Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary
Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary
4.5
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4.5
156 reviews
Excellent
102
Very good
39
Average
12
Poor
2
Terrible
1
Z2256SXelizabethb
Torquay5 contributions
Aug 2023 • Friends
Our guide Innocent, and his apprentice Fiona, were very knowledgeable and delightful companions for our cultural walk. We were taken through the coffee making process from beans on the tree to delicious hot coffee. We learned the names of plants we’d previously been confused about. We saw women making straw items, and recommend this village as the spot for your souvenir purchases. Very reasonably priced and we felt confident our money was going to the community. Banana Man on beer and gin making and tasting was very entertaining. We felt we learned a lot, without the theatrical aspect experienced in the Masai Mara.
Our guide, Innocent, joined us the next day for a trip to the crater lakes. I’m sure he will have a successful career in tourism as he is absolutely charming and very well informed.
Our guide, Innocent, joined us the next day for a trip to the crater lakes. I’m sure he will have a successful career in tourism as he is absolutely charming and very well informed.
Written 1 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jasmine38Chichester UK
Chichester, UK1,983 contributions
Feb 2022
I highly recommend this excursion, which we took combined with the village walk. It's managed and organised by the community so all profits support the village and its inhabitants.
Our guide Patrick was excellent and it was one of the best nature walks we experienced in Uganda. We saw a number of birds, including the Hornbill and Turaco as well as 4 species of
monkey.
The village walk was also excellent and we visited a local woman to see her making coffee, a medicine man, a local basket weaving cooperative and a farmer who makes beer and gin from bananas. It was especially nice to participate in this type of tour with no hard sell, although I did end up buying a couple of woven bowls because they were so lovely.
All in all we took around 5 hours but it can be less according to your time and interests.
Our guide Patrick was excellent and it was one of the best nature walks we experienced in Uganda. We saw a number of birds, including the Hornbill and Turaco as well as 4 species of
monkey.
The village walk was also excellent and we visited a local woman to see her making coffee, a medicine man, a local basket weaving cooperative and a farmer who makes beer and gin from bananas. It was especially nice to participate in this type of tour with no hard sell, although I did end up buying a couple of woven bowls because they were so lovely.
All in all we took around 5 hours but it can be less according to your time and interests.
Written 19 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tom L
London, UK10 contributions
July 2023
Fantastic mix of conservation and community support - I hope many other ventures will learn from this community-led initiative.
The swamp hosts an incredible variety in primates and birdlife - much of which we were able to see thanks to our very knowledgable local guide.
An added bonus is that the craft shop at the entrance (stocked with goods made by the Bigodi Women's Group) sells the highest quality goods that we found anywhere in Uganda.
The swamp hosts an incredible variety in primates and birdlife - much of which we were able to see thanks to our very knowledgable local guide.
An added bonus is that the craft shop at the entrance (stocked with goods made by the Bigodi Women's Group) sells the highest quality goods that we found anywhere in Uganda.
Written 5 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John H
Westmount, Canada498 contributions
Jan 2020
This is all about exploring the outdoors (fauna + flora) of the area. But the walk, itself, is nothing special, passing by several farms, empty fields, kids selling wood-crafts, dirt roads, and so on. There is no lake or actual water environment to be seen. Go for the birds and monkeys. If you can experience them elsewhere, then this opportunity is just average and nothing special. Try to avoid the middle of the day since it can be hot with little exposure to wind. Not worth a big effort to get there, and not as good as many other Uganda experiences.
Written 29 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Linda Y
Frisco, TX5,697 contributions
Aug 2022
The Bigodi guided nature walk, and the cultural village walk, are managed/provided by an official community-based organization called KAFRED (Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development). This initiative manages tourism to benefit the local community and protect the environment. We were provided a knowledgeable and energetic guide and set off on the trail in search of monkeys, birds, and more. But after about an hour, the stifling mid-afternoon heat and humidity got to us, and we decided to shorten our visit. We did see monkeys and a few different bird species (but not the great blue turaco which I had hoped for). I encourage you to support the community in their effort – just be prepared. Make sure you are hydrated and of course remember the bug repellent. A long sleeve shirt and pants tucked into socks will provide protection from the dense vegetation and safari ants. After all, this is a jungle swamp!
Written 2 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Martin J
Braintree, UK15 contributions
Nov 2019
There are 3-4 small operators here all walking a different bit of the area. I went with the ones in the village on the West side. Always lots of guides, they are very knowledgeable about local wildlife. If you are keen on seeing particular things try and phone a few days ahead to get one that will suit you. I mainly went to see monkeys and birds and commonly saw 3 types of monkeys and 40+ birds. Butterflies, trees and insects are common, you also have the experience of just seeing local life. Lots of locals in their home setting, most are very friendly.
