DISCOVERY OF THE PARK'S SURROUNDINGS

Hotels in the area compete with each other in inventiveness to brighten your stay outside the confines of Bwindi Forest. All of them organize, directly or indirectly, activities to discover the sublime landscapes and the friendly people of the south-western corner of the country. In addition to the recreations mentioned below, the Nkuringo Walking Safaris (www.nkuringowalkingsafaris.com) and Gorilla Highlands (www.gorillahighlands.com) companies are organizing excursions (with a focus on walking) lasting from a few hours to several days to survey the areas bordering the southern part of the park; they also offer the possibility of crossing the Nkuringo-Buhoma crossing, if necessary.

Hiking. There's nothing like walking on two feet to criss-cross the area. In the south of the park, several hikes, more or less difficult, are included in the program of the lodges. Let us mention, among others, the walk in the residual forest of Nombe, dissociated from the forest massif of Bwindi because of anthropic pressure but whose oars are still cherished by a myriad of birds. The buffer zone (mainly tea bushes) separating the Bwindi protected forest from the cultivated plots, and the hills surrounding Rubuguri, provide opportunities for stretching one's legs. Don't hesitate to contact Karungi Camp which offers - like Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge - a beautiful range of bi-paedic getaways in the south of the park. Cyclists can also rent mountain bikes from Ride 4 a Woman in Buhoma, for example...

Village and community walks. Ideal for cultural immersion enthusiasts, these getaways allow you to visit schools, orphanages and traditional breweries, taste local honey and food, and meet local healers, artisans and farmers. The Nteko Ridge Community Trail in Nkuringo, the outings organized by Karungi Camp on the Rubuguri side, and the walk village developed by the Buhoma Community Development Association may be of interest to you.

Meeting with the Batwa. On the programme of most of the local lodges, this meeting, which is unfortunately not always the most "authentic" and respectful, should allow you to better understand the way of life of the Twa Pygmies, who were evicted from the Bwindi forest when the national park was created in 1991.