Batwa Experience In Bwindi: Bwindi impenetrable forest National Park is well known for mountain gorilla trekking and other activities like bird watching, primates walk, mountain biking and cultural encounter experience. This park at first was occupied by Batwa people but later these people were chased away and this forest turned into game reserve to National park. The Batwa people are now living outside the park and they are also known as Batwa pygmies.

The Batwa were hunter gatherers in the forest and everything that Batwa wanted was found in Bwindi forest. As years went by, they were chased out of the forest and this disturbed their ways of living thus a miserable life. The Batwa people were not used to owning land because they lived in unity in the forest. The forest they inhabited was later preserved as a national park by the government. Things totally changed and the rainforest was now a national park and the wildlife was restricted from hunting.

Because of the eviction, the Batwa became refugees. The Batwa people changed their ways of living plus having to lose their culture which they were used too in the rainforest. Batwa trail allows you to understand the ways how the Batwa spend their time in the forest.

Try to learn new things as guides take you through the forest, enjoy singing, dancing and storytelling from the local Batwa talking about their farming ways, gathering honey, handling the bow plus picking herbal from leaves and roots to be used as medicine on the locals. You can also taste local meals, you will also learn that the Batwa used to live in caves, grass thatched houses, and their food was from hunted animals. The Bwindi trail always starts with nature walk as you are hiking through the forest. The hiking can take you 5 hours or a full day and this is a privilege for the Batwa people to be with you.

Bwindi forest is well known as the best home for mountain gorilla but it was also the best home of Batwa people who were the first people to live in the forest. So as visitors try visiting Bwindi for gorilla trekking there are other activities like Batwa cultural experience. The money you pay on the visit is used to support the Batwa by constructing schools and among others.

Today the Batwa stay outside the forest, they no longer inhabit within the forest and stay outside the sectors which include Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo and Rushaga.

Batwa trail costs $ 80 currently and it is done in Mgahinga.

Batwa experience cost $100 and happens in Bwindi’s Buhoma sector.

Book with Africa Adventure Vacations in advance for your memorable experience with Batwa.