Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the southwestern part of Uganda. It is home to 13 species of primates, including half of the world’s population of endangered mountain gorillas, which is why it is called the primate capital of the world.
The park was established in 1991 and covers an area of 321 square kilometers.
The park is home to 120 species of mammals, 220 species of butterflies, 163 species of trees, 27 species of frogs, 104 species of ferns, and about 1,000 flowering plants, in addition to mountain gorillas.
Bwindi is a great place to experience both budget gorilla tours and luxury gorilla tours.
Nowadays, most people on short tours to Bwindi prefer Kigali to Bwindi gorilla trekking tours.
Top 10 Things to Do in Bwindi
Below are the top things to do in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park:
- Gorilla Trekking: Gorilla trekking is the most popular activity in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and one of the most sought-after tourist activities in Africa, although it is also the most expensive. Bwindi has habituated mountain gorillas that tourists visit daily, with eight permits available for each gorilla family. Tourists are allowed one hour of observation once they find the gorillas.
- Gorilla Habituation: Gorilla habituation is the process of helping mountain gorillas get used to human presence. It usually takes 2-3 years, during which trackers and rangers visit a gorilla family daily, observe their behavior, and name them based on their characters. Uganda is the only country that offers the gorilla habituation experience, allowing tourists to join trekkers in their daily work.
- Birding: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to 351 bird species, with some species found only in this area. Examples include the Kivu ground thrush, dusky crimson wing, Ruwenzori nightjar, short-tailed warbler, collared apalis, purple-breasted sunbird, Ruwenzori Batis, dwarf honeyguide, black flycatcher, strange weaver, yellow-eyed flycatcher, handsome francolin, and red-faced woodland warbler.
- Nature Walks: Apart from gorilla trekking, nature-guided walks can be done at Bwindi National Park. There are many trails ranging from 30 minutes to 7 hours. On these walks, you may spot primates like vervet monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, blue monkeys, and red-tailed monkeys. Popular trails include the Waterfall Trail, Rushura Hill Trail, Munyaga River Trail, Buhoma Trail, Muzabajiro Loop Trail, and River Ivy Trail.
- Cultural Encounters: Tourists can include cultural visits in their Bwindi tours. You can visit the Batwa people, who lived in the forest before it became a national park. The Batwa guides will show you how they used to live in the forest, using it for shelter, medicine, and food.
Other activities include bicycle tours, butterfly tours, sundowners, lake tours, and scenery viewing.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can be visited all year round, but the best months are June to August and December to February.
Gorilla permits in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park cost $800 per person for trekking and $1,500 for gorilla habituation.
