Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Gorilla Trekking : Gorilla trekking helped the world to come to know Bwindi Impenetrable jungle. It is a habitat for more than half of the world’s remaining Mountain Gorilla population. These kind primates are highly endangered species and the forest possesses more than 468 individuals of the plausible 800 plus mountain gorillas in the entire world. They are highly endangered because of poaching, habitat loss and diseases. This national park generates one of the highest revenues to Uganda Wildlife Authority amongst all the safari parks in Uganda.
Bwindi, situated in the southwestern region, on the edge of the rift valley. Commonly referred to as the impenetrable forest, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is surrounded by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on the western side; Kabale town to the southeast is the nearest main town to the park, 29 kilometers away by road. It encompasses an area of 331 square kilometers and is situated in the highest parts of Kigezi highlands with an altitude of 1,190 to 2,607 meters above sea level and 60% of this wonderful park has an elevation of over 2,000 meters above sea level. The highest elevation in the park is Rwamunyonyi hill at the eastern edge and the lowest part of the park is located at its most northern tip.
Bwindi Forest National Park is about an 8 hour or 9 hour drive from Entebbe by road and just 1 hour away by chartered flights. Usually the first and last days of Uganda gorilla tours are reserved solely for traveling and a few extra activities along the way. The drive is quite long especially when you are traveling by road but definitely worthy of it after when you experience close contact with the mountain gorillas in its forests. There is just a lot behind this destination appearing among the most visited Uganda safari parks and am sure you will see it when you travel.
Gorilla Trekking.
Gorilla Trekking is Uganda’s charming safari experience where a group of people get to hike/trek through the thick forests in order for them get a glimpse of what gorillas look like and be able to view the environment in which gorillas stay. The closeness of the national park to the border of Rwanda has long made it possible for tourists to combine Uganda gorilla trekking and Rwanda gorilla trekking experiences in a single itinerary. Such trips can begin either way according to a client’s preference making it possible to do Gorilla trekking in Bwindi from Rwanda – about (4 – 5 hours’ drive) from Kigali.
Gorilla trekking is despite doubt the prime activity conducted at Bwindi forest national park. The activity merely involves ascending into the jungle in search for the gentle giants (mountain gorillas) and upon meeting the gorilla, there is a period of the interact sessions between the gorilla trekkers is bound to take place amounting to a maximum of 1 hour. Some of what to is observing how the gorillas go about their life (feeding and nesting) interacting and among many others. A sessions that is rewarded with a thrilling photo shoot which also doubles as souvenir for the gorilla tracking exercise. Bwindi forest national park, has got a total of four gorilla tracking sectors which are distributed in among districts that make up Bwindi national park. The gorilla trekking sector include:
Buhoma sector: This sector is located in northern part of Bwindi impenetrable national park in the district of Kanungu. Its was the first ever gorilla tracking in Bwindi forest national park to be set up sector to be set up making it the oldest of the all the tracking sectors in Bwindi.
Ruhiija sector: This sector is located in Kabale district, it’s apparently near that all the sectors if one is traveling from Kampala.
Rushaga sector: Situated in the Kisoro area, Rushaga is the only sector where gorilla habituation is carried out and boasts the largest number of inhabited gorilla groups.
Nkuringo: this sector is also situated in Kisoro district as well, it has the least numbers of habituated gorilla families.
Gorilla Habituation.
Gorilla habituation is the second attractive and thrilling safari activity that takes place in Bwindi Impenetrable national Park after gorilla trekking, this is an experience where one gets to visit the mountain gorillas for more than the usual hours’ time, since these gorillas are being trained to live among h with the human beings. The experience is so interesting as it gives the tourist more time to learn about the mountain gorillas and their behaviors.
In Uganda gorilla habituation only happens in Rushaga gorilla sector which is south of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. The best time to do gorilla habituation in Uganda is during June to September and December to March.
How to access Bwindi impenetrable national park.
Bwindi forest national park can pretty much be accessed from any part of Uganda and northern Rwanda. From Kampala, the capital of Uganda, it takes about 8 to 9 hours by car reach Bwindi via Masaka highway to Mbarara, then Kabale and finally Kisoro and Kanungu. But this driving duration depends on the gorilla tracking area of Bwindi forest park, which one would want to visit. Bwindi impenetrable national park can also accessible accessed from Rwanda (Kigali) from various boarder post, taking up to roughly 4 hours to arrive, a time frame also dependent on the sector one is headed out to.
Bwindi park can also accessed by air with flights departing from Entebbe to the various air fields close to Bwindi park that is Kihihi airstrip serving both Buhoma and Ruhiija gorilla tracking sector. Another air strip can be utilized from Kisoro with serving Rushaga gorilla tracking sector and Nkuringo and other travel destination to mention Mgahinga gorilla national park still within the confines of Bwindi. The most recent addition to the flight was the connecting flight from Maasai Mara national reserve to Bwindi forest national park by air Kenya.
Do not hesitate to contact us at Takeoff Ventures Tours and Travel we shall plan, prepare for you the fascinating safari that will offer you unforgettable safari memories.
