Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, famous for gorilla safaris, is a UNESCO World Heritage site occupying 331 sq km. It is famous for its rare species which include mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei). Bwindi is a diverse natural forest area with a continuum of habitats ranging from 1190 meters to 2560 meters above sea level.The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a large acient forest located in south-western Uganda. Bwindi impenetrable forest stretches in three districts of Kisoro, Kabale and Kanungu. The Bwindi forest is on the edge of the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift, at elevations ranging from 1,160 to 2,607 metres (3,806 to 8,553 ft). The forest contains around 160 species of trees and over 100 species of ferns. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Reserve was set up in 1942 on the rim of the Rift Valley

The park lies within the Kigezi Highlands that were formed through up-warping of the western rift valley .The landscape is extremely rugged, with steep ridges and narrow valleys, and a general incline from the high deeply dissected south and southeast to the lower north and northwest.

The only level areas within the park are the Mubwindi swamp (approximately 1sqkm) and Ngoto swamp (approximately 0.1sqkm).

Bwindi Impenetrable forest was managed as a productive forest reserve from 1932.  In 1991, the forest gained national park status with the official name of ‘Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’. ‘Omubwindi’ refers to darkness in the local language.

It is managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) as part of the Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Area (BMCA). BMCA comprises Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (the Ugandan portion of the Virunga Mountains). BMCA is part of the Greater Virunga Landscape, which includes south western Uganda, eastern Democratic of Congo (DRC) and northwestern Rwanda.

Bwindi lies within a densely populated rural landscape with as many as 500 people/km2 in some areas. The steep slopes immediately surrounding the park are heavily cultivated and thus forest cover stops abruptly at the park boundary. The majority of the families belong to Bantu people such as Bakiga and Bafumbira and a few to the Batwa “pygmy” people.

Local communities are allowed to collect specific forest products from designated areas of the park called ‘Multiple Use Zones’. These products include weaving materials, medicinal plants and honey. Tourism is a major source of income to park authorities and provides employment to local people.

Activities to do at Bwindi impenetrable National Park

Gorilla Trekking

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to almost half of the 1000 or so gorillas left in the world. Gorilla tracking is the biggest attraction for tourists to Uganda.

The activity of gorilla trekking involves several hours of hiking through dense jungles and even then you may not see them as they tend to move around. But if you do get to track them down, you can get real close to them as they are accustomed to humans. Remember to book your gorilla tracking permits in advance as only a few permits are issued per day. Your tour operator will give you the guidelines on what to carry for the activity through the rain forest.

Gorilla Habituation Experience in Rushaga

It is only in Uganda that you can be with a Mountain Gorilla Family for 4 hours on a Gorilla Habituation Experience along with researchers in Bwindi’s Impenetrable.There are presently two family groups being habituated, meaning that they becoming used to human contact and will not run away from visitors trekking them.

You can fly into Kigali Rwanda and 3 hours later be in the Rushaga Region of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.  You have the choice of budget, moderate and upmarket lodging and can stay either in Rushaga or scenic Nkuringo area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

Bird watching

The diverse habitats in Uganda’s most ancient forest imply that is the perfect habitat for a diversity of bird species, with about 350 recorded different species, with 23 endemics.

Mountain Bike Rides in Buhoma Area

Ride 4 a Woman which is a community support group offers mountain bike rentals and guided bike in and around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in the Buhoma area of the park.

You can even do the Village Walk on a bike with guide.  There are Birding Bike Rides, or simply a ride into the Forest such as the Ivy River Trail.  The average Bike Ride is 3 hours or longer in length with much to see along the trail or road.The guides are all well-trained, some specialize in birding, others in culture but all know Bwindi Impenetrable Forest which they all love and want to conserve.

Cycling Tours

The mountain bike ride ventures in Bwindi are managed by a woman’s group which offers trained guides, a repair -shop  for these bikes and every participant that helps in this program receives direct reimbursement from visitors to Buhoma enjoying a ride on the bike.

The Batwa Forest Experience

The Batwa were the original people of the forest, they were here for thousands of years before the Bantu People, the Cultivators of the Land arrived. The Batwa People – are pygmies – were hunter-gatherers and lived in the forests of Southwest Uganda and beyond. They left a small ecological footprint on the forest and lived in harmony with nature.  You can visit the forest (actually outside of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest) with the Batwa People and learn of their traditional ways of hunting and gathering. The Batwa Experience takes place in the Buhoma area.

The Buhoma Village Walk

Here you have a 3 hour cultural walk through the village – you learn the ways and culture of the people that live in the Buhoma area on the edge of Bwindi Forest. The Village Walk is with a guide who is friendly and knowledgeable about local culture and customs.

You will see how people make local crafts such as baskets with the most intricate designs beer made from Bananas, and a distillery that makes the local Waragi Gin from Bananas, meet a traditional healer and learn of what is gathered in the ancient forest and how it is taken and applied to ailments .See how the growing of local produce is done and harvested, food preparation over charcoal or open fire, visit a school, and meet the Batwa Pygmy community as they perform a dance for you just to name a few.  It is certainly a cultural learning experience and the cost of the walk supports the local community – so a win win for everyone.

Hiking through the Forest

The Hike through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest can be one day or longer hike from the north of Bwindi to the South – called Nkuringo- there one can stay overnight and continue the next day down to scenic Lake Mutanda where you paddle across in a wooden dugout and continue to the town of Kisoro.

This is the most popular hike along two trails of Bwindi – there are however other trails and nature walks, most from easy to moderate in and near the Forest that can be explored on foot and requiring from an hour to all day long.