Forest Walks In Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Are you interested in forest walks in Bwindi Uganda? Well, Bwindi impenetrable forest national park has become the number one destination for trekking the endangered mountain gorillas in the whole world. The Park harbors more than a half of the mountain gorilla population surviving in the whole world with the other half in Mgahinga gorilla park in Uganda, volcanoes national park in Rwanda, and Virunga national park in DR Congo.

There are about 1008 mountain gorillas still surviving in the thick forest in the world, these endangered mountain gorillas were almost getting extinct but the numbers have slowly increased in recent years due to conservation efforts set up by the three countries though their numbers can’t increase rapidly because of their low birth rate of females being fertile only 1-2 days in a month and give birth to four-six off springs in a whole lifetime.

Forest walks in Bwindi

Though gorilla trekking is the most commonly done activity in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park but there are also a lot of other activities that tourists engage in before or after trekking mountain gorillas like forest walks.

Different trails have been set up in the park so you can choose according to too your interest because each trail leads to its own unique destination.  Some of the trails include Rushura hill walk, Munyanga waterfall trail, Muzibijiro loop, the Ivy River walk, Habyinyanja trail, and Nkuringo trail among others.

Forest walks in Bwindi impenetrable forest will unveil visitors to a lot of other primates apart from mountain gorillas such as black and white colobus monkeys, blue-tailed monkeys, velvet monkeys, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, giant forest hogs, and other wildlife such as bush pigs, duikers, bushbucks and occasionally elephants. You will also be able to come across different tree species during your forest walks you will spot trees as tall as 60 meters high and over 200 years old.

The forest walks in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park will also give you an opportunity to see different birds species out of 346 birds that have been so far recorded in the park. Some of the common birds in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park include grauer’s rush warbler, western green tinker bird, African green pigeon, chest nut throated apalis, montane oriole, olive breasted greenbul, African green broadbill, fine banded woodpecker, western green tinker bird, cinnamon chested bee eater, short tailed warbler, regal sunbird, Kivu ground thrush, montane oriole, shinning African blue, white tailed blue fly, African jacana, impressed African emerald, Shelley’s crimson wing, black bee eater and bar tailed trogon among others.

Gorilla trekking

Mountain gorilla trekking is the most done activity by tourists who come to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park apart from forest walks. There are 20 habituated gorilla families that tourists can trek in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, trekking is only done by persons above the ages of 15 and permits cost $700 for foreign nonresidents, $600 foreign residents, and shs250,000 East African citizens per person per trek.

Gorilla habituation

Gorilla habituation is a process of making gorillas get used to human presence and this can only be done in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. The habituation is done by a group of researchers, rangers, and 4 tourists who visit the gorilla family daily, gorilla habituation process is more fun as you get to spend four hours in the presence of mountain gorillas, unlike gorilla trekking where you spend only one hour with mountain gorillas. The gorilla habituation permit is $1500 per person per trek.

Best time for Forest Walks In Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Bwindi can be visited at any time of the year but some months are better than the rest. The best time to visit Bwindi for forest walks are the dry season which happens to be from June to September and December to February and in these months, the trails are also not muddy and slippery during this period.