Is it safe to travel to Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?

Is it safe to travel to Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?  History safety and security of Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park. The safety and security of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park have been the subject of numerous debates, particularly in the wake of the 1999 genocide-related attack on a safari camp in the park by Rwandan rebels who killed a number of tourists.

An additional sad occurrence that deteriorated the security status of the park was the killing of one of the silverbacks belonging to the Nkuringo group, later the political instabilities between Rwanda and Uganda arose on the border that later increased fears on whether it was safe to visit Bwindi for gorilla trekking activities. Since Rwanda and Uganda are currently friendly, it is possible to cross their borders and conduct gorilla trekking in both nations, particularly in Bwindi.

After the terrorist attacks in 1999, the park has been completely closed to human settlements. The Ugandan government has since increased security in Bwindi, making it a very safe place to visit. Nearly half of the country’s remaining mountain gorillas are protected in Bwindi, and seeing gorillas in the wild is still regarded as a popular safari activity. It is incredibly well-organized and safe, as park rangers always accompany visitors to ensure there are no threats.

About Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Impenetrable Forest National Park encompasses about 32,000 hectares and is situated in the southwestern part of Uganda encompassing the districts of Kanungu and Kisoro district and lies on the edge of the Rift valley. The stunning park, which is primarily made up of lowland and montane forests, is one of Uganda’s most well-known and frequently visited national parks. It is located between 1160 and 2607 metres above sea level.

With nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, Bwindi is also proud to be one of the most well-liked primate destinations on the African continent. Prior to its 1994 listing as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the park was established as a national park in 1991.Being one of the oldest forests on the African continent, it receives an average of 1500 mm of rainfall and is rich in biodiversity.

Being the largest home to the critically endangered mountain gorillas, which are found in just three countries Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a well-known gorilla trekking safari destination on the African continent as well as the entire globe. Protecting and caring for the remaining and orphaned endangered mountain gorillas some of whom were saved from poaching and other illegal wildlife activities was the main goal of the park’s designation.

Attractions And Why One Should Visit Bwindi.
The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an excellent location for gorilla trekking safari tours because it is home to more than half of the thousand mountain gorillas that remain in their natural habitats. In addition to the critically endangered mountain gorillas, the park is home to roughly 11 other species of primates, including chimpanzees, golden monkeys, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, and black and white colobus monkeys. This makes it unique among places where chimpanzees and mountain gorillas coexist.

Additionally, the park has an amazing view thanks to the roughly 160 different tree species that offer a stunning, exceptional canopy. About 360 different bird species, some of which are not found anywhere else in the country, can be found in Bwindi, along with about 120 different mammal species, such as buffaloes, elephants, impalas, duikers, and bushbucks.

Tourism Activities in Bwindi.

Gorilla trekking.

Gorilla trekking has become a well-liked tourist safari activity in Uganda because of Bwindi, drawing lots of domestic and foreign tourists from all over the world. With over 400 gorillas living in its four primary gorilla tracking regions, the park provides visitors with the chance to spend an hour in the company of these ape-like humans, who in their natural habitats share approximately 98% of the human gene. The Buhoma gorilla sector, located in the park’s northern section, is one of the four gorilla tracking sectors in Bwindi, along with Ruhija, Rushaga, and Nkuringo.

After a briefing, gorilla trekking in Bwindi begins at 7:30 am. After that, visitors can descend into the park’s forests to look for mountain gorillas. Tracking different primate species can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 6 hours, depending on where they are located. Certain gorilla families have been known to travel quite a distance in search of food. Visitors get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to spend an hour learning about the behavior, feeding, and nursing habits of the tracked gorilla family as well as how they respond to human presence once they have located them.