5 Luxury Activities in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

5 Luxury Activities in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are those activities that travellers travelling on a luxury basis can enjoy while in the park. These 5 luxury activities to do in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park shall you enjoying great experiences in the misty lush tropical rainforest, that inhabits more than half the total world population of mountain gorillas; with the rest being shared by the Virunga Massifs say Virunga National Park in the Congo, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda as well as Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the primate Uganda national parks, located in the south-western part of Uganda, making it quite easily accessible from Rwanda. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a beautiful rainforest that is “impenetrable”, very much ideal for an inhabitant of the mountain gorillas and a number of other species like birds. 

Attractions in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park include mountain gorillas, bird species, lots of flower and plant species which date back to thousands of years, as well as communities just near the park, say the Batwa, who were originally park dwellers and solely depended on the forest for food and a home. With so much to offer, there are  number of activities in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park that travellers, including luxury travellers, can enjoy and have only wonderful memories to take back home. The following 5 luxury things to do in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park shall leave you captivated, and long to return for more experiences of the same.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Gorilla trekking is the top most sought after tourist activity in Uganda and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park particularly. Luxury travellers can enjoy gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where they shall be able to encounter the already habituated mountain gorilla families in any of the four gorilla sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. These four gorilla sectors include Buhoma sector which is the most requested for by travellers, especially luxury travellers for most of the high end gorilla lodges are found here; Nkuringo gorilla sector famous for amazing walking safaris, Rushaga gorilla sector and Ruhija gorilla sector. These four gorilla sectors inhabit half of the world population of mountain gorillas, thereby giving travellers a higher chance to encounter the gorillas in their natural habitat. 

To be able to enjoy gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you should have purchased a gorilla trekking permit, at a cost of USD700 for foreign non-residents, USD600 for foreign residents and ugx250000 for East African citizens. Due to the effects of covid-19 on travel and in the bid to encourage travel again amidst and post-Covid, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) put up promotional incentives including gorilla trekking fees being reduced to East African Community citizens paying ugx150000 from ugx250000 for a gorilla trekking permit per person per trek, foreign Resident gorilla trekking permits reduced from USD600 to USD300 per person per trek whereas Foreign Non-Resident gorilla trekking permits are discounted from USD700 to USD400 only per person per trek, and are applicable for travel till 30th June 2021. A gorilla trekking permit should always be booked months in advance to the travel date, lest one missed out given that the demand for gorilla trekking is high yet there are few permits available. Only 8 persons are allowed to trek a gorilla family, per day with travellers spending a maximum of 1 hour with them, thereby making it very competitive to acquire one. Gorilla trekking permits are only issued by UWA, and you can have your preferred tour operator to help you book for them and you need only wait to get here and enjoy your gorilla trekking adventure in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Gorilla habituation experience

Gorilla habituation is an activity that has gorilla experts observing and making wild gorillas welcome and appreciate human interaction. Gorilla habituation takes quite some time, more than a year, just to make them be able to accommodate human interaction. It is during this time that travellers who would like to spend more time with the gorillas can do so with a gorilla habituation experience, where they accompany gorilla experts and care takers to the gorillas. Travellers then get to spend about four full hours with the gorillas, learning their characters, behaviours, and stress activators among so many more. Only four travellers per gorilla family being habituated is allowed, thus still bringing about the need to book one’s gorilla habituation experience permit in time. A gorilla habituation experience permit costs USD1500 per person per visit. Gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is quite expensive, making it one of the 5 luxury things to do in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Birding safaris in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the Important Birding Areas in Uganda, with over 200 bird species being recorded in the park. Some of these bird species are unique and endemic to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and some also are migratory birds which come seasonally. Bird species like Collard appalis, African green broadbill, mountain masked appalis, handsome francolin, red-faced woodland warbler, strange weaver, blue-headed sunbird, among so many others are some of the common bird species you shall encounter on a birding safari on Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Birding safaris in the company of a bird guide clad with you binoculars would have you spotting more species than if alone. Be sure to enjoy the nature and great scenery during your bird watching safaris in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Nature walks in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a beautiful gem, that is “impenetrable” and yet very captivating. With walking safaris or nature walks in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you shall be able to discover so many hidden treasures of this ancient forest, which has trees that are as old as 250000 years. Primates like baboons, monkey species, forest elephants, bush pigs, several bird species and so much more are some of what you shall spot during your nature walks in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, not forgetting waterfalls and rivers.

Cultural and community encounters

There are communities near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park say the Buhoma community centre, as well as the Batwa, who were ancient dwellers and inhabitants of the forest and wholly depended on it. Having cultural and community encounters are a great way to learn and know more about the locals and their cultures. Cultural and community encounters are usually done a day after gorilla trekking, or even in the evening if one’s gorilla trekking adventure was short.

With these 5 luxury things to do in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, travellers are sure to enjoy their stay in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. asides from these

5 luxury things to do in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, staying in some of the high-end gorilla lodges like chameleon Hill Lodge, Buhoma Lodge and Clouds Mountain Lodge among others would make one’s stay all the more luxurious. A flying Bwindi gorilla safari would also add to your ‘luxury’ travel experience.