About Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park : Bwindi forest Impenetrable national park is the best and most visited national park found in south western part of Uganda in Kanungu district. The park was established in 1991 and well known as the home of more endangered mountain gorillas with over 600 Gorillas .The park occupies the total area of 331 square kilo meters set on edge of the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift.
How to get Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
you can be in Bwindi impenetrable national park either by tour agent/company or self- drive. It takes approximately 9-10 hour’s drive (502km) from Kampala /Entebbe international airport via Masaka-mbarara –Kabale road or 1-2 hours domestic flight from Entebbe international airport to Kisoro /Kihihi airstrip using Aerolink or bar aviation. The park can be accessed using different gates/sector. The park consists of different 4 sectors namely; Nkuringo sector, Rushaga Sector , Buhoma sector and Ruhijha sectors where gorilla trekking takes place.
-Ruhijha Sector is in the eastern side of the park and the home of Four gorilla families namely;Bitukura , Kyaguriro , Mukiza and oruzongo Families . Ruhijha sector is the best and most visited sector with beautiful view of the forest canopy compared to other sectors thus making up Bwindi Impenetrable national park.
-Buhoma Sector is in the Eastern part of Bwindi national park the home of Four habituated gorilla families namely; Mubare gorilla family, Habinyanja, Rushegura and Katwe gorilla families. Mubare is the oldest gorilla famile in Buhoma sector to be trekked by tourists in 1993.
-Rushaga Sector is located in southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable national park and the home of Five gorilla families namely;Mishaya, kahungye ,Nshongi , Busingye and Bweza families . Rushaga sector also has 2 gorilla habituation experience families of Bukingi and bushaho .
-Nkuringo sector; Is found in the southern part of the park and home of Three gorilla families that includes; Nkuringo , Bushaho and Christmas family .
Please note that visitors can easily access gorillas in either Ruhija or Buhoma sector when in the eastern part of the park and vice versa (can be able to trek gorillas in either Nkuringo or Rushaga sector when in the southern part of the park) The park has 21 gorilla families are habituated and can be accessed by visitors in the mentioned 4 sectors.
To trek gorillas you have to be having Gorillapermit that’s the authorization card given by (government body) Uganda wildlife Authority in charge of Tourism to Tourists to be allowed to access the natural habitat of gorillas. Gorilla permit can be used in a single day (24hours) for trekking gorillas in Uganda in Bwindi forest impenetrable national par and Mgahinga national park. A gorilla permit is at 700$ per adult non foreign residents , 600$ per adult foreign residents and 250,000ugx per adult Ugandan. Children below 18 years of age are not allowed to trek gorillas .
There are more than seven hundred and eighty six mountain gorillas in the whole world. Uganda hold close to half of their total population, and the majority of them live in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, whereas the others are found in Mgahinga national Park.
The best time to visit Bwindi impenetrable national park is February, March, June, July , September, October and December .
There are many activities to do while in the park
Gorilla trekking experience; This is walking through the jungle of forest in search of gorillas in order to be able to get the glimpse of fascinating primates swinging on the tree branches .It takes 2- 3 hours depending on the location of the primates and on finding them ,visitors are limited to only an hour in the presence of the primates .,Children below 18 years of age are not allowed to track the primates. Gorilla habituation experience; This where researcher and tourists spend most of time with gorillas mimicking their behaviours.
cultural experience where guests are entertained with traditional dances of the Batwa and the story of how batwa lived in bush ,
Birding/ bird watching in the forest since there are many species of birds in Bwindi. You listen to the whispering sound of birds, Nature walks etc.
Bwindi forest Impenetrable national park has different categories of lodging/accommodation inside and outside with budget option, mid- range and luxury that meets guests choices.
Budget lodges in Bwindi national park include; Buhoma community rest camp, ruhija community rest camp , Rushaga haven lodge , broadbill gorilla lodge among others.
Mid- range lodges include; Buhoma have lodge , ichumbi gorilla lodge , Rushaga gorilla lodge , Bakiga lodge , Gorilla mist lodge , gorilla haven lodge among others.
Luxury lodges in queen Bwindi national park include; Nkuringo lodge , Clouds mountain gorilla lodge, four gorilla lodge , gorilla heights lodge , Buhoma lodge, Mahogany springs lodge , silverback gorilla lodge, trackers lodge , sanctuary Bwindi lodge , Ruhija Gorilla lodge, Kiho gorilla lodge among others
