Writing for CNN in his famous “25 of the most beautiful places around the world” article, Joe Minihane, a well-travelled writer who among other media houses, writes for Guardian, Independent, Evening Standard, Mail on Sunday, Lonely Planet etc singled out Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park as his first choice.
“Dense, lush and otherworldly, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is one of the last redoubts of the mountain gorilla,” he wrote, adding: “Over 400 call this UNESCO-protected national park home with the chance for visitors to trek to and meet habituated groups.”
Well, that was in 2019. Today Uganda’s Gorilla population has grown, thanks to a recent baby boom, but most importantly, what Joe Minihane perhaps forgot to add is that Uganda harbours about 53% of the entire Gorilla population in the world and the majority of these reside in Bwindi.
Of the 18 gorilla groups, in Uganda, 17 are resident in Bwindi, making it the best place in the world where you can see the gorillas in the wild. The 17 families can be seen on four treks, namely, Ruhija, Buhoma, Nkuringo and Rushaga. In Mgahinga Park, you can track the transboundary Nyakagezi group.
Mountain gorillas for starters live in the wild and hence can’t be found in any zoo as they naturally feast on large quantities of flowers, leaves, roots, fruits and bamboo or shoots- up to 75 pounds of food daily. These giants don’t usually stay in one place thus they keep moving around the thick forests from dusk to dawn.
As such, trekking the gorillas, depending on their ‘last-seen point, could take you anywhere between 2-8 hours of adrenaline-charged hard work. But it is a rewarding task punctuated by misty cloudy rainforests as you trudge up to 14,763 feet of rough terrain and rocky pathways through thick intertwining vines, thorns and roots. You will therefore need good hiking boots or gumboots and a raincoat, given that it rains most of the time. Walking sticks are usually provided for extra support, a long holding stick to help you stay firm during the excursion and possibly a snack and bottle of water to keep you refreshed in the jungle.
The best time to see Mountain Gorillas in Uganda
Gorilla trekking is an all-year activity but the best time to go trekking is during June, July, August, September and December. This is because there are fewer rains and therefore the terrain is easier to conquer. In Bwindi for example, during this period, ranging from 11°C/52°F in the morning and 23°C/73°F in the afternoon.
The period between June, July & August is usually the peak season and therefore, it is important to buy your permits early since they run out.
If you are also looking for a less crowded experience, January and February, are usually the low season in Uganda and present very little or no rain. March-May is usually so rainy, slippery and most challenging to hike.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Trekking Gorillas is not only a must-do because of its distinctiveness, but the trekking itself takes place in two of Uganda’s most pristine, scenic and beautiful national parks, i.e. the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Other than Gorillas, these two parks are teaming with much more to see and experience. For example, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park gazetted as a National Park in 1991 is a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, since 1994.
Strewn over a series of steep ridges and valleys, in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Western Rift Valley, Bwindi’s mist-covered hillsides, blanketed by some of Uganda’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests, dating over 25,000 years and with nearly 400 species of plants are a sight to marvel. Besides being host to the biggest gorilla collection- it is also home to a further 120 mammals, including several primate species such as baboons and chimpanzees, as well as elephants and antelopes. There are around 350 species of birds hosted in this forest alone, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics.
When the sun sets, and all the action in the forests comes to an end, the neighbouring towns of Buhoma and Nkuringo both have an impressive array of luxury lodges, rustic bandas and budget campsites, as well as restaurants, that will treat your palettes to the unexplored tantalising culinary side of Uganda. Treats range from sumptuous organic local cuisine sourced from neighbouring communities as well as international cuisine.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is another wonder of its own. Sitting high in the ‘clouds’, at an altitude of between 2,227m and 4,127m, the Park takes its name from “Gahinga” – the local word for the piles of volcanic stones cleared from farmland at the foot of the volcanoes.
The British administration declared the area a game sanctuary in 1930 and in 1991, it was gazetted as a National Park to protect the rare mountain gorillas that inhabit its dense forests. The Park is also an important habitat for the endangered golden monkey.
The park’s rich flora and fauna aside- Mgahinga is famous for its three conical, extinct volcanoes— Mt. Sabinyo, at 3,669m; Mt. Gahinga (3,474m) and Mt. Muhavura, the highest peak at 4,127m, each of which presents a unique summiting experience.
