WHAT TO DO WHILE IN BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK.
Bwindi impenetrable national park is located in south western part of Uganda bordering Rwanda and Congo. Bwindi Park is famously known for chimpanzee tracking which are positioned in four sectors like Buhoma sector, Nkuringo sector, Ruhija sector and Rushaga sector. Bwindi impenetrable national park covers an area of 331sqkm above the seas level harboring half of mountain gorillas about 450 individuals. However, Uganda gorillas can also be spotted in Mgahinga national park adding up to 20 gorilla families on Uganda safari.
Mgahinga national park in Uganda lies in Virunga conservation area where Virunaga national park in Congo and volcano national park in Rwanda are included. The total population of gorillas in the world are 1063 individuals and are only spotted in Uganda, Rwanda and Uganda.
According to UNESCO, the property is a biodiversity hot spot with possibly the most significant number of tree species at that altitude in East Africa. It is also host to a rich fauna, including several endemic butterflies and one of the richest mammalian assemblages in Africa.
Activities in Bwindi Park.
Gorilla tracking and habituation
Bwindi impenetrable national park is commonly known for gorilla tracking and habituation in Uganda. Gorilla tracking involves searching of gorillas in their habitants and gorilla habituation is the process where gorillas are taught to be used with humans for about 2-3 years. Before visiting gorillas, visitors are first briefed to know the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking and habituation. Visitors are expected to pack cameras, rain coat, long trouser, long t-shirt, comfortable hiking boots, hiking sticks, water &snacks and many more. Visitors for gorilla tracking are given only one hour unlike those of habituation where are given four hours to be with gorillas.
Gorilla permits in Uganda costs $700 per foreigner and $70 per East African however in Rwanda gorilla permit costs $1500 per person.
Birding
Bwindi impenetrable national park is a birding paradise for bird lovers. Birding can be done early morning hours after having briefing with the ranger then head to the tropical forest for birding. The activity takes about half or full day and visitors are expected to pack binoculars, cameras, water &snacks, comfortable hiking boots, and many more. It is recorded that there are over 350 bird species in Bwindi and some of these birds include grey crowned crane, great blue turacos, kingfishers, long horned billed bird, African Green Broadbill, and many more.
Nature walks.
Despite the fact that Bwindi Park is surrounded by local communities of Batwa people, it makes it the best destination for nature walk. Nature walk is most of times done after gorilla trekking experience like evening hours where visitors are led by guides to Batwa local communities where they are entertained traditionally, taught how to cook local meals, get the chance to visit iron smith where people make knives and pangas in the local skills, visit traditional doctors and many more.
Culture encounters.
Culture Encounter in Bwindi impenetrable national park are mostly done after hectic activity of gorilla trekking which may take half day or full day. Culture encounters involve visiting black smith, joining the traditional performances, listening to story tales, visiting traditional doctors, joining women’s group as well as visiting craft shops.
How to access the park?
Bwindi Impenetrable national park can be accessed by either by road or air transport from Kampala Uganda or Rwanda. In Uganda by road transport, visitors will use Masaka -Mbarara route then Swiss of Africa to Bwindi Park taking about 8-9 hours from Kampala using private or public vehicles. However, visitors may enter Bwindi from Rwanda using either public or private means taking about 3-4 hours depending on which sector you are tracking.
By air transport, visitors may use flights from Entebbe International airport or kajjassi to Kisoro airstrip or kihihi airstrip which takes about two hours.
Where to stay for overnight while in Bwindi Park?
Are you planning for a trip in Bwindi and you are worried were to stay for a night? Bwindi Park has various lodges which some of them are luxury, mid-range and budget. Some of these lodges are self -contained with flushing toilets, hot and cold water showers, slippers, comfortable beds, bed sheets and are well facilitated with free wifi, laundry, free packings, swimming pool and many more. Some o0f the lodges in Bwindi include Bwindi safari lodge, Buhoma safari lodge, volcanoes Bwindi lodge, clouds, mountain gorilla lodge, four gorilla lodge, chameleon Hill forest Bwindi lodge, Bwindi jungle lodge, Bwindi view lodge and many more.
