Getting to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park Uganda

Getting to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Bwindi can be accessed either by air from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip or by road from Kampala.

From Entebbe, there are scheduled flights to Kihihi which is close to the northern sector of Bwindi and also flights to Kisoro which is close to the Southern sector of Bwindi. Flights to Kisoro only leave in the morning while Kihihi has both morning and afternoon departures from Entebbe. You can also do charter flights from Kajjansi Airstrip to either Kisoro or Kihihi.

By road, there are alternatives that include;

Kampala-Kabale-Kanungu-Buhoma which follows a tarmac highway until Kabale for about 414km spending about 6-8 hrs and then connect on a murram road through Kanungu and Kanyantorogo for about 120km to Buhoma. For the latter route, it is highly recommended to have a 4WD vehicle and this journey can take about 4-5 hrs.

Kampala-Kabale-Ruhija-Buhoma which follows the same route as the above first option except the Kabale-Ruhija-Buhoma section is about 95km on a murram road and can take about 3-4 hrs also highly recommended to have a 4WD vehicle.

Kampala-Kabale-Nkuringo also follows the same as the above routes to Kabale and an additional 105km about 4-5 hrs drive on a mountainous murram road to Nkuringo from Kabale. Some people prefer spending a night in Kisoro which is about 80km from Kabale and in the morning proceed to Nkuringo for gorilla tracking.

Kampala-Ntungamo-Rukungiri-Kihihi-Buhoma is regarded as the quickest and most direct of all the routes from Kampala and follows a tarmac rout to Rukungiri about 390km followed by murram roads to Buhoma for about 82km.

There is also a route that goes through Queen Elizabeth National Park via Kihihi and to Buhoma passing through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park famed for the tree climbing lions. Sometimes this route is not favored because of the bridge which keeps on breaking down.

Tourist Attractions in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park Uganda

Mountain Gorillas, Mountain Gorillas are the major tourist’s attraction in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The park is natural home to an approximated total number of about 400 individual mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), making it to be housing almost half of all the remaining mountain gorillas in the globe thriving in the wild. The other half of the mountain gorilla population is housed in the nearby Virunga Mountains distributed in three national parks of Mgahinga Gorilla Park in Uganda, Volcanoes in Rwanda and Virunga national park in Congo.

Birds, Bwindi Impenetrable forest park provides some of the finest/the best montane forest bird watching destination in the great African continent, and safe birding destination for any birder visiting Uganda. There are an approximated three hundred and fifty ( 350) bird species with twenty three (23) which are endemic to the Albertine Rift and fourteen species (14) which are not recorded nowhere else in Uganda.

Tourist Activities in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Bird Watching in Bwindi, Bwindi Impenetrable forest is dubbed Bird watchers safe haven in Uganda. The park boasts of 350 bird species and houses 90% of all Albertine Rift Valley Endemics such as; the Short-tailed Warbler, Rusty-faced woodland Warbler, Bar-tailed Trogon, Gruer’s Rush Warbler, Wilcock’s Honey-guide, Yellow-eyed black Fly-catcher, Kivu Ground Thrush, Dusky Crimson Wing, White-tailed Blue Monarch among others, difficult or impossible to see in any other part of East Africa. An experienced bird watcher can identify up to 100 species in single day especially in the bird endowed areas of Ruhija and Buhoma. Birding activities mostly done early morning in the park take place along the main trail, such as the Buhoma Waterfall Trail and along the bamboo zone and Mubwindi Swamp trail in Ruhija region.. Read More

Cultural Encounter in Bwindi Cultural encounters are mostly done in the evenings after hectic gorilla trekking in the morning; you can participate in captivating traditional performances presented by Women’s groups, village walks, blacksmith visits, and craft shops. Proceeds from these go directly to improve the welfare of families around the park. The activity allows you to explore the unique cultures of the local Bakiga and Batwa communities who are the traditional inhabitants of the areas covered famous Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Park. Read More

Cycling/Moutain Biking in Bwindi Mountain biking is one of the interesting activities developing in Bwindi. This follows a well-established trail from the park headquarters at Buhoma to the Ivi River. Along this 13km trail you may see wildlife such as bushbucks, black-and-white colobus and red-tailed monkeys. The six-seven hour round trip departs in the morning, and is organized by Buhoma Community Rest Camp under the “Ride for a Woman “community development initiative. Read More

