This three-hour Village Walk unveils to you to the local people living close to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest plus their culture. Village Walk – gain knowledge of the cultural ways – Locally made art crafts – the Dances- their Traditional cooking – the Brewing- as well as their Herbal Medicines. The Buhoma Village Walk offers a chance to observe the people adjacent to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It as well is a good way to direct support these local communities.
The Walk starts at Buhoma Community Rest Camp in the company of your guide and is very informative, as well as rewarding. You will be amazed at how resourceful these local residents are as you personally observe and learn their lifestyle. The First stop is seeing women make handicrafts while others weaving baskets at the community crafts center and there you can buy some of these and this will greatly be appreciated.
There is a waterfall in the center of the farmland and as well you can see the hard working women in the fields nurture their crops. The basic equipment used here is a hoe plus their energy with no high-tech equipment. In season see them picking tea, observe how the newest leaves are carefully picked by the skillful pickers. On these cold hillsides a diversity of tea is cultivated and definitely you can carry some back home to enjoy in your country with friends and family and certainly you will have reason to remember you experience within and around the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
You will Stop by River Muyaga and observe women washing their clothes in the customary way using hands – there aren’t any washing machines but just their hands, and on the adjacent rocks you will enjoy a breathtaking sight of several multi-colored butterflies. Stop in the center of a Banana plantation and there is traditional brewing demonstration that uses Bananas and includes the distilling of one of the local gins made out of Bananas (called Waragi- a name driven from ‘War Gin’ as called by the Ugandan soldiers that returned from World War II). Uganda is literally a ‘banana republic’ as it produces most Bananas (with more than 50 varieties) compared to other country excluding Brazil, which isn’t terrible for a country approximated to the size of Oregon State. In addition you can taste the local-beer (Heineken) made out of Bananas – look out; here comes Uganda’s Bwindi -Banana Brew yet to be internationally marketed.
Traditional Healer, this healer isn’t a witch doctor however a person that knows how to uses resources from the forest to treat sickness. You certainly will be stunned by his great knowledge and informative exhibition. Visit the community Mukono Primary School to meet the students and their teachers – startling how one can study without computers, electricity or even lights, – however the very marvelous thing is the amazing spirit of these children.
Lastly – visit the Batwa -Pygmy community who originally where the inhabitants of this forest – however they lost their home when Bwindi Forest National Park was established. Finish the trip entertainment of a traditional dance. Three hrs of a very rewarding informative pleasurable walk that offers you an opportunity to directly support this local community
