CNN Names Bwindi Forest Among Top 23 Places With Best Hiking Experience
Uganda tourism is celebrating the ranking of Bwindi forest as the 15th among the 23 of the world’s best hiking trails by CNN travel. This comes a few months after the National Geographic ranked Uganda as one of the top travel destinations every traveler should visit before he or she dies. The recognition of Uganda worldwide is good news and achievement for Uganda Tourism Board and Uganda as far as tourism is concerned. Much as Bwindi forest is known to many as a place to visit and track mountain gorillas, a day trek to see gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable forest is an experience of its own kind. It’s unfortunate that most travelers to Bwindi have on several occasions missed this experience before. However, we introduce forest hiking as one of the must-do activities on your Uganda tour to Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park.
Walking trails in Bwindi
The Bwindi forest offers various forest trails both short and long depending on the traveler’s choice. Its no wonder the forest was ranked the 15th best forest-hiking destination in the world. The forest walking is undeniably the best way to explore and discover all the hidden treasures of this impenetrable forest. The trail involves hiking up, sloping down, walking on knees and arms, jumping over streams of water and off course meeting some wild animals and birds. The cool, quiet natural environment of the forest itself makes hiking the best experience to do. The Buhoma Nkuringo trail is the longest stretch in Bwindi forest lasting from over 7 hours. The trail connects the Buhoma sector of Bwindi and Nkuringo sector in the southern sector of Bwindi forest national park. The other destinations that were ranked by CNN are:
• Pennine way in the United Kingdom which is a 268 miles stretch from Derbyshire peak district to the Scottish borders taking travelers three weeks through the wild moorland and the picture-postcard Yorkshire Dales to the ancient border of Hadrian’s wall and on the toward Scotland.
• Camino de Santiago de Compostela Spain, which comprises of a series of different pilgrimage routes
• The Appalachian Trail in the United States whose stretch extend for 2,200 miles and is the longest hiking trail in the world running from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Ktaghin through the most remote areas of the United States.
• The Basho Wayfarer in Japan is ranked the fourth and is a 6-days trail from Sendai through the northern Tojoku region and the UNESCO world heritage site of Hirazumi along the ancient Dewa Kaid Path.
• The Regugio Frey and Cerro Cathedral in Argentina known as a home to several stunning walks from the Andes through woods above the tree lines into the world of spectacular soaring peaks.
• Mount Toubkal in Morocco to the peak of the highest peak in North Africa (4,167 feet) is not for the weak. The hike starts from Imlil village over a dry riverbed before rising sharply through the shrine at Sidi Chamharouch rewards the mountain hurt.
• Great wall of China in the Jinshanling section could obviously not miss on this list. For those who have been there before, it is a stressing experience walking around the great wall of China amidst crowds of hawkers and many travelers.
• Dragon’s back in Hong Kong. The trail begins from Hong Kong downtown through a shady tree tunnel and the scales to the Shek O peak ending to the Big Wave Bay.
• The Dingle way in Ireland is a 111 miles circle stretch through the wild county of Kerry southwest of Ireland. The trail starts from Tralee town following the narrow road all the way to Dingle town around the edge of Mount Brandon.
• Tergo La Trek in Bhutan which starts from Bhutanese following the forest path rising from 3,500 meters to 4,135 meters with great views of Kanchenjunga the world’s highest peak.
• Tahoe Rim Trail in the United States which was established in 1981 stretching for 165 miles around the Tahoe Rim Basin
• Armenia and the silk road in Europe
• Lechweg Trail in Australia and Germany,
• Indus Valley in Himalaya India,
• West Coast Trail in Vancouver Island,
• Percporsi Occitani Maira valley in Italy,
• Lares and Royal Inca rail in Peru,
• Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve in Costa Rica
• The Lycian way in Turkey,
• The Balkans Montenegro and Albania,
• Clous Forest Trek in Laos
• Cape to Cape Track in Western Australia.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi forest
The impenetrable forest of Bwindi is a center of Uganda’s mountain gorilla tour The forest is home to over 500 gorillas, which make half of the world’s remaining gorillas. Gorilla tours in Bwindi are done in the four sectors of the park i.e Buhoma in the north, Ruhija in the east, Rushaga and Nkuringo in the south of Bwindi forest national park. The forest has 17 gorilla families available for visitors every day and each family has visited a group of eight people for an hour. The habituated gorilla families in Bwindi are Mubare, Rushegura, Habinyanja, Bwizi, Nshongi, Busingye, Kyaguliro, Oruzogo, Bitukura, Mishaya, Kahungye, and Nkuringo gorilla family. Also, the forest is a center for mountain gorilla habituation experience which allows travelers to take part in training wild gorillas to make them get used to human presence. Bushaho and Bikyingi gorilla families are undergoing the habituation experience and will be opened for tourism soon.
Bwindi Gorilla permits and prices
Every traveler to see mountain gorillas in Bwindi must have a valid gorilla permit. Fortunately, Uganda gorilla permits cost $600 each, which is too way cheaper, compared to Rwanda gorilla permits. Also, the cost of a Uganda gorilla permit depends on one’s nationality, foreign nonresidents pay $600, foreign residents pay $500 and east African residents pay 250,000 Uganda shillings which encourage more domestic tourism. Uganda Wildlife Authority, a government body responsible for tourism and wildlife conservation in Uganda, issues all permits. Travelers are advised to book for permits roughly 4 months prior the trekking dates to secure permits and avoid last-minute disappointments.
Hiking through the impenetrable forest of Bwindi is one experience that every traveler should not miss on his or her trio to southwestern Uganda. Book a Uganda tour to Bwindi, take part in hiking, visit the gorillas and enjoy this lifetime experience.
