Batwa cultural tours: The Batwa people commonly known as Pygmies, they are an indigenous group of hunter-gatherers who primarily inhabit the Great Lakes region of Africa, including Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Batwa Cultural Village in the Democratic Republic of Congo is situated in the heart of Virunga forest in Virunga National Park in the eastern part of the democratic republic of Congo. The village is one of the renowned communities here and a cultural destination with remarkable cultural insights that inspire visitors with loving and beautiful people, marvelous dances, and surprising traditions. The Batwa cultural village is located just near the park headhunters though they reside deep inside the forest
As soon as you enter the village, you will be greeted by Twa or Pygmy cultural dance and music and then accompanied by a local guide. The village offers visitors a great opportunity to learn the cultural essence of modern day Congo where you will be presented with unique traditions such as a fashionable demonstration of courageousness, performances with Rhythmic drumming, dance and interesting entertaining songs that are often reversed by beautiful and exciting destination set of interlacing beaded jewelry is treasured cultural encounters of a similarly varied cultural medley of music, art and handicraft, you will also get chance to participate in a number of traditional activities like fire-making, crafting tool and baskets and gathering edible plants. This activity provides a deep insight into the resourcefulness and skills that sustained the Batwa in their natural habitat.
During the Congo cultural tour to the Batwa village, visitors will also get an opportunity to participate or be involved in the storytelling with the elders, this offers you with a deep understanding of the origin, challenges and aspirations of the Batwa people in the modern world and then engage in local food preparation, learning how the local villagers live, their way of life, observing them in their homes is more loving and fascinating.
Visitors taking part in visiting the Batwa cultural village will be amazed with exciting experiences or activities such as village tours, basket making, guided forest walks around the village, and can also take part in preparing Batwa local foods among others. On your fortunate visit, you may reach on a day when the village’s traditional marriage ceremony is taking place.
You can also combine Batwa cultural village tours with other wildlife activities at Virunga National Park since the indigenous people live in the forest of the national park such activities include;
Batwa cultural tours: Gorilla trekking
Mountain gorilla trekking in Congo is a process which involves walking through the jungles of the tropical rainforest in search for the habitats of mountain gorillas in their natural environment. Mountain gorillas can only be found in four destinations in the planet such as in Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in the democratic republic of Congo itself. Trekking this fascinating mountain gorillas is one of the adventurous experiences that you should not miss while in any Congo safari. Trekking mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park starts at Bukima patrol post and trekking these fascinating primates takes about 2-6 hours depending on the location of the mountain gorillas and the family you are to trek. While in the jungles, you get to meet with other species such as chimpanzees, buffaloes, and forest elephant as well as different bird species. Once the gorillas are allocated, you will be allowed to interact with them in their presence for one or less than hour observing how they carry out their daily activities while seeing how they behave in the wild.
Batwa cultural tours: Chimpanzee trekking
Chimpanzee trekking is one of the most loving activities carries out by many travelers who visits, due to the dense tropical rainforest covered around Virunga National Park, it a home to large number of primate species including the rare and endangered eastern Chimpanzees. Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga national park is the process which started in 2014 because of this successful experience this fascinating chimps are now used to human presence and less aggressive unless if disturbed. Chimpanzee trekking in the forest of Virunga National Park starts early in the morning with briefing of rules and regulations and the expectations. During Congo chimpanzee trekking, you will get to interact with the chimps in the wild while observing their playful nature and all their other behaviors and characteristics.
Guided forest walks
Guided forest walks at Virunga National Park offers travelers with an opportunity to explore its hidden treasures. Forest walks is one great opportunity that connect you to interaction with nature closed. Guided natures in Virunga National Park’s offers a chance to travelers to explore the floral and faunal species on foot. While on Congo nature walks safaris at the park, you will get to enjoy breathtaking views of the eroded valleys of Ishango and Sinda as well as astonishing views of the Rwenzori Mountain ranges on the Ugandan side.
Wildlife viewing
Virunga National Park is a home to a large variety of wildlife including reptiles, amphibians as well as primates and mammals. Visitors on Congo wildlife safari can also participate in wildlife viewing, wildlife viewing in Virunga National Park is normally conducted in the park center Lulimbi due to its huge and beautiful landscape attracting a lot of mammals such as, African leopard, buffaloes, day duikers, Boehm’s bush squirrels, Emin’s pouched rat, blue duikers, elephants, giant forest hogs, and aardvarks. Others include red river hogs, lord derby’s scaly tailed squirrel, bushbucks, porcupines, marsh mongoose, tree pangolins, Nile crocodiles, Hippos, Monitor lizards, okapi, bongo, topis, Kobs, yellow-backed duikers among others
Birding
Victors on a cultural tour in Batwa cultural village can also take part in birding since the indigenous Pygmies live in the forest of Virunga National Park. The park is home to over 700 different kinds of species making it the birders haven to many bird lovers. some of the birds that can be spotted while on a birding safari include Bronzy Sunbird, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Rwenzori Turaco, Francolins nobilis, Musaphaga, skimmers, shoebills storks, egrets, grey herons, ibises, grey-throated barbet, Grauer’s swamp warbler, alpine swift, African olive pigeon, white-headed woophoopoes, Angolan swallow, Rwenzori batis, tropical boubou, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Spot-flanked Barbet among others
Accommodation while visiting Batwa Cultural Village
Batwa Cultural Village is located in the heart of Virunga National Park. The village hosts more international visitors than any other part of Congo and hence there is no shortage of accommodation options, there are luxury, mid-range, and budget hotels /lodges offering quality services. Some of the popular hotels and lodges used while visiting the Batwa cultural village include Ngai Lodge, Lulimbi Tented Camp, Bukima Tented Camp, Tchegera Island Tented Camp, Mikeno Lodge, and Nyiragongo Volcano Summit Shelter among others.
