The Hiking Experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi impenetrable national park is known to be one of the best places for thrilling hiking experiences. Hiking in Bwindi is another exciting activity that tourists engage in besides gorilla Trekking. The park has hiking trails within and outside the forest which take between 3 to 6hrs, and are guided by welltrained and well-informed guides. The park is rich in biodiversity hence its recognition by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. It is home to over 120 mammal species, over 300 species of birds, 200 butterfly species, frogs, chameleons, and many endangered species.

Hiking within this forest; gives you a calming feel while you experience magnificent sights and sounds of nature that are so soothing and therapeutic to the mind. Hikes within the forest offer you a chance to see a variety of animal species, like African Forest Elephants, bushbucks, primates like Colobus monkeys, chimpanzees, bird species, and a myriad of tree species.

The bwindi impenetrable national park has a number of hiking trails in each of the four sectors. This means travelers can engage in this activity from any sector of the park.  Some of these trails include; the Kashasha trail, Mubwindi trail, Bamboo, Muzabajiro loop trail, Ivy River trail, Rushura hill trail, Munyabga waterfall, Rusizi river, and Habiryanja trail.

Inside the forest are rivers, streams, waterfalls, and scenic views which complement these trails and that make the activity so magical and more interesting. Travelers enjoy the challenge of climbing and sloping down the hills while enjoying the spectacular creations of Bwindi impenetrable forest.

Hikes outside the forest; are guided by well-trained local tour guides. Here you get to walk within the communities for about 3 to 6 hours as you see and learn about the different types of people that live around Bwindi impenetrable national park. The local people are hospitable, and welcoming, and on your way you will receive many smiles from the local people as the little ones wave at you happily.

These humble communities are mainly made up of the Batwa, and Bakiga people who have a rich history and cultural background that is still intact because they are not so exposed to the world. You will learn about their way of life, and day-to-day activities like farming, cattle raring, Gold mining, etc.

The terrain of the areas that surround the Park is so beautiful and satisfying. The green vegetation and terraced gardens on the hills also make the hikes outside the park such an amazing memorable experience.

Travelers usually add hiking to their Gorilla trekking packages, while some actually travel purposely to do hiking itself. Hiking can be done all year round and is affordable compared to gorilla trekking with rates ranging between 30 to 40 USD per person.