Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park lies on the edge of the Western Rift Valley in South Western Uganda, along the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The park encompasses a total area of 331km² and was first created as a forest reserve in 1932 then becoming an animal sanctuary in 1961 and a National Park in 1991. In the local dialect “Bwindi” means “a Place of Darkness”, getting its name from the dense vegetation of the forest. With the mountains reaching 2,607m, it contains both lowland and montane forest, much of which is swirled with a mist.
This ancient forest is cool and dark with dense vegetation and is home to an impressive array of ecosystems and wildlife. It hosts 120 species of mammals which includes 10 species of primates, 350 species of birds, 220 species of butterflies/moths, 27 species of frogs, geckos and chameleons, over 1,000 species of flowering plants which include 104 species of ferns and 200 species of trees. The forest habitat includes many endangered species, the most well known of which, is the mountain gorilla. The estimated number of gorillas living in the Impenetrable Forest is 320, with some groups being habituated for tracking and research.
Take the challenge and track the endangered mountain gorillas, follow trails in the forest from Nkuringo to Buhoma along the way seeing many varieties of birds, primates and butterflies, track to the waterfalls and learn about local Batwa cultures.
Surrounded by other wonderful parks in the western region of Uganda, the Queen Elizabeth National Park is known for its rich biodiversity, wildlife and history. In the southern part of the park, the remote Ishaha sector is home to tree-climbing lions who spend long lazy days dozing in the pretty fig trees. The Uganda Kob, a type of antelope, are watched carefully by the tree lions while grazing the plains Around Lake Edward, enjoy fishing and more game watching - make sure to look out for chimpanzees, elephants, crocodiles, and perennial and migratory bird species.
