Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Everything you could hope for and more

Bwindi is one of the most beautiful places I have been to, but it isn't called impenetrable for nothing. It is cold at night but quite stunning scenery.
The actual forest is huge and when you realise that you are going in soon, it is very scary but exciting not knowing how easy or difficult the day may be.
This was probably the hardest thing I have done except giving birth!
I trekked on two consecutive days and it was very hard going due to the steep terrain and it was difficult to keep your footing. Underfoot are trees brambles and vines which curl around your feet and trip you up, well they did me!
Despite it being dry on both days, I fell over loads of times but it must be even worse when it is wet.
I went gorilla trekking on two consecutive days. The first day there were 7 of us and we made our way very slowly into the forest going through banana plantations and small fields, saying Hello to the children who all smile and say 'How are you?'
You have to keep a steady pace but we always went at the pace of the slowest person and rested frequently. You choose at the briefing whether to have a porter and I would definately recommend it as not only does it provide an income to the locals but also the porters literally haul you up the slopes even though they are very slight of frame they have amazing stamina. You end up falling and slipping down the hills and we eventually found all the gorillas up a tree, so you end up balancing precariously on a steep slope, the light is quite difficult to take good photographs of the gorillas. It is very difficult underfoot be prepared to fall over frequently and slip and slide. Two ladies had great problems with their breathing and walking far but were pushed and pulled up and down slopes by the porters. The porters certainly earn their money the going rate is $15 a day but they literally haul you to the gorillas. Beware giving the porters your e mail address unless you want many e mails about sponsoring their children through school etc.So we saw the ~H group and although dissapointed not to see them on the ground near us we were all happy to have seen them.
On day 2 what a difference, despite almost dreading the day because I knew how difficult it was going to be in the terrain we drove over two hours from Bwindi and started out to find the Bitukura group, they had recently split into two groups one with a silverback and most of the ladies and infants the other with 4 silverbacks a blackback and a junevile this was who we eventually found. The terrain was incredibly steep yet again the porters again earnt every dollar going up and down and up again in search of the group, eventually after three hours we found where they had slept the previous evening! Then we discovered they had gone back where we had already climbed from , I wanted to give up as I was quite happy having seen the gorillas the day before but we carried on and eventually found the boys!
The silverbacks surrounded us and two of them charged us several times pushing over two men, it was amazing, terrifying and absolutely superb. There was no doubt that they own the forest and they the gorillas tolerate us, we had earlier given them a show when we had been kneeling down to photograph a silverback and had been attacked by the biggest ugliest ants that hung onto your skin and bite result tourists dancing, how absurd that a group of tourists were 'dancing' for the gorillas. You then spend an hour watching them eat and lie around and walk past us very closely. The hour passes very quickly and soon you have to leave these wonderful enormous creatures and looking over your shoulder all the time as it felt like you were being followed. The journey back doesn't seem so bad as you are all on a high having seen the gorillas.
I was coming up to 50 (just this was my present to myself and worth every penny) I am not particularly fit so if I can do this then anyone can, indeed there were many over 60 plus quite large people who managed it BUT be prepared for a very very long slog to see these magnificent animals, Having said that there are very many very close sightings of the different groups and perhaps you will be very lucky and they may wander into your lodge area as they are known to do in Bwindi!
You don't need gloves as suggested but good footwear and gaiters are great to stop the ants getting you.
A pole is available from most of the lodges or your tourist group or you can hire or buy one from the trackers. Bwindi is quite simply amazing and well worth the trip to get there as the roads aren't great The memory of Bwindi will live with me for the rest of my life, don't hesitate sieze the day and go!

Gorilla Tracking Day at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

The day started very early at our campsite on the border of Bwindi Forest. Around 4am we were guided towards one of these Toyota people carriers, Hiace. Not very comfortable, but heey, it was only going to last for 1 hour or so. The reason we needed transportation is that the Gorillaclan we were tracking (something you don't decide yourself, you get assigned to a group of Gorilla's) were on the North-Western side of the Forest (close to the Entrance Gate) and we were lodged on the South-Western side. The name of the clan we were about to meet was Nkuringo.

Now, the forest is only about 10K wide and the quickest way around was clearly through DRC, this being far too dangerous and the forest being "impenetrable" (a 6 hour hike), we had no other option then to go all the way round in what later became known as the "torture Toyota". All the way around a park which is an estimated 20K wide, couldn't take much longer than 1, maybe 2 hours. So after 3 hours of incredibly windy and headbashing dirt gravel roads on a seat that made your bum sleep, we started asking where we were going. The answers were served in true african style: "we a almos the", "just a littel bit furder"... Anyway, it took more than another hour to get there! So after this we were convinced that we had to rewarded with something incredible, something that would far exceed all expectations.