The guides are very helpful at knowing wherew the monkeys and birds are. I went about 10 times in my 13 months there.
They also do local cooking, coffee making etc. I did this once when it was raining +++. It was fine.
You can get a boda or local bus from Fort Portal. Travel companies will charge you a lot more. Prices much cheaper than Kibale
The guides are very helpful at knowing wherew the monkeys and birds are. I went about 10 times in my 13 months there.
They also do local cooking, coffee making etc. I did this once when it was raining +++. It was fine.
You can get a boda or local bus from Fort Portal. Travel companies will charge you a lot more. Prices much cheaper than Kibale
Written 21 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JKH_GA_USA
Canton, GA154 contributions
June 2021
You want to see monkeys and birds AND learn something in a very fun way? Take the few hours and tour Bigodi. Our guide, Leo, was outstanding, telling us both anecdotal and factual stories about the plants, the birds, and the monkeys. We saw five different species of monkeys...which made the tour well worth it. But we also saw the Great Blue Turaco!! Leo never rushed us. When we saw at least a dozen monkeys of three different species, he let us take as much time and pictures as we wanted. Like all of the guides we had in Uganda, Leo's love for the land and the animals truly showed.
This is a community space and any money raised here is put back into the community directly.
The Bigodi Wetlands tour is an excellent activity to add to the same day as your chimpanzee trek. The hike has some hills, but is not difficult. For some reason I had expected elevated walking paths, but that is not the case. There was some walking over planks laid down in the wettest areas but mostly it's just a trail.
This is a community space and any money raised here is put back into the community directly.
The Bigodi Wetlands tour is an excellent activity to add to the same day as your chimpanzee trek. The hike has some hills, but is not difficult. For some reason I had expected elevated walking paths, but that is not the case. There was some walking over planks laid down in the wettest areas but mostly it's just a trail.
Written 5 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Toni T
Nashville, TN3,098 contributions
Sept 2024 • Friends
GIna led us on a great tour of the wetlands. She is knowledgable, passionate, and dedicated to the wetlands and the community. She pointed out several primates and birds--and more importantly, showed us the best place to see the hidden ones and get great photos. She showed us the community farmlands and explained how they prepare, plant, and protect their plants and crops. Then we learned how to roast, prepare, and drink coffee with the Coffee Queen, who really knows her technique. After dancing with the women's group, we tried our hand at basketry. We purchased hand crafted baskets from the original designer/crafter! Our last stop was to enjoy Banana Beer, Gin, and Juice at Rest In Banana Gardens. The owner showed us how he makes these beverages from family recipes from long ago. Gina is an incredible guide and we enjoyed immersion in the local culture.
Written 4 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Simone S
Vienna, Austria96 contributions
Oct 2021
This is a great Kibale experience as an alternative or in addition to the chimpanzee tracking. We really enjoyed both the village and the swamp walk with our friendly and knowledgeable guide, a young woman called Stella. In the village we met people showing us how they produce coffee and banana juice/beer/gin (tasters included!), a traditional healer, and a lovely group of women weaving baskets. Very pleasant experience that didn't feel in any way awkward or "staged" like these things sometimes do. Since we didn't do the chimpanzee tracking, we were in no rush and could spend the whole morning wandering through the village, which was great. We then had lunch at Tinka's Homestay close by - highly recommended, as it is a lovely experience that introduced us to many typical local dishes. We had rainy weather for the swamp walk in the afternoon, so we didn't spot that many monkeys and birds, but the jungle atmosphere was still great.
Written 2 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Uganda Excellent Adventure
Kibale National Park, Uganda138 contributions
Mar 2020
Still the best or excellent sanctuary for bird lovers, primate lovers, entomology lovers and plant life.
very chilly to walk on the dancing boards.
Avery greatly colonizing papyrus type of vegetation, to tropical moist type of forest, and this change in vegetation , makes it a rich home for primate diet.
At least 10 primate species could be seen here, both diurnal and nocturnal species.
Best time to visit, Earl morning , or afternoon after chimpanzee tracking in kanyanchu. This is the best time to catch up with primates busy stocking supper , or filling empty stomachs.
You can book on line, but its better , to book on arrival.
very chilly to walk on the dancing boards.
Avery greatly colonizing papyrus type of vegetation, to tropical moist type of forest, and this change in vegetation , makes it a rich home for primate diet.
At least 10 primate species could be seen here, both diurnal and nocturnal species.
Best time to visit, Earl morning , or afternoon after chimpanzee tracking in kanyanchu. This is the best time to catch up with primates busy stocking supper , or filling empty stomachs.
You can book on line, but its better , to book on arrival.
Written 5 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What is the exact location of this sanctuary and how can you pre-book a tour (if this is needed)? Thank you!
Written 10 June 2018
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