Bwindi Cultural Experiences
A visit to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has a lot more to enjoy than trekking to see mountain gorillas. Have you ever thought of combining gorilla trekking safaris with Uganda cultural safaris? Well, we got you sorted with our exciting safaris to Bwindi this coming holiday.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has many tribes living adjacent it. The notable being the Batwa pygmy community and Bakiga communities which all have unique cultural experiences and stories to share with world.
The Batwa Experience/Buhoma community tours
Buhoma community lies overviewing the lush Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It takes enthusiastic cultural visitors on 3 hours’ village walk starting with handcraft shop visit for you to purchase some items or see the handmade artifacts like wood carvings, beeswax, fabrics and others. Visit the Batwa community where the popular Batwa pygmies who had 500,000 years in the Bwindi Forest as hunters and gatherers.
The Batwa are warm welcoming and you have the best of their dances, music performances and also learn their distinct traditions, cultures, the old hunting and gathering techniques. Your cultural experience will also include visit to nearby community initiatives especially schools, maize mill and others.
Nkuringo community conservation & development foundation
Nkuringo community is found on the hillside just at a border to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and it is known for its mesmerizing views across the Congo. It is an amazing place to have a memorable cultural experience on Uganda safari in southwestern Uganda. Here, you also get to learn about the Stone Age on a visit to Nicholas the renowned blacksmith. Or pay a visit to traditional huts with millet grinding stone, cooking pots and apparatus used for making the local waragi from banana.
The guide can also lead you through to village traditional healer to learn the native plants of medicinal importance. Nkuringo community conservation & development foundation also renders support to local artisans and the Batwa community through its craft shop. Orphans are trained on how to perform before clients among other activities.
Buniga Forest Walk
Buniga Forest is a hidden treasure of Uganda. The beautiful forest boasts its distinct flora and fauna. Buniga Forest features among the 3 forest reserves left nearby Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Currently, there is a trail initiated by Nkuringo Community Conservation and Development Foundation which is aimed at protecting and managing the different eco-tourism activities here. The forest walks are led by experienced local guides. The proceeds from the forest walks are invested into the nearby local communities to make them to be part of conservation.
Nyundo community eco-trails
The local residents of Nyundo community are believed to be the first to witness climate change. They grew crops along the hillsides adjacent Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and realized erosion, change in rain patterns and mist disappearing. As a result, their crops started to fail and it prompted them to protect their land and let the forest regrow. Today, trees are back and rains and mist are all back to normal.
On Nyundo community trails, you can also visit King Bakyara’s waterfall trail with scenic views of the waterfall which is believed the only place kings bath. You also stand a chance to visit the blacksmith, learn the traditional skills-like yoghurt making, millet-bread making, craft making and a lot more.
Nkuringo cultural centre
After your amazing gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi, a cultural tour in Nkuringo should be a must-do. Your cultural tour is a fun-filled experience taking you through amazing traditional weaving lessons, dances, drumming and interaction with local residents.
Rubuguri village walk
Visit Rubuguri village, a small community with hospitable residents. Take a walk through the swamp to reach to the homestead where you will meet and interact with local residents. Engage in craft making and also have in-depth learning about the lifestyles of the locals or visit the St. Peter’s Primary School to interact with pupils.