Activities to do in Bwindi national park
Bwindi impenetrable national park is probably Uganda’s most popular tourism destination because of the mountain gorillas, and the popular gorilla trekking adventure on many travellers’ trips to Uganda
And these are some of the activities to do while in Bwindi national park
Gorilla trekking
This is the most common activity that is done in Bwindi national park. gorilla trekking takes place in the four sectors of the park, in Rushaga, Nkuringo, Buhoma and Ruhija and the trekking takes place early in the morning because it involves hiking and walking long distance while looking gorillas and after finding them you will be allowed to spend 1 hour with them while observing them and taking pictures.
Gorilla habituation
Gorilla habituation is another top activity to do in Bwindi national park, this activity involves familiarizing with wild gorillas and this activity takes 2 to 4 hours which a visitor spends with them and after their they will be used to human beings that is why it is called gorilla habituation.
Batwa cultural experience
The Batwa people also known as the pygmies who once inhabitants of the forest where now the mountain gorillas stay. After gazetting the forest for the mountain gorillas, the Batwa were put out of the forest. Visiting the Batwa people will give an opportunity to participate in their way of life like gathering of food, hunting, making firewood other life styles.
Bird watching
Bwindi national park is a birders haven with over 348 bird species, including the migratory birds and resident birds and some of those birds spotted include African broadbill, red headed bluebill, Shelleys crimson-wing and many more.
Butterfly watching
Apart from bird watching and primate watching, Bwindi national park has over 200 species of butterflies, so butterfly lovers should not miss out on the opportunity of watching butterflies and some these include blues and coppers, brush footed butterflies, and swallowtails.
Guided nature walks
To get so close to the nature and also get a clear view of the park you need to move around and not in the car led by the armed ranger and during nature walks a visitor will get an opportunity to see birds, communities and other primates like monkeys then the vegetation in Bwindi national park.
Canoeing at lake mutanda
You take the early morning canoe ride at lake mutanda and you will be able to spot water birds and scenic views of the Virunga mountains and takes two hours.
Mountain biking
The mountain biking experience is best done starting from Buhoma sector and it is organised ride 4 women community group that rent the bikes to the visitors and you can the park while biking though it can be done in other sectors according to the visitators choice.
Best time to visit Bwindi national park
Bwindi national park can be visited any time of the year though the best time that gives you a clear view is during the dry season it is when the park is dry like the trails and roads making gorilla trekking easy and enjoyable.
How to get Bwindi national park
By road
Bwindi forest can be accessed from Kampala to either Elizabeth national park the to the park headquarters and the journey is about 9 to 10 hours or from Kampala via Rukungiri then Kisoro and then to Buhoma where the park headquarters are.
By air
Tourists can choose to fly from Entebbe in kajjansi airfield up to Kisoro airfield or Kihihi and kayonza according to where your going truck the gorillas and it is approximately 5 hours.
Moving around
The diverse trails of Bwindi national park can be accessed by vehicle though there are no roads in the park so you have to use foot to get where you want
What makes Bwindi national park famous place for gorilla trekking
There are a huge numbers of mountain gorillas in Bwindi more than any park in east Africa and Uganda.
Bwindi national park has well trained guides and researchers that give you that content about the gorillas that you want.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi national park is cheaper compared to other destinations
Bwindi national park is strategically located and near to other national parks that may be a visitor can combine the trip of primate safari tour with Uganda wildlife safari tour in queen Elizabeth national park.
Access to community visits after gorilla trekking, after gorilla trekking you can easily connect with close communities and support community projects or do charity to the community.
Steps followed while planning for atrip in Bwindi national park
Decide on how you will travel to Bwindi Forest national park and most people enjoy road trips from Kampala or you can fly either from Kigali to Uganda or Entebbe to Kihihi depending on what you are comfortable with.
Choose the perfect activities to do while in Bwindi because you can’t do all activities so to avoid expense choose the activity that you feel you want to do.
Make your tour reservations on time like booking the lodge and buying permits.
Before set off for your tour check if it is the right time to visit so that you can take the right things like clothes and many others.
Where to stay in Bwindi national park
In Bwindi national park there several accommodations in from budget to luxury and these include volcanoes Bwindi lodge, clouds mountain gorilla lodge, chameleon hill lodge, Buhoma lodge, Ruhija gorilla friends’ band. Those are some of the lodges though they are quite many, when selecting accommodation, consider the sector of Bwindi where you will be trekking in order to minimize the travel time and if you need assistance with bookings or more detailed information about these lodges feel free to contact African vacation safaris for answers.
What to pack when going to Bwindi national park
When planning for a trip in Bwindi national park it is important to know the to pack list or items and these include light weight hiking boots, garden gloves to prevent you from getting damaged while trying trace through the thick vegetation, long sleeved shirts and trousers, insect repellent, binoculars, rain jacket, hat, sun glasses, and others that are important to you.