Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a top destination that offers 3 of the most sought-after things to do in Uganda. Remember, this is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in Africa, visitors wish to explore for so many other things. Nevertheless, below are the top 3 things to do while at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park,

Gorilla trekking

This is a flagship premium activity in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and among the rarest in the whole world. Each visitor is offered a chance to track a habituated mountain gorilla family and watch it for an hour. This occurs in any of the 4 gorilla sectors in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which are Rushaga, Nkuringo, Buhoma and Ruhija. With 22 habituated gorilla families living in Bwindi, the destinations is among the best places to watch them in the wild.

Gorilla habituation

Which can only be done in Rushaga, situated in the southern region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. One of the highlights of the gorilla habituation experience is that you get to enjoy this activity for 4 full hours. Another highlight is you join researchers and ranger guides to locate and watch a semi-habituated gorilla family in the wild. This activity is quite unique if you compare it to a gorilla trek because you watch gorilla behavior while still wild. That is while the gorillas are still in the process of familiarizing with human beings in the forest.

Batwa Village Tour

Villages at the edge of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest have a lot to offer in terms of knowledge and skills. They are generally comprised of the Batwa and Bakiga peoples. These tribes have rich cultural tapestry that visitors can witness when they encounter them during a guided Batwa Village Tour. A guide from among the locals will lead you as you watch the people demonstrate how life was like while they lived in the forest. This happened before they were evacuated by the Uganda government in the early 1990s.

Beside the uniquely entertaining and thought-provoking stories, the people offer traditional entertainment. They can dance and sing with passion or enthusiasm. They will also show you how they produced fire in an ancient style. Healing for them was mostly by herbal medicine and other traditional techniques. The people also have unique ways of preparing dishes that you can witness. Enjoy the taste of their local food if they offer you the chance. At their homesteads, explore how they build their houses and how family structures work.

Where is Bwindi NP?

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is situated in the southwest of Uganda, along the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bwindi and Virunga National Parks lie close to each other, with Virunga situated in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Covering a size of around 321 square kilometers, Bwindi National Park is at the edge of the western Rift Valley. The geographical coordinates where to find Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are 1.0521^O S and 29.6201^O E.

Meanwhile Bwindi is located around 91.9 kilometers by road from Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. Also, from Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi is only 53.1 kilometers away. From Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, the Rushaga gate of Bwindi is just a mere 47.7 kilometers by road. From Lake Bunyonyi, the Rushaga gate is situated around 108 kilometers by road. From Kampala, where numerous journeys to Bwindi begin, the distance by road the park is 475 kilometers.

How to reach Bwindi NP?

How to reach Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is by using road transport for scenic drives or air transport for faster access. Using the latter means, domestic flights from Entebbe International Airport head to a nearby airstrips, either Kihihi or Kisoro. Each of these flights takes 1 hour and 15 minutes with aerial views of Uganda’s lush landscapes along the way. Though flights are operated by AeroLink Uganda, we shall coordinate ticket reservations and pick ups and drop offs for you.

For scenic drives, especially from Kampala, they generally cover around 475 kilometers via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale. Though the transfer is quite long, you get to enjoy viewing the natural wonders of Uganda throughout the journey. Pauses along the way are made for delicious lunch. We recommend a 4X4 safari Toyota Landcruiser as the best vehicle for navigating the full journey to Bwindi National Park. This vehicle is both comfortable and reliable while traveling on rugged roads. We also offer safari vans, buses and more options for your convenience.

When to go to Bwindi NP?

Any day. Bwindi National Park is visited throughout the year, even during weekends or even public holidays. When planning activities in Bwindi, remember that weather patterns alternate between dry and wet seasons. During dry seasons, access roads and forest trails remain clearer and less muddy than during the wet season. This makes hiking or village tours much easier during tours. With less frequent rains during this season, activities are uninterruptible. Dry seasons occur from June to September or from December to February.