Hiking/Nature Walks In Bwindi, For those interested in nature walks and hiking, Bwindi Impenetrable national park has six (6) fantastic nature hiking trails. On all these 6 trails, one has rare chance to discover the wonders inhabited in the ancient Bwindi Impenetrable forest park. Along the trails, visitors are usually rewarded with the views and sights of the several bird species, butterflies, trees species, and some other primate species. Arrange at the reception for a guide. Read More

Mountain Gorilla Trekking, Mountain gorilla trekking is the most rewarding tourism activity done at the park .The Mountain Gorillas are also star attraction in Bwindi and these have been habituated since April 1993.Spaning in an area of 321kms of forested land, Bwindi is separated into four (4) gorilla tracking regions including Buhoma trekking region, Ruhija sector, Rushaga region and Nkuringo sectors. In all the gorilla trekking regions, gorilla trekking experience stats very early in the morning when trekkers report to the park headquarters for an early morning registration and briefing from the senior rangers about the rule and regulations to follow when tracking the mountain gorillas in forested areas of Bwindi Impenetrable national park. Read More

Safari lodges in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Accommodation places in Buhoma Region

Buhoma sector is part of the Northern Bwindi forest block where mountain gorillas reside. Families that are found in Buhoma include Rushegura gorilla family, Habinyanja gorilla group and Mubare gorilla family.

Each of these families can easily be accessed when you spend a night or more at the various lodges that are located in this sector. It is advisable for visitors to know the gorilla group they intend to trek so as to determine where to spend the night to avoid long hour drives early in the morning to the briefing point.

Find More about Safari Lodges Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Uganda Safari Parks – Uganda Safari Destinations

As of now, Uganda features a count of 10 national parks including Mount Elgon National Park in the east, Kidepo Valley National Park in the north east, Murchison Falls National Park in the north west, Kibale National Park, Semliki National Park and Rwenzori National Park in the west, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Lake Mburo National Park in the south west.
Right from the colonial era, a range of national parks have been gazetted in the countries of Uganda, Rwanda and Congo over time and the independent national governments have continued with the initiative.

Uganda is a land gifted by nature. Uganda stands among the many on the continent as the Pearl of Africa teaming with a count of ten National Parks that are spread all over Uganda. The range of biodiversity thrives in these protected areas from which they find their natural protection to push their existence to posterity.The Uganda National Parks present opportunity for a myriad of tourist activities like gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, the forest hiking, birding, classic wild game viewing among other activities explored on safaris in Uganda. Read More

Kibale Forest National Park has thirteen (13) recorded primate species including the L’Hoest’s monkey and its 1,450 chimpanzees which cannot be seen anywhere else in Uganda in such big numbers. The park also has an additional sixty (60) mammal species including the migrant, the warthogs, bush pigs, buffalos, 500 elephants and hippos. Kibale National Park also serves its visitors to four (4) species of wild felids including the leopards and the lions which migrate between Kibale Forest and Queen Elizabeth National Park. Kibale National park adjoins with Queen Elizabeth National Park to form a 180km (111 mi) wildlife corridor, and for this reason a number of ground-dwelling mammals cannot be seen regularly. Read More

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park the Uganda gorilla safaris & Tours park is conveniently situated in the Kigezi Highlands of south-west Uganda, adjacent to the frontier of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was gazetted as a National Park in 1991 and declared a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site in 1994. It was created due to its exceptional biodiversity, with more than 163 species of trees and over 100 species of ferns. Various bird species and butterflies, as well as many endangered species, including the mountain gorilla. Read More

Lake Mburo national park has a number of bird species including the uncommonly seen shoebill, the white winged warbler, the African fish eagles and the red faced barbet which can only be viewed in Lake Mburo National Park. In total birders can be delighted to see over 300 bird species in Lake Mburo National Park. Read More

Like three other National Parks in Africa, Mgahinga provides a refuge to some of the world’s remaining population of world mountain gorillas. Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable National park, together provide shelter to over half of the world’s total mountain gorilla population. Mgahinga National Park is positioned in the far southwestern part of Uganda in a district called Kisoro about 510km from Uganda’s Capital City Kampala. The park is Uganda’s smallest national park with a total area of 33.7km2. Read More

