Ivy River Trail – A scenic trek in the heart of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Trekking along the Ivy River trail is a captivating experience offered in the heart of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The Ivy River trail spans 13 km from Nkuringo in the southern region of Bwindi to Buhoma in the north. Starting from Nteko Village, trekking the Ivy River trail takes between 4 to 6 hours to reach Buhoma. The tranquil journey through the lush Bwindi Forest can be done in 3 different routes.

From the Nkuringo sector, you will follow a route that leads to Nteko Village, at least 8 km away. From here, you will now trek to the Ivy River, around 5 km away. Another route from Nteko Outpost takes you down the valley and finally to the Ivy River. The third route is one that starts at Nteko to the Buhoma sector. Doing a trek on this unfrequented trail offers moderate challenges, thus making it very enjoyable to all visitors, including beginners.

What to see along the Ivy River trail?

There are so many things to see while on the Ivy River trail. They include the following,

Wild animals

Distinct wild animal species can be encountered while trekking along the Ivy River trail. Bwindi forest shelters over 120 mammal species, including mountain gorillas, eastern chimpanzees, olive baboons, duikers, and bush buffaloes.

Birds

A lot of bird species live in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and at least 357 species have been recorded. The unique Albertine endemic bird species comprise over 23, including the Ruwenzori turaco, Ruwenzori batis, and Shelley’s crimson wing, etc.

Trees

While trekking along the Ivy River trail, there are a lot of evergreen tree species that you may identify. These are part of the 200 species that have been recorded so far. There are plenty of tropical rainforests, including towering species with dense undergrowth.

Landscape

The landscape in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park comprises the forest, rivers, water streams, waterfalls, and many other natural features. While trekking along the Ivy River trail, you will certainly get clear views of these. You will also take amazing and memorable photos.

Cultures

Trekking along the Ivy River trail offers plenty of opportunities to encounter people with rich cultures and traditions. These include the Batwa Pygmies. There is a lot of history that these people will give if you meet them. Visit their homes to appreciate their way of life.

What else to do in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park offers plenty of interesting activities for visitors to engage in, as some are shown below.

Gorilla trekking

You are welcome to do a gorilla trek on any day of the year in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This is considered among the best tour experiences in Africa. The tour includes walking on foot to locate a habituated group of mountain gorillas. Once they are encountered, you will enjoy 1 hour in their presence, observing and photographing them in the wild.

Gorilla habituation experience

If a gorilla trek does not offer you the moment you deserve in the presence of the gorillas, go for this. A gorilla habituation experience offers 4 hours in the presence of a semi-habituated gorilla family. Moreover, you are in the company of primatologists besides the ranger guides. You will also get the chance to take photos.

Batwa visit

Besides wildlife, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park offers a visit to the Batwa people. This visit offers knowledge about the original occupiers of the forest before the government evacuated them. Now they settle in the villages adjacent to the forest. Discover how they have survived near Bwindi through food gathering.

What is the best time to visit Bwindi and explore the Ivy River trail?

Though Bwindi is open to visitors all year round, the dry seasons decidedly offer the most rewarding experiences. Almost every dry season is characterized by reduced amounts of rainfall. These rain patterns result in less mud on the Ivy River trail. Visitors can now pass along the Ivy River trail safely without concern of slipping. Therefore, traveling to Bwindi during the dry seasons is between months of June to August and from December to February.

How to reach Bwindi to explore the Ivy River trail?

Reaching Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is possible either by road or by air transport. Driving to the Nkuringo or Buhoma sector can start from Kampala/Entebbe or Kigali, Rwanda, or any other destination in East Africa. From Kampala, the vehicle will cover a distance of about 501.6 km to reach Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. These are 10-11 hours of driving through Masaka city, Mbarara city, and Kabale district.

Meanwhile, driving to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park from Kigali covers only 164.8 km, taking 4-5 hours. Border crossing to clear immigration documents is required at the Cyanika border. Reaching Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by air is only possible within Uganda. Starting from Entebbe International Airport, the flight takes 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach either Kihihi or Kisoro Airstrip. Scheduled flights are offered by AeroLink Uganda daily.

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.