Affordable car rental to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Planning for a memorable gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and looking for a reliable car rental Uganda service provider who can as well purchase you permits to meet these endangered species with whom we share 98% of our DNA with, Best Car Rental Uganda is the right company to rely on for such a trip.
Situated in the south western Uganda, Bwindi has become a top tourist destination in Uganda and to get to this national park that is 10-11hours away from Kampala/Entebbe, you will need to have hired a reliable 4×4 car that does include a Land Cruiser Prado, Toyota RAV4, Land Cruiser V8, Land Cruiser hardtop, Safari van, safari Land Cruiser and more.
The park is also known to be home to half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas that can be seen as they roam freely in their natural habitat.
What to see in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi is home to a vast of both animal and plant life giving travelers a chance to explore what meets their interests. What you will be able to since while in Bwindi Impenetrable national park includes: the endangered mountain gorillas (the highlight of your safari), bird species like; Hairy-breasted Barbet, Montane Oriole, Forest Robin, Narina’s Trogon, Grey-throated Barbet, white-bellied robin-chat, equatorial akalat, willcock’s honey guide, black bee-eater black sparrow hawk and more, L’hoest monkeys, black and white monkeys, colobus monkeys, forest elephants, bush bucks, African golden cats and more.
On your trip to Bwindi, you will as well get to meet the Batwa people who initially lived within the boundaries but were now resettled outside the park to protect mountain gorillas.. While in close proximity with this group of people, they’ll entertain you with local folk songs and here you can choose to be part of the traditional dances, maybe you could learn a few moves.
Activities in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park; this park is a top destination for gorilla trekkers from around the world. There four gorilla trekking trails in Bwindi where you will get to join a group of 8 people into the jungle to go and search for these species. These sectors include:
Buhoma; this particular sector is located in the northern part of the national park. It acts as the parks headquarters and will offer you with the best experience because it can easily be accessed due to its topography and it’s the closest compared to the other sectors.
While here, you’ll be able to track different gorilla families from Mubare which was first identified in 1992 and consists of only 5 individuals, Rushegura habituated and trekked in 2000 with now 13 individuals and Habinyanja which was habituated 1997 and trekked in 1999 and inhabits about 13 individuals.
Ruhija: This sector is located in the north eastern part of the park just 45km away from Buhoma. Gorilla trekking in Ruhija is great since the area is not too hilly and steep compared to the other sectors found in the south of the park. While here, you will be able to get close and observe different families of the great endangered mountain gorillas as they roam through the park.
Gorilla families found in this sector of the park include; Oruzigo, Mukiza, Kyaguriro and Bitukura family. All the four gorilla groups are open to tourists for tracking. 32 gorilla trekking permits are given out daily for gorilla trekking.
Rushaga; Located in the south part of the park, Rushaga is considered to be the best area for gorilla trekking given the fact that it hosts much more gorillas compared to the other sectors.
Rushaga also is home to five different gorilla families that is; Nshogi, Mishaya, Bweza, Kahugye, Mucunguzi, Bikyingi and Busigye family. There 56 gorilla tracking permits are available to gorilla trekkers each day in this sector.
Nkuringo: Habituated in the southern part of the Bwindi, Nkuringo sector inhabits Nkuringo family which was named after its leader the silverback, Nkuringo who later passed away and was replaced by silverback safari. The gorilla family all together comprises of 19 members.
Apart from gorilla trekking, the panoramic views of the Virunga Volcanic Range, make it one of the destinations worth visiting
Gorilla trekking permit costs and how to go book one
Gorilla trekking in the above sectors is only limited to eight people per gorilla group. However, if one does want to spend more than 1hour with these mountain gorillas as they observe their behavior and more, which is known as gorilla habituation, a tourist will have to pay a cost of $1,500 for foreign nonresidents, $1000 for foreign residents and Ugx 750,000/=.
Gorilla trekking permits for an hour cost $800 per person for foreign nonresidents, foreign residents $700 per person while tourists from within East Africa pay UGX 300,000/=.
Being in close proximity with these endangered wildlife species is a much more rewarding experience and a once in a lifetime opportunity everyone needs to experience.
