FOREST EXPLORATION

A number of hiking trails leave from Buhoma, Nkuringo, Ruhija and Rushaga to discover the rich fauna and flora of the equatorial forest. Experienced birdwatchers, for example, can go in search of Grauer's eurylaime (don't hesitate to ask a UWA guide in Ruhija if you'd like to discover this colorful bird). UWA is also planning to develop butterfly watching in order to flush out Bwindi's endemic butterflies. Most guided walks start in the morning, but shorter ones can be started in the early afternoon (at 2 or 2.30pm). Finally, if you combine gorilla tracking and hiking on the same day, you don't have to pay twice for entry to the park, but you do have to pay the fee (US$40) for bird watching or the nature walk.

The Buhoma Waterfall Trail is one of the most popular excursions for birdwatchers. A 3-hour round trip takes you through an area populated by monkeys, giant ferns and orchids, and along the Munyaga River to a 33-metre-high waterfall. There is also another Waterfall Trail in the Rushaga area (3-4 h walk).

The Rushura Hill Trail and the Muzabajiro Loop (Buhoma) both take around 3 h to climb a few hills and enjoy panoramic views of the forest and Virunga. The slightly longer Habinyanja Trail offers the chance to spot black bee-eaters, black ducks and Pel's fish owls.

The River Ivi Trail takes good walkers 7 hours from Buhoma to the south-western part of the forest (or vice-versa), near Rubuguri. The Nkuringo-Buhoma crossing (or vice-versa) follows the same trail (3-4 h walk). The two villages can also be reached via the Kashasha River Trail (6-7 h), a picturesque but slightly more physically demanding variant.

The Mubwindi Swamp Trail (Ruhija) is a bit of a Mecca for birdwatchers. Your walk (4-5 h return) to the depression where the eponymous swamp lies may well bring you face to face with a gorilla..

The Bamboo Trail in the extreme south-east of the park (access from the Ruhija-Kabale track) will take you to the highest point of the Bwindi Forest, Rwamunyonyi (2,607 m), for breathtaking views over the region. Count on 6 hard hours of hiking, during which you'll cross bamboo groves..