Also referred as Savannah Airstrip, Kihihi is one of the small airstrips in Uganda and primarily used by tourists / travelers to south-western parks of Uganda who prefer flights to road trips. It is surprisingly the third largest airstrip in Uganda with only domestic flights operated to the Airstrip.
Location of Kihihi Airstrip
The official code of the Airstrip is KHX and is found near the small Town of Kihihi, Kanungu district within south-western region of the country. Travelers who wish to embark on gorilla safaris in northern Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by air can undertake domestic flights from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Kihihi.
This small Airstrip eases air travel to the sector of Buhoma (North) as well as nearby Ruhija sector (Eastern side) of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in addition to Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The main reason to fly to the Airstrip of Kihihi during gorilla safaris is to cut short the long distance (8-9 hours’ drive) from Kampala to Bwindi hence a perfect option for travelers who are limited by time.
Airlines that serve Kihihi Airstrip.
Presently, Aerolink is the sole domestic airline serving Kihihi Airstrip flying throughout the year to and fro Entebbe International Airport. However, direct flights can also be organized from Kihihi to other destinations, with the longest flight being from Kihihi non-stop to Pakuba Airstrip (in Murchison falls National Park). This long flight lasts approximately 60 minutes and is also interestingly organized by Aerolink. Besides Entebbe and Pakuba, another popular destination from Kihihi is Nyakisharara Airstrip in Mbarara district.
Aerolink currently doesn’t operate International flights departing from Kihihi Airstrip hence visitors with plans of getting there from other countries are required to first make a stopover at Entebbe International Airport, then connect to Kihihi with a domestic flights operator.
About Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was established in 1991 to protect over 321 square kilometers of Impenetrable rainforest. This Park is popular for offering shelter to about half the World’s population of the endangered mountain gorillas. This Park is over 8-9 hours’ drive from Kampala and therefore our visitors who are limited by time or wouldn’t want to go through these long drives can opt to fly from Entebbe International Airport to Kihihi.
There are four gorilla trekking sectors and Buhoma in the north is the nearest to this airstrip. There are four interesting gorilla groups in Buhoma sector, and these are Mubare, Rushegura, Katwe and Habinyanja, hence only 32 gorilla permits are available each day for this sector.
About Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The southern side of Queen Elizabeth National Park (Ishasha sector) can be easily accessed from Kihihi, especially if you wish to see the popular tree-climbing lions in the shortest time possible. These lions are not found anywhere else in the World except within Tanzania’s Lake Manyara National Park. When it comes to outstanding beauty and endowments, Queen Elizabeth National Park is indeed a medley of wonders with over 95 mammal species, over 600 species of birds and breathtaking Crater and freshwater Lakes.
This 1978-square kilometer National Park is one of the few places where you can see numerous lions, large herds of elephants, the elusive leopards, Uganda Kobs, highest concentration of Hippos, common warthogs, bushbucks, Topis and large basks of Nile crocodiles. It also offers exceptional chimpanzee trekking adventures in Kyambura Gorge in addition to other unmatched activities such as Experiential Tours (lions tracking, Bird counting and Hippo Census) as well as day and evening boat cruises.
Other Airports/Airstrips near Kihihi
There are a number of alternative Airstrips and Airports near Kihihi and they include Kisoro, Kasese, Mbarara and Mweya Airstrips as well as Kigali International Airport in neighboring Rwanda, Goma and Beni International Airports in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
