Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi impenetrable national park is located in the southern corner of Uganda, it is home to  400 Bwindi gorillas, half of the world’s population of the endangered mountain gorillas, other primate species, and several birds. It is a popular destination area for the gorilla trekking Safari because of its resident species, the park is bisected into 4 Bwindi gorilla trekking sectors (Nkuringo, Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga) each of which has got Bwindi habituated gorilla families for trekking.  The conservation area was gazette in 1991 as a national park by the Uganda authority and later declared a UNESCO world heritage site. Half of the Worlds remaining population of Mountain gorillas lives within this area. Its high altitudinal levels give a good ambiance for the species, there is plenty of food for the gorilla in the deep ancient forest.

Bwindi Mountain gorillas tend to live in harmony with other forest creatures, Bwindi’s gorilla’s co habit with Chimpanzee and Man (the Batwa/pygmies), these are a group of the last short structured people in Uganda also known as the keepers of the forest they lived in the forest, however, due to conservation purposes they were evicted and continued living around the national parks, they are part of the great gorilla experience as the tribe offers a lot of cultural aspect of the forest, they have traditional dances that specifically identify who they are, these people will show you the forest through their eyes as they will describe the usefulness of forest and how they lived through it.

Attractions in Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park.

Mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

Mountain gorillas are the top attractions in Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park. The park is the prominent home to various numbers of mountain gorillas that inhabit in different sectors of the park. In the sectors that’s where the attractive gorillas can be spotted. The sectors in Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park includes Buhoma sector in the northern part of the park where Mubare gorilla family was first trekked in 1992. Nkuringo sector, Rushaga sector, Ruhija sector, these sectors have got various gorilla families where the gorillas can be trekked.

Bird species in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park inhabits various bird species like forest birds and among others. The park has got 360 bird species where 14 are endemic to the park and 23 found in the Albertine rift. The bird species to be sighted in the park includes the Bar-tailed trogon, Western green tinker bird, Yellow-sreaked greenbul, Red-throated alethe, Tit Hylia, Rwenzori Batis, handsome froncolin and among others.

Batwa pygmy people in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

Batwa pygmy people are the ancient in habitats of Bwindi forests before established as a national park. When the park was gazetted, the Batwa people were driven out of the forest to outside the park. Batwa people are the hunters that depend on wild animals and collecting of fruits update. On a safari to Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park, you explore the Batwa community for cultural encounter to see how these people do live while witnessing their lives and many others.

Activities in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

Gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking is the major safari activity that takes place in Bwindi Impenetrable national park. This is where the tourists get into the tropical rainforest while searching for the mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking in the park starts very early in the morning with a briefing at the park headquarters about the rules and regulations that are followed while carrying out gorilla trekking. After the briefing you can be divided into different groups of 8 people where each group can be given the park guide that is well experienced with the best trekking trails.

The activity takes about 30 minutes to 5 hours depending in the location of the gorillas, as they are watching different wildlife across. Immediately they find the gorillas, tourists are given one hour to be with the presence of gorillas while watching their behaviors, feeding, grooming, breastfeeding, playing and among others, that’s when the travelers can take them the pictures and record videos to take people home after the safari.

Gorilla habituation 

Gorilla habituation is another best done Uganda safari activity done in Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park. This takes place only in Rushaga sector in southern part of the park where the tourists can be given more time to spend with the gorillas that is 4 hours. The activity starts early in the morning with a briefing at the park headquarters, where after you join the gorilla doctors, scientists, researchers, rangers/guides. Gorilla habituation is the most exciting one that takes the whole day, where you can have the opportunity to spot the various entire wildlife.

When the gorillas are under the habituation process are tressed, you spend four hours with them as your record their movements, behaviors, learning gorilla naming, taking them pictures using cameras of less flush or no flush, watching them doing their daily activities and among more.

Bird watching

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a birding paradise with over 360 bird species including 23 Albertine endemic, migratory, residents, forest birds. This makes the park to be perfect birding destination. The park has got the best birding spots like Mubwindi swamp, bamboo zone, Buhoma waterfall trail and among others. The bird lovers can spot bird species like African harrier hawk, common bulbul, giant kingfisher, blue headed sunbird, and African green pigeon and among others.

Nature walks/hiking

Nature walks and hiking is the most exciting safari activity where the tourists get to encounter Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Nature walks happen with the presence of the experienced park guide who is well experienced with the different trails like Muzubijiro loop trail, Buhoma-Nkuringo trail, and Rushura hill walk and among more. During the nature walks that’s when tourists get to sight various wildlife in the park including the primates like black and white colobus monkeys, enjoying whispers of bird species, plant species and among others.

Batwa cultural tour

A safari to Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park can never be complete minus carrying out Batwa cultural tour which is interesting in the park where the tourists get the chance to interact with the Batwa or pygmies that used to live in the Bwindi forest, before gazetted as a park. This takes place with the accompaniment of the Batwa guides where they take you in different ways how they live like showing you their houses, medicinal plants, listening to their ancient stories, enjoying their songs and dances and many more.

Best time to visit Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national park can be visited all the year around. But the best time to visit the park is during the dry season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February, that’s when the park receives less rainfall or no rainfall which makes gorilla trekking very perfect when the trails are dry and passable.

However Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park can be visited during the rainy season in the months of March to May and November that’s the time when bird watching can be perfect as that’s the breeding period when the animal species accumulate in the park, again that’s when the migratory bird species be present in the park.