Discover the wonders of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park affordably with our cheap car rental services in Uganda. Seamlessly traverse this natural paradise and witness its breathtaking beauty while saving on transportation costs. Bwindi Forest National Park is one of the most beautiful places on earth found on the edge of the Albertine Rift in the southwestern corner of Uganda. This 321 square kilometer Park is not just an ordinary Park but rather the home to the endangered, rare, and most sought-after Mountain gorillas that exist in only three African Countries in the whole World.
Established into a National Park in 1991 and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has since become a popular destination for tourists interested in being up-close with their giant apes.
Attractions in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
The diversity in Bwindi National Park is not limited to only wildlife and bird species but does beyond waterfalls, unique tree species, and butterflies.
Butterflies
There are over 200 species of butterflies in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, hence making it one of the few places for butterfly watching in the country.
The local communities
Local communities living around Bwindi National Park are some of the friendliest people you will ever encounter in a lifetime. Their traditional way of life and culture will leave everlasting memories.
Flora
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to over 1000 flowering plants that include up to 165 tree species, more than 100 fern species, and many others that are rarely spotted in other National Parks in the country.
Waterfalls
Waterfalls are also found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the most popular and frequently visited is the Muyanga waterfall near Buhoma.
Tourist Activities conducted in Bwindi National Park
Mountain gorilla trekking
Mountain gorilla trekking is the main activity conducted within Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and more than 50% of the tourists to this destination visit it for this purpose. This Park is known for sheltering more than half of the total 1004 mountain gorillas and also has the highest number of habituated gorilla families distributed throughout the four sectors of Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Nkuringo. The Gorilla groups are Rushegura, Habinyanja, Mubare, Christmas, Katwe, Nkuringo, Bikingi, Bushaho, Mukiza, Kyaguliro, Bitukura, Oruzogo, Mucunguzi, Kutu, Rwigi, Mishaya, Busingye, Kahungye, Bweza, and Nshongi. Spending one hour with one of these families at $600 is one of the best decisions you will ever make.
Gorilla Habituation Experience
The Gorilla Habituation Experience is not different from gorilla trekking when it comes to the process but the difference is that the activity is conducted with gorilla families still undergoing habituation (the process of making wild gorillas used to human presence), tourists get to spend four hours with the gorilla family instead of the one hour during the usual Gorilla trekking adventure and also it is more costly ($1500) but it’s worthwhile.
Nature walks/Hiking
The best way to discover the entire beauty of Bwindi Impenetrable Park is to undertake nature walks/or hiking. With more than 100 kilometers of well-maintained hiking trails running through the forest floor, visitors are rewarded with the views of the primate species especially vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, other mammals especially mongoose, buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, butterflies, bird species, extraordinary tree species, and waterfalls. Some of the popular hiking trails are the Ruizi River trail, Munyaga River trail, Mubwindi Swamp Trail, Ivy River Trail, Habinyanja (Railegh) Trail, Kashasha River Trail, Rushura Hill Trail, Muzabajiro trail, and Bamboo Trail among others.
Bird watching
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the top 10 Important Birding Areas of Uganda with over 348 species of birds including the Albertine Rift endemic species. Most sought-after species are the handsome francolin, Grauer’s Rush warblers, Rwenzori Batis, and Kivu Ground Thrush among others.
Cultural experiences
Cultural encounters in Bwindi are usually conducted as independent activities or in the evening after gorilla trekking or nature walks. Several community projects exist around the Park to offer visitors a taste of culture but the popular and recognized ones are the Buniga Forest Nature Walk, Buhoma Community Tours, Nyundo Community Eco-Trails, Nkuringo Community Conservation and Development Foundation, Nkuringo Cultural Center, Rubuguri Village Walk, and many others.
Biking tours
Biking/Cycling Tours in Bwindi Forest National Park are mainly (but not limited to) arranged by Bwindi Community Rest Camp under the Ride 4 a Woman organization and takes tourists through parts of the Forest to see some of the wildlife species and the nearby community.
Other activities conducted within and around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are Butterfly watching and volunteering among others.
Where to stay at Bwindi Forest National Park
Just like the rich attractions, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is endowed with numerous luxury, midrange, and budget accommodation facilities across the four sectors of the Park.
The best luxury accommodation facilities to spend nights during your visit to Bwindi Forest National Park are Clouds Mount Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge, Buhoma Lodge, Mahogany Springs Camp, Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, and Chameleon Hill Lodge among others.
The most breathtaking midrange accommodation facilities to spend nights during your visit to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park include Eco Marvels Gorilla Resort, Nkuringo Gorilla Camp, Lake Kitandara Bwindi Camp, Gorilla Mist Camp, Engagi Lodge, Gorilla Valley Lodge, and Silverback Lodge among others.
The best-selected budget places to spend nights during your visit to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are Ruhija Gorilla Friends Resort, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Gift of Nature Lodge, Wagtail Eco Safari Camp, Bwindi Guesthouse, Ruhija Community Rest Camp, Nshongi Camp, Broadbill Forest Camp, and Bwindi View Bandas among others.
How to get to Bwindi Forest National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the southwest of Uganda, about 464 kilometers/8-10 hours’ drive from Kampala, and can be accessed by air or road transport. For tourists opting for the former, chattered flights are arranged from Entebbe International Airport to Kayonza, Kihihi, or Kisoro airstrips then connect to the Park by road.
For road transport, several routes are used to connect from Kampala to Bwindi, but tourists are recommended to choose the most convenient one depending on the sector visited. One of the routes to use is Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara-Ntungamo-Rukungiri-Kihihi-Buhoma for tourists planning to visit the northern sector.
Another popular route is Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara-Kabale-Ruhija for tourists planning to visit the eastern sector of Ruhija. For tourists visiting both Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi Impenetrable National Parks, connect through the southern sector of Ishasha where you will see the tree-climbing lions to the Buhoma sector of Bwindi.
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