 vehicles that can manoeuvre through challenging conditions.
Accommodation in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
There are plenty of lodging options available to those who choose to spend the night in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, located in all four sectors of the park. Budget, midrange, and luxury travellers can find a variety of lodging options in various park sectors in Bwindi. These accommodation facilities include:
Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Bakiga Lodge, Gorilla Leisure Lodge, Mahogany Springs Lodge, Gorilla Mist Camp, Buhoma Lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi Lodge, Bweza Lodge, Four Gorillas Lodge, and Bwindi View Lodge are just a few of the accommodations in Bwindi worth mentioning. All guests need to do is make early reservations because these lodges can accommodate huge numbers of people.