Hello fellow travellers! My name is Isabell but I’ve always been known as Isy. Welcome to my guide on Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.
I used to suffer from travel sickness when I was young. No one thought back then that one day I would be a globetrotter! I grew up in Dorsten – a city in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany (close to Dortmund).
Why I started to travel so much was down to my husband, Mike. We met early on in life, when I was 15, and began to dream of travelling around the world as soon as we met. Another inspiration was my Grandma. She used to share her travel stories with me to amazing places like Thailand.
I’ve been working as a blogger for three years now. At first only on the side but since the middle of 2020 I’ve been working part-time on my travel blog: www.isytravelyogi.com. I love to inspire others with my travels and above all to pass on useful travel tips and information for people’s journeys.
My husband Mike and I have been travelling for ten years. We utilise each of our vacation days to get out and explore the wider world! We especially love beaches and exploring the underwater world while taking diving adventures. Both of us are also camping enthusiasts and fans of Africa.
An Incredible 11-Day Safari through Uganda
I came across Uganda while researching on Instagram. It was on this platform that I came across a girl who was sitting with a gorilla in the rainforest. I thought to myself: what an adventure! We have to go there!
So we booked an 11-day safari through Uganda. The airport is located in Entebbe and that is where our route began. First we visited the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where we went on a walking safari with rhinos. We continued on our safari to the breathtaking Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda.
Here we met many animals in herds. It was magical seeing elephants, lions, buffalos and huge amounts of antelopes. Next on our Uganda journey was a trip to see the chimpanzees of Kibale Forest National Park which was an amazing experience to see such incredible animals.
Another highlight was the Queen Elizabeth National Park where lions live on trees. And then came the main reason why we went to Uganda – gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It was an adventure!
Gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
For me Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was the most beautiful rainforest I’ve ever seen! Seeing huge fern leaves made me feel tiny in comparison to this beautiful world we live in. We went gorilla trekking on a tour with eight people. This is the maximum number for these tours.
A permit costs $600 USD per person which is used for the protection of the animals and the national park itself. These permits should be purchased as early as possible because only a certain number are available per day.
Each group visits a different gorilla family together with several guides. Once you have found the gorillas, you can spend exactly 60 minutes with them and observe their way of life and take some photos. We spent a day in Bwindi and after our gorilla trekking we went on a hike to a waterfall.
Highlights of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
The best experience of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is definitely visiting the mountain gorillas. But the hike through the rainforest is also an adventure in itself! There are no fixed paths, so you walk across the jungle.
To stand in the middle of this rainforest close to these wonderful animals and see them in their natural habitat is simply indescribable beyond words. I remember seeing a little baby gorilla having fun in the trees. He enchanted me with his sweet manner. I’ll never forget that moment!
There was also another moment in Bwindi when I got to see a silverback gorilla eating his breakfast peacefully. It was an everyday activity for the gorilla but for me it was just awesome to witness the gorilla eating food.
I’ve always been a great friend of animals and for me safaris are an incredibly beautiful way to see animals in their natural environment. So free and wild! The mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are friendly and you don’t need to be afraid, even if they come close to you.
What you Need to Know Before you Go
Before you go to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park you should buy the gorilla permits. Without these you can’t visit the animals. The right clothing is also important. Safari clothing should contain earth tones, rain jackets are a must and hiking boots make your experience a lot easier.
You can pick up a walking stick on site and for those who don’t want to carry bags you can get support from guides. Remember, the probability of seeing gorillas is 95% but sometimes a hike can take eight hours!
When it comes to accommodation, we stayed at the Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge which was fantastic. They offer a wonderful view of the rainforest, free cleaning for your hiking boots and a hot water bottle for your bed. All in all it was a great service. Thanks for reading and enjoy your visit to Uganda.
