Bwindi Impenetrable National park is situated in south Western Uganda, on the edge of the Western Rift valley (Albertine rift) and is shared by Kanungu, Kabale and Kisoro districts. It is 331km2 in size and on an altitude range of 1,160 meters (Ishasha gorge) to 2,607 meters (Rwamanyonyi Peak). The ancient rainforest is the home of roughly half of the world’s mountain gorillas. Renowned for gorilla tours in Uganda, this park is the most visited in Uganda. The annual average temperature range is 7o C –20 O C with the coldest period being June and July. Bwindi is home to 326 gorillas, almost a half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas. There are also 346 species of birds and over 200 species of butterflies. This afromontane forest has dense under storey of fern , vines and shrubs. About 324 tree species have been recorded here, 10 of which occur nowhere else in Uganda. Other wildlife includes a large variety of primates, including chimpanzee, Blue monkey and Black & White colobus monkey,antelope and forest elephants. Terrain varies from swamp and bamboo forest to dense thicket from the ankle up which makes up 90% of the park, thus making gorilla trekking work hard
ACCESS:
Kampala to Kibale is a distance of 414km on bitumen surface and takes 6-7 hours. An additional 120km from Kibale to Buhoma Park Headquarters via Kanungu and Kanyantoroogo on murram surface takes 3-4 hours and many require a 4WD vehicle. Kabale-Ruhija-Buhoma is 95 kilometers and takes 3-4 hours. This road is not frequently used by the public. A 4WD is recommended.
There are a variety of tourism activities that are indulged in when one visits this national park and they can be highlighted as below;
Gorilla Tracking
Gorilla tracking is the main tourist activity in Bwindi National Park. Bwindi currently has a population of over 320 gorillas. There are 8 habituated and gorillas are tracked daily by trained guides who note where they rest for the night. Tracking begins early in the morning where a beeline is made for the nest sites. The track may involve jumble up hillsides and along slippery paths. When you get closer to the Gorilla’s, your guide will coach you how to talk to the Gorilla’s to assure them that you mean no harm with your presence. The silverbacks (adult males) are usually peaceful; however, if they sense danger they may scream loudly and charge at the intruder. As long as you stay still and look away from the silverback he may come very close but it is very unlikely that he will harm you. When in direct contact with the expressive brown eyes of the gorillas, one realizes the most thrilling and emotional wildlife encounter and experience. Trackers are given one hour of viewing time which usually involves skidding and jumbling on the slopes to get a good position to photograph the various family members or to keep up with playful young ones.
Nature Walks
For visitors who are staying longer in Bwindi, besides gorilla tracking, the park has 4 fantastic hiking trails. On all these trails you have opportunities to see and learn about primates, many species of birds, butterflies, trees and other organisms. The guide’s company is compulsory and affords you a superb understanding of nature’s system at work in the park. Departure times: 9:00 am and 2:15 p.m. The four hiking trails in this ntional park include;Munyaga river trail,waterfall trail,rushers trail muzabajiro trail and the the river Ivitrail which is regarded as the longest trail in this national park and it takes aq full day and therefore it is recommended for bird watchers.
Cultural Experiences
In the evenings, participate in captivating traditional performance presented by women and Orphan groups. Proceeds from this activity go directly to improve the welfare of the families around the park.
Bird Watching
Bwindi is the bird watchers haven! It holds 346 species of birds and contains 90% of all albertine rift endemics, difficult or impossible to see in any other part of East Africa. An experienced bird watcher can identify up to 100 species in a day!
