We’re excited to welcome you to southern Bwindi, show you where we live,
introduce you to our people, and take you to some of our hidden places.
Karungi (Kah-roon-gee) Camp
Karungi means "the good one" or "the beautiful one" in the local language.
Karungi Camp is nestled in the southwest corner of Uganda, Kigezi region, Kisoro District. This region abounds in scenic hikes, gorgeous birds to spot, serene lakes to relax by and majestic volcanoes worth admiring. Karungi Camp offers you convenient access and close proximity to numerous adventures and experiences unique to our special corner of the world.
We are on the doorstep of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and home to roughly half the worlds population of mountain gorillas.
If this is not enough to boast about, we are on the eastern edge of the Albertine Rift Valley and surrounded by the Virunga Volcano Range which extends from Rwanda, through Uganda and into the Democratic Republic of Congo. This range is responsible for the steep hills and narrow valleys that define the area and make for the breathtaking scenery from any vantage point.
Beyond the National Park, Karungi Camp can assist you with your exploration into the surrounding communities, (Rubuguri, Higabiro, Nyabaremura) allowing you to dive into the rich culture in the area.
Ruguburi is home to 2 tribes, the Bakiga and Batwa people. The Bakiga are agriculturalists who have always lived and worked communally. A short walk through the village and surrounding trail system will demonstrate this communal life, as you see local women tilling the fields and working family plots together.
The local language is Rukiga, one of the Bantu languages spoken in the western regions of Uganda.
Karungi Camp provides a perfect home base for your journey in Bwindi, and we’re happy to connect you with local guides and tour operators, and help you to navigate the often complicated process of obtaining gorilla tracking permits.
Bwindi
Bwindi "Impenetrable" National Park – Awaiting Discovery!
Karungi Camp offers you convenient access and close proximity to numerous adventures and experiences unique to our special corner of the world, including the Bwindi "Impenetrable" National Park.
Bwindi is located in one of Uganda’s most densely populated rural areas. Approximately 10,000 families from the Bachiga, Bafumbira and Barwanda peoples cultivate the land immediately surrounding the National Park.
These families depend on the Park as a water catchment area, source of employment and preserve of local flora and fauna.
The Park in turns depends on the surrounding community for support and participation in conservation initiatives.
Bwindi is maintained and managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), and tourism related to the mountain gorilla is the only activity permitted within the Park.
Beyond the National Park, you can explore the local community (Ruguburi) and the rest of Uganda. Ruguburi is home to predominantly 2 tribes, the Bakiga and Batwa people. The Bakiga are agriculturalists who have always lived and worked communally.
A short walk through the village and surrounding trail system will demonstrate this communal life, as you can see local women tilling the fields and working family plots together. The local language is Rukiga, one of 7 Bantu languages spoken in the southern part of Uganda.
Uganda
Beyond Bwindi, from Ruguburi to the greater Uganda
Uganda is a small landlocked country, known as the "Pearl of Africa". It has 5 neighbors and the equator passes right through the middle. It's 35 million residents tend to be found in rural locations.
Uganda is filled with diversity, with 52 languages and equally as many tribes, where ever you travel you will be met with different customs and traditions.
Despite a checkered history, Uganda now boasts an active tourism market and has found itself on the National Geographic Traveller Cool List of 2019. It's title as "the Pearl of Africa" is well deserved, and you won't regret immersing yourself in the culture, unforgettable terrain and incredible wildlife of this special country!