How to get Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

How to get Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 mainly because it shelters half of the last mountain gorillas left in the world. The national park is also rich in bio-diversity with unique plant and animal species. The park is home to over 350 bird species, 120 mammal species, about 220 butterfly species, and over 1,000 plant species, including 163 tree species and 104 fern species.

Travelers visiting the park can choose to travel there either by road or air. The national park is part of Bwindi impenetrable forest, which is one of Uganda’s most biologically diverse rainforests. The park is located in southwestern Uganda in Kanungu district and covers an area of 321 km². It is currently being managed by Uganda Wildlife Authority and was first established as a national park in 1991.

Accessing Bwindi national park by road:

Visitors traveling to this national park are advised to always use 4×4 wheel drive safari vehicles in order to easy navigate some of the murrum roads leading to the national park. The headquarters of the national park are situated in Buhoma, which is about an 8½ hour’s drive from Kampala. This journey covers a distance of about 460 kilometers.

The most commonly used safari route approaches the park from the north via the Ishasha sector in Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is approximately 62 kilometers from the park. Visitors who use this route are likely to spot the famous tree climbing lions in the Ishasha sector.

Bwindi Impenetrable national park in Uganda can also be accessed from Mweya in Queen Elizabeth national park, which is about 160 kilometers from the park. This will take visitors between 1 to 2½ hours’ drive.

Travelers can also opt to use a more direct route from Kampala to Bwindi, using a tarmacked road to Rukungiri via Mbarara and Ntungamo. This road later joins travelers to a small dirt road leading visitors through the highlands to Buhoma via Kihihi and Butogota.

The Ruhija trailhead in Bwindi national park is best accessed by visitors using the Kampala-Kisoro road, which turns north from the tarmac road 18kms from Kabale town. The entire journey will take about 1½ hours, covering a distance of 100km.

Visitors can also access the national park from the south leading to Rushaga and Nkuringo trailheads. However, most of the roads are dirt roads which lead west from Muko midway on the tarmacked Kabale-Kisoro road, and then north from Kisoro town. It takes one about a 2½hours’ drive to reach the park from Kisoro town, and covers a distance of about 84 kilometers.

Travelling to Bwindi by Air:

Visitors can also travel to Bwindi Impenetrable national park in Uganda by air. This travel option best suites travelers who have got a tight travel schedule or simply do wish to embark on a long road trip to the park. Travelers can fly to Bwindi from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi airfield in Kampala. Visitors can choose to fly domestic charter flights to Kisoro airstrip for those trekking gorillas in the Nkuringo, Rushaga and Ruhija sectors in Bwindi.

For visitors trekking mountain gorillas in the Buhoma sector, you can fly from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi airfield to the airstrips in Savanna or Ishasha. You can then drive to the national park; however, visitors are required to make prior transport arrangements from the airstrip to the national park.

There are plenty of activities offered by the park to its visitors, and these include; gorilla trekking, guided nature walks, community walks, and birding. Seeing the mountain gorillas in this national park marks the highlight of any visit to the park.

Accommodation Facilities in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Visitors who wish to stay in the national park for one or more nights can find accommodation in the following facilities; Silverback Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi, Gorilla Resort, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, Buhoma Lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Camp, Ruhija Gorilla Mist Camp, and Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge to mention but a few.