At the entrance we were briefed and asked to put our trousers in our socks to avoid termites and to use mosquito repellant. The whole entrance area has guarded by military men. We set off with a few trackers / guides and carriers into the impenetrable rain forest. It was absolutely astonishing to enter a microcosm full of birds, flowers and trees. We saw other monkeys high up in the trees and listened to several very special birds. The news came that Nkoringo, our Gorilla hosts for the day, had been seen not very far from where we were (I assume the eye that saw this, circles somewhere around the earth). Soon enough the guides halted the group and we were let very close to them to take some pictures. Family Nkoringo did not pay much attention to us as they were feeding. Circling around the big family feedfest, we found an older Silverback on the border of a small creek resting after his lunch, together with a baby gorilla that clearly was in playmode, amazing spectacle. Anyhow, as tourists can't stay longer than 1 hour we had to make a move, and seemingly the gorillas were doing the same. Most of them had left the feeding site and were waiting on the path we came from, when a few older boys and a Silverback that had stayed behind join up with the group! Whis particular scene can be seen in the video. The guides said we were very lucky to catch this.

Fully Recommended, including the car-ride!

Nick

Genuinely unique experience with the gorillas

After hours of labouring up and down muddy, slippery hilltops and cutting our way though the thickest vegetation we've ever seen, we suddenly hear our guide tell us to stop. We rested for a few minutes but it wasn't our needs for a break that he had in mind. Our guide began making a grunting noise, which we quickly learned to be for the purpose of notifying the silverback of our presence.

While we could see nothing but a wall of green and could hear little more than our heavy breathing and our hearts thumping, it was quickly learned that we were now just 4-5 meters away from a family of gorillas. These creatures somehow found this mangle of shrubs, brush and wood suitable for living. I guess this is why they call this place the impenetrable forest. Yet they seemed so at home and so at ease here.

After a couple minutes of waiting, like something out of a movie, a dark and massive creature opened the wall of shrubs and walked towards us a few steps. Now, I’m a decent-sized man (1.88cm, 100kg) but this old boy dwarfed me in size as he walked directly past me, passing no more than 1 meter away, followed by two smaller females. I remained crouched on the ground, trying to keep my camera steady, thinking to myself, ““How could this be? How could we so suddenly be this close to such imposing, dangerous creatures, yet feel at ease?” Had this been some big cat, I think we would have all panicked but instead of feeling of great calm befell upon our group of six, as there seemed nothing threatening about the gorillas at all even as we were in the wild, their home, playing by their rules.

We spent an hour here with a family of eight gorillas, etching memories in our minds that we will not soon be forgotten. The silverback encounter was the highlight for me personally while others in the group enjoyed watching the young, baby gorilla climb trees and play with his auntie. The hour we spent with the gorillas seemed to pass quickly and it was soon time for us to depart.

Then it was a return trip, up and down muddy slopes and through extremely thick brush and shrubs until we had reached our rendezvous point, where a van awaited to return us to our accommodation. We returned with another small group of six that had set off to find a separate family of gorillas nearby. We compared photos and short stories about our day with the gorillas and marvelled at how unique, special and amazing our experience had been. Sadly, we noted and recognized the poor prospects for the gorillas in the long term and felt thankful that we had been able to visit and spent time with them while there was still opportunity to do so. We only hoped and continue to do so to this day, that others, interested in wildlife, conservation and the welfare of the gorillas manage to visit Bwindi Impenetrable NP and spend a day with the gorillas while it the opportunity remains.

Uganda, a beautiful country with lots of magnificent wildlife and nice people.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an area where mountain-gorillas live, so main goal was to see a family of gorillas. After a pretty long walk through the beautiful green rainforest it's really breathtaking to encounter gorillas in the wild. An experience I'll never forget. There are guides who lead you through the forrest, so you need to have a rather good condition and good tracking-shoes.

A wildlife memorable hour

A friend and I went to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in May 2016 to see the Mountain Gorillas via Kampala where we work. Our trip was planned with great detail and our local guide Martin Ngabirano met with us a few days before our trip to see if we had any additional questions about the trekking. Martin, is very personable, extremely knowledgable about the culture, environment and an excellent birder. Our three day trip started early in the morning from Kampala with a mid day stop at the Equator for a bite to eat and a few pictures. The drive is approximately 10 hours through hilly and mountainous geographical areas of Western Uganda. That evening we stayed at the Rushaga Gorilla Camp which I would highly recommend for trekkers. The staff was helpful and the scenery from the lodge is beautiful.

