Is Bwindi impenetrable National Park safe for birding?
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an excellent and secure destination for birdwatchers. Our company, Katland Safaris, offers a variety of safaris in Uganda, including birding in Bwindi National Park and tours to see gorillas. With one of the largest concentrations of birds per square kilometer in Africa, Uganda is a birdwatcher’s dream.
The country is home to around 1,073 bird species, which accounts for half of Africa’s bird species and 11% of the world’s species. Despite either exploring a small region or spending a short amount of time birding, birding in Uganda pays with simple sight of numerous species. Armed rangers and guides will accompany you to the forest for birding activities, ensuring your safety.
Forest National Park Bwindi Impenetrable.
Located in southwestern Uganda, on the border with the Congo, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a top spot for birdwatching and trekking with mountain gorillas. The park is famous for housing over half of the world’s remaining wild mountain gorilla population. The park, which has one of Africa’s oldest woods, is a Natural World Heritage Site according to UNESCO. Rushaga, Buhoma, Ruhija, and Nkuringo are the four areas of Bwindi Forest National Park where birdwatching is possible.
At Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, researchers have found 348 different kinds of birds. Included in this group are 25 species with limited distributions; out of them, 23 are exclusive to the Albertine Rift, and 4 are in danger on a worldwide scale: Some species of birds that are considered vulnerable include the African green broadbill (Pseudocalyptomena graueri), the endangered bradypterus graueri, the threatened Muscicapa lendu, the vulnerable Chapin’s flycatcher, and the critically endangered shelley’s crimson-wing (Cryptospiza). Many others, including Shelley, who is vulnerable. Bwindi is a fantastic place to go birding since there are so many different kinds of birds to see.
The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Bird Observatory
Observing rare Albertine endemics and lifers in their natural habitats is possible in the Ruhija area at the Mubwindi wetland, where the majority of birding in Bwindi takes place, as is the case in the Buhoma area. The sole surviving members of three bird taxa are found on Bwindi: the African Green Broadbill, the Short-tailed Warbler (Hemitesia Neumann), and Grauer’s Warbler (Graueria vittata). The broadbill and the short-tailed warbler are believed to have a closer relationship to species in Asia rather than Africa.
In Bwindi, you may see a wide variety of birds, including: Waller’s starling, Crested Guinea fowl, Barred long-tailed cuckoo, Grey Crowned crane, White-headed saw-wing, Yellow-rumped tinkerbird, African olive-pigeon, Buff-spotted woodpecker, and Jameson’s antpecker.species: Petit’s cuckoo-shrike the cuckoo of Klaas, the greenbul of Ansorge, the flycatcher of Cassin, the Ruwenzori batis, Birds of Paradise in Africa, Snowy-crowned Robin-chat, White-throated Greenbul, The yellow-fronted canary, the mountain wagtail, the cape wagtail, The Robin-chat (Archer) Twin spots of dusky color,
Weaver with a brown hat, Black Weaver by Vieillot, Bush-shrike by Lühder, Shrike by Mackinnon, The tambourine dove, the blue-spotted wood dove, Lovely francolin, Guinea birds with helmets, A plethora of African birds include the great blue turaco, yellow-whiskered, dusky flycatcher, wood-owl, elliot’s woodpecker, double-toothed barbet, and sooty falcon. Many species of birds may be found in Africa, including the black bee-eater, grey-cheeked hornbill, angolan swallow, broadbill, hill-babbler, doherty’s bush-shrike, and citril.
All activities and national parks in Uganda are overseen by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, which collects USD30 per person per day for birding activities in Bwindi and USD40 per person per day for park admission. If you want to get the most out of your birding experience, bring along some binoculars, a raincoat, some birding books, and a camera. You will have an unforgettable birding adventure in Africa with the help of our expert birding guides, who will accompany you while you identify species and provide you with all the knowledge you need.
When is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park at its most bird-watching spectacular?
Although weather conditions might change at any moment, birdwatching in Bwindi forest is at its finest in the months of January, February, June, July, and early September, when there is less rainfall. Birdwatching at Bwindi is possible throughout the year.
When it rains, a lot of food grows, and birds are easier to view, so some people think that’s the best time to go birding. Lodges and camps in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park tend to fill up quickly during peak season, so planning ahead is essential if you want to go birding there. Inquire about our Bwindi birding trips.
Which way to get to Bwindi for birdwatching?
If you are planning a birding safari in western Uganda, you may begin your journey from Entebbe or Kampala. One option is to take a road journey to Bwindi, which typically takes about 9 to 10 hours. Along the route, you may stop at several wetlands to go birdwatching. Along the way to lunch in Mbarara, you’ll make a photo stop near the Equator.
Kisoro and Kihihi Airstrips, which are connected to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, are also accessible by air from Entebbe International Airport and Kajjansi Airstrip, respectively. Alternatively, you may fly into Kigali International Airport and drive to the southwest of Uganda via the Cyanika or Katuna Border. The journey, including immigration time, should take no more than four or five hours.
Tourists visiting Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda should seriously consider getting an East African Visa, which grants them admission to all three countries several times. A cost-effective alternative to purchasing individual entry visas, the East African Visa costs USD100 and may be obtained either online or at the airport upon arrival. Separate visas are also available; for example, a Rwandan visa would set you back $30 and a Ugandan visa will cost $50. The birdwatching in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is risk-free and easy to reach.
For birdwatching, where may one stay in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?
Guests on birding safaris may choose from a variety of lodging options in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You may book the hotel that best suits your budget and preferences with the aid of Katland Safaris. The hotels vary from very inexpensive to very luxurious.
We suggest lodging in the region where you will be birding in Bwindi National Park so that you can easily visit the park headquarters. The Rushaga Gorilla Camp, Four Gorilla Lodge, and Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge are all great places to stay in Rushaga. If you’re visiting Nkuringo, you may choose between Nkuringo Bwindi and Clouds Mountain, two excellent gorilla lodges.
You have your pick of four lodges in the Buhoma sector: Buhoma, Mahogany Springs, Bwindi, and Gorilla Forest Camp. Lodges in Kabale town, Lake Bunyonyi, Bakiga, or Trekkers Tavern are all good options for a night’s stay in the Ruhija area. Bwindi is home to a plethora of lodges, but during peak season, they may fill up quickly, so it’s best to plan ahead. When guests stay with us, we guarantee their safety according our regular service policy.
When planning a birding trip to Bwindi, why should you choose Katland Safaris?
With headquarters in Entebbe, Uganda, Katland Safaris is a locally based trip company. Ugandans own and operate Katland Safaris. For over 15 years, we have provided tourists with unforgettable, environmentally conscious vacations to every country in East Africa. We have been registered with the Uganda Tourism Board and are members of the Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO).
It is simple to schedule your birding safari and all services via our strong and long-standing working partnership with UWA (Uganda Wildlife Authority). Both SafariBookings and TripAdvisor have nothing but praise for Katland Safaris. If you are interested in organizing a birding safari to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, please get in touch with Katland Safaris.
