Visiting Bwindi on New Year’s Day – New Year’s Day is a wonderful time to experience the mountain gorillas and other wildlife in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Bwindi is home to the endangered mountain gorillas, which make up almost half of those remaining in the wild. The park is a top destination for gorilla trekking, which takes place in the four sectors of the park: Ruhija, Nkuringo, Buhoma, and Rushaga.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park covers an area of about 331 square kilometers at the edge of the Albertine Rift.
The park has many wildlife species, including:
- Birds like black-billed turaco, black bee-eater, Kivu ground thrush, woodpeckers, and regal sunbird.
- Mammals such as elephants, buffaloes, and yellow-backed duikers.
- Primates such as blue monkeys, black and white colobus, and red-tailed monkeys.
The park is managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the body in charge of all national parks in the country.
Bwindi National Park can be visited all year round, including on New Year’s Day.
New Year’s Day is a time to reflect on the year ahead while observing the mountain gorillas in the jungle.
Escape the winter season in Northern Europe and the United States by visiting Bwindi, where temperatures are warmer during that time.
During the New Year’s Day season, special offers for gorilla habituation experience packages are available for tourists.
Tourists should note that New Year’s Day is a high season, so it is difficult to secure gorilla permits and make accommodation reservations due to high demand.
Therefore, tourists are advised to book about 2 to 3 months in advance.
A New Year gorilla trekking experience can take 3 days or up to 10 days for gorilla habituation, or even longer.
Top Activities on New Year’s Day
- Gorilla Trekking: Gorilla trekking is the main activity in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The park is home to almost half of the endangered mountain gorillas. Only 8 people are allowed to visit a gorilla family per day. Gorilla trekking takes about 2 to 7 hours, but once gorillas are found, tourists spend one hour with them.
- Gorilla Habituation: Gorilla habituation is another top activity after gorilla trekking. It takes place in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi. The activity involves helping mountain gorillas get used to humans.
Tourists spend 4 hours with gorillas, compared to 1 hour during gorilla trekking. Only 2 gorilla families are under habituation in Rushaga, so only 8 permits are available per day (4 people per family). - Bird Watching: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a haven for bird watchers, with about 350 bird species.
These include: African green broadbill, blue-headed sunbird, Rwenzori nightjar, regal sunbird, black-billed turaco, and black bee-eater. - Mountain Biking: This activity is best done in the Buhoma sector of Bwindi. It is provided by the Ride 4 a Woman community group, which offers bikes for rent.
Tour guides share knowledge about the area, and tourists have a wonderful experience.
Visiting Bwindi on New Year’s Day is a unique way to welcome the new year while experiencing nature.
