Bukima Adventure

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Uganda.
In the jungles of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest live half the world's population of highly endangered Mountain Gorillas. Visiting them is one of the most emotional wildlife encounters you will ever experience. This pocket of huge primeval forest in the Virunga Mountain range is one of the most biologically diverse areas on earth. It has an eco-system that defines the very essence of the continent and has therefore been designated as a World Heritage Site.The forest floor is damp and laden with leaf mould, matted vegetation and fallen vines, which serve to trip you up as you clamber up and down the slippery slopes in search of a glimpse of the elusive gorillas. Searching up to altitudes of 1,982 metres can be exhausting but the rewards are worth it. Of course it may not be as difficult as that, but when visiting the Bwindi gorillas you should be prepared to unleash the explorer in you.

VISITING THE GORILLA'S
You will be told that if the big male silverback charges at you, you should look down and remain exactly where you are in a submissive pose. These words of wisdom are directly opposite to your natural instincts, but luckily a ranger is there to grab you should your feet disobey the instructions. The noise of the silverback pounding his chest during this mock charge, is akin to overhead thunder and more than enough to make your knees knock and heart miss a beat. As the gorillas grow more accustomed to human presence, the charges do not happen so often. Each gorilla group is only visited for one hour a day by a limited number of people.

OTHER ANIMALS
There are many other primates in the park including chimpanzees, black and white colobus, red colobus and blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey and L'Hoest's monkey. Wildlife inhabiting the forest floor includes elephants, giant forest hogs and small antelopes, few of which are encountered.

SEASONS

Dry Season:
January and February plus June to September are the driest months and are the best time for gorilla trekking. Even in the dry season you should be prepared to get wet in the occasional afternoon thunderstorm.

Rainy Season:
The long rains are from March to May and it becomes hot and humid with a very slippery forest floor. It also usually rains in October and November.
Temperatures: a pleasant temperature of 25°C can be expected from June to September, rising to 27°C in January and February.

Permits:
Gorilla trekking permits for both Bwindi and Mga Hinga (Uganda) should be booked and paid in Advance. To secure your Permit you will need to advise Bukima of your intention to trek. At this time, Bukima will tentatively reserve your space while awaiting payment of USD$400 to secure your booking. Bukima can hold your booking for a maximum of 7 days. If we have not received full payment for the trek you will lose the booking.

Below is a breakdown of the composition of Gorilla groups in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mga Hinga National Parks as of March 2003. Group numbers obviously change for various reasons. The composition of the Nkuringo group in Bwindi is very fluid. This group is living in close proximity to villagers and human deceases contracted by babies have lead to a high mortality rate of these individuals. Currently the parks logistical problems make it difficult to get visitors to this group. The Kyagurio group is a study group located in the Ruhija area of the forest. Tracking permits to visit this group are not available.

Group Name Bwindi Silver Back Black Back Female Juvenile <4 Juveniles/Babies >4 Total Mubare 1 0 4 3 1 9 Habinyanja 1 2 7 7 3 20 Rushegura 1 0 5 2 1 9 Nkuringo 2 2 9 2 5 20 Kyaguriro 2 0 6 6 1 15

Group Name Mgahinga Silver Back Black Back Female Juvenile <4 Juveniles/Babies >4 Total Nyakagezi 2 0 3 3 3 11

BWINDI SPECIALITIES

• Close encounters with mountain gorillas
• Hiking the Virunga Mountains
• Unique flora

FACTS

The park covers an area of 330km².
It is located in the far south-west of the country where Uganda, Rwanda and DRC (Congo) meet.
Permits are limited to 12 per day, so you are required to book and pay early, contact Bukima Adventure for payment details to reserve you permit for this great experience.

Availability

please veiw below the availability of gorilla permits for tour departing Nairobi.

Gorilla permits for tour departing	Departure date	Availability
Nairobi		yes
Nairobi		yes
Nairobi		yes
Nairobi		yes
Nairobi		yes
Nairobi		yes
Nairobi		yes
Nairobi		yes
Nairobi		yes
Nairobi		yes
Nairobi		yes
Nairobi		yes
Nairobi		yes
Nairobi		yes
Nairobi		yes

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