Description
From Masya Cottages in Kanungu to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park takes visitors about 4 to 5 hours’ drive along Kabale-Kisoro road. It can also be reached from Kigali, where you drive via Katuna border to Kabale tow and this translates into 4-6 hours’ drive.
From Kihihi airstrip to Masya Cottages in Kanungu, you can drive for about 41 minutes or an hour and from Kisoro airport, you may spend 3-4 hours driving along the Kabale-Kisoro route.
Top things to do in and around Kanungu
The Masya Cottages in Kanungu are suitably set not far from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Southwestern Uganda. It is in this park where over 459 mountain gorillas live and a total of about 22 habituated gorilla groups are available for gorilla trekking.
Gorilla trekking is the key highlight for guests intending to spend a night at Masya Cottages in Kanungu District. The gorilla treks in Bwindi begin from the key sectors like Buhoma, Nkuringo, Rushaga and Ruhija region. Each of these gorilla sectors feature already habituated gorilla groups including Rushegura, Katwe, Binyido, Mubare gorilla group, Christmas, Mucunguzi, Habinyanja gorilla group, Kahungye, Busingye, Rwigi, Kutu, and others.
You can be allowed to visit one of the habituated gorilla families in Bwindi if you have a valid gorilla permit. Each permit is issued to guests at USD 800 per person and your tour operator can book it for you as part of planning the entire gorilla safari.
Addition to normal gorilla treks, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a special place to enjoy mountain gorilla habituation experience. This unique experience is offered only in Rushaga, the Southern section of Bwindi National Park. While on normal gorilla treks, visitors are allowed to have an hour of face-to-face with a family of mountain gorillas, during the gorilla habituation, you enjoy 4 hours with a group of these unusual apes while in their natural habitat. Guests interested in a guided gorilla habituation experience also need to have gorilla permits each of which is obtainable at USD 1500 per person through a reliable tour operator on ground.
Cultural experiences
The cultural experience is a remarkable addition onto your gorilla tour or gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi. Adjacent to the park are significant communities of the Batwa pygmies and Bakiga people. A guided community tour allows you explore different traditions, cultures and other practices of locals living adjacent to Bwindi National Park.
Most significantly, get to know how the Batwa pygmies lived in the jungles as hunters and gatherers for several years. Before you retire for the night, enjoy great entertainment from the Batwa pygmies as they dance for you.
Explore the wonders of Queen Elizabeth National Park
Kanungu lies at the border with Ishasha area in the Southern side of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park is approximately 40km away and you can explore the Ishasha, an area that will enrich you with unique game viewing experiences. While at Ishasha, look out for the tree climbing lions, topis and diversity of bird species.
Other than Ishasha, there are other key sites worth exploring in Queen Elizabeth National Park. They include Kazinga channel where boat cruise is best enjoyed and exposes visitors to diversity of aquatic life like hippos, crocodiles and water birds. Kasenyi plains best for game drives, lion tracking, birding, and more. Kyambura gorge –an excellent spot for chimpanzee tracking while Maramagambo Forest –best for primate/forest/nature walks, and birding excursions.
