Must see attractions in south western Uganda : The south western part of Uganda is a location where many attractions can be visited during safaris around the country.
This part of the country consists of stunning landscapes, is home to a variety of primate species including mountain gorillas and also has rich culture. The south western part of Uganda can be accessed by flights to Kisoro airstrip or Kihihi airstrip and also by driving from Kampala to Kabale which takes about 9 hours or driving from Kampala to Kisoro which takes about 10 hours.
Some of the must see attractions in south western Uganda include the following;
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
In the south western part of Uganda, Bwindi national park is among the must see attractions to go to during tours in the country.
Bwindi national park is home to the mountain gorillas in Uganda which can be seen in big numbers around its impenetrable forests. Over 350 bird species are also found at the destination and can be seen during different activities carried out around the national park.
When visiting Bwindi national park, some of the activities to do include gorilla trekking, gorilla habituation, guided nature walks, hiking, bird watching and also community tours.
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi national park is an activity which is done throughout the year across the different sectors of the national park. The sectors of Bwindi include Buhoma, Nkuringo, Rushaga and Ruhija sector which are found in the north, south and eastern parts of national park.
There are different habituated gorilla families which tourists interact with during the gorilla trekking experiences around Bwindi national park and they include Habiyanja, Oruzogo, Bitukura, Nkuringo, Rushegura, Katwe, Muyambi, Nshongi, Bweza, Mishaya, Kahungye, Busingye, Muchunguzi, Rwigi, Bikingi, Bushaho, Christmas, Kyaguriro among others.
Bwindi national park is home to a big population of mountain gorillas and there are high chances of encountering these gorillas during the search in the dense forests. Tourists move with ranger guides during the gorilla trekking experience which starts with a briefing at the park headquarters as early as 07:00 am.
Tourists in groups of 8 search for the mountain gorillas in Bwindi national park and spend 1 hour with a gorilla family in the forest. a permit is required for tourists to engage in the gorilla trekking experience in the national park and it costs 800 USD per person.
- Gorilla habituation is another activity which is carried out in Bwindi national park and it involves spending 4 hours in the presence of the gorillas in their natural habitat.
During the gorilla habituation experience, tourists get to watch the gorillas closely and observe their behavior in the company of ranger guides and also researchers since these gorillas are going through the habituation process which involves getting the used to human presence in their natural habitat.
A permit for gorilla habituation in Bwindi national park costs 1500 USD per person and is issued to individuals above the age of 15 years. These permits can be booked through licensed tour operators.
It is recommended that tourists book permits for gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation in Bwindi national park in advance to avoid missing out on the experience. The best time to visit the gorillas in Uganda is during the dry season around June to September and also in December to February.
- Other activities done around Bwindi national park include Batwa community tours which involve interactions with the Batwa pygmies who are the forest dwellers of Bwindi.
During the Batwa tours, the tourists get to experience the way of life of the Batwa, enjoy traditional dance performances, learn how to make fire the local way, learn about local herbs during visits to the traditional medicine men and also enjoy the Batwa trail experience.
- Bird watching is another activity which takes place in Bwindi national park and it involves exploring the various sectors of the national park in search of the bird species.
Some of the birds found in Bwindi national park include African Green Broadbill, Mountain Masked Apalis, Rwenzori Batis, -rumped Tinkerbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Crowned Hornbill, Yellow-fronted Canary, African Dusky Flycatcher, Handsome Francolin among others.
- Lake Bunyonyi
Lake Bunyonyi is another must visit attraction found in the south western part of Uganda and it is known for being the deepest lake in the country.
The lake has about 29 islands and is surrounded by terraced hills and is also home to a variety of bird species. During tours around Lake Bunyonyi, tourists can engage in canoeing, kayaking, community tours and also bird watching.
The different islands of Lake Bunyonyi like the punishment island can be visited by boat as tourists get to listen to the local folk tales about the islands by a local guide.
- Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Another must visit attraction found in south western Uganda is the Mgahinga gorilla national park which is known for being home to mountain gorillas.
Mgahinga national park is also home to golden monkeys which are an endangered species of primates which can be seen around the bamboo forests. Golden monkey trekking and golden monkey habituation experiences are among the activities carried out at the destination. Tourists get to spend time with the golden monkeys and watch them closely and also encounter other primates during tours around the national park.
During gorilla trekking experiences around Mgahinga national park, tourists can visit the only habituated gorilla family at the destination which is the Nyakagezi family and spend time with the gorillas in their natural habitat.
There are also Virunga mountains which tourists can visit during tours around Mgahinga national park and they include Mount Gahinga, Mount Muhabura and Mount Sabyinyo. Hiking is done on these mountains and tourists can enjoy views of the national park and also see other surrounding mountains.
- Lake Mutanda
Lake Mutanda is another must see attraction when visiting the south western part of Uganda and it is located in Kisoro.
This lake is the perfect place to visit to enjoy a relaxing boat ride after a tour around Mgahinga national park or Bwindi national park. Tourists can engage in other activities around the lake including community tours and nature walks
