Best Stopovers on Your Way to See Gorillas in Bwindi
Best Stopovers on Your Way to See Gorillas in Bwindi.
On your way to do gorilla trekking in Uganda that is to say Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you may take stopovers. The road trip from either Kampala or Entebbe Airport may last about 530 km to 540 km lasting about 8 hours to 9 hours without stopovers.
If you’re heading to see the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Uganda, there are several amazing stopovers along the way. These can enhance your trip with cultural, wildlife, and scenic experiences. Here are some popular stopovers:
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Tour Uganda Wildlife Education Center Entebbe
Before departing Entebbe town, you may stop at the Uganda Wildlife Education Center, the Former Entebbe Zoo. This is the summary center for almost all the wild animals that Uganda hosts. Wild animals are kept in exhibits with environments similar to where they are known to live in the wilderness.
With a guided or self-guided walk, you can view animals like hyenas, lions, cheetahs, wild cats, zebras, impalas, ostriches, and others. Even before checking in for your departure flights, you can stop at the Uganda Wildlife Education Center.
Igongo Cultural Centre (Mbarara)
15 kilometers north of Mbarara district in Biharwe town along the Masaka-Mbarara highway is where you will find the Igongo Cultural Center and Museum. If you are driving from Kampala it is 15 kilometers before Mbarara town on the right where you cannot miss it. The few hours you will spend there will take you centuries back into Uganda’s rich heritage learning a lot about the culture and history of the Ankore people. This makes for a perfect stopover for lunch while on your Gorilla safari to Bwindi’s impenetrable national park. Dive into Ankole culture and history and Enjoy traditional meals like the famous Ankole long-horned cow ghee-prepared dishes.
Equator Crossing (Kayabwe)
As you plan to drive from Entebbe Airport or Kampala City, you may stop at the Equator in Kayabwe. This point is marked by a circular concrete in which the equator that divided the earth into two is believed to pass. Here you can stand on both sides of the earth at the same time and take photos, perform the water experiment and buy some souvenirs too if you wish.
The Mpambire drum village is one of the oldest drum-making points in Buganda. This point is where the royal Buganda drums are made from. There are different local drums, and the history of this center speaks for itself with different kinds of drums, from small to huge ones all producing different sounds. It is amazing how these indigenous people can make sounds out of their hides and skins.
Murchison Falls National Park
You may plan to visit Murchison Falls National Park before heading to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for gorilla trekking. Although this is not on the same route, you can plan to break your safari days in Murchison Falls National Park.
Murchison Falls National Park is bisected by Victoria Nile, creating the southern and Northern sectors. During the launch trip, you may spot several animals that love quenching thirst from the banks of this river. Some of these animals include giraffes, herds of elephants, cape buffaloes, oribi, waterbucks, bushbucks, reedbucks, and others.
When you decide to enjoy a game drive in Murchison Falls National Park, you have an opportunity to spot animals like lions, leopards, cape buffalos, Uganda kobs, bushbucks, hartebeests, and others
You can take the route via Masindi to connect with other stopovers before continuing to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Echuya Forest Reserve
Explore the sights of southwestern Uganda’s hidden gem, Echuya Forest Reserve, an Important Birding Area. Learn about the forest reserve endemic bird species such as Grauer’s Swamp Warbler, learn about the rich history of the Echuya forest reserve, and explore the culture of the Batwa Community of the Echuya forest. Choose between a half-day birding tour or a full-day birding or book the Batwa Cultural Tour as a stand-alone activity. En route to Bwindi, Echuya is a biodiverse bamboo forest that is great for nature walks and spotting unique bird species.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is about 64 km from the Buhoma area of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park if you are from the Ishasha sector. The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park too is about 160 km from Mweya Peninsula, the main administrative area of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
When you take a game drive in the tracks of Queen Elizabeth National Park, especially the Kasenyi area, you may witness lion drama as Uganda Kobs love feeding from here. The beautiful crater lakes track gives you a chance to enjoy the beautiful wet and dry craters.
Taking the launch trip on the Kazinga channel gives you a chance to enjoy the most beautiful part of Queen Elizabeth National Park on the Rift Valley floor. Watch serried Nile crocodiles, hippos several animals that grace the shores. You may have a chance of spotting animals that come down to quench thirst.
The chimpanzee trekking experience in Kyambura Gorge gives you a chance to see some of the human relatives in their natural settings. You need to note that this is a gorge where you may need to hike to the slopes to meet the park’s chimpanzees in this forested area. There are other primates in this gorge, like black and white colobus, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, and others.
You can connect to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park from this park.
