Organizing a flying safari to Buhoma to see gorillas

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s Buhoma area is reached via air.

Depending on your travel schedule and budget, we can arrange a flying safari to Buhoma at any time of year so you may view the gorillas. Lodges in Buhoma are located 1-2 hours away from the two airstrips serving the area, Kihihi and Ishasha, both of which are located in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Entebbe International Airport and Kajjansi Airstrip both provide domestic flights every day, with morning and afternoon departures. Group excursions to visit gorillas are made effective by aerolink Uganda, one of the main companies, which has planes that can hold eleven people at once.

You may visit Buhoma to view the gorillas on regular or chartered flights operated by any airline. If you’re arriving at any of the park’s airstrips, our professional, experienced, and qualified English-speaking driver guides will be ready to take you to your destination. For your comfort and an unforgettable experience, we only use 4×4 safari vehicles.

Activities available in the Buhoma area of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Flying into Buhoma sector will put you in the middle of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the birthplace of Ugandan tourism, where you may partake in a wide variety of activities, some of which are detailed below:

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park gorilla tracking in the Buhoma Sector
You shouldn’t leave your fly-in vacation to Buhoma without going on a gorilla tracking or viewing excursion, since this region was the birthplace of gorilla tourism in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. In the Buhoma area, you may find five different gorilla families: the Rushegura, Muyambi, Mubare, Habinyanja, and Katwe. The gorilla tracking day begins at 8:00 in the morning with a safety briefing by the park wardens and guides, followed by a trip into the forest to witness the stunning mountain gorillas.

When visiting the Buhoma region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to do gorilla tracking, you must have a gorilla permit. Each gorilla family in the Buhoma area of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has a daily visiting limit of eight, and forty permits are available for treks with the gorillas. After you get in touch and reserve a gorilla viewing package with Katland Safaris, we will email you an invoice and provisionally reserve the permit in our system.

We will get your permission from the Uganda Wildlife Authority in Kampala after you pay, and then we will email you a scanned copy of the permit for your keeping. Your driver-guide will be responsible for collecting your permission cards from the Uganda Wildlife Authority one week before your trip dates. On the day of your trek, you will be required to produce these at the park headquarters in order to be permitted to trek. When planning a flying safari to Buhoma to view gorillas, Katland safaris always makes sure to give all the services to match your expectations.

You must be at least fifteen (15) years old to apply for a gorilla permit. To guarantee your spot for gorilla tracking in the Buhoma region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you need obtain gorilla permits at least two years in advance. Permits to see gorillas sell out rapidly during the peak tourist months of July, August, September, December, January, and February. In order to ensure that you are able to hike the gorillas on the day of your choice, we at Katland Safaris strongly recommend that all travelers purchase and reserve the permits in advance.

Nature Walk and Birdwatching

In particular, the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the Buhoma area are great places to go bird watching. At Bwindi, researchers have found 348 different kinds of birds. Out of the 25 species that fall into this category, 4 are considered to be in danger on a worldwide scale, and 23 of them are exclusive to the Albertine Rift: Species such as the African Green Broadbill (Pseudocalyptomena graueri), the Endangered Chapin’s Flycatcher (Muscicapa lendu), the Vulnerable Shelley’s Crimson-wing (Cryptospiza), and the Grauer’s Rush Warbler (Bradypterus graueri). Shelley is quite susceptible to danger.

Buhoma is a great spot for birdwatchers and mountain gorillas, therefore it’s a great choice for a flying safari. River Munyaga is the hotspot for birdwatchers in Bwindi, home to three genus-specific bird species: the African Green Broadbill, the Grauer’s Warbler (Graueria vittata), and the Short-tailed Warbler (Hemitesia Neumann). Species in Asia, rather than Africa, are believed to be closer in affinity with the broadbill and the short-tailed warbler.

You may also go hiking or follow one of the guided nature walks in the forest, where you can learn to recognize different kinds of plants, birds, and primates. Connecting the Buhoma Sector to the Nkuringo Sector in the south of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a long and short walking track. As you make your way through the forest, you’ll hear the soothing sounds of nature as you ford rivers, bogs, and waterfalls.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: A Community Encounter in the Buhoma Sector
While at Buhoma, you should make time to see the local community. As a way to teach their children and tell the world about their incredible history and customs, the displaced Batwa pygmies set up the Batwa cultural experience, which you may participate in. Located next to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Park, the Experience is set in an old-growth forest outside of the park.

Starting with a nature walk or stroll in the forest, guests of the Batwa experience will get a fresh perspective on the forest by learning about it from the indigenous Batwa people. Find out what they collected, how they used nets and traps, and how they hunted the little animals they consumed. Participate in their everyday activities, witness their traditional dances, visit the schools, and give scholastic resources. You can also visit the local women’s clubs and buy souvenirs while supporting their livelihoods.

Where to stay in Buhoma for your gorilla trekking adventure

When planning a flying safari to Buhoma in search of gorillas, it’s recommended to stay for at least two nights. The Buhoma sector offers a range of accommodations to suit your needs. From ultra-luxurious resorts to more affordable options, the lodges cover it all. Gorilla Forest Camp, Buhoma Lodge, Bwindi Lodge, Mahogany Springs Lodge, and Bwindi Trekkers Lodge are among the most opulent lodges in the area. Among the lodges in the middle range are Buhoma Havens and Silverback.

A number of lodges, such as Buhoma Community Camp, Ride for a Woman, and crested crane Buhoma Lodge, are available for those on a tighter budget. Get in touch with us and let us know which lodge you would like to stay at; we will then create a personalized itinerary or provide budget-friendly recommendations.

If you want to view gorillas in Buhoma but don’t want to spend the 10 hours it would take to drive there, arranging a flying safari is a great alternative. You may alternatively fly to Buhoma and then drive back to Entebbe or Kampala. On the route, you can stop at the Equator for photos, visit the Igongo cultural center and museum, and take in the stunning landscapes and plantations.

To arrange for your travel, hotel, gorilla permit, activities, and any other service, just send us an email. Our cheap fly-in safaris to Buhoma to view the gorillas are available in a variety of lengths and types, including 3-day trips, 5-day safaris with gorillas and birding, 4-day trips with gorillas and community encounters, and many more. To book a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Buhoma, visit our website.