BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST NATIONAL PARK
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the only 2 national parks that harbor Mountain Gorillas in Uganda. This national park is found 530 kms southwest from Kampala and it takes 8-10 hours. The park is bordered by the western rift valley and the Democratic Republic of Congo ( Virunga National Park). Bwindi covers 331 square Kilometers of Montane and lowland Impenetrable forest. This park is home to almost half of the world’s mountain Gorilla population.
The park is composed of a rugged terrain with rivers, valleys and steep hills, the park’s altitude ranges from 1,190 m to 2,607 m above sea level, with a 2,000 metres elevation covering 60% of the park. Bwindi has a tropical climate with annual mean temperatures ranges from a minimum of 7-15°C to a maximum of 20-27°C. Its annual rainfall ranges from 1,400 to 1,900 mm. Peak rainfall occurs from March-April and September-November.
Bwindi has a diverse ecosystem which provides a home to some 120 species of mammals, 346 species of birds, 202 species of butterflies, 163 species of trees, 100 species of ferns, 27 species of frogs, chameleons, geckos and many endangered species. The same park is a sanctuary for colobus monkeys, chimpanzees and many bird species. Among the residents are the mountain Gorillas for which the park is most known. This park is home to340 endangered mountain Gorillas, half the world’s population. There are four habituated Mountain Gorilla groups open to tourism: Mubare, Habinyanja, Rushegura near Buhoma; and the Nkuringo group at Nkuringo.
In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park one can engage in activities like hiking, forest walks, bird watching, local community tours but the most famous activity is Gorilla tracking.
Accomodation in the park can be obtained from Buhoma Homestead, Buhoma Community Bandas and Campsites, Mantana Luxury Tented Camps, Gorilla Nest Camp Site, Nkuringo Gorilla Camp site, Lake Kitandara, Gorilla Resort Camp, and alternatively in the nearby Kabale town.
Bwindi can be accessed by road using public mean or tour vehicle and by charter flights to Ishasha or Kisoro Airfield.
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