Bwindi Impenetrable Forest: A Must-see Destination for the Year Ahead

If you are Ugandan and went to school in Uganda, you must have studied some of the biggest forests in the country. Bwindi used to be one of those forests that were shrouded in mystery due to its moniker, “the impenetrable forest”. In fact, for most youngsters, the word “impenetrable” was never easy to pronounce so once the lessons about the forest ended, interest in Bwindi subsequently died — unless your school organised a trip to the forest.
Yet, Bwindi remains one of the best attractions Uganda has to offer; it is a big green destination filled with awe-inspiring natural wonders — wonders that open your eyes to so much more than you would expect.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is among the many national parks and game reserves 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 following the merging of Mgahinga Gorilla Reserve, the Impenetrable Central Forest Reserve and the Rwenzori Mountains Reserve.
Bwindi is currently under the management of the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the government agency in charge of wildlife conservation in Uganda.

The park constitutes one of the biggest forests in the county and is located in the south-western part of Uganda bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). From Bwindi, one can easily access Kabale town, which is estimated to be 29 Kilometres away.

Most of the rugged area within and out of the park are in the Western Rift Valley, which was created by the upward warping movements. The undulating valleys and hills and rivers snaking through the region create a veritably picturesque view.

Within the park are amazing creations of nature that you only read about in travel books. Most of them have not been discovered yet, which might be one of the reasons why Bwindi is on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.

The park is home to, among others, the iconic mountain gorillas. Half of the world’s mountain gorilla population can be found in this area — about 650 of them. Little wonder they are Bwindi’s biggest attraction.

For a birding enthusiast, Bwindi offers diverse species of birds and over 220 butterfly species. The forest also boasts an array of tree species; you will find here over 300 classifications, some of them listed as endangered. Monkeys, chimpanzees and several species of small mammals can also be found here.

Must-sees and must-dos in the park include mountain climbing, gorilla trekking, forest walks, rift valley views, birding experiences and herbology research. Whatever you choose to do, make sure to bring along someone to enjoy the beautiful and memorable experience that Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has to offer.