Bwindi Impenetrable Forest has been named among the top 23 hiking trails in the world according to a recent article published by CNN.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda is home to almost 400 species of plants, 120 mammals, 350 species of birds but most importantly half of the world’s mountain gorillas. The number is estimated to be 400. United Kingdom’s Pennine Way tops the list, followed by Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
Mount Toubkal in Morocco is the only other African trail on the list at number six.
According to the CNN write up, “Wildlife walks don’t come more fascinating than a trip into Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, where you can get up close and personal with the area’s mountain gorilla population. As part of a wider itinerary, visitors are taken on hikes across the forest to meet habituated gorillas used to the presence of humans. Groups are typically limited to eight people.”
According to CNN Reports, Wildlife and nature walks don’t come more fascinating than a trip into Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, where you can get up close and personal with the area’s mountain gorilla population. As part of a wider itinerary, visitors are taken on hikes across the forest to meet habituated gorillas used to the presence of humans. Groups are typically limited to eight people.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest was gazetted into a National park in 1991 and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site 3 years later (1994). With an area of only 321 square kilometers, this Park is a haven to over 500 mountain gorillas thus accounting for at least half of the World’s mountain gorilla population and the remaining ones being in the Virunga Conservation Area (made up of Virunga National Park is Democratic Republic of Congo, Mgahinga National Park of Uganda and Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda). As earlier mentioned, at least 16 habituated families are found in the four sectors of Bwindi and they include Mubare, Habinyanja, Rushegura and Katwe in the northern Buhoma sector, Kyaguliro, Oruzogo and Bitukura groups in the eastern Ruhija sector, Bishaho, Nkuringo and Christmas families in Nkuringo sector (south) and finally Mishaya, Busingye, Bukingi, Bweza, Kahungye and Nshongi in the southern Rushaga sector.
This biologically diverse forest/National Park is generally home to over 120 mammal species, 350 species of birds, about 220 butterfly species and several reptile species. Besides that, over 1000 species of flora including 163 and 104 tree and fern species respectively are found in the area.
Things to do and see in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Gorilla trekking is the main adventurous activity in Bwindi forest. over 99 percent of Bwindi visitors travel for gorilla trekking though there are other complimentary tour activities like birding in the park. with more than 15 habituated gorilla families available for visitors to track in Bwindi, there are almost 100 percent chances for visitors to meet and interact with their allocated gorilla family/group.
Other top things to and see here in Bwindi Forest among others include; mountain gorilla trekking, forest and nature walks, mountain biking adventures, hiking trails, gorilla habituations, among the many exploration ventures.
When to go to Bwindi Forest?
There are both a peak season and a low season in gorilla tracking. The peak season happens between June and September and December to January and that is the best time to trek the mountain gorillas in the jungles of Bwindi. This is a dry season and the hikes are less difficulty compared to the rainy season though it can always anytime in Bwindi.
