Nature walks in Bwindi forest
Nature walks in Bwindi forest
Nature walks in Bwindi forest : Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the great wildlife destinations in the world offering some of the most memorable wildlife encounters that is seeing the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the Southwest of the country on the border with the Demcoratic Republic of Congo and on the rim of the Albertine Rift Valley, the park is the best place to see mountain gorillas in the world as it is home to half of world’s remaining mountain gorillas which is the largest population.
Bwindi impenetrable national park covering an area of 124 square miles protects untamed mountanios and lowland forest, the forest is over 25,000 years old and is one of the most biologically diverse areas on earth.
Nature Walking trails in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Nature walks in Bwindi impenetrable national park in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is done using several nature trails running different regions of the park and these include
Kashasha River Trail
The Kashasha River Trail takes approximately 4-5hours of exploring the jungle on foot, the trail involves hiking through steep inclines of the Buhoma – Nkuringo route which is 600 meters high.
Nature walks on this trail starts either from Buhoma or Nkuringo and passes through a junction on the two rivers of Kashasha, this trail boasts some of the great views of Bwindi.
Mubwindi Swamp Trail
Mubwindi Swamp Trail takes about 4-5 hours of walking through the jungle and valleys while enjoy the breathtaking views of Bwindi forest and the Virunga Massifs, visitors on this trail often encounter forest elephants, chimpanzees, mountain gorillas, bushpigs and monkeys who are residents of the forest.
This trail is located in the Ruhija Sector of Bwindi and is ideal for birders. To do nature walks on this rail, you need a special authorization from Uganda Wildlife Authority representatives in the park.
Bamboo Trail
Bamboo Trail is one of the hard trails for nature walks in Bwindi impenetrable national park and perfect for adventurous visitors as this involves a steep hike up to 2,607 meters above the sea level which is the highest point of Bwindi.
From this point, visitors are rewarded with spectacular views of Lake Bunyonyi, forests of Bwindi and Virunga Volcanoes, this hike is long but worth. A walk on this trail is labeled strenuous but is worth it as the trail is considered to be one of the best trails for nature walks and hikes in Bwindi impenetrable National Park.
Nature walks on this trail can be done from the Ruhija Sector of Bwindi impenetrable National Park.
Muzabajiro Loop Trail
The Muzabajiro Loop Trail is a 3-4 hours trail leading to Rukura hill, the trail offers some of the most amazing views such as the magnificent views of the Virunga Massifs, Bwindi impenetrable forest and Great Rift Valley.
This trail runs through the Buhoma Sector of Bwindi Impentrable National park
The Ivy River Trail
The Ivy River Trail is a 14 kilometers hike starting from Nkuringo Park headquarters or from Buhoma, this breathtaking trail has scenic view points where travelers get to enjoy excellent sightings of wildlife, birds, butterflies and the locals as they go on about their day to day life and also leads to the park’s headquarters.
The Ivy River Trail is rated moderate.
The Habinyanja Trail
Nature walk experience on this trail takes approximately 4-6 hours, the trail passes through Munyanga River on the steep slopes of Habigorogoro and Riyoyi Ridges that overlooks the Buhoma River. As you ascend on this trail, you will enjoy a number of bird species at the Habinyanja swamp thus making the trail perfect for birders.
Nature walks on this trail start from Buhoma’s visitor’s center or park’s headquarters.
Rushura Hill Trail
Rushura Hill Trail goes through the highest point in Buhoma Sector in Bwindi impenetrable national park and originates from the park’s headquarters, visitors on this trail are rewarded with several scenic views at some points such as magnificent views of Rwenzori Mountain, the escarpments of the Western Rift Valley, Virunga Massifs and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Nature walks on this trail is quite strenuous but very rewarding.
Munyanga Waterfall Trail
The Munyanga waterfall trail starts from Buhoma sectors of Bwindi impenetrable National Park and goes till Nkuringo along the Ivy River, as you walk on this trail you will encounter three clear waterfalls that are approximately 33 meters high. Also you can spot numbers of forest creatures such as olive baboons, chimpanzees, beautiful butterflies and many bird species such as
This trail is set for visitors who need a less strenuous nature walk through the forests of Bwindi.
Rusizi River Trail
This trail is rated as the best trail for visitors who are lovers of birds as there are many bird species spotted along the way. you will have a chance to see other animals including duikers and primates such as olive baboons, chimpanzees and even mountain gorillas if you are lucky.
It is possible to do a whole day nature walk for a full day on this trail.
Best Time to Visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for Nature Walks
Nature walks in Bwindi impenetrable national park can be done all year round, however the best time to do this exhilarating experience is during the dry months of June to August and December to February.
In these periods, the trails are dry and less muddy making it easier for navigate through the jungle.
Note: Bwindi national park protects tropical forest and because of this, the area receives rain throughout the year so you should expect any time of the day. Though in the dry season the rain showers and brief and short and cannot great disrupt your nature walk safari.