If you are Ugandan, you studied about some of the biggest forests in Uganda and at that time Bwindi was one of those that were shrouded in mystery due to its name, “the impenetrable forest.” The word was always hard for most youngsters to pronounce and the fact that the lessons about the forest ended and interest in Bwindi died there unless a field trip was organised.
Yet Bwindi is one of the best attractions Uganda has to the world, it is a big green destination filled with nature and wonders ready to be explored by all us; wonders that open your eyes to so much more than you had expected.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is among the many national parks and reserved scattered all over the country, each park comes with something unique that makes it stand out from the rest and Bwindi has just that.
Before it was a national park, Bwindi was divided into two reserves; one accommodating the forest and the other catering to the preservation of the wildlife found in the area. In 1991, the park was renamed Bwindi Impenetrable National Park from after incorporating both the Mgahinga Gorilla Reserve, Impenetrable Central Forest Reserve and the Rwenzori Mountains Reserve. The park is under the Uganda Wildlife Authority management, a major body in charge of the conservation of wildlife in Uganda.
The park constitutes one of the biggest forests in the county and is located in the South Western part of Uganda, it borders the Democratic Republic of Congo. You can easily access Kabale town which is estimated to be 29 Kilometers away and the Kigezi highlands.
Most of the rugged area within and out of the park were are in the Western Rift Valley which was created by the upward warping movements. The undulating valleys and hills create a picturesque view that has rivers snaking through the region, leaving you breathless.
Within the park are amazing creations of nature that you only read about, most of them have not been discovered yet which might be one of the reasons why it is on the UNESCO list for World Heritage Sites. The park is home to;
- The mighty gorillas, half of the world’s population is found in the area and are estimated to be at 650 in number. They are the biggest attraction to the park during peak season.
- For a birding enthusiast, next to Mabira the Bwindi forest has a diverse species of birds that have been known to live there.
- There are over 220 butterfly species within the park premises.
- With an array of tree species, you will find over 300 classifications in Bwindi among which are those marked as endangered.
- Monkeys, chimpanzees and several species of small mammals.
Among several other attractions to the park, you can visit the park at any point in the year and engage in some of the activities such as:
- Mountain climbing
- Gorilla Trekking
- Forest walks
- Rift Valley Views
- Birding experiences
- Herbology research with the park guides
Whatever you choose to do, make sure you bring along someone to enjoy the beautiful and memorable experience that is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
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