Mt. Sabinyo and Mt. Gahinga are the easiest to climb- each taking about 6-8 hours while Mt. Muhavura is slightly more challenging but more rewarding. Once atop, hikers are rewarded on a clear day with views of the entire Virunga Volcanoes, which also includes Mt. Bisoke (3,711m) and Mt. Karisimbi (4,507m) on the Rwanda/DRC border as well as Mt. Mt. Mikeno (4,437m) in the DRC. Hiking to the top of Mt. Muhabura also gives climbers, commanding views of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest as well as Lakes Edward and George and the snow-capped peaks of the Rwenzori’s a million dollar-view if you ask me.
Resource and diversity-rich Rift Valley
While, if you are in hurry, we would recommend flying to the gorillas (there is plenty of private charter from Entebbe International Airport), if you have enough time on your hands, we recommend, possibly a much longer safari- possibly 14-days, so you get to slowly soak in and savour this particular trip.
We recommend you take a road trip, via Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara-Kabale if you are going to Mgahinga or Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara-Ntungamo-Rukungiri-Kihihi road if going to Bwindi. There are however interconnecting roads between Mgahinga and Bwindi so whichever route you choose doesn’t matter.
This road trip will allow you to spend perhaps a night at Lake Mburo National Park- home to 350 bird species as well as zebra, impala, eland, buffalo, oribi, Defassa waterbuck, leopard, hippo, hyena, topi and reedbuck among other animal species. You will also get to soak in the vast green hills of western Uganda and the farming communities as well as the insanely beautiful Lake Bunyonyi – a popular tourist destination in Southwestern Uganda.
After visiting the Gorillas, on your way back, it is highly recommended that you drive through the Queen Elizabeth National Park – Kasese – Fort Portal – Mubende Kampala route. Here, you will reward yourself with breathtaking sights, including, but not limited to the famous and rare tree-climbing lions of Ishasha in the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Known as a medley of wonders, because of its endless experiences, the park is home to over 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species. The Park and the surrounding protected areas are dotted with several crater lakes and scenic gorges on the eastern cliff of the Western Rift Valley. The park’s diverse ecosystems, which include sprawling savanna, shady, humid forests, sparkling lakes and fertile wetlands, make it the ideal habitat for the classic big game, ten primate species including chimpanzees and over 600 species of birds.
A must-do activity in this park is the boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel that connects Lakes George and Edward, where you get to see several animals graze and quench their thirst on this oasis-like stretch.
Driving from Queen Elizabeth, through Kasese to Fort Portal town, in Kabarole District, also presents visitors with a lot to take in, among them the Rwenzoris, towering over the western border of Uganda.
Once in Fort Portal, make it a point to check out the Tooro Kingdom Palace located on Karuzika hill overlooking Fort Portal Tourism City. A visit to the mind-blowing Amabeere Ga Nyina Mwiru as well as over 40 crater lakes in the area all present unforgettable experiences.
If you have extra days at hand- a day spent in the nearby Semuliki National Park on the floor of the Semliki Valley on the remote, western side of the Rwenzori is equally rewarding. The Park is dominated by the easternmost extension of the great Ituri Forest of the Congo Basin. Hot springs bubble up from the depths as a living reminder of the potent subterranean forces that continue to shape this rift valley area since 14 million years ago.
The last and final stretch from Fort Portal to Kampala should take you through Kibale National Park whose over 351 tree species, some of which tower above 55 metres and are over 200 years old host a total of 70 mammal species, most famously 13 species of primate including the chimpanzee.
Kibale is also home to over 375 species of birds.
By the time you get back to Kampala- you will have appreciated why they say Uganda is truly the Pearl of Africa— a destination that keeps giving.
And yet this is just a small portion of what the country has to offer- if you dare go all the way to the northwest where the famous Murchison Falls National Park or to the undiscovered West Nile region.
And we haven’t said anything about Kidepo Valley National Park in the Northeast or Mt. Elgon National Park to the East of the country.
To arrange customised staycations and or an adventure/holiday to any part of Uganda or East Africa, reach out to Executive Destinations and Experiences Limited (EDXTravel) today.
Contacts:
Phone: +256 751 395 326/ +256 775 716 808
Email: theexectraveler@gmail.com
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