Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park offers much more than gorilla tracking. There is birding, waterfall hikes, mountain biking all in this ancient rainforest. Bwindi Forest is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for good reasons that are beyond Gorilla Tracking. The Nkuringo to Buhoma Walking Safari
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is not only home to over half of the remaining Mountain Gorillas it is home to an incredible Rainforest the length of which you can hike through, encounter birds, primates, plants and trees that you have never seen before and in some cases you will have the chance to meet and interact will the local people on their way to or from the local market.
The Nkuringo to Buhoma Walking Safari is an amazing walking safari experience that only a few are aware of and even few do take this walk but those that do, absolutely love it. This walking safari can start at either end of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – depending on where you are – whichever direction you take, this walk is still rewarding. Although we have called it the Nkuringo to Buhoma Walking Safari, it can still be called the Buhoma to Nkuringo Walking Safari – because most of our clients flying in through Kigali often take the walk from the Nkuringo region after staying two (02) nights at the Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge and finish on the Buhoma side staying two (02) nights at the Bwindi Lodge.
Prepare well for the Walk: You will need to have a backpack with 2 litres of water to drink, a packed lunch, good waterproof hiking shoes, Fast-dry trousers, a long-sleeved breathable shirt, a rain-jacket, a hat, a pair of sunglasses, binoculars and a camera with extra batteries.
When you go on this walk (especially if hiking from Buhoma to Nkuringo region), it is important to keep in mind that there will be elevation differences at the last section which will involve a steep climb – One of the reasons we prefer to approach it from Nkuringo to Buhoma other than Buhoma to Nkuringo.
What to expect on the Nkuringo to Buhoma Walking Safari: Bwindi Rainforest is home to over 350 species of birds and many of them endemic to the region. On your walk through the forest, you will have a chance to spot some of them, there are over 300 kinds of butterflies and you will surely see some of them up close.
There are 10 species of primates in the park including chimpanzees, L’Hoests Monkey, Red-Tailed and Blue Monkey, Black & White Colobus Monkeys and Baboons. You will encounter quite a few primates on your trek through the ancient Rainforest. If lucky, you may run into some gorillas – the ranger might not let you gaze at them for so long as it is against park rules – he must immediately change routing.
The park also has 120 mammal species including Forest Elephants, Duikers, Bush Pigs, the giant Forest Hog, cat species and much more. You might also see some colourful lizards along the way – The Nkuringo to Buhoma walking Safari through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a must-do experience while you are in Bwindi for the Gorillas.
Did you Know? You can also go on two gorilla treks – one in Nkuringo or Rushaga region, and the other in Buhoma Region. (See: 5 Days Gorillas twice In Uganda)
The Nkuringo to Buhoma Walking Safari trails – Choosing the Best!
The Kashasha River Trail begins at the Nkuringo National Parks office before proceeding down a steep slope through community land to reach the park buffer zone. The route passes the junction of two rivers inside the forest where after a further 20-minute ascent the trail meets the alternative route the Ivy River trail inside the forest 90 minutes from Buhoma. The trek to the Buhoma Park HQ on the Kashasha River Trail is 4 to 5 hours from Nkuringo to Buhoma or 6 to 7 hours from Buhoma to Nkuringo. The Kashasha River trail involves some steep inclines which can be very challenging to climb for persons hiking from Buhoma to Nkuringo (yet another reason we prefer to do the Walking Safari starting in Nkuringo ending in Buhoma).
The trail offers visitors a close-up experience of the natural wonders within a rain forest environment. Birds are prolific in Bwindi and your guide will assist point these out to you during your walk.
The Ivy River Trail also starts also from the Nkuringo Park office, where we follow a murram road downhill with views over the forest for some 7 km to the Ivy river on our right. The Ivy River Trail within the forest is often walked by visitors that stay at Buhoma as a nature walk from the park H.Q. From the Nkuringo office to the Ivy River it takes 2 and 1/2 hours walking. From the Ivy river to Buhoma walking through the forest takes 4 hours. Total journey time 6 1/2 hours.
- The Ivy river route ascends and descends gently (ideal for the older & less fit travellers) through beautiful areas of the rain forest with several viewpoints from the murram road from/to Nkuringo overlooking lush mist-covered valleys. The trail is also an important footpath for local people travelling to and from Nkuringo particularly on market days to Nteko village on the southern boundary of the park. Monkeys, duikers, bush pigs and some of Bwindi’s world-renowned bird species plus many butterflies can be observed.
