Batwa Cultural Trail in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

This unique experience will give you insight into the history and lives of this marginalized community. Not only will you learn about their tragic eviction from their ancestral lands, but you will also explore hunting and building practices used in the community for generations. This is an opportunity to support the local communities who have been negatively impacted by the preservation of the mountain gorilla ecosystem.

The Batwa Trail Experience is an opportunity for visitors to the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to experience the Batwa culture and history. It offers a glimpse into the historical lifestyles of this marginalized community from the perspective of ancient forest life.

The Batwa Trail Cultural Tour explores how the Batwa indigenous communities lived in the gorilla forests before eviction in the early 1990s. Trained Batwa cultural guides will lead the cultural experience and showcase the ancestral practices such as hunting, fruit gathering, fire making, and the construction of grass thatched huts. The tour ends with an exploration of the Garama Cave, a site where the ancient Batwa king used to reside. At the cave’s entrance, you can find a group of Batwa people singing songs of grief and sorrow for the loss of the forest lands.

The Batwa are currently residing on the outskirts of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park as well as on the periphery of Bwindi National Park. The Batwa, who no longer access the forests for economic survival, struggle to meet the necessities of daily life. The income collected from the Batwa Trail Experience supports Batwa families to get the basic household necessities. The Uganda Wildlife Authority manages the revenue distribution of the Batwa tour.