Lake Bunyonyi
Lake Bunyonyi being a place of many little birds has over 200 different bird species recorded as habitats at the lake. Visitors who usually take time to visit, generally enjoy and experience the breathtaking nature of Lake Bunyonyi given its many nature activities that are carried out including canoeing, boat riding, local tour, swimming, hiking the highlands around the lake, pygmy village tour, and birding. Relaxing amidst breathtaking scenery before or after gorilla trekking.
Visit Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park is like the center of all National parks located in the western part of Uganda. The park has so many angulates like impalas, waterbucks, bushbucks, giraffes, cape buffaloes, reedbucks, herds of elephants, Uganda kobs, and others.
You can make a boat trip on Lake Mburo, where you get to enjoy the great vegetation cover and lovely birds that linger in the forest all day.
You may get the chance to witness some fishermen cast their nets, but this is upon arrangement. this park is a birder’s destination with about 315 bird species registered, including papyrus Gonolek, African Scops owl, Black-collared Barbets, White-tailed nightjar, African finfoots, and others.
White Water Rafting and Source of River Nile In Jinja.
White water Rafting on the River Nile is possible before or after gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The Itanda Falls are the rafting point on the River Nile. Here you get to enjoy great River Nile tides.
You do not need the experience of white water rafting on the River Nile. Although there are different points with different tide strengths, you have a choice of where to stop.
Visiting the source of River Nile is amazing as you watch where Rivet Nile water vigorously departs from Lake Victoria water. The banks of the River Nile are often graced by different birds, and primates live in the vegetation along the banks.
Visit Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary Island
This is the home for rescued chimpanzees that cannot be returned to their communities. These chimpanzees are saved from poachers, abandoned, orphaned, and so much more.
They are given a community to live at this chimpanzee sanctuary on Koome Island in Lake Victoria. At the moment, about 50 chimpanzees are residents of Ngamba.
One of the reasons for setting up this center is to teach the public about the relevance of protecting chimpanzees and their habitats. To teach the community about the relevance of protecting primates in their natural habitats.
You can take an early morning or afternoon session with these chimpanzees before or after visiting Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
What To Do In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Gorilla Trekking
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s main activity is gorilla trekking. You must purchase a gorilla permit from the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Currently, the cost of a gorilla trekking permit is $800 per person per trek.
The gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are currently about 18 families open for tourism. They are subdivided into areas and at the moment, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is subdivided into 4 gorilla trekking areas. These areas include the Buhoma area, Ruhija area, Nkuringo area, and Rushaga area.
Nature walks
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has a lot to see, especially for those fascinated by nature. The forest has many trails including the Munyara River trail located in the valley of Buhoma where you have great chances of spotting lots of primates and a wide range of birds. Another nature walk trail is the Muzabajiro Loop trail which goes to Rukubira Hill where you can enjoy breathtaking views of the Bwindi canopy, the western rift valley, and the Virunga volcanoes.
Community walks
To enjoy the life of local people, you can do the Buhoma community walk where you may take part in banana brewing, visit a homestead, traditional healers, and others. While in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you can take the Nkuringo community walk. During this walk, you may visit the blacksmith, traditional healer, banana beer brewers, and others.
Birding in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
The Ruhijah area is the prime birding destination of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. When you take the ridge top route you enjoy the deep valleys having undisturbed forest cover. When you take the Mubwindi Swamp, you may have a chance to spot birds like red-faced woodland Warbler, African Hill Babbler, Collared Apalises, Western Green Tinkerbirds, and others.
How Safe Is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is very safe for you to do all the activities but you must follow the rules given by the ranger guides. The ranger guides work with other Uganda security agencies to keep law and order here.
You also need to pay attention to personal security to add to your safety.
List Of What to Pack For A Safari To Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Garden gloves protect your palms from rough surfaces that you may place your palms on in case you trip and fall.
- A Safari shirt and trousers protect your body from stinging nettle in the forest and other things that may prick your body and cause you discomfort in the forest.
- Safari foldable hat to protect your head from water and dew in the forest that drips off the tree trunks or branches.
- Warm clothes to keep you warm in the night and late afternoon because it gets extremely cold. Even the temperatures of this forest sometimes drop as low as 7 degrees centigrade.
- A torch to use when lights are out because most lodges here use solar energy for lighting and warming water. This however is dependent on how bright the sun is during the day.
- Insect repellant to keep away stinging insects that are within the forest. Apply the one that your skin is comfortable with to avoid getting skin eczema.
- First aid kit to use for emergency in case you get hurt while in the jungle. You need to pack the basics at least.
- Extra fully charged batteries to exchange with in case some run low on power while in the jungle.
- Safari boots can protect your feet from the rough surfaces in the jungle and the boggy ground that you pass through.
- A duffel bag to pack in your belongings in case you may need to carry them yourself. Pack light but relevantly to be sure of where your belongings are always.
- Some hard cash to exchange into local currency in case you need to do some on-ground purchases
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