Attractions in Bwindi forest : Bwindi forest is found in the south western part of Uganda and it is among the popular tour destinations in the country. The forest is part of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park which is among the 10 national parks of Uganda. Attractions found in Bwindi forest which can be seen during a tour around the destination include the following;
Gorillas
Mountain gorillas are among the attractions which are found in the Bwindi forest which is part of the Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. These gorillas can be seen in different sectors of Bwindi national park which include Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija and also Nkuringo.
During tours in Bwindi forest, the gorillas can be seen during gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation experiences which can be done at the destination. To be able to see the gorilla in Bwindi national park, you are required to have gorilla permits which cost 700 USD for foreign nonresidents, 600 USD for foreign residents and 250,000 Uganda shillings for east Africans.
Children aged below 15 years are not permitted to engage in gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation in Bwindi forest. During gorilla trekking in Bwindi forest, visitors spend 1 hour with the gorillas taking pictures and also recording videos.
Before seeing the gorillas in Bwindi forest, there is a briefing for the visitors which is done by the park officials who provide information on the do’s and don’ts of the activities done around Bwindi national park such as gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation.
Gorillas in Bwindi forest can be seen anytime of the year. However, the dry season around June to October and also around December is considered the best time to engage in gorilla trekking or habituation experiences. And for visitors who wish to avoid crowds and get discounts on services like accommodation can visit Bwindi forest during the low season when fewer tourists visit the destination.
To be able to see the gorillas around Bwindi forest, it is recommended that visitors book their gorilla permits in advance due to the high demand for the permits especially during the dry season which is also a high season when many tourists visit Uganda.
Bird species
The Bwindi forest is also referred to as an impenetrable forest and another attraction which can be seen at the destination is the various bird species.
Bwindi forest has over 340 bird species which include about 70 different montane forest bird species in the Albertine rift region and also about 23 endemic species. Some bird species which can be seen around Bwindi forest include the crowned hornbill, African green broadbill, black headed heron, hammerkop, sacred ibis, hadada ibis, black kite, African goshawk, African hawk eagle, peregrine falcon, scaly francolin, red chested flufftail, black crake, African jacana, common sandpiper, olive pigeon, great blue turaco, black billed turaco, African wood owl, giant kingfisher, blue throated roller, crowned hornbill, yellow spotted barbet, gray wagtail, little greenbul, African thrush, sedge warbler, yellow footed flycatcher among others.
Places around Bwindi where bird species can be seen during a tour include around the Buhoma waterfall trail and also around the Mubindi swamp trail. The best time to see these birds is during the months of November to April when migratory bird species are also present at the destination.
Waterfalls
There are different trails in Bwindi forest which lead to waterfalls which can be seen during a nature walk or hike. Waterfalls in Bwindi can be seen both in the northern and southern sector of the national park.
Some of the trails in Bwindi forest include the Munyanga waterfall walk, the Ivi river trail, the Kashasha river trail (Buhoma-Nkuringo trail), Habiyanja trail among others. During nature walk along these trails in the forest there is a lot to see including waterfalls, primates, birds, misty hillsides, birds among others.
Waterfalls in Bwindi forest include the Munyanga waterfalls which can be visited during a 3 hour hike around the forest. The Munyanga waterfalls are found in the Buhoma sector of the national park.
Batwa people
The Batwa people can also be encountered during a tour around Bwindi forest. Other locals to interact with include the Bakiga.
During a tour around Bwindi forest, the batwa people can be encountered during a cultural tour. this activity is also described as the batwa experience and it involves interacting with the locals and getting to know more about their way of life and also enjoying and taking part in traditional dances with the locals. The batwa are also pygmies and they are forest dwellers.
Visiting the batwa people costs about 30 USD and is an enjoyable experience which gives visitors insight on how the batwa live their daily life.
How to get to Bwindi forest national park
Bwindi forest national park can be accessed by flight and also by driving. The drive to Bwindi is long and takes about 8 to 9 hours from Kampala or Entebbe. Visitors who wish to avoid the long drive prefer to fly to the airstrips such as Kihihi airstrip or Kisoro airstrip to begin their gorilla trekking tour experience in Uganda.
You can also access Bwindi forest national park from Kigali via the Cyanika border or Gatuna border.
