Nature Walks in Bwindi Forest
Bwindi has more to offer then just gorilla tracking. Besides the popular adventures such as mountain gorilla trekking, birding and trekking or hiking, you can actually enjoy fascinating nature walks when you visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
There five different day-trails, ranging from 1 to 8 hours offering the opportunity to enjoy the tranquillity of the forest and to see several different monkey species. For birders, roughly 190 bird species have been recorded in this area, ten of which are either listed in the Red Data Book or else endemic to the Albertine Rift.
Buhoma is on the Northern side of the rainforest and Nkuringo is on the Southern side, near the town of Kisoro. The drive between Buhoma and Nkuringo takes about 7—8 hours, depending on road and weather conditions, a more pleasant alternative to driving is hiking though the rainforest.
There are two walking trails between Buhoma and Nkuringo on the below trails;
There are exciting nature walks in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Here are the top hikes in Bwindi
Rubugiri Village Walk
The Ivy River Trail
This trail starts off with a 7km walk along a murram road with the rainforest on the right and the river on the left. Upon reaching the forest, the trail ascends and descends gently through beautiful areas of rainforest. A wide diversity of wildlife can be spotted during the walk, including monkeys, duikers, birds and many colourful butterflies. The Ivy River trail takes about 6.5 hours in total.
The Kashasha Trail
This is the most direct trail through the forest and is about 13km in length. The Kashasha trail begins at the Nkuringo Park Office before proceeding down a steep slope through community land to reach the park buffer zone. The route passes the junction of two rivers inside the forest where after a further 20 minute ascent the trail meets the alternative route, the Ivy River trail, inside the forest about 90 minutes from Buhoma. The Kashasha trail takes approximately 4-5 hours from Nkuringo to Buhoma and 6-7 hours from Buhoma to Nkuringo. The trail offers visitors a close up experience of the natural wonders within a rainforest environment, including a number of monkey species. Birds are prolific in Bwindi forest and your guide will points these out to you during your walk.
Batwa Cultural Experience
This activity requires a free day in Bwindi forest. You will trek into the forest to a Batwa village and meet the community. Here you will learn about their life style, past and present. They will invite you into their homes and show you their traditional hunting techniques and craft making skills.
The Batwa cultural experience was created by the displaced Batwa pygmies to educate their children and to share their amazing heritage and traditions with the world.A day spent with the Batwa gives you the opportunity to enjoy the following:
Hike in the forest with the people of the forest. You will have a Batwa guide and he will provide you with the chance
to see the forest and its habitants through their eyes.
See how they lived and hunted in the traditional manner. Enjoy trying out your hunting techniques as the Batwa teach
you how to shoot with a bow and arrow.
Visit a traditional Batwa homestead and learn from the women how to prepare, cook and serve a meal. You will also
have the opportunity it sample the dishes.
Talk to a medicine men and learn about the medicinal properties of the forest flora.Hear ancient legends and traditional songs.
The Munyaga River Trail
The Munyaga River Trail lies outside the national park and so no guide is required. It takes roughly 40 minutes, starting at the end of Buhoma road, from where it follows the Bizenga River to its confluence with the Muyanga, before returning to Buhoma Road. Birding can be good in the early morning and late afternoon.
Cultural Walk
A chance to have a taste of the Ugandan lifestyle. You will meet with locals of many different generations and see the way of life in this developing country. One of the highlights of this cultural visit is a visit to a traditional healer or medicine man from the DRC. He will show how bananas are used for a children’s drink, to make beer and also the local spirit. You will also get the chance to interact with the local Batwa community; they will show you how they incorporate every day activities into dance.
Nature Walks Around Bwindi
You can spice your gorilla safari in Uganda with a nature walk across Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, South Western Uganda. Though Bwindi is more renowned for gorilla watching, taking a nature walk offers something more interesting on a gorilla experience in this famed park. You have a lot of choices to choose from for a nature walk in Bwindi and these include;
- The Batwa Experience – a nature walk through the Batwa Community, guided by a local guide (a mutwa). The guide will teach you a lot about how the Batwa (former forest dwellers) lived (within trees), showing interesting caves and trees whre they lived as well as activities that they were engaged in. The hike ends with a visit to the Batwa Community where the former forest habitants will entertain you on an interaction tour where you can also participate!
- Munyaga walk – hike through the forest to the Munyaga Waterfalls, a scenic waterfall in Bwindi impenetrable Forest. A local guide will escort you through the forest, teaching you about the different flora nd fauna in the forest as well as their importance.
- Lake Mutanda Nature Walk – walk from Buhoma, to Nkuringo ending at the beautiful lake Mutanda