Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Uganda Gorillas, Birding & Nature Walks
Bwindi is the leading mountain gorilla trekking destination in Uganda. Regardless of the time of the year that you visit this park, you have a 99% chance of encountering one of the most glorious and endangered wildlife species left on earth, the Mountain Gorillas.
Covering a surface area of 321 Km2, Bwindi National Park is an ecologically diverse tropical forest on the edge of the Albertine Rift Valley (western Uganda). It is also home to 350 species of birds, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics.
Of the four national parks in the Greater Virunga highlands where one can track mountain gorilla species, Bwindi has the highest number of habituated gorilla families in Uganda, 22of them to date. Rwanda’s Volcanoes N/P has 10 and Congo’s Virunga N/P has 8.
The extra big news with Bwindi is that its gorilla trekking permit costs $800, compared to Volcanoes National Park, where it was increased from $750 to $1,500.
In the interest of effective management, this UNESCO World Heritage site is divided into four zones, each with at least four gorilla families. These include Ruhija, Nkuringo, Rushaga and Buhoma.
Each of these offers a relatively different experience as they lie at different altitudes, ranging from 1,160m to 2,607m above sea level. Of the four, Ruhija offers the toughest climbing challenge as it has lots of V-shaped valleys and steep slopes.
According to results of the mountain gorilla census that was released in May 2018, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has over 450 resident gorillas. This choice of the park as a preferred habitat is thanks to the abundance of edible vegetation species and nutritious fruits.
Beyond keeping them looking healthy, it makes them over five times stronger than an average man. Their weight ranges between 68 and 260 kilograms, depending on their gender and age. However, despite being powerful enough to be able to crush anything that comes their way, they are peace-loving beasts. This makes visiting them totally safe for you to visit.
During your trip with us, we will organize for you a visit to a gorilla family that comprises members of different age brackets: black-backs, silver-backs, mothers, babies, and juveniles. This will enable you to compare and contrast how body features of gorillas keep evolving as they grow.
You will also notice that the males are so protective of the females and babies in their groups. This explains why they prefer to graze around the edges of the territory to keep a watchful eye on any invaders.
Gorillas live in a patriarchal society setting where a robust alpha male called a silverback is in command. He is the only male in his group with exclusive rights to mate with any female of choice. The rest can only do so in their dreams.
Activities in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bird watching
If bird watching is your cup of coffee, you will leave Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with a radiant smile. The Park has over 340 recorded species thriving in its patches of bamboo, montane forests and marshes.
One of the areas where you stand a high chance of sighting birds is Mubwindi, a montane swamp after which the park is named. Common sightings here are Shining-blue kingfisher, Yellow-eyed black-flycatcher, Grauer’s broadbill, Lagden’s Bush-shrike, White-starred robin, Archer’s robin-chat, Dusky crimsonwing, Black-faced apalis, Eastern Mountain greenbul, White-headed woodhoopoe, and White-headed woodhoopoe among others.
Be sure to carry your binoculars. Most birds tend to spend much of their day in the canopy with the intent of accessing the warmth of the sun.
Best time to visit
If you wish to see gorillas without interruptions from the rain, the best times to visit are the relatively dry seasons from June to August and December to February. During these seasons, the gorilla tracking trails are drier and therefore less slippery.
Travel tip
In case you wish to travel light in the forest, there are local porters available for hire. For just $15, they will give you a helping hand throughout the adventure. They will also give you a push as you counter steep slopes and help you focus on where you are stepping. This will enable you to overcome slippery stretches of the forest.
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