BWINDI THE AFRICA’S BEST NATIONAL PARK

Had you ever imagined about the best national parks in Africa? Do you love exotic destinations? Have you ever thought of meeting our close relatives in the wild? Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park has all the answers for your questions, just at the valley mist in South-Western Uganda. For abundant species in Africa, explore Bwindi's natural wonders right from forest birds, butterflies to endangered species such as the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas.

THE MISTY JUNGLES OF BWINDI 

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a remarkable destination not just for visitors to admire its misty covered hillsides but a place to spark imaginations with our close relatives the “spectacular mountain gorillas.” Thousands of tourists, who travel to this destination, come to inspire the senses with exotic gorilla adventures that come once in a life time!  Currently, Bwindi boasts of over 400 wild gorillas which also represent half of the world’s mountain gorillas. When it comes to gorilla safaris in Uganda, Bwindi comes on top list with the most outstanding tourism products that for long have positioned Uganda on the world map as best destination. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is globally recognized for gorilla trekking/tracking and currently the park management has introduced a new and the most rewarding product called “Gorilla Habituation Experience”, an experience that visitors won’t find in any part of the world except in Bikingi and Bushaho gorilla families, Uganda. The gorilla habituation experience costs $1500 per tourist and visitors spend all the four hours observing the daily behaviors of these incredible creatures.

MOUNTAIN GORILLAS

Mountain gorilla experiences in Bwindi National Park don’t just come from nowhere but the 11 (eleven) Habituated Gorilla Families which visitors go to observe the mountain gorillas. Habituation process takes 2-3 years and this is meant to improve on the clients’ experiences while enjoying the product in the destination. The habituated gorillas mean that they are accustomed to human presence! The gorilla groups in Bwindi National Park are the basics for the tourists’ experiences in Uganda and it is from the eleven habituated gorilla families that the country’s economy revenue is realized after selling off the 88 gorilla permits for visitors to go for gorilla trekking. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park was recognized by CNN on 16^th/5/2017 among 5 Africa’s best national parks that tourists should travel to observe. Other national parks include; Kruger National Park in South Africa, the Virunga National Park in Congo, Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and Maasai Mara National Park in Kenya. This is good news for Uganda because your treasured adventure "gorilla tracking" is specifically sighted as the major tourist attraction which also generates revenue for the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). Approximately, $15 per year counts as a direct sum of income that is realized from gorilla visits in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

DISCOVER THE NATURAL WONDERS OF BWINDI 

The Uganda Wildlife Authority is the overall body that manages all the ten national parks in Uganda and it is also sets tariffs for all the tourist activities in the park. For mountain gorilla safaris in Uganda, the gorilla permit costs $600 for each visitor who is interested in gorilla trekking.

$600 FOR YOU TO OBSERVE OUR RELATIVES IN THE WILD

Bwindi National Park has 4 (four) trailheads where tracking starts from and they include Buhoma sector, Rushanga sector, Ruhija and Nkuringo sector. Each of the sectors has got habituated gorilla families for visitors to see the mountain gorillas. Buhoma trail-head is the busiest area for gorilla trekking and it is comprised of the following gorilla families; Habinyanja, Mubare and Rushegura gorilla group. Ruhija sector includes; Oruzogo and Bitukura gorilla groups. Rushanga sector is recognized as the best area for visitors to do gorilla tracking/trekking and the only area where visitors can do gorilla habituation experiences in Uganda. The sector is composed of Nshongi, Mishaya, Kahungye, Busingye and Bweza gorilla family. Nkuringo sector is made up of only one habituated gorilla family “Nkuringo” and it is one of the challenging families in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. If you are interested in gorilla tracking in this gorilla family, then you must be a bit energetic to hike.

While planning a trip to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, you shouldn’t worry about accommodation facilities since they are several facilities that you take choice. Some of the notable facilities in Bwindi include the Cloud Lodge, Gorilla Forest Camp, Buhoma Lodge, Mahogany springs and Bwindi Volcano Lodge.

Despite the fact that Bwindi Impenetrable National Park take a tourist about 9-10 hours on the road, still visitors can access the park by air (Aero-link Uganda) especially from Entebbe International Airport and Kajjansi airfields and land in Kihihi and Ishasha airstrips in Kanungu district where they will be transferred to Bwindi National Park. On road, visitors can access the park from Queen Elizabeth National Park to the North which takes about 2 to 3 hours or Kabale to the South for about 1 to 2 hours and alternatively, from Kampala-Mbarara which takes visitors about 6-8 hours. Traveling on road is one of the incredible moments if you are targeting to reach Bwindi National Park, especially on stop over which gives a client an opportunity to enjoy the natural wonders en-route to the South-Western Uganda. Make a stopover the Equator area at Queen Elizabeth National Park or view the rare climbing lions as they blend themselves on the tree trunks.

In conclusion, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a true natural wonder where you can discover a lot about the world’s critically endangered Mountain gorillas in large numbers. Not just the mountain gorillas but also diverse forest species that come your way during the trek. Don’t miss the ultimate gorilla experiences in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park!