Community Tourism in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: Aside from mountain gorilla climbing, this National Park is also a cultural melting pot worth visiting while on a Uganda Safari. This wonderful National Park is located in South-western Uganda and encompasses 331 square kilometers.
It was designated as a National Park in 1991. (the same year as Mgahinga National Park, also another place for gorilla tracking). Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to several animals, bird species, butterflies, and a range of interesting tree species. After seeing the Park’s natural and scenic beauty, it is also worthwhile to experience the cultural beauty that surrounds it, which will exceed your gorilla trekking expectations and pleasure.
It boasts the most diverse cultural experiences of any park in Uganda, and the following are some of the intriguing cultural encounters to look forward to when visiting Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
There are other community tourism programs that continue to help local communities as a result of gorilla tourism. Craft producing businesses, village tours, traditional dances, cultural walks, agricultural tours, bird watching in the villages, and community-based resorts, for example, provide lodging.
Because Bwindi impenetrable attracts a large number of tourists for gorilla trekking, community tourism allows visitors to become a part of the community by participating in activities like as sampling the food, seeing traditional dance performances, and staying in lodges maintained and controlled by residents.
Community tourism in Bwindi Impenetrable national park is extremely useful because it provides alternative opportunities for local communities to make cash that directly benefits them. We invite visitors to Bwindi to visit villages following their gorilla walk. Here is a list of things you can do to help local communities. Community activities may not need to be reserved in advance. You may book them through a tour operator or directly with locals when in Buhoma, Nkuringo, Ruhija, or Rushaga.
The Batwa pygmies are the world’s oldest society and have historically been forest warriors. There is a Batwa farmhouse in Buhoma, the headquarters of Bwindi, where you may stay with the Batwa and learn about their culture. The Batwa will cook traditional cuisine for you, dine with you, and then dance for you. After a gorilla walk, a Batwa trip in Buhoma may be done in the afternoon or evening. The trip might go from 2 hours to a whole day, but it is worthwhile to learn about Batwa lifestyles such as bow and arrow shooting, dances, singing, and pottery manufacturing.
Village walks are an excellent method to learn about community enterprises such as handicrafts, weaving, and tailoring facilities. They may be found throughout all of Bwindi’s sectors, including Buhoma, Nkuringo, Ruhija, and Rushaga.
A village walk takes 2-4 hours, however shorter and longer trips can be arranged based on the tourists’ preferences. Farm tours, women’s handicraft centers, wood carving, and pottery manufacturing are all part of the itinerary. You may connect with the locals, who will teach you how they raise crops, cook meals, and drinks like banana beer. Discover community excursions led by local communities in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Local Communities that you can visit to during your community tour in Bwindi.
Bwindi Impenetrable national park has some local communities that visit can always visit during your community tour in the park, and these include;
- Buhoma Community Tour
- Rubuguri Village Walk
- Nkuringo Cultural Center
- Buniga Forest Walk
- Nkuringo Community Tour
Buhoma Community Hospital is located in Buhoma; however it serves the entire south western region. The hospital offers chances to volunteer and assist its objective of illness prevention and community health and productivity. Volunteers can choose from a variety of volunteer opportunities, including maternity, surgery, diagnostics, counselling, and care for HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis patients, among others. Learn how you can help employees and physicians improve the quality of health treatment at Bwindi Community Hospital.
Bwindi Impenetrable national park also offers gorilla habituation experience where visitors can spend up to 4 hours with the gorillas. The experience takes a whole day with visitors trekking for about 4-6 hours or more to find a gorilla family and a gorilla habituation permit costs 1500 USD.
Gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi Impenetrable national park can only be conducted in Rushaga sector and permits must be booked at least 3-6 months in advance since the gorilla permits are limited.
Aside from visiting local communities in Bwindi impenetrable national park, visitors can also track mountain gorillas and do birding as well. A gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi national park costs 700 USD and can be booked through a trusted tour operator company like Explore Rwanda Tours
