Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park : Named by CNN as the most beautiful place on earth in 2019, Bwindi is a dense, lush and otherworldly. It is home to 120 species of mammals and 220 species of butterflies, which is something many like about it. However, what they really love is that its gorilla tracking rates is still at $600 unlike Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park where they rates was doubled four years ago from $750 to $1,500. The main reason you’d visit is the certainty of encountering the gorillas no matter the time of the year.
It covers just over 331 sq-km (roughly the size of the 9th smallest country in the world-Malta). This is a 25,000 year old ancient forest with more than 200 tree species, inclusive of countless indigenous species like African brown mahogany tree, Ceiba trees, Ebony tree species and Cecropia trees. It is named after a pristine swamp that attracts over 348 species of bird species inclusive of 23 of the 24 Albertine endemics.
Gorilla Population
Thanks to a handful of pioneering conservationists and dedicated ranger guides, there have been effective anti-poaching initiatives. This explains why the population of gorillas has been on a gradual rise over the years, currently numbering over 450 indivuals. Of these, roughly 250 have been habituated for tourism. They live in groups of 4-32 members, each with their own territory in one of the four wings of the park. These are Buhoma(North), Rushaga(South) Nkuringo(South) and Ruhija(Central). While Buhoma and Rushaga is highly recommended for anyone who wants a hustle free excursion due to the gently rising nature of its landscape, Nkuringo and Ruhija are more befitting for enthusiasts of tough climbing challenges. A couple of its stretches are quite steep. Never the less, it is still possible to maneuver them for two reasons. The hike unfolds at a leisurely pace with as many stopovers as you need to recover whenever you are worn out. Secondly, porters are available for hire. They will give you a helping hand whenever you need to get past obstacles that come your way.
In an effort to afford tourists a quality trekking experience, only 8 tourists are allowed to see each gorilla family in a day. The trekking excursion entails pursuing them as they roam the forest in search for food. It usually lasts an average of two hours but can sometimes shoot to five hours. In this regard, we shall provide you with packed lunch which you can have in the forest. The closer you draw to the location of gorillas, the more silence you are expected to keep as they detest noisy visitors. You don’t need scientific expertise to different their distinctive pants, hoots and screams of males from females.
Bwindi Vs Virunga National Park
In our experience, the only place that is as scenic as Bwindi is Congo’s Virunga National Park, a pristine pearl with a wilderness atmosphere and varied wildlife. The only problem with it is that it is not safe to visit due to ongoing civil wars in Congo. Bwindi has the advantage of greater accessibility on both road and air as it has its own airstrip, known as Kihihi Airstrip.
Shopping souvenirs in Bwindi
If you wish to shop souvenirs during your visit, the community that lives around the park has lots of expert craft-makers, producing a wealth of handmade African curios that are crafted with great attention to detail, pots, baskets, colourful jewelry. Most of these are sold at plenty of souvenir centres adjacent to the park headquarters.
Process of getting gorilla permits
All permits we give clients are directly issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority, the Government entity in charge of managing the national parks in the country. Gorilla permits are issued out on a first-come first save basis, costing $800 for foreign non-residents and 300,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans. While Bwindi has up to 18 families which can be tracked. The maximum number of tourists allowed to see each family is 8. Anything exceeded that is forbidden in the true philosophy of conservation as it stresses out the gorillas. Accordingly, it is wiser for you to pre-book at least 6 months ahead of time if possible. .
The entire process of getting one usually takes a maximum of 24 hours unless the booking system of Uganda wildlife Authority is jammed.
All we need to get started is your confirmation of when you intend to do tracking. We’ll then immediately check with the park for availability after which we shall give you timely feedback. If there are permits, you may then proceed with sending us your money for the booking, to which effect we shall send you confirmation receipt from the park headquarters here in Kampala. It bears your name and the gorilla family you have been allocated.
In the event that you make a cancellation within three months prior to the date you have confirmed, you will be entitled to a full refund. Better still, if you wish to transfer your permit to someone else, they won’t be charged any extra cost.
Gorilla tracking for Persons With Disability (PWDs)
At Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, it is possible for persons with disabilities to track gorillas too. This is thanks to the availability of stretcher beds upon which they can be carried by porters to and fro the gorilla family they wish to encounter. The cost of hiring these porters ranges between $40-$200 depending on one’s weight. Persons with disabilities are usually entitled to mountain gorilla groups that dwell in areas of the jungle that are easy to reach. Altogether, the adventure lasts an average of two hours except for the peak rainy season of April. During this time, it lasts roughly four hours due to the slow pace at which the trek unfolds—because the floor of the forest is slippery.
Throughout this adventure, you will be accompanied by a ranger guide who will enrich your experience with his wealth of knowledge about Bwindi’s diverse flora and fauna.
