Best stopovers on the way to trek gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Traveling from Entebbe International Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can be exhausting, with the journey taking over 9-10 hours. With this long journey, there are many designated stopovers, mainly for lunch and also sightseeing, to add a touch of adventure to your journey. Most of the places designated for lunch stopovers serve delicious local dishes, but a few also serve continental meals. A taste of the local cuisine with a blend of culture and tradition, with every region displaying its ultimate culinary. These lunch stopovers also offer a chance for visitors to interact with the locals and gain an insight into the livelihood of the people. It is not always about lunch on stopovers, but also sightseeing. The journey to Bwindi from Entebbe has several features that are interesting for visitors to spot. Some of these include the following.

The equator

Uganda, a country gifted by nature, has no limit in wonders, as the equator also adds to the sights it possesses. The equator is an imaginary line of latitude that divides the Earth between the northern and southern hemispheres. In Uganda, the equator crosses and dissects the country at several places, and one of them is at Kayabwe on the road to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The equator at Kayabwe is a perfect stopover for visitors as they head to Bwindi for gorilla trekking.

Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park is also situated on the road to Bwindi in Kiruhura district. Visitors can have the best stopovers as they stop for a few hours for sightseeing and also encounter some wildlife species. Buffaloes, giraffes, waterbucks, impalas, and zebras are the common species visitors can see in the park as they proceed to Bwindi for gorilla trekking.

Igongo Cultural Hotel and Museum

Igongo Cultural Hotel is on the Mbarara highway as you proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This cultural hotel, on top of providing a lunch-on for the visitors on their route to Bwindi, it was has a museum that portrays the livelihood, culture, and tradition of the people of Ankole. The museum holds the artifacts of some of the last kings of the Ankole Kingdom, a phenomenon heritage for the people of this area.

The Biharwe eclipse monument

A story of tradition and scientific history is exhibited on the road to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for gorilla trekking at Biharwe eclipse monument. This monument holds a history that runs back centuries to 1520AD. A notorious king of Bunyoro, Rwitamahanga, was returning from a looting battle from Rwanda as he rested on this exact site, an eclipse suddenly took place, darkening the shining day to the pitch of night. This scared the king, who fled, leaving behind his loot that the resident king of Ankole took advantage of. This later came to be known as an eclipse and is one of the oldest eclipses recorded in the world. This interesting monument can be the best stopover on the way to Bwindi.

Mbarara City

Recognized as the second biggest business center after the capital, Kampala, Mbarara City is the land of milk and honey, flooded with a lot of interesting attractions. The city is busy with vibrant cultures, with the majority being the Banyankole people. The city makes a good stopover on your way to Bwindi for gorilla trekking. The city also has many hotels and restaurants that serve both local and international dishes, thus best for en route lunch stopovers.

The food station in Kabale

Kabale’s food station is not just a food stopover point but also acts as a relaxation site from the long journey from the capital before arriving in Bwindi for gorilla trekking. Situated on the main highway, the food station in Kabale offers a wide range of food options to choose from, including the local cuisines from all regions of Uganda and also international dishes.

However, it is also important to point out that Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can also be accessed from Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. This route is, without any doubt, the closest route to the park for visitors going for a gorilla trekking experience. This route also provides the best stopovers not just for food but also for epic scenic views, as unveiled below.

Kabale town

Kabale town is a great stopover on the way to Bwindi for gorilla trekking because of its terrain and incredible people. The cultures of the people in the area are stunning and worth checking out. Kabale is an art piece built on hard work by the locals, as they are known for their cultivation abilities, turning plain, steep hills into gardens using terraces. These terraced hills add the best scenic views of the entire landscape.

Katuna border

As visitors cross from Rwanda into Uganda, they go through the Katuna border. This border point is one of the busiest commercial and busy border points in the country, given the amount of cargo and people that use it daily. This stopover at the Katuna border gives visitors a glimpse into the trading side of the two countries, a good stopover on the way to trek gorillas in Bwindi.

Virunga Mountains

The best views on a stopover mid-journey to trek gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are from the viewpoint of the Virunga Mountains. Shooting through the horizon, these mountains stretch from Virunga National Park deep in the Democratic Republic of Congo through Rwanda, and connect to Uganda. These incredible scenic views follow the visitors in the backdrop as they proceed to Bwindi for gorilla trekking.

Stopovers to greet local people

Interacting with the local people is one way of gaining an insight into their way of life. That is why stopovers to greet the local people on the way to trek gorillas in Bwindi are important. Visitors can interact with the local people for a short while before continuing to the park for gorilla trekking.

The driving distances to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s location in the southwestern region of Uganda guarantees it has different routes, with each having a different distance. Driving from Uganda’s main gateway, Entebbe International Airport, to the park is the longest route, taking about 9-10 straight hours of driving. This is because this distance is longer, equalling about 525.4 kilometers.

The driving distance to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is way shorter when the second route from Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, is used. This distance is approximately 175.5 kilometers from the park. This means the driving time is also shortened to almost half since it’s between 4-5 hours. This route is arguably the best option for visitors who do not fancy long driving distances.

Flying safari options to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Driving to Bwindi is not the only option or mode of transport to the park. There is also an option of a flying safari to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. With many scattered airstrips around the park, the flying option is more possible and faster. Airstrips like Kihihi and Kabale present the best options for direct domestic chartered flights from Entebbe International Airport and Kajjansi Airfield, or even from any other tourist destination in the country, as arranged with the air company.

