Day 3 or 4 - Nkuringo to Buhoma
We proceed through the trading centre of Ntungamo to the National Parks offices at Nkuringo (300m) to pay park fees and secure the services of a national parks ranger guide to escort us to the national parks Headquarters at Buhoma. There are two routes that can be followed although both routes meet in the forest to become one before reaching Buhoma.
The two walking trails are known as The Ivy River and Kashasha River Routes. The latter trail is the most direct walk. Buhoma is 13 km through the forest on the Kashasha River Trail where the tin roofs of Buhoma are clearly visible from the Nkuringo campsite. The Ivy River route is ideally suited to tour groups that have vehicle support to either drop or collect them some 7 kms from Nkuringo along the Nteko Ridge at the junction for the Ivy River trail with the forest.
As there is no road through Bwindi between Buhoma and Nkuringo vehicles driving between the two locations have an incredible 170 km bone jarring journey taking some 6 to 8 hours to undertake.
Route 1 - The Kashasha River Trail begins at the Nkuringo National Parks office before proceeding down a steep slope through community land to reach the park buffer zone. The route passes the junction of two rivers inside the forest where after a further 20 minute ascent the trail meets the alternative route the Ivy River trail inside the forest 90 minutes from Buhoma. The trek to the Buhoma Park HQ on the Kashasha River Trail is 4 to 5 hours between Nkuringo and Buhoma or 6 to 7 hours between Buhoma and Nkuringo. The Kashasha River trail involves some steep inclines not least when proceeding to Nkuringo.
The trail offers visitors a close up experience of the natural wonders within a rain forest environment. Birds are prolific in Bwindi and your guide will point these out to you during your walk.
Route 2 - The Ivy River Trail also starts also from the Nkuringo Park office, where we follow a murram road downhill with views over the forest for some 7 kms to the Ivy river on our right. The Ivy River Trail within the forest is often walked by visitors that stay at Buhoma as a nature walk from the park H.Q. From the Nkuringo office to the Ivy River it takes 2 and 1/2 hours walking. From the Ivy river to Buhoma walking through the forest takes 4 hours. Total journey time 6 1/2 hours.
This Ivy river route ascends and descends gently through beautiful areas of the rain forest with several viewpoints from the murram road from/to Nkuringo over looking lush mist shrouded valleys. The trail is also an important footpath for local people travelling to and from Nkuringo particularly on market days to Nteko village on the southern boundary of the park. Monkeys, duikers, bush pigs and some of Bwindi's world renowned bird species plus many butterflies can be observed.
