Mountain gorilla trekking

This is the most visited Park in the country since it is hosting the highest population of mountain gorillas. Here, you take on a hike in rough terrain and in any weather to see the gorillas in the wild. As a result, you spend one hour with the gorillas learning their habits and taking photographs.

Here is a list of some of the habituated mountain gorilla groups found in Bwindi National Park. Actually, these can be visited by the public for tourism:

• Nkuringo Gorilla Group
• Mubare Gorilla Group also referred to the M Group
• Nshongi Gorilla Group
• Bweza Gorilla Group
• Habinyanja Gorilla Group that is also known as H Group
• Busingye Gorilla Group
• Rushegura Gorilla Group that is also known as R Group
• Kahungye Gorilla Group
• Oruzogo Gorilla Group
• Mishaya Gorilla Group
• Bitukura Gorilla Group

Batwa Cultural Tours

This park generally offers very exciting cultural tours during which you will visit and spend some time with the Batwa pygmies. As a matter of fact, this is a very interesting unique group people with interesting forest tales. While here, you will have a cultural walk led by the local guides thereby learn about the batwa cultural norms and practices. You can as well visit a number of their projects they are running locally. The cultural experience includes; a tour of the traditional beer brewery, participate in the traditional dancing, singing and drama as well as visit the traditional healer.

Nature walks

For those of you expecting to spend a couple of days in the park, you can opt to go on nature walks. While here, expect to explore the various trails within the forest looking out for different attractions. During the nature walk, you will encounter a number of butterflies, small mammals and a number of different primates. Below are a number of commonly explored forest trails.

The Munyanga River Trail

This short trail will basically take you to the beautiful waterfalls. During the walk you will encounter birds and as well as  monkeys.

The Rushurra Trail

During the Rushurra trail you will enjoy breathtaking views of the western rift valley floor. You will as well have views of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Parc Nationale des Virungas. However, on a clear day, be sure of seeing the snow capped Rwenzori Mountain also known as Mountains of the Moon.

The Muzabajirro Trail

This trail will take you through the forest to a beautiful picnic site where you will enjoy your lunch. Here, you be able to see the Virunga Mountains, the western rift valley floor as well as a number of Prehistoric ferns. Additional trails you can explore while in Bwindi include: the Ruizi River Trail and the Bamboo Trail.

Bird watching tours

Bwindi National Park is home to over 345 species of birds among which 90% are the Albertine Rift endemics. An enthusiastic birder may be in position to see as many as over 100 species in a single day. Birds here include: the Gruer’s Rush Warbler, White tailed Blue Monarch, Yellow-eyed black Fly-catcher. Wilcock’s Honey-guide, Bar-tailed Trogon, Short-tailed Warbler, Kivu Ground Thrush. Dusky Crimson Wing as well as Rusty-faced woodland Warbler.

Bwindi wildlife

Because the terrain of Bwindi forest is covered with a rain-forest, this offers a safe refuge to a variety of wildlife. These include; over 50 reptiles, over 300 butterfly species as well as over 10 primates. (among which are red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, L’Hoest’s, black & white colobus monkeys, baboons, as well as the mountain Gorillas), in addition to 80 different types of moths, 120 different types of mammals and 200 different types of tree species. Today the park has a list of birds that have been officially recorded present here that includes more than 351 different bird species among which are a number of them on the IUCN red list plus some species endemic to the Albertine Rift.

Bwindi National Park can be accessed using air transport or road transport.

Using Air Transport

There are a several of airstrips found around this park these include: Kisoro airstrip, Kihihi airstrip or Kayonza airstrip. Tourists traveling from Kampala the capital city can either fly from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi airfield.

Using Road Transport

When visiting this park, there are various routes you can follow that can get to Bwindi just as they are highlighted below.

• The Kampala via Kabale to Nkuringo Route

This route starts in the capital city of Kampala through Kabale town before driving for another four (4) hours covering 105 kilometers before you arrive at Nkuringo.

• Kampala via Masaka, Kabale and Kanungu to Buhoma

As you drive from Kampala you will go past Masaka, through Kabale drive for another six (6) hours. Then to Kanungu and through Kanyantoro before arriving at buhoma which will take another approximately five hours.

• Kampala to Buhoma through Ntugamo, Rukingiri and Kihihi

This is the most commonly used route as well as the most accessible to the gorilla habitat if you are traveling from Kampala. You will go up to Rukungiri, and then drive another 82km to Buhoma.

• Connecting from Queen Elizabeth National Park, or Kasese town or Fort Portal

In case you are connecting from Queen Elizabeth National Park, or Kasese town or Fort Portal there are two (2) routes available that can get you to Buhoma. However, in order to get the best views we recommend that you take the three (3) hour drive route. This will take you via Katunguru through Ishasha and Kihihi and then to the park. The other route will take you along the Mbarara main road through Ishasha in Queen Elizabeth National Park, through Kabale, to Kagamba and then joining the Ntungamo–Rukungiri main road.

Bwindi National Park offers a number of different accommodation options that can accommodate all types of holidaymakers. These are grouped in three major categories just as highlighted below;

Luxury

• Nkuringo lodge
• Gorilla clouds lodge

 Mid-Range

• Buhoma Homestead
• Gorilla Resort
• Mantana Tented Camp
• Lake Kitandara
• Volcanoes Bwindi Camp
• Gorilla Forest Camp

Budget

• Virunga terraces
• Buhoma community bandas
• Bwindi view bandas