Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Dense, mountainous, lush, breathtakingly beautiful – and poetically named. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is not, however, entirely impenetrable. It welcomes travelers who are ready for adventure and wonder. In Bwindi, you can go gorilla trekking and birdwatching, but above all, it’s the ultimate spot for beautiful nature walks. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is home to almost 500 mountain gorillas. This is about half of the world’s remaining population.
5 things you need to know about Bwindi
We are about to tell you all about the landscape, wildlife, and activities you can enjoy in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. But first, here are five facts:
- Bwindi is located in southwestern Uganda about 500km from Kampala.
- The park covers an area of 331 square kilometers.
- It is one of Africa’s oldest rainforests more than 25,000 years old.
- Bwindi is one of the few places in the world where mountain gorillas live.
- Since 1994 the park has been a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.
You won't find a greener place than Bwindi
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is green, endlessly green. As you drive towards the park, the number of houses along the road diminishes. You slowly enter the jungle. It becomes cooler because of all the greenery. You see gigantic trees, giant ferns, and beautiful flowers. Bwindi National Park is one of those places that is practically impossible to explain.
You only truly understand how special it is once you are there. As you drive around the park on your way to your accommodation, you will gain quite a bit of elevation. You will descend through and over peaks. Because of the winding mountain roads, your average speed is less than 20 kilometers per hour. And that’s no hardship: driving through Bwindi area is a magical experience.
Bwindi is the place to spot Mountain gorillas
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is very different from Uganda’s savanna parks. You can’t drive through it. It is a jungle, so if you want to experience Bwindi, you have to go on foot.
90% of people come to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for mountain gorilla trekking. To spot the gorillas, you trek through the park. Besides the gorillas, Bwindi is a popular spot for birdwatchers. Over 350 species of birds live here including many endemics. There are also many monkeys, such as the black-and-white colobus. There are also forest elephants in Bwindi – these are difficult to spot, very shy, and much more dangerous than the elephants on the savannas of the nearby Queen Elizabeth National Park. The downside of animals living in the jungle: they are generally shy and keep their distance. So, you have to listen and look carefully to spot them. You have to take your time. And that’s precisely what makes Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park so wonderful.
Enjoy all the beauty of Bwindi in an active way
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is the perfect place to actively enjoy the surroundings. After a few days in a savanna game park, it is wonderful to take a leisurely hike through the forest. There are several ways to do this.
1. Gorilla Trekking In Bwindi
Gorilla trekking is the number one activity in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. You can do the trekking in two ways: the standard trekking or the Gorilla Habituation Experience.
With the standard gorilla trekking, you will visit a family of gorillas that are already fully habituated. They are used to people. If you choose the Gorilla Habituation Experience, the gorillas are still in the process of becoming accustomed to human presence. It is a more unique experience. You will do the trekking with a smaller group (maximum four people). And researchers will accompany you. The trekking time is longer. It’s a full-day activity. The regular trekking is often half a day. The Gorilla Habituation Experience costs more: $1,500 instead of $800.
2. Nature walks
If you visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a hike through the park is a must. You will walk with a ranger, who will tell you all about the area. You will stop to admire the plants and their medicinal properties. The ranger will tell you about the small life forms: the butterflies and insects.
During your nature walk, you will also learn about Bwindi Forest’s original inhabitants: the Batwa – a group of hunter-gatherers who lived in the park for thousands of years. These people are no longer allowed to live in the park. They now live in designated areas. As a result, they can no longer live as they once did – a great loss. You can, however, visit the Batwa to gain a glimpse of life as it once was.
3. Hike from Buhoma to Nkuringo
Besides the nature walks, you can also opt for a long hike of about 10km right through Bwindi. You will be dropped off at the ranger post in Buhoma. From there, you will walk into the park with rangers and porters. You will encounter waterfalls and cross rivers. You will continue on to Nkuringo, where you will be picked up again. It is an activity that few tourists do. So, if you want to spend more time in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, this is a beautiful, unique experience.
You may also like; what to do in Bwindi besides gorilla trekking
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Safari Ideas
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