Gorilla sectors in Bwindi National Park

When embarking on a gorilla trekking adventure to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, visitors should know about the gorilla sectors where this gorilla trekking takes place. The gorilla sectors in Bwindi are scattered across different directions of the park. These sectors offer different gorilla trekking experiences due to the terrain and other factors like the number of gorilla families. These gorilla sectors include Buhoma, which is the oldest gorilla sector in the park and the most popular. The Buhoma sector is also the most developed, with improved infrastructure like roads and accommodation services.

Rushaga gorilla sector is another sector in Bwindi and is praised as the only sector offering gorilla habituation in the park. This sector is located in the southern region of the park with relatively steep terrain, but it is very navigable. Nkuringo gorilla sector is the next gorilla sector of Bwindi in the eastern areas, with some of the largest gorilla families. The Ruhija gorilla sector on the western side of the park also offers a tailored gorilla trekking experience, adding a touch of the scenic views of the Virunga mountain ranges of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the background due to its high terrain.

Sándor Jakubinyi

14:31 22 Feb 24

2019 megigazulás

12:45 21 Feb 24

We went on a two-week trip with my family, organised by Coleb from Standard Safaris.

I had my concerns about organised trips, but this one didn’t justify any of those. Everything went very smoothly, even when some problems arose with one of the cars it got fixed by next morning, the accomodations were clean and comfortable, the programs were exciting and well-balanced - everything was done to a truly high standard.

If you plan to visit Uganda and are looking for a guide, I warmly recommend Coleb and his team. In case you have a choice of drivers, go for Godwin, his presence made this trip even more enjoyable - cheerful, helpful, good sense of humour, generally a great person. Just look for the guy with a big smile and big heart:)

Bert Simoens

09:38 08 Jan 24

We recently embarked on a safari adventure with Standard Safaris in Uganda, which was truly exceptional. Our guide, Yonah, was outstanding - his kindness, knowledge, and discretion significantly enhanced our experience. He was the heart of our trip.

The local company's planning was offering a tailor-made journey that matched our interests. We saw an array of wildlife in Murchison, enjoyed rafting at Jinja, and experienced mountain biking at Sipi. A visit to Kidepo National Park was a highlight and comes highly recommended.

The vehicle provided was comfortable and reliable. We highly recommend Standard Safaris for anyone seeking an unforgettable safari in Uganda. Their professionalism and the exceptional guidance of staff like Yonah make them an great choice.

Michał Kostrzewa

00:41 15 Nov 23

We are all extremely grateful Standard Safaris for an incredible East Africa experience. I recently booked a custom trip for group of 8 people, including an 8-year-old boy, from Kampala through Queen Elizabeth National Park and on to Rwanda and Burundi. Coleb delivered on everything that was discussed and agreed upon beforehand.

The car provided was in great condition and our driver Meddy went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, informed, and had the best possible time. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. All local services were inlcuded in (reasonable) price that we agreed, so there was no need to worry about payments during the 6 day trip. Also Standard Safaris agreed took care about safety and security by helping us organize armed ranger while in the park.

The whole trip was hassle-free and smooth. We saw amazing wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP, took in the sights of Rwanda and Burundi, and made lifelong memories.

I would happily book with Standard Safaris again in a heartbeat and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for the best East Africa trip. They provide top-notch service while ensuring you have an incredible, customized experience. If you want a hassle-free, flawlessly organized African adventure, Standard Safaris is the tour operator to book with.

Ivan Nammanda

18:31 27 Oct 23

Very organized travel operator who chose awesome guide to make our trip wonderful.

We booked a nine days trip with Standard Safaris and all was perfect from start to finish. Coleb was very prompt at replying and easy to liaise with ahead of the trip. We had done a lot of research and had an itinerary in mind and Coleb helped us to put everything together to make this happen for a very reasonable price.  On the trip we had a private vehicle for the whole tour which was exactly what we wanted. Bryan was our driver and an amazing guide - really friendly and knowledgable, working hard to find the things that we wanted to see and quickly understanding what was of interest to us/how much information to give.

Would highly recommend a trip to Uganda with Standard Safaris. We are definitely coming back soon!

MUGAIGA KENNETH

18:01 27 Oct 23

The company has very courteous tour guides with wide knowledge of fauna and frola in the whole of East Africa.
The choice of safari Lodges is good with first class treatment.
Game drive security is assured.
Almost The whole of September I was traversing through DRC, Uganda,and Rwanda on a gorilla tour and wildlife expedition.
Everything was arranged and booked perfectly by Standard Safaris.
The owner, Coleb was always helpful whenever we needed to ask questions about this gorilla safari in Uganda and beyond.
It was a complex expedition but Standard safaris and Coleb made it look amazingly easy.
I’ll recommend Standard safaris 200%, for all gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and wildlife tours in east africa.

travel uganda

16:35 27 Oct 23

This is so far the best gorilla trekking company in Uganda, and africa, by far. I had a wonderful time with Standard Safaris as a solo traveler.
My guide was excellent and our safari planner, Coleb was quick with responses and the prices were very friendly.
I’ll definitely book with Standard safaris on my next gorilla tour in Rwanda and Uganda.