Fun activities to do in forests in Uganda
Fun activities to do in forests in Uganda : There are different forests in Uganda which can be visited during safaris in the country and they are home to various wildlife and bird species.
Some of the forests in Uganda include Mabira forest, Budongo forest, Bwindi forest, Kibale forest, Kalinzu forest, Bugoma forest, Maramagambo forest among others. These forests are of different types and include natural forests and plantation forests.
Some of the activities which are carried out around the forests in Uganda include the following;
- Forest walks
Guided forest walks are among the best activities to do when exploring the different forests around Uganda.
Tourists during these forest walks follow different paths around the forests and are accompanied by ranger guides who are knowledgeable of the routes in the forests. This activity can be done as a group experience of by individuals.
The duration of the forest walks can take about 2 hours or more depending on the route used and the forest walks can be done in the morning or in the afternoon during tours in Uganda. The different routes each provide unique experiences during the forest walks.
Encounters with different wildlife species such as black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons among others are also common during the forest walks. Different tree species can also be seen as well as a variety of bird species and butterfly species.
In destinations such as Bwindi National Park , tourists can be led by the Batwa guides during the forest walks at the destination. Different attractions such as waterfalls can also be seen during these forest walks.
The best time for forest walks in Uganda is during the dry season around June to September and in December to February when the trails are easy to navigate.
- Bird watching
Among the attractions found in the different forests in Uganda are various bird species which can be seen during bird watching experiences.
Bird watching in Uganda can take place in the morning or afternoon hours in search for the different bird species in the forests.
In Mabira forest, some of the bird species which can be seen include athan’s Francolin, Sabine’s Spine tail, Speckled Tinker bird, Yellow-spotted Barbet, White-bellied Kingfisher, White-spotted Fluff tail, Yellow-billed Barbet, African Shrike-flycatcher, Fire crested Alethe, Black-shouldered Nightjar, Blue-throated Roller, Cassin’s Hawk-eagle, Cassin’s Spine tail, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Forest Wood hoopoe, Green-breasted Pitta, Grey Parrot, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Afep Pigeon, African Dwarf-kingfisher, African Pied Hornbill among others.
Around Kibale forest, bird species which can be seen are over 370 in number and they include the Green Breasted Pitta, Rwenzori Turaco, Purple, Breasted Sunbird, Black bee-eater, Dusky Blue Flycatcher, Great Blue Turaco, Little Greenbul among others.
The different bird species which can be seen during bird watching around Bwindi forest include Handsome Francolin, Black-billed Turaco, Black and Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters. Western Green Tinker bird, African Green Broadbill, Short tailed Warbler, Purple-breasted Sunbird among others which can be seen in the different sector of the national park.
Birds of Budongo forest which can be seen during bird watching tours include African pied wagtail, Black kite, crested guinea fowl, Yellow-footed Flycatcher , Olive-breasted greenbul, African Dwarf Kingfisher among others.
- Fun activities to do in forests in Uganda : Chimpanzee trekking
Chimpanzee trekking is another activity which takes place in forests in Uganda such as in Kibale forest and in Budongo forest.
Kibale forest is among the popular destinations where tourists engage in chimpanzee trekking during tours around the western part of Uganda. The forest is also home to different bird and butterfly species and many other primates like black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys among others.
In Kibale forest, chimpanzee trekking can be done in the morning and in the afternoon and take a duration of about 4 hours of searching for the chimpanzees. Permits for chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest costs 250 USD for foreign nonresidents, 200 USD for foreign residents and 180,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens.
Around the forests of Kibale national park, tourists can also engage in chimpanzee habituation experiences and spend more time observing the chimpanzees in their natural habitat. The permits for chimpanzee habituation in Kibale forest cost 300 USD for foreign nonresidents, 250 USD for foreign residents and 250,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens.
Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest is also done in the morning and afternoon and starts from Kaniyo Pabidi. The forest is part of Murchison falls national park which is the oldest and largest national park of Uganda.
Permits for chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest cost about 130 USD per person and allows tourists to enjoy 1 chimpanzee trekking experience.
- Fun activities to do in forests in Uganda : Gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking is another exciting activity which is done during tours around the forests in Uganda. This activity takes place in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and also in Mgahinga national park.
In Bwindi forests, the mountain gorillas can be seen in the different sectors of the national park which include the Buhoma sector, Rushaga sector, Nkuringo sector and Ruhija sector where different habituated gorilla families live.
The gorilla trekking experience around the Bwindi forests starts with a briefing at the park headquarters before heading into the forests to search for the mountain gorillas accompanied by ranger guides. Different trails are followed during the gorilla trek and tourists can also see other primates and different bird species while in the forest.
One hour is spent with the mountain gorillas in the Bwindi forest which gives tourists the opportunity to watch the gorillas closely and also enjoy taking photos and recording the gorillas.
- Fun activities to do in forests in Uganda : Zip lining
Zip lining in the forests of Uganda is done in the Mabira forests which is one of the tropical rainforests in the country.
Over 311 tree species and 315 bird species are found in the Mabira forest which is located in Buikwe district. There are also different primate species found in the forest including the grey cheeked mangabey, red tailed monkeys among others.
In Mabira forest, the zip lining experience takes place in the morning and in the afternoon giving tourists an adventure during which they can enjoy views of the forest canopy.
