
Buhoma sector of Bwindi
Buhoma is one of the sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park a place known for harboring endangered mountain gorillas. Buhoma sector is located in the northern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park next to Ruhija. The sector is famous for harboring the oldest mountain gorilla family in the park named Mubare,
Buhoma sector of Bwindi is home to the second highest number of mountain gorilla families. This sector has 7 mountain gorilla families namely Mubare, Muyambi, Katwe, Habinyanja, Rushengura, and Binyiindo. These mountain gorilla families are fully habituated for trekking and open for visits every day where tourists get 1 hour to be around the apes in their natural habitats.
Things to do in Buhoma sector of Bwindi
Mountain gorilla trekking in Buhoma
Buhoma sector is home to the second highest number of mountain gorilla families habituated in Bwindi. The sector has over 7 mountain gorilla families include Mubare which is the oldest family in the park habituated as early as 1993. Mountain gorilla trekking is the main activity that takes place in this sector allowing tourists to see mountain gorillas in their natural habitats.
Mountain gorilla trekking in Buhoma sector of Bwindi is an everyday activity that starts very early in the morning at the sector headquarters. All tourists that are going for trekking that day are gathered at one point and briefed about the rules and regulations of the activity. Groups of 8 people are made and armed ranger guides are assigned to lead them into the jungle.
Trekkers who would like to get porters can hire them at the briefing point at a very affordable fee. Trekkers are then transported to the starting points of the trek where they are left to head into the jungle with armed ranger guides. Different trekking trails are used and it takes 2 to 4 hours to locate the mountain gorillas. Trekkers get an opportunity to learn about gorilla habits, watch them carry out daily activities, and take photos.
Bid watching
Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is one of the sectors of the park that is good for bird watching activities. Bwindi has over 350 bird species most of which can be spotted in Buhoma sector of Bwindi if one is moving with an experienced birding guide. Different trails such as Ivy river trail, Waterfall trail, Muzabajiro trail, Habinyanja trail, and Rushura trail to mention but a few.
Buhoma bird watching comes with an opportunity of seeing bird species such as Grauer’s broadbill, regal sunbird, mountain yellow warbler, grauer’s swamp warbler, ross’s turaco, blue-headed sunbird, neumann’s warbler, African black dark, fine banded woodpecker, little green sunbird, chapin’s flycatcher, white-browed crombec, handsome spurfowl, western green tinkerbird, carruthers’s cisticola, cinnamon bracken warbler.
Great blue turaco, yellow-eyed black flycatcher, red chested fufftail, sooty flycatcher, shelley’s crimsonwing, bar-tailed trogon, ansorge’s honeyguide, banded prinia, sharpe’s starling, grey chested kakamega, yellow-throated tinkerbird, jameson’s ant pecker, red-headed malimbe, African emerald cuckoo, black billed turaco, grey cuckoo shrike, hairy breasted barbet, African black duck, and blue quail to mention but a few.
Community tours
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park was home to the Batwa pygmies not until the park was gazetted in 1993. The Uganda Wildlife Authority asked all the Batwa Pygmies in the forest to move out and leave the animals with their freedom to move around the jungle, especially the mountain gorillas. When the Batwa were evicted, they settled around the park boundaries, and on a safari to Bwindi, tourists could meet them around the park boundaries in different communities.
On a safari to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, tourists who are interested in cultural visits can always take a visit to the Batwa pygmies that live around the park boundaries. A driver guide will always take you to any of the communities near the lodge and you will be able to meet some of the community members. The elderly will trek stories of how they survived in the jungle and a group of dancers will entertain through dance and drama.
Best time to visit Buhoma sector of Bwindi
Tourists can visit Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park at any time of the year but the dry season is the time. June to September and December to February are the best times to visit Buhoma because they are characterized by little rainfall and plenty of sunshine which is perfect weather for most of the park activities.
Tourists who visit Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park during the dry season will find the trekking trails dry and easier to walk through. The vegetation is short and scattered with good views of the mountain gorillas and other park attractions while the roads leading to the park are in very good condition.
Tourists can still use the rainy season to visit Buhoma sector and this period favors budget travelers who are looking at discounted tour packages. The lodges and tour operators reduce the prices during the low season to attract a few of the travelers that are visiting the country. Tourists should however know that March to May and October to November have plenty of rainfall and little sunshine.
During the rainy season in the Buhoma sector of Bwindi, the trekking trails are muddy and slippery which increases the time taken to locate the mountain gorillas, the vegetation is tall with unclear views of the mountain gorillas and other forest attractions and roads leading to the sector are in poor states especially when it rains heavily.