Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park

Attractions in Bwindi Impenetrable forest

Mountain Gorillas

The Mountain gorillas in Bwindi Live in structured groups and there are about 10 habituated Gorilla groups in this forest that can be tracked by tourists. Three of these groups are in Buhoma, then three others in Ruhija and the others are in the southern parts or Rushaga and Nkuringo. Each of these mountain gorilla groups in Bwindi can be tracked by eight tourists and always accompanied by a guide.

Birds

A remarkably high figure of over 350 species of birds are recorded in this impenetrable forest with 23 endemic to Albertine rift such as the short-tailed warbler, sherry’s Crimsonwing, African green broadbill and blue headed sunbird. Some of the easiest birds to spot include the African emerald cuckoo, African blue-white-tailed flycatchers & Read headed bluebill and they have been recorded nowhere else in Uganda.

Flora & Fauna

Bwindi impenetrable forest is one Africa’s most bio-diverse rainforests. Its slopes extend over a broad altitudinal range of 1447m to create habitants ranging from lowland forests to rare Afromontane vegetation. In 1991, the rain forest was gazetted as a national park and protects a true rainforest which receives an annual average rainfall of almost 1,500mm. It’s a also a vital catchment area for 5 major rivers that flow into Lake Edward. In 1994, Bwindi forest was listed as a UNESCO world heritage site due to its biodiversity and wealth of IUCN red-listed wildlife. With over 25,000 years, Bwindi’s Vegetation has  accumulated a lengthy species list and these include 310 species of butterfly, 88 moths, 120 types of mammals, 51 reptiles and 200 tree species.

Primates

Apart from the mountain gorillas, Bwindi impenetrable forest park boosts of other primate species which include chimpanzees, baboobs, L’hoests monkeys, blue monkeys, Black & white collobus monkeys, red-tailed and the nocturnal bush babies.

Activities in Bwindi Impenetrable forest

Gorilla Tracking

Gorilla tracking is an unforgettable and amazing experience and it’s always worth the adventure. With Buhoma being the trailhead, visitors can have a chance to track 3 of the mountain gorilla groups with a silverback. Others can be seen in different parts of the park & the chance for getting to see these gorillas is at 99%. The gorilla tracking experience starts early in the morning at 8am at the park headquarters with a brief and the activity will normally take between 2 to 7 hours depending on how far these gorillas might have moved. It’s recommended to be reasonably fit and carry the right gear for this activity since it can be a little challenging. Gorilla tracking permits are booked in advance since there is always a maximum number of tourists to see these gentle giants per day.