National Parks Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park (Bwindi Forest National park) is a typical tropical rain forest with an annual mean temperature range of a minimum of 7–15°C to a maximum of 20–27°C. Its annual rainfall ranges from 1,400 to 1,900 millimeters. The heavy rains climax from March to April and from September to November. Bwindi Impenetrable forest became popular to the world because of Gorilla trekking! It is a habitat for more than half of the world’s remaining Mountain Gorilla population. These gentle primates are highly endangered species and the forest possesses more than 360 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. Gorillas at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest About Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Bwindi, located in the southwestern region, on the edge of the rift valley. Commonly referred to as the impenetrable forest, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is bordered 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 covers an area of 331 square kilometers and is located in the highest parts of Kigezi highlands with an altitude of 1,190 to 2,607 meters above sea level and 60% of this magical 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 approximately 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 other minor activities along the way. The journey is quite long especially when you are traveling by road but its worth it after when you experience a close encounter with the mountain gorillas in it’s forests. A majestic mountain gorilla in its natural habitat, surrounded by lush greenery in the forest at Bwindi Impenetrable National PARK – Valverde Safaris Uganda A mountain gorilla peacefully munching on a leaf in its natural habitat at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Valverde Safaris Uganda Activities at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is ranked as one of the top tourist destinations in the world reason being the park consists of a wide range of activities. The activities at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park include: Gorilla Trekking: This is by far the most popular activity though it doesn’t have to be so considering how diverse the forest is. Bwindi is the best park to track mountain gorillas in East and Central Africa. About half of the remaining population of mountain gorillas is found in Bwindi Impenetrable forest. Bwindi also has the highest number of habituated gorilla families – 14 in total. It is only in Bwindi that tourists can go for the gorilla habituation experience. Gorilla tracking usually begins with briefing early in the morning. The briefing covers important topics such as how to act around the primates, what to expect and what to pack. The actual tracking can take between 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on the gorilla family and their location. An advance team of trackers is sent earlier to locate the primates. This advance team of trackers then locates the gorilla family before communicating by radio to the rangers leading the tourists with details about their location. It is because of this advance team of trackers that the chance of spotting mountain gorillas is very high. Tourists are allowed only one hour with the gorillas. This is because the animals are semi-wild and prolonged presence of humans may get to their nerves. In the extremely rare cases where a gorilla charges, it is never wise to run away. Simply lay low in a submissive posture and all should be fine. Eating near gorillas is prohibited. You cannot make loud noises or fun of the gorillas. Gorilla Habituation Experience: The gorilla habituation experience was introduced in Bwindi more recently. This experience is currently only possible in Bwindi forest – not in Rwanda and not in Congo. This activity allows primate lovers more time (four hours) observing the primates instead of the standard gorilla trekking (four hours). Tourists taking part in the 3 Days gorilla habituation experience get a chance to move with experienced trackers and some of the best primate researchers. The scientists share information about the gorilla habituation process and current issues related to gorilla conservation. This experience costs more than the standard one hour gorilla watching. Only four people can take part in the gorilla habituation experience. You can read more about gorilla habituation vs trekking in another article. Hiking and Nature Walks: Bwindi is a park with great biodiversity and the park authorities have ensured that visitors also experience the other good things that the park has to offer. To that end, several trails have been established to allow visitors marvel at the forest, its creatures like birds, butterflies and primates. One such trail starts from Buhoma to Nkoringo, from Nkoringo to Lake Mutanda and them from Nkoringo to Kisoro. These trails go through amazing scenery and provide opportunities to mingle with the locals. The Buhoma Village walk in particular takes tourists to local communities where they can learn about how members of an indigenous African tribe spend their day. The waterfall trail on the other hand exposes visitors to pristine forest with orchids, ferns, birds and butterflies. This particular trail ends with a sighting of beautiful waterfalls containing pure water. The short Munyaga River trail at the valley below Buhoma park office provides opportunities to see birds and primates like L’Hoest’s monkeys and Colobus Monkeys. Visitors need the help of a guide to find direction and a porter if they plan to move with heavy bags or equipment like cameras. If you plan to travel with your granny,