On the second morning we left for the Rushaga Gate for gorilla orientation and to meet the ranger, trekkers, guide and porters. Do hire a porter to carry your backpack, camera bag, and help you through some physically demanding areas and you are helping the local people. The time it takes to trek the gorillas can vary from a half an hour to 6+ hours. Our guide told us that we would be following the Bweza Gorilla Group. We hiked for approximately an hour and a half before we saw our first subadult. We were instructed to keep our distance to 7 meters but on occasions it can be closer due to the where the animals are feeding next to the trail. Visitors to the forest are allowed 1 hour to observe the gorillas and may take photos, and videos at this time. No flash is allowed. We saw 8 of the family members, feeding, and climbing trees. To spend this hour with these astonishing beautiful animals and the very skilled rangers, and guides was a life time experience. After the gorilla trekking we left the Rushaga gate and drove two hours to visit the Ruhija community Orphanage just outside the Ruhija gate in Bwindi. This orphanage is run by remarkable lady, Happy and the children are taught by a dedicated staff. Ruhija Little Angels Orphanage and Primary School is found on Facebook. We spent the night in the Ruhija community at the Trekkers Tervan which is comfortable.

The third morning after breakfast we headed back to Kampala and and on our way we saw Blue Monkeys, numerous birds and gorgeous scenery.

The gorilla permit is now $600 except during the rainy season months which are April, May and November when the permit is $450.00 When you go gorilla tracking, you are not just supporting the protection of the gorillas as well as the surrounding communities, but also helping to preserve the entire Uganda National Park System.

My husband and I felt that the behavior around the wild mountain gorillas was somewhat disrespectful of these animals. The guides hacked the vegetation away from the gorillas with machetes, leaving them suddenly exposed while they had been napping and resting. The gorillas covered their faces with their hands and buried their heads in their arms, as though flinching, and It felt like we had intruded on their peace. When discussing this with a guide, he said that the gorillas were there for our entertainment, an attitude we didn't agree with.

Silverbacks, the Golden Experience

The 'must see' life experience is the 1 single hour you can spent in the wild with our so close related gorilla's.
As the venture is starting with a good hike to the last known where-abouts of the family, it takes you trough beautifull scenery.
However, as seen every where, Uganda hasn;t been forgotten by us humans in the major destruction of nature.
The clear cutting line of trees and farmland, shows so clearly the pressure of humans on the wildlife. Other scenery is infected with Eucalyptus trees, growing, but with no purpose at all, as it originate from Australia with a specific adapted wildlife.
Back in the nature, and in Bwindi, you will have a perfect picture about how almost whole africa must have looked like over a century ago. Marvelous! and so impressive. With some ''luck'' you will have to find the gorilla's here, deep in the jungle. with some less restraining hike, they are just across the farmland and showing their gentle nature close by. Gentle nature..... perhaps with my video you might think differently, but it is all show off! The guides visit the gorilla's every day, for over many years, before they may host the guest from all over the world.
The relative high price to pay for the 1 hour visit is worth every dime! and some is used to protect the species and land for future generations.
See, learn and respect the Best!

Hope you will have a wonderfull trip.
Fillip ter Haar
the Netherlands.

Exciting but not very challenging

There was a lot of build up to my visit which made me expect if would be very difficult for me to do. Because of this I was very excited and looking forward to a challenging maybe dangerous experience. In truth my experience involved walking along the road into the bush about 50 metres and there were these tame looking gorillas. We were back at the resort within the hour. Others in our travel group trekked for 3-5hours and had a very exciting experience. I felt duped and very ripped off by the Ugandans who managed the gorilla trekking.
We had paid the obligatory $500 to help with the preservation of the gorillas habitat plus paid for local guides who would help carry our lunch pack and required water bottles, 1litre each, or our cameras over difficult terrain, and we had waited for people to go and get heavy duty footwear on, listened to all the instructions about how to manage the trek and so the anticipation was great. The guides carried guns which all suited the drama I expected. All for a 10min walk 30min photo session and 10mins back. Very disappointed....but we did see the gorillas and got great photos.

This is the scenery for Tarzan & Jane story. Our guide would make way with his machete where there was nothing but dense forest in steep mountainside. One could employ porters to help with the trek, which provides income to members of the community that has been relocated away from the gorillas.
A lot of care is shown towards the gorillas, the trackers have established a trusting relationship with the families they track so the animals feel safe in human presence. And still, this is a visit on their terms. You quietly observe them without interacting with them like you would in eg a circus, thus they remain wild and comfortable in their own environment. Priceless!

Great mountain environment. Had to walkthrough village and farms before reaching the park. Only saw the gorilla there and was a bit underwhelming.