Popular stopovers on your way to see gorillas in Bwindi and Mgahinga

You might make stops along the journey to undertake gorilla trekking in Uganda, specifically in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. Without stops, the road trip from Kampala or Entebbe Airport might be between 530 and 540 km long and take 8 to 9 hours.

Before going gorilla trekking in Bwindi or Mgahinga National Park, you can take a day or longer vacation from this expedition, or perhaps go on an excursion to some of the more intriguing places. The drive through the stunning Kigezi mountains is quite picturesque.

As long as you have the proper itinerary that will accommodate your potential safari time, you may be able to make stops along the way that are directly from Entebbe or Kampala. By doing this, you avoid going back, which could waste time.

Highlights of well-liked stops en route to Bwindi and Mgahinga National Park are listed below.
National Park at Murchison Falls
Travel Entebbe, Uganda Wildlife Education Center
See the chimpanzee refuge on Ngamba Island.
Kibale National Park
Visit Kayabwe’s or Mpambire Drum Village’s The Equator.
Go white water rafting at Lake Mburo National Park and see the Nile River’s source in Jinja.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
National Park at Murchison Falls
Before going to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to go gorilla trekking, you might want to stop by Murchison Falls National Park. You can schedule a break from your safari days in Murchison Falls National Park, even if it’s not on the same route.

The Victoria Nile divides Murchison Falls National Park into its northern and southern halves. Many creatures that enjoy slake their thirst may be seen from the banks of this river throughout the launch journey. Giraffes, elephant herds, cape buffaloes, oribi, waterbucks, bushbucks, reedbucks, and others are a few of these creatures.

You can see lions, leopards, cape buffalos, Uganda kobs, bushbucks, hartebeests, and other creatures when you choose to go on a game drive in Murchison Falls National Park.

Before going on to Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you can connect with additional stopovers by traveling via Masindi.

Visit the Entebbe Wildlife Education Center in Uganda.

You can visit the Uganda Wildlife Education Center, formerly the Entebbe Zoo, before leaving Entebbe town. For practically all of Uganda’s wild creatures, this is the summary hub. Exhibits featuring habitats that are similar to those in the wild are used to house wild animals.

You can see hyenas, lions, cheetahs, wild cats, zebras, impalas, ostriches, and other creatures on a guided or self-directed walk. The Uganda Wildlife Education Center is a place to see even before you check in for your departing flights.

See the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Island at Ngamba.
Chimpanzees that have been rescued and are unable to return to their respective communities are housed here. Among many other things, these chimpanzees are rescued from poaching, abandoned, orphaned, and more.

At this chimpanzee refuge on Koome Island in Lake Victoria, they are provided with a community to live in. Approximately fifty chimpanzees currently call Ngamba home.

This institution was established in part to educate the public about the importance of chimpanzee and habitat conservation. to educate the public on the value of preserving primates in their native environments.

Before or after your visit to Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you can spend an early morning or afternoon session with these chimpanzees.

Kibale National Park
Before traveling to Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you might choose the Northern route. The greatest concentration of habituated chimpanzees in East Africa can be found in Kibale National Park.

There are roughly 1500 chimpanzees in this tropical rainforest, and each troop may only have six visitors every session. To see these chimpanzees, you need to buy a chimpanzee trekking permit.

Other primates like as olive baboons, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, L’hoest’s, pottos, grey-cheeked mangabey, and others can be found in Kibale National Park.

You can learn about the differences between these two incredible animals when you intend to go gorilla and chimpanzee trekking.

Visit Kayabwe’s Equator or Mpambire Drum Village.
You may make a stop at the Equator in Kayabwe if you intend to drive from Entebbe Airport or Kampala City. The equator that split the globe in two is thought to have passed through this circular concrete mark. Here, you can simultaneously stand on opposite sides of the globe, snap pictures, conduct the water experiment, and, if you’d like, purchase some mementos.

One of the oldest places in Buganda to make drums is the Mpambire drum village. The royal Buganda drums are created from this place. Numerous native drums, ranging in size from tiny to enormous, each making a unique sound, are part of the center’s history, which speaks for itself. The ability of these native people to produce sounds with their hides and skins is incredible.

Visit the National Park’s Lake Mburo.
The focal point of all the national parks in western Uganda is Lake Mburo National Park. Impalas, waterbucks, bushbucks, giraffes, cape buffaloes, reedbucks, herds of elephants, Uganda kobs, and other angulates abound in the park.

You can take a boat excursion on Lake Mburo, where you can take in the beautiful birds that spend the entire day in the forest and the excellent foliage cover.

Depending on the situation, you could have the opportunity to watch some fishermen cast their nets. With over 315 listed bird species, including African Scops owls, papyrus gonoleks, Black-collared barbets, White-tailed nightjars, African finfoots, and others, this park is a birder’s paradise.

