Essential Tips on Preparing for your Bwindi Forest Safari

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is tranquil and mind-blowing but if you are a jungle freak, these essential tips will most likely comfort your heart and make it more interesting to discover its hidden beauty.  The unsullied jungle, as well as the plethora of wildlife, chirping of colorful bird species, and other heart-warming sounds of Mother Nature, will take your breath away.

Situated in south-western Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is known for many wonderful things but nothing surpasses the fact that it shelters the World’s highest mountain gorilla population. It would interest you to know that the Protected Area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with over 120 mammal species, about 350 bird species, several orchids, reptiles, and Amphibian species that will take your breath away. Besides gorilla trekking tours, it also offers opportunities of enjoying forest walks, mountain biking, up-close and personal experiences with the aboriginal Batwa people, and of course bird watching tours.

Before you pack your bags for your Bwindi Forest safari, we bring you the essential tips on how to prepare to have unforgettable experiences. Just read on;

Physically prepare your body for Bwindi Forest by exercising

Exploring Bwindi Impenetrable Forest needs physical fitness and therefore to build your stamina for lifting the backpack as well as hiking to higher elevations, it is important to begin undertaking physical exercises in advance. This will prepare your body and for starters, running/jogging and push-ups will do. The humidity, fatigue, heat, and stress of the forest are definitely challenging and might be suffocating at some point.

Appropriate clothing

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest lives up to its name and for this reason, it is important to wear the appropriate clothing-comfortable, breathable and lightweight to avoid being uncomfortable or everything ganging up against your experience. However, you can pack some T-shirts and pairs of shorts for changing and relaxing (if required). Given the fact that Bwindi experiences Equatorial rainfall, a lightweight waterproof jacket is handy (regardless of season). On this account, it suddenly rains even during dry season and therefore you wouldn’t want to be taken by surprise.

Comfortable footwear

We can’t emphasize enough how essential a pair of sturdy hiking boots is. The forest trails are sometimes muddy, messy and slippery because of downpours as well as moisture. For this reason, you will require a comfortable pair of hiking boots instead of sandals of even high heels. Whether you are planning to trek the mountain gorillas, undertaking bird watching, forest walks or even the Batwa Cultural Experience, hiking boots are handy and make sure to carry the ones you have worn before.

Enough hydration

If you are scheduled for gorilla trekking on a particular day in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, it is important to always hydrate yourself. Trekking the Giant Apes normally take long-1-5 hours or more, involve hiking to higher elevations and sometimes the forest is hot thus necessitating plenty of drinking water. Usually, two liters of water are recommended for proper hydration while trekking the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitats.

Always stay within your group at all times

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is not an open savannah-like Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo and Murchison Falls National Parks but rather a real jungle. While excitement is inevitable, it is important to try as much as possible to hold it and avoid leaving your group. This could be during the forest walk, birding tour or even the gorilla trekking adventure. Keep in mind that Bwindi lives to its name thus thick and massive hence making it literally difficult to trace anyone. Therefore, always keep in your group to avoid getting lost in the middle of nowhere.

In conclusion, while visiting Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a dream for many travellers, not preparing for it can also turn your safari into a disaster. Preparing beforehand by reading our essential tips is guaranteed of making your trip exciting.