Bwindi impenetrable National park is located in East Africa in southern western part of Uganda. Bwndi is located on the Eastern edge of Albertine rift valley along the Democratic Republic of Congo which borders next to the Virunga National park. The park is part of the bwindi Impenetrable forest. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was gazeted as a national park in 1991 andbecame a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site in 1994.
Bwindi National Park covers an area of 331 square kilometres (128 sqmi), the park range from 1190 to 2607 metres above sea level. The shape of the park is a legacy of previous conservation management, when the original two forest blocks were protected in 1932. There is agricultural land where there were previously trees directly outside the park’s borders. Cultivation in this area is very much.
The park is one of the richest eco systems In Africa and shelters 120 mammals and primate species like chimpanzee and baboon.Still Bwindi National park has other safari attractions such as Mountain Gorillas of about 340 individual in the rain forest known as the Bwindi population, which makes up almost half of all the mountain gorillas in the world. And sectors include Buhoma in the northern sector, Nkuringo, Ruhija in south western sector and Rushaga in the southern sector.All these offer learning experience and a wealth of watching. Still the guests are advised to spend a night before tracking in a hotel near the briefing point depending on the sector where tracking will be done.
You will be in position to fast tell why actually the forest is called Impenetrable. One needs to be realistically physically fit to take part in this mountain gorilla tracking because it involves climbing the steep terrain. Also the word “Bwindi” means “darkness” and taking a hike in this magnificent forest will certainly unveil to you the reason why the forest was named bwindi.
Tourists travel to Bwindi national park for gorilla tracking though the park has a lot to offer which may includesight-seeing, forest walk, Bird watching like about 346 bird species, seeing around 27 frog species at water stream, seeing around 202 butterflies, 163 tree species and a lot of mammals.
The neighboring towns of Nkuringo and Buhoma both have an attractive array of luxury lodges, campsite and bandas. Lodges include Gorilla forest camp, Buhoma lodge, Ruhija Gorilla safari lodge and Gorilla mist camp Ruhija. There are opportunities among the local Batwa pygmy cultures and Bakiga through workshops, performance and village walk.
Getting into Bwindi Impenetrable National Park requires a gorilla permit – the best place to get that is from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) offices in Kampala along Kiira Road. Tour operators can also make arrangements. There is no way of going to Bwindi without a gorilla permit in case you are going to track the gorillas, as you will be denied entrance. The best way to get there is by road to kabale which may take about 8 hours from Kampala to Kabale, a nearby city with several hotels and hostels. From there you can arrange private transportation, for which you have to reserve another day of travel – leave early in the morning; you’ll need to get transportation to Butogota, and from there to Buhoma, where hotels are available only a short walk from the briefing point of the UWA gorilla tracking.
The best time to visit Bwindi Impenetrable National park is from June to August and December to February. This is so because at this time there is less rain or not at all which make the forest trail easy to walk in.
ACTIVITIES IN BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK.
Gorilla Tracking
Bwindi is known for its mountain Gorilla population and Gorilla tracking. Bwindi is home of the worlds’ mountain Gorillas. The park is divided into sectors for gorilla tracking which include Buhoma, Ruhijja, Rushaga and Nkuringo.
Birding
Bwindi is ahabitat of about 350 species of birds. Birding takes place along the main trail, Bamboo zone and Buhoma waterfall trail.
Mountain Biking in Bwindi
Biking starts from park headquarters at Buhoma to Ivi River. Along this trail you may be in position to see wildlife like bush bucks, black and white colobus.
Cultural Encounters in Bwindi
This involves exploring the culture of Batwa and Bakiga homesteads with black smith visits, local dancers.