Mountain Elgon National Park is located on the eastern part Uganda and bisected by the border of Kenya and Uganda. The park is also the largest and oldest solitary, volcanic mountain in East African region. Its enormous areas form, eighty (80) km in diameter and rises more than 3,000m above the surrounding plains. The mountain’s cool heights offer respite from the hot plains below, with the higher altitudes providing a refuge for flora and fauna. Read More

Queen Elizabeth National Park which is described as “Uganda’s Great Rift Valley” by Andrew Roberts is the second largest national park in Uganda spanning in the districts of Kasese, Kamwenge, Bushenyi and Rukungiri. The park was established in 1954 and it covers almost 1,978 square kilometers. It is bordered in the West by Lake Edward and in the North by the Rwenzori Mountains, and is separated into two parts, the Northern and Southern park. Read More

Uganda Gorilla Safari Tours – Uganda Gorilla trekking Safaris

Uganda Gorilla Safaris comes with an exceptional experience that is not only got from encountering the Mountain gorillas but also a tour to different wildlife safari destination of Queen Elizabeth national park alive with tree climbing lions, Kazinga Channel, undertaking an ultimate primate trekking encounter and wetland nature walk in Kibale forest park or visiting the different cultural sites spread in different parts of Uganda.

These together with their unique rich cultural heritage combine to trigger or offer an utmost Uganda Gorilla safari experience.

3 Days Bwindi Gorilla Uganda Safari

This 3 Days Bwindi Gorilla Uganda Safari tour, takes you into the ancient Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park to trek the world endangered species of the mountain gorillas thriving in the park. Read More

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The 4 Days Gorillas & Wildlife Safari in Uganda, is safari package that allows you to explore the world endangered species of the Mountain gorillas thriving in Bwindi Impenetrable National park. Read More

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The 4 Day Gorilla & Wildlife Safari Tour Uganda, is short interesting tour that gives you chance to have life changing experience of trekking the mountain gorillas thriving in the ancient Impenetrable forests in Bwindi. Read More

5 Days Uganda Gorilla & Wildlife Safari tour

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Long Uganda Safaris – Long Uganda Gorilla Safari Tour & Wildlife Tours

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The 8 Days Uganda Mountain Gorilla trekking Safari is an excellent safari package that starts with the visit to lake Mburo national park which is unique Small National park. Read More

9 Days Uganda Wildlife & Gorilla Safari

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10 Days Uganda Gorilla & Wildlife Safari

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13 Days Gorilla Safari in Uganda

The 13 Days Gorilla Safari in Uganda starts and ends on Entebbe Uganda. The safari features impressive Uganda safari micro destinations talking you to Lake Mburo National Park. Read More

15 Days Uganda Gorilla, Wildlife & Culture Safari

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18 Days Uganda Comprehensive Safari

The 18 Days Uganda Comprehensive Safari gives you a detailed encounter of Uganda stretching from the north east to the south west. Read More

Other Related Uganda Safaris – Uganda Gorilla & Wildlife Safaris

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The 7 days Uganda Primate safari tour provides travelers on primate trekking that rare chance to trek the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat of Bwindi Impenetrable national park conveniently positioned in south western part of Uganda. The safari takes travellers through Kibale forest national park. Read More

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The 3 days Kibale chimpanzee trekking tour enables you to explore Kibale National Park dubbed the primate capital of the world with largest counts of habituated chimpanzees in the whole of Uganda. The 3 day’s Chimpanzee trekking safari offers you an opportunity to encounter the habituated chimpanzees in their natural habitat.. Read More

3 Days Murchison falls Wildlife tour

The 3 Days Murchison falls Wildlife tour is good tour package that will take you to Uganda largest national park –Murchison falls located in the North Western part of Uganda .

The tour will offers you an opportunity to explore the world’s most powerful water fall and have an account of unique wildlife species like giraffes, elephants, lions, buffaloes, leopard among others. Read More

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The 4 day Bwindi gorilla trek &Lake Mburo Wildlife Tour is short interesting tour that gives you chance to have life changing experience of trekking the mountain gorillas thriving in the ancient Impenetrable forests in Bwindi.

The safari starts from Kampala and it takes you to south western Uganda to Bwindi Impenetrable where you will have the best experience on earth to interact with the stunning apes of the mountain gorillas. Read More

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The 6 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari is good safari packages that visitor on Uganda Safari should opt for. The Safari package enables you to explore the two outstanding protected areas in Uganda –the pearl of Africa.

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