How to Get to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda

Bwindi National Park Gorilla Trekking Safaris

Bwindi National Park Gorilla Trekking Safaris : The most famous and fascinating activity in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is gorilla trekking, which takes people over the age of 15 into the deep tropical woods in pursuit of the endangered mountain gorillas. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in Kanungu district in south western Uganda and is home to about 400 mountain gorillas, which is comparable to half of the world’s mountain gorilla population. Mountain gorillas may be found in four sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: Buhoma in the north, Rushaga in the south, Ruhija in the east, and Nkuringo in the south.

Mountain gorillas are an endangered primate species that can only be found in four African national parks: Bwindi National Park in Uganda, Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Bwindi National Park Gorilla Trekking Safaris
Bwindi National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Gorilla Trekking Safaris.

The four sections of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park serve as the beginning places for gorilla trekking activities. Visitors going gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park are suggested to stay near the sectors so that they can easily approach the park headquarters.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park begins early in the morning with a briefing at the park headquarters, where guests are greeted and divided into groups of eight since a gorilla family in Bwindi can only be seen by a maximum of eight people. At the park headquarters, visitors are divided into groups based on their interests and physical condition.

After being assigned to a group, you will enter the forest to begin trekking with a park guide who will show you the pathways to take and provide information on the mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park takes between 2 and 6 hours in the jungle, so tourists should bring a packed lunch and drinking water with them. When the gorilla family is discovered, visitors are granted one hour with the gorillas in their natural environment, during which they are permitted to snap photographs with flashless cameras, record the moments, and observe the gorillas feeding, playing, and so on.

Bwindi impenetrable National Park is home to 18 habituated gorilla families, which can be found in four sectors of the park: Rushaga, Buhoma, Nkuringo, and Ruhija. Rushaga has eight gorilla families, including Nshongi, Kahungye, Busingye, Mishaya, Bweza, Rwigi, Bikyingi, and Mucunguzi family, Buhoma has four gorilla families, including Mubare, Habinyanja, Rushegura and Katwe gorilla groups.  Nkuringo sector, which is home to three gorilla families: Bushaho, Christmas, and the Nkuringo family, and Ruhija sector, which is home to four gorilla families: Bitukura, Oruzogo, Kyaguliro, and the Mukiza family.

However, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is Africa’s only site that offers gorilla habituation experiences in the Rushaga area. Gorilla habituation is the process through which a group of researchers, game rangers, and guides teach mountain gorillas to become accustomed to human presence and prepared for trekking. The gorilla habituation process takes two years and allows you to spend four hours with the mountain gorillas while they are being habituated, learning about their behaviors and routines, seeing them feed, breastfeed, and youngsters playing to entertain the family, among other things.

How much is a gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

A gorilla trekking permit is a legal document that allows visitors above the age of 15 to trek a gorilla family in any area of Bwindi National Park. In Bwindi National Park, a single gorilla trekking permit costs $700 for foreign non-residents, $600 for foreign residents, and UGX 250,000 for East African citizens.

When is the best time to visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Bwindi gorilla park may be visited at any time of year, however it has two seasons: rainy / wet and dry. The rainy season is when the park receives rain, making the gorilla trekking paths unusable owing to mud and slipping. This is from March to May and from October to November. The rainy season in Bwindi National Park is ideal for bird viewing since there is enough of food for the birds and migrating birds will flock to the forest to nest.

Bwindi national park also has a dry season from June to mid-September and from December to February. During the dry season, Bwindi forest receives little rain, thus the routes are passable and mountain gorillas may be seen since the grass and shrubs are short. The dry season is ideal for gorilla trekking, and most people come to Bwindi at this time. However, because Bwindi is a montane and tropical rain forest, it can rain at any moment, even during the dry season, therefore tourists should take essential gorilla trekking equipment to ensure a successful walk.

Bwindi National Park Gorilla Trekking Safaris
Bwindi National Park Gorilla Trekking Safaris

Where to stay during your gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Bwindi National Park features a choice of upmarket, mid-range, and economy hotel options for tour guests. Buhoma lodge, Gorilla resort, Gorilla forest camp, silverback lodge, Lake Kitandara tented camp, Engage lodge, Mahogany springs lodge, Chameleon lodge, Ichumbi gorilla lodge, Buhoma community rest camp, Ruhija gorilla safari lodge, Cuckoo land lodge, clouds mountain gorilla lodge, gorilla safari lodge. The lodges in the national park provide quality services such as comfortable and spacious beds, preparing local and international dishes, and good facilities such as dining, restaurants, bars, swimming pool, sauna, and others that allow visitors to chill, relax, and enjoy themselves while on safari in Bwindi National Park.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a must-do activity for everyone visiting Uganda on a gorilla trekking safari since it provides breathtaking and amazing experiences.

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