Buhoma Community Rest Camp

Buhoma Community Rest Camp is one of the best budget lodges in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. The lodge is located in Buhoma sector which is found on the northern side of the park. The lodge is located before the entrance of Bwindi impenetrable forest which is home to the highest population of mountain gorillas in the whole world.

Buhoma Community Rest Camp comprises of 6 well-furnished self-contained bandas, 3 self-contained cottages, 2 non self contained cottages, and 6 bed dormitory style accommodation style.  The bandas at this place are built on a raised peace of land overlooking Bwindi impenetrable forest. The place has a well-stocked bar and a restaurant with professional chefs that prepare local and international foods. They do have a gift shop that sells things African crafts such as bags, baskets, earrings, and wood sculptures. Looking for a perfect place to relax and listen to the birds in the jungle sing.

Sights of Bwindi forest from Buhoma Community Rest Camp

Getting there

Buhoma Community Rest Camp can be accessed using road transport or air transport within a single day. The lodge can be accessed from Kampala/ Entebbe through Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, Kisoro road and this takes 9-10 hours full of great views of the surrounding areas. Travelers can access Buhoma Community Rest Camp from Kigali by crossing to Uganda using Katuna border in Kabale or Cyanika border in Kisoro. Luxury travelers can access buhoma region by flying to Kihihi airstrip from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi airport.

Activities to do while staying at Buhoma Community Rest Camp.

Gorilla trekking in Buhoma: Most of the travelers staying at Buhoma Community Rest Camp are those that are coming for gorilla trekking. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi is an activity that helps travelers be around mountain gorillas for 1 hour and 5 mountain gorilla families are up for trekking such as Mubare, Habinyanja, Muyambi, Katwe, and Reshengura.

Gorilla trekking activity in Buhoma starts early in the morning at the sector offices and this is where trekkers must gather by 8 am. The activity begins with a briefing from the park wardens who teach trekkers about the rules and regulations of the gorilla trekking activity, make groups not exceeding 8 people, and get armed ranger guides to lead the trek. The search for gorillas takes 2-7 hours but the moment they are spotted, armed ranger guides give trekkers 1 hour to be around the gorillas and this does enable them to learn about their habits, take photos and watch them do daily activities.

Birding: Bird lovers to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park can organize with the lodge or tour operator for birding activities in the Buhoma region of the park. Birding in Buhoma is done using different trails which include Ivy river trail, Buhoma Nkuringo trails, Habinyanja trail, and bamboo zone trail among others. Birding activities are always led by armed ranger guides who take you around the forest showing you the best birding spots and protecting you from dangerous wild animals.

Birding in Buhoma gives you an opportunity to encounter bird species such as hammer kop, little grebe, cattle egret5m black-headed heron, scared ibis, African goshawk, southern pochard, African hobby, augur buzzard, crested guinea fowl, handsome francolin, red-eyed dove, ross turaco, olive pigeon, yellow bill, black swift, Rwenzori night jar, yellow bill, rock martin, lesser honey guide, angola swallow, western nector, African jacana, mountain wagtail, and black sawing among others.

Nature walks: Nature walks are some of the possible activities to do while staying at Buhoma Community Rest Camp. Nature walks can be done around the lodge or inside Buhoma sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. Nature walks done in Bwindi give you an opportunity to see different plants, animals such as red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, duikers, giant forest hogs, elephants, buffaloes, and birds such as toro olive greenbul, grey wagtail, black sawing, barn swallow, olive thrush, forest robin, common stone chat, and cape robin chat among others.

Encounter the Batwa community of buhoma

Batwa tour: Visiting the Batwa people should be one of the activities to do maybe after a successful gorilla trekking day. The Batwa people live around the park boundaries and to visit them you are pickled by the local guide because the money collected out this activity goes directly to the communities. The Batwa tour starts with a nature walk around the forest where they tell you how they used to survive in the jungle, feed on meat from small animals, honey, and fruits. They will show you different plants they used as medicine to cure illness. They will take you around different homesteads where you will meet local people doing day-to-day activities, interact with them, visit gift shops and traditional healers, and in the end, you will get entertained by traditional local healers.

When to stay at Buhoma Community Rest Camp

Travelers can stay at Buhoma Community Rest Camp at any time of the year when having a safari in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park however there are months that are better than the rest. The dry months are the best to visit Bwindi and stay at this lodge and they happen from June to September and December to February. They are characterized by little or no rainfall that makes the trekking trails stay dry, the vegetation is sort and thin with good views of the animals and the roads leading to the park and lodge are passable.

Travelers can stay at Buhoma Community Rest Camp in the rainy season of March to May and October to November to enjoy huge discounts on accommodation facilities. Travelers should however note that in the rainy season, the trekking trails are muddy and slippery, the vegetation is tall and thin with good views of the mountain gorillas and the roads leading to the park are in poor condition.