Bigodi Wetland in Kibale National Park
Bigodi Wetland is found in Magombe Swamp of Kibale National Park, a 4 sq.km swamp. The Wetland Sanctuary lies adjacent to the Kibale, which is popular as the world’s primate capital. It is an exceptional spot for birders and also primate enthusiasts. From Kanyanchu Visitor Centre to Bigodi Wetland is about 6 km. Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary serves as a typical example of community-based tourism. The revenue generated from Bigodi goes back to support local community projects including the construction of schools, the provision of clean water, supporting women’s groups, and more.
Bigodi Wetland features a lush swamp near Kibale Forest National Park. It is also an award winner of the UNESCO Wetlands Sustainable Tourism Projects after it emerged as the best community sustainable tourism project. Bigodi is a bucket list tourist spot, especially if you plan to visit Kibale National Park for chimpanzee tracking. It never misses on the itinerary of primate enthusiasts.
Bigodi Wetland is a community project run by the Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development (KAFRED). The project was established primarily to ensure the swamp is well maintained to benefit local communities through tourism. The word Bigodi is derived from the Rutoro word ‘Kugodya’ meaning walking in a sluggish tired manner.
Primates in Bigodi Wetland
Plenty of primate species can be encountered in Bigodi Wetland. They include olive baboons, red colobus, blue, vervet, red-tailed, l’hoest, grey-cheeked mangabey, and black and white colobus monkeys. Additional mammals to expect to explore in Bigodi include sitatunga, bush pigs, mongoose, bushbucks, and others.
Birds of Bigodi Wetland
More than 138 species of birds all live in Bigodi Wetland. The birds in this enriching swamp-dominated Bigodi Wetland include the Great blue turacos, brown-backed scrub-robin, yellow-spotted barbets, white-tailed ant-thrush, hairy-breasted barbet, grey-winged robin-chat, western nicator, black and white-shrike flycatchers, white-breasted negrofinch, brown-crowned chakra, superb sunbird, and black bishop.
Activities to do in Bigodi Wetland
Birding/bird watching
Bigodi Wetland in Kibale National Park is the most popular birding spot any bird lover should consider a must visit. Birding tours in Bigodi guarantee you great sights of diverse bird species including the white-spotted fluff tail, superb sunbird, hairy-breasted barbet, black-crowned waxbill, western nicator, black and white shrike-flycatchers, white-breasted negrofinch, brown-throated wattle-eye, brown-backed scrub-robin, yellow-billed barbet, black bishops, the great blue turacos, and more. Visitors can choose to engage in the morning birding session which starts at 7:30 am or the afternoon phase from 3:00 pm.
Nature/forest walk
Nature walking in Bigodi is conducted with the presence of an experienced guide. The guided nature or forest walk takes about 2-3 hours. You can participate in the morning session or afternoon. As you walk through the scenic Bigodi swam/wetland, expect to come across a diversity of birds, primates, and other mammals.
Village cultural walks
In the adjacent local communities to Bigodi Wetland, it is possible to undertake a guided community or cultural walk with an experienced guide. On a cultural visit, you will have a myriad of things to explore/experience including engaging in basket weaving or getting entertained by locals as they dance before you. You can also have a taste of local delicious food and others.
Benefits generated from conserving Bigodi Wetland
Compared to most wetlands, Bigodi has recorded enormous benefits. They include;
- Construction of schools: Through the revenue collections from Bigodi wetland tours, the local communities have managed to build some schools from nursery to secondary level. This plays a significant role in enhancing the level of education in the community.
- Construction of bridges: Connectivity between places has been improved thanks to the bridges that have been put in place, especially in the wetland areas.
- Improved income: The local farmers are in a position to sell their local products to the visitors who come to explore Bigodi Wetland.
- Employment opportunities: Locals have been employed in different fields as guides researchers, etc. This has enabled them to earn a living and meet their basic needs back home.
Explore both Bigodi and Kibale National Park
Tourists can combine tours in Kibale National Park and Bigodi wetland tours. Kibale National Park protects 13 primate species with over 1500 chimpanzees. The additional primates in Kibale Forest National Park include the red-tailed monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, olive baboons, red colobus monkeys, pottos, bush babies, and more.
Chimpanzee tracking
While in Kibale National Park, the main primate adventure to consider a must to enjoy is chimpanzee trekking. The chimp trek involves spending 2-4 hours in the jungles searching for a habituated community of chimpanzees. The trek includes an hour of observing how these primates behave in the wild and taking pictures.
On the Kibale chimp trek, you won’t only see chimps but also several other primates. These include red-tailed monkeys, colobus monkeys, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, bush babies, pottos, l’hoest monkeys, mangabey monkeys, and many more.
Birding
Kibale is a rich birding site with a total of 375 species of birds. During the bird-watching tours, expect to come across birds such as the African green-breasted pitta, white-bellied crested flycatchers, bar-tailed trogon, red-faced crimson wing, fine-banded woodpecker, yellow-spotted nicator, yellow-rumped tinker bird, little greenbul, black bee-eaters, papyrus canary, and more.
When to visit Bigodi Wetland in Kibale National Park?
Bigodi Wetland is an all-year-round destination in Uganda. However, the dry season is the best period to visit it for you to experience most of its hidden treasures. Overall, the dry season falls in June, July, August to September; December to February.
What to carry for Bigodi Wetland tour?
Essential items to consider packing for Bigodi Wetland excursions include waterproof walking/hiking boots, a good camera, a sweater, a rain jacket, a long-sleeved shirt, a first aid kit, insect repellents, a waterproof daypack, and many others.
Where to stay in Bigodi Wetland?
Bigodi Wetland is suitably lying in an area where all the 3 accommodation categories are available that is budget, midrange, and luxury. The popular lodges to consider for overnight stays in and around Bigodi wetland; are Kibale Guest Cottages, Kibale Forest Camp, Kibale River Camp, Isunga Lodge, Lake Nyamirima Cottages, Primate Lodge, Crater Lake Safari Lodge, and more. Other lodges include Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse, Kyaninga Lodge, Rweteera Safari Park, Papaya Lake Lodge, and many others.
How to get to Bigodi Wetland?
Bigodi can easily be accessed by road from Kampala/Entebbe city. The two options to take to reach Bigodi Wetland include the Entebbe/Kampala via Mityana-Mubende-Fort Portal tourism city. From Fort Portal tourism city, drive through Kibale National Park then to Bigodi wetland. This can be a 6-7-hour drive in a mechanically sound 4×4 safari vehicle. Or drive from Kampala via Mbarara to the Kamwenge route.
Visitors around Kamwenge can also reach Bigodi wetland within 45-minute’ drive. The ideal means for your connectivity to and from Bigodi should be a comfortable 4×4 safari car. The overall safari cost to Bigodi usually caters to the transportation or rental car fee.
Conclusively, Bigodi wetland is best to visit not only for bird watching or birding expeditions but also for primate/nature walks. This enriching swamp is home to a huge profusion of primates and birds making it an ideal spot to explore by nature enthusiasts on a safari in Uganda. Feel free to reach out to our reservation team to book your next Uganda vacation.
