Explore Bwindi Without Trekking Mountain Gorillas

How to explore the other side of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park without trekking mountain gorillas: What else can I do in Bwindi besides trekking mountain gorillas? When you talk about Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, gorilla trekking is what runs first in the back of every visitor’s mind, but truth is, there is a lot more this spectacular tropical forest-dominated park has to offer the world.

Bwindi National Park is stunning forest-dominated conservation area, lying in Southwestern Uganda. The park was gazetted as a Uganda National Park in 1991 and occupies up to 331 sq.km and hosts diversity of animal species. About 120 distinct mammal species live in Bwindi and they share the same habitat with over 200 colorful butterfly species, 360 bird species and floral species.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi is done in the 4 regions: Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija and Nkuringo sectors. These sectors protect 21 habituated families of mountain gorillas, and one group of gorillas is assigned to a group of 8 tourists. Gorilla permits are issued to guests at USD 700 per person.

Other experiences in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Park

Birding

Bwindi National Park is a rich birding safari destination in Uganda, hosting over 360 bird species. Besides trekking mountain gorillas, you can engage in birding tours in the different sectors of the park- Ruhija, Buhoma, Rushaga and Nkuringo.

birding in bwindi impenetrable national park

The notable birds of Bwindi include the great blue turacos, yellow-eyed black flycatchers, black-billed turacos, dusky crimson wing, Shelley’s crimson wing, malachite kingfishers, mountain masked apalis, handsome francolins, Chapin’s flycatchers, white-tailed blue flycatchers, ayre’s hawk-eagle, archer’s robin chat, Kivu ground thrush, Rwenzori batis, red-faced woodland warblers, African sacred ibis, hammerkops, and more.

Batwa community

The Batwa pygmies once occupied the lush Bwindi Impenetrable Forest but got displaced when the forest was gazetted as a National Park. Cultural visits can be done in the nearby communities not only at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park but also Mgahinga National Park. Cultural tourism is one of the best options to support community and wildlife conservation.

Batwa Cultural Trail

Hiking

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a celebrated hiking destination; home to the finest trails each introducing nature lovers to hidden treasures of the park. The popular hiking trails in Bwindi include Mubwindi swamp, Rushura hill trail, Munyanga waterfall trail, bamboo trail, Kashasha river trail, Muzubijiro loop, Habinyanja trail, and Ivy river trail.

Game drives/viewing to see the big game

Other than Bwindi & Mgahinga, Uganda also has 8 other parks offering different experiences from mountain gorilla tracking. Guided game drives or viewing is done in Lake Mburo National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, and Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Chimpanzee tracking –Uganda holds over 5060 chimpanzees, and tracking to see these apes is possible in Kibale National Park, Kyambura Gorge, Kalinzu Forest, Budongo Forest and Semliki Reserve/Park.

Mountaineering –perfectly done in Mount Rwenzori, Gahinga volcano, Muhabura and Sabyinyo volcanoes or travel to Mount Elgon in Eastern Uganda.

Adrenaline adventures include white water rafting, bungee jumping, boat ride, jet boating, tubing and more. These are perfectly enjoyable on the Source of the Nile in Jinja, Eastern Uganda.