You are advised to book your gorilla trekking permit before your safari to Uganda directly through trusted tour operator like us. Booking your permit with Best Car Rental Uganda comes at a cheaper commission compared to the rest simply because there a few administrative costs involved the drive Uganda Wildlife Authority and more.
Gorilla trekking aside, there a number of other activities that take place within the park and they include;
Birding: Bwindi is one of the top destinations for birders and this can be witnessed by the recognition the park received in 2011 as Africa’s number one spot for birding. The park has over 346 bird species, among them 14 species are endemic to Bwindi impenetrable national park, while 23 species are only found in the Albertine rift.
The birds found here include; short tailed warbler, blue headed sunbird. Bwindi also hosts migratory birds that can be seen during the months of November and April.
Cultural tours; This is yet another unique activity one has to do while in Bwindi. Experience the unique culture and lifestyle of the Batwa people who initially settled within the park but were later relocated to areas surrounding the park.
While here, you will receive an incredible performance from the cultural dancing group. In sectors like Buhoma, you will be allowed to explore the community and here you discover hand craft shops that do sell crafted items like the fabrics, beeswax candles, wooden carvings etc.
Nature walks; Walking through the park with the help of the guides using the already established walking trails is a stunning experience. Imagine being in a quiet place while enjoying the sights and sounds of nature. The activity that lasts for 1hr to 8hrs offers tourists a chance to explore the ancient Impenetrable Forest discovering new plant and animal species that are rarely seen.
Like the different butterfly species, tree species, birds and more. Nature walks in the Park Range from moderate to challenging especially in steep areas of the park that do require some effort. But this activity is worth being part of.
Cycling/ mountain biking; this incredible activity is organized by Buhoma Community Rest Camp under Ride 4 A Woman group. The riding usually takes about 5hrs through the trails within the park.
This activity offers a tourist to view the beautiful landscape, get to see different bird species as they sing in the sky. You can as well opt to ride within the village and here you will get to see how the community set up is and their life time.
Another ride is to and from river ivy through then trails that do exist within the park and this gives a tourist a chance to also come close to wildlife like monkeys, squirrels, and you might also be able to spot some gorillas too.
Best time to visit Bwindi impenetrable national park
Tourism in Bwindi impenetrable National park as whole is considered to be an all-year success however the best here is during the drier season of the year when the rains are less which does occur during the months of June to September and December to February.
During this time, the trails within the park are less slippery compared to during the wet season when the park receives heavier rains. The rains fall during the months of March to May and October and November.
During this wet weather pattern, there are more mosquitoes and the mist is always too much which may be a barrier to view the incredible and beautiful landscape. Despite the different weather patterns, a safari to Bwindi impenetrable national park is a once in a lifetime trip you shouldn’t miss out.
Its also during this time that you will need to have hired a reliable 4×4 car that you can use for your self drive road trip or guided trip to Bwindi. These are strong enough to conquer the tough terrains in this park of the country.
Accommodation in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Over the years accommodation in Bwindi impenetrable national park has been growing and as of today, the park offers accommodation services ranging from luxury, midrange to budget. In Buhoma sector Engagi Lodge and Haven Lodge are among the luxury. In the mid-range, mahogany springs and Buhoma lodge Bwindi are reliable favorites, while gorilla forest camp and volcanoes Bwindi lodge will work for those would prefer low budget.
In Ruhija gorilla trekking sector, there is a number of lodges and these are; Agandi lodge, Bakiga lodge, broadbill forest camp, chameleon hill lodge, Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge, Trekkers Tavern cottages and more.
In Rushaga sector, you will be to rest in lodges like; Gorilla Safari Lodge, Bwindi jungle lodge, Gorilla valley lodge, Lake Mulehe gorilla lodge and more.
While in Nkurigo you can rest in; crested crane lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi gorilla lodge, Virunga campsite and more.
How to get to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi impenetrable can be accessed by both road and air. By road, it’ll take you about 8-10hrs to get to the park through Kampala – Masaka highway covering a distance of 540km from Kampala, Uganda.
You can also access it using a chartered plane from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi airstrip to Kihihi airstrip in Rukungiri which is a few kilometers away from Buhoma or Kayonza airstrip. You can also fly to from Entebbe to a now tarmacked Kisoro airstrip.