What to do in Buhoma after gorilla trekking? The sectore is located in the northern sector of the impenetrable forest of Bwindi. It is one of the Bwindi sectors that harbor endangered mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking is the most done activity within Buhoma sector of Bwindi. Most of the mountain gorillas have been habituated and are used to human presence around them.
Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is home to six mountain gorilla families that are so far habituated and open for trekking activities. These include Muyambi, Binyindo Habinyanja, Katwe, Muyambi, and Rushengura. Trekking is the main activity done within this park to enable tourists to spend time with the apes as they carry out daily activities.
Gorilla trekking in Buhoma is carried out every day starting with a briefing at the sector headquarters. Rangers teach trekkers the rules and regulations of trekking and then armed ranger guides are assigned to lead them into the jungle. In the jungle, different trekking trails are used to locate the mountain gorillas, and once spotted, trekkers spend 1 hour around the members.
Gorilla trekking is not the only activity that can be done in the Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. There are other activities that can be done within this sector among which include bird watching, nature walks, and cultural visits. Tourists can do these activities after mountain gorilla trekking and these come with different experiences.
Activities to do in Buhoma after gorilla trekking
Bird watching
Buhoma is the top birding sector in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. It attracts lots of birders who are interested in seeing bird species of Bwindi. After gorilla trekking, tourists who are interested in spotting the different bird species of Bwindi can go bird watching within the sector. Different birding spots are used for example areas around River Munyaga and Bwindi Neck.
Birding in Buhoma allows birders to see species such as Black-billed turaco, regal sunbird, neumann’s warbler, narina trogon, grauer’s broadbill, speckle-breasted sunbird, handsome francolin, arch’s robin chat, doherty’s bushshrike, grauer’s warbler, bar-tailed trogon, yellow-eyed black flycatcher, mountain greenbul, greater swamp warbler, laughing dove, the rock pigeon.
African green pigeon, pied cuckoo, bare-faced go away bird, African swift, great cormorant, African scared ibis, shikra, lagden’s bush shrike, dusky crimson wing, willard’s sooty boubou, African wood owl, Congo pied hornbill, broad-billed roller, lesser honeyguide, tropical boubou, green crombec, and banded prinia among others.
Batwa community tour
Bwindi impenetrable forest national park was home to the Batwa pygmies until when the government gazetted the park. They were forced to move out of the jungle and most of them ended up settling around the park boundaries. While on a gorilla safari to Buhoma, you can always take part in the Batwa culture tours by visiting any of the communities around.
A visit to the Batwa community involves moving to their homes and interacting with the locals. The elderly who once lived in the jungle tell stories of how they survived there alongside animals. They will show how they used to make fire and how they hunted small animals for meat. The community has dancers who entertain visitors through dance and drama.
Nature walks
After gorilla trekking, nature walks are some of the activities that can be done in Buhoma sector of Bwindi. Nature walks are the best way tourists can explore Buhoma sector to see its attractions. These activities are led by armed ranger guides for the protection of the tourists and the animals that live within the park.
During nature walks in Buhoma, tourists are able to see different trails like Kashasha and River Ivy. The trails are of different lengths and the time taken to complete them depends on the speed of trekkers and the nature of trails. The trails enable trekkers to meet some of the attractions of the park. During the walks, tourists are able to meet mammals, primates, birds, and different water sources.
When to go gorilla trekking in Buhoma
Gorilla trekking in Buhoma can be carried out at any time of the year however the driest months of the year are the best. June to September and December to February are the best times to visit Buhoma for gorilla trekking. There is a lot of sunshine and little rainfall during this period which favors the trekking.
The trekking trails are dry and easier to walk through which makes it easy for trekkers to locate the gorillas. The vegetation is short and scattered allowing trekkers to have a clear view of the mountain gorillas and other park attractions. Gorilla trekking safaris can still be done in Buhoma during the rainy season for the park is always open.
March to May and October to November can still be used for gorilla trekking because the park is open all throughout the year. These months are rainy season months because they have plenty of rainfall and little sunshine. Tourists should know that the trekking trails are muddy and slippery and the vegetation is tall with unclear views of some of the attractions.