Cuckooland Tented Camp

Cuckooland Tented Camp is a small mid-range accommodation facility located at the edge of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, Cuckooland Tented Camp is located 40 meters drive from Ruhija region headquarters. Ruhija is one of the four sectors of Bwindi with 4 mountain gorillas open for trekking. Ruhija sector is a home to oruzogo family, kyaguliro family, Bitikura family and Mukiza family.

Cuckooland Tented Camp is constructed using local materials with wooden platforms with grass thatched roofs overlooking the lavish botanical gardens. The lodge has four tented houses that have single beds, twin beds, a toilet, shower with hot and cold water, and a balcony with great views of the surrounding areas. The lodge has a well-stocked bar and a restaurant that has chefs who prepare delicious food.

Getting to Cuckooland Tented Camp

Travelers can get to this Camp within a single day buy using road transport or air transport. The lodge is located in the Ruhija region and can be accessed using air transport from Kajjansi airstrip or Entebbe international airport to Kisoro airstrip where you use road transport for about 2 hours to Ruhija region then to Cuckooland Tented Camp.

Travelers using road transport can access this Camp from Kigali in 4-5 hours or Kampala/Entebbe in 9-10 hours. From Kigali, travelers can get to Cuckooland Tented Camp by crossing to Uganda using Katuna border in Kabale or Cyanika border where they will connect to the Ruhija sector of the park. Travelers from Kampala/Entebbe will go through Masaka, Mbarara, and Kabale then access Ruhija region where Cuckooland Tented Camp is located.

Activities to do while staying at Cuckooland Tented Camp

Gorilla trekking: Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is home to more than half of the mountain gorilla population that is left in the whole world and Ruhija region is one of the sectors where Bwindi gorillas do live. Gorilla families open for trekking in the Ruhija region are four and each group is trekked by a maximum of 8 people per day. To trek gorillas of Bwindi while staying at Cuckooland Tented Camp you need to book a gorilla permit before even visiting the park because that is a ticket that will allow you to be part of the gorilla trekking activity.

Gorilla trekking is an activity that starts with a briefing where trekkers are taught about the rules and regulations of the gorilla trekking activity, grouped not exceeding 8 people, and assigned armed ranger guides to lead them in the jungle. Searching for mountain gorillas can take 2-7 hours depending on the location of the gorillas as well as the speed of trekkers and while searching there are opportunities of meeting different park animals and birds. When the gorillas are spotted, armed ranger guides give 1 hour to be around these apes, watch them do daily activities, take photos and learn about different gorilla habits.

Birding: Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is among Uganda’s best birding spots with over 350 birds which are found in all sectors of the park. Guests staying at Cuckooland Tented Camp will meet birds such as blue throated brown sunbird, tit hylia, dusky tit, olive green camaroptera, banded prinia, grey crowned crane, African jacana, great blue turaco, grey apalis, ashy flycatcher, black-throated apalis, dusky blue flycatcher, tiny sunbird, common fiscal, regal sunbird, sooty boubou, olive sunbird, common fiscal, northern double collared sunbird and pied cow among others.

Nature walks: Hiking and nature walks in Ruhija sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park are part of the activities a traveler can engage in while on a safari in Bwindi. Nature walks in Ruhija sector are done using different trails with a help of an armed ranger guide and they come with opportunities of meeting different park animals such as elephants, bushpigs, duikers, monkeys, giant forest hogs, buffaloes, plants, and birds such as banded prinia, grauers warbler, white chinned prinia, tit hylia, white-winged tit, dusky tit, malachite sunbird and African jacana among others.

Best time to stay at Cuckooland Tented Camp?

Travelers can book and stay at Cuckooland Tented Camp during their safari in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park however there are months that are better than the rest. The dry months are the best to stay at Cuckooland Tented Camp during your safari to Bwindi and they happen from June to September and December to February. They are characterized by little or no rainfall that makes the trekking trails stary dry, the vegetation is short and thin with good views of the mountain gorillas and the roads leading to the park are in good conditions.

Travelers can still nook and stay at Cuckooland Tented Camp in the rainy season and this favors the budget travelers who enjoy huge discounts on accommodation facilities. Travelers should note that the rainy season happens from March to May and October to November and is characterized by too much rainfall that makes the trekking trails muddy and slippery, the vegetation is tall and thin with unclear views of the park animals while the roads leading to the park and the lodge are impassable.