What to do in Bwindi National Park the UNESCO world heritage site that lies in South-Western Uganda in three districts Kanungu, Kabale and Kisoro. Bwindi Forest National Park is the leading tourist destination in Uganda with its major eye catching activities. The Park covers about 327 km² on the edge of the western Great Rift Valley along the Democratic Republic of Congo border next to the Virunga National Park and on the edge of the western Great Rift Valley. The Park is a home to over half of the world’s 1004 mountain gorillas – the rest live in the neighboring Virunga Ranges Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, Virunga National Park in DR Congo and the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. The gorilla trekking is the most favorite activity to visitors who are looking what to do in Bwindi National Park with over 20 gorilla families which habituated for gorilla trekking. BOOK NOW
Mountain Gorilla Trekking
Mountain gorilla trekking is the key activity conducted within the Park. The Gorilla groups are found here are over 20 families including 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 is one of the once a lifetime experience you will ever take.
Gorilla Habituation Experience
This is the subsequent activity to what to do in Bwindi National Park. The Gorilla Habituation Experience offers you fantastic experience within the Park with 4 hours while interacting with these magnificent creatures is more incredible experience for every one could wish 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 National 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 many primate species. 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 e.t.c.
Bird Watching
What to do in Bwindi National Park includes bird watching experience. The 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 sough-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 with a taste of culture but the popular and recognized ones are the Buniga Forest Nature Walk, Buhoma Community Tours, Nyundo Community Eco-Trails, Nkuringo Cultural Center, Rubuguri Village Walk and many others.
Biking Tours
Biking/Cycling Tours in Bwindi Impenetrable 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 you can do include gorilla filming, photography experience, Butterfly watching and volunteering and among others.
Best time to know what to do in Bwindi
The best to do activities in Bwindi National Park is all year around for gorilla trekking; the best time is from June to August and December to February. There is less rain during this time making gorilla trekking easier. March to April and September to November are usually very wet month, although they make the best time to do bird watching, during these months, it is usually misty and wet making Gorilla trekking difficult.