Location
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Rift Valley. The park is along the border with Democratic Republic of Congo and is next to Virunga National Park in DRC. The Park which was gazetted in 1991 and declared a UNESCO Natural World Heritage in 1994 has an area of 321 sq km.
Importance of the park
It is a home of mountain gorillas which have become a major tourist attraction for Uganda. The Mubare Gorilla Group was the first to be habituated for tourism in 1993. Nine Gorilla groups have been habituated for tourism since 1993.
Biodiversity
The hills are covered by diverse rainforests which contain over 400 species of plants. The “impenetrable forest” provides a secure home to an estimated 320 mountain gorillas. This is about 50% of the world population of endangered mountain gorillas.
The park also provide a secure home for over 120 mammals species including baboons, chimpanzees, elephants and antelopes. The park has recorded over 350 species of birds which include 23 Albertine Rift Valley endemics.
It is also a home to 27 species of frogs including chameleons and Geckos and 220 species of butterfly.
There are more than 1,000 flowering plant species including 163 species of trees and 104 species of ferns.
Rivers
Bwindi is source of five major rivers which flow into Lake Edward.
Accommodation around the national park {module[365]}