In Jinja, white water rafting and the Nile River’s source.
Before or after gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you can go white water rafting on the Nile. The River Nile’s rafting spot is the Itanda Falls. Great River Nile tides can be enjoyed here.

The experience of white water rafting on the Nile River is not necessary. You can choose where to stop, even if there are various locations with varying tide strengths.

It’s incredible to visit the River Nile’s source and observe how the water from Lake Victoria violently separates from the river. Primates inhabit the vegetation along the banks of the Nile River, and various birds frequently decorate its banks.

Queen Elizabeth National Park
If you come from the Ishasha sector, Queen Elizabeth National Park is roughly 64 kilometers from the Buhoma region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The Mweya Peninsula, the primary administrative region of Queen Elizabeth National Park, is roughly 160 kilometers away from the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

You might see lion drama while a game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park, particularly in the Kasenyi area, where Uganda Kobs enjoy grazing. You can take in the stunning wet and dry craters along the lovely Crater Lakes Track.

You can experience the most breathtaking area of Queen Elizabeth National Park on the rift valley bottom by taking the launch ride on the Kazinga channel. See the many creatures that adorn the shoreline, such as hippos and serried Nile crocodiles. There’s a chance you’ll see animals that come down to drink.

You may view some of the human relatives in their native habitats by going on a chimpanzee trekking adventure in Kyambura Gorge. You should be aware that this is a ravine, and in order to see the park’s chimpanzees in this wooded area, you might have to trek to the slopes. Vervet monkeys, olive baboons, black and white colobus, and other primates can be found in this gorge.

From this park, you can reach Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Mwiru Mabere Ganyina The stalagmites and the stalagactites
Because of the incredible legend surrounding them, these stalactites and stalagmites are among the most spectacular. These breathtaking geographical formations are accessible from Queen Elizabeth National Park or Kibale National Park.

Activities in the Impenetrable National Park of Bwindi: Gorilla Trekking

Gorilla trekking is the primary activity in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. A gorilla permit must be purchased from the Uganda Wildlife Authority. A gorilla trekking permit currently costs $800 per person per expedition.

There are currently roughly 18 gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park that are accessible to tourists. They are separated into several zones, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is currently separated into four areas for gorilla trekking. The regions of Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo, and Rushaga are among them.

Nature hikes

There is much to see in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, particularly for wildlife lovers. There are other routes in the forest, such as the Munyara River walk in the Buhoma valley, where you can likely see a variety of birds and several primates. The Muzabajiro Loop trek is another nature walk that leads to Rukubira Hill, where you may take in breathtaking views of the Virunga volcanoes, the western rift valley, and the Bwindi canopy.

Walks in the community

You may visit a homestead, participate in banana brewing, see traditional healers, and more on the Buhoma community walk, which is a great way to experience local culture. The Nkuringo community walk is located in the southern region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You might see a blacksmith, a traditional healer, brewers of banana beer, and more while on this walk.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park birdwatching

The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s top birding location is the Ruhijah region. Enjoy the vast valleys with their untouched forest cover when you travel the Ridge Top route. You might be able to see birds like the African Hill Babbler, Collared Apalises, Western Green Tinkerbirds, and Red-faced Woodland Warbler when you visit the Mubwindi Swamp.

How secure is the Impenetrable National Park in Bwindi?

All activities in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are extremely safe, but you must abide by the guidelines provided by the ranger guides. To maintain law and order, the ranger guides collaborate with other Ugandan security forces.

To increase your safety, you should also focus on personal security.

Impenetrable List of Items to Bring on a Safari in Bwindi The National Park
In the event that you slip and fall, garden gloves will shield your palms from any harsh surfaces you may touch.
Wear a safari shirt and pants to shield your body from stinging nettle and other potentially uncomfortable objects that could puncture you while you’re in the woods.
Wear a safari foldable hat to shield your head from forest water and dew that falls from tree trunks and branches.
It gets very cold at night and in the late afternoon, so wear heavy clothing to stay warm. In this woodland, temperatures can occasionally fall as low as 7 degrees Celsius.
The majority of the lodges here use solar energy for water heating and lighting, so you’ll need a torch for when the lights go out. However, the brightness of the sun during the day determines this.
Use insect repellent to ward off stinging insects found in the woods. Use the one that works best for your skin type to prevent eczema.
An emergency first aid kit in case you are injured in the wild. At the very least, you should bring the necessities.
Extra fully charged batteries to swap out in case some of the batteries in the jungle run out of juice.
Safari boots that are capable of shielding your feet from the muddy terrain and uneven jungle surfaces.
If you need to carry your goods yourself, you can store them in a duffel bag. To ensure that you always know where your belongings are, pack minimally but appropriately.
In the event that you need to make some in-person transactions, some hard cash to convert into local currency
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