Uganda is a home to almost half of the world’s surviving mountain gorillas found in Bwindi and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks. The World heritage site, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is one of East Africa’s most famous national parks. Set over 331 sq. km of improbably steep mountain rain forest, the park is home to an estimate of 459 gorillas: undoubtedly Uganda’s biggest tourist draw card.
The same forest is one of Africa’s most ancient habitats, since it thrived right through the last Ice Age (12000 to 18,000 years ago) when most of Africa’s other forest disappeared. The Park contains 120 species of mammals more than any of Uganda’s other national parks, through sightings are less common due to the dense forest.
Lucky visitors on a gorilla safari in Bwindi might see forest elephants, 11 species of primates including chimpanzees and L’Hoest’s monkeys, duikers, bushbucks, African golden cats and the rare giant forest hog, as well a host of bird and insect species.
Why Go
Tracking mountain gorillas, forest walks with Batwa people, birding watching.
When to Go
December to March and June to September have the least rain, but permits are available all year round.
How to get to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
On a gorilla safari to Bwindi Forest, there are two ways in which you can reached
By Road
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park can be reached from Queen Elizabeth National Park to the north, from Kabale to the south, or from Kampala via Mbarara. The roads meet at Butogota, 17km from the Buhoma entrance gate. A 4WD vehicle is necessary during the rainy season. The rainy season often brings delays due to landslides, so be sure to leave enough time to get there: ideally it is best to stay close to the region in which you will be tracking gorillas.
By Air
In case you don’t have enough time, and you are in a rush, travellers can fly from Entebbe or Kampala (Kajjansi airfield) to the modern tarmac airstrip at Kisoro. Planes can also be chartered to the grass Kayonza or Savannah airstrips.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is well served by three airfields at Kayonza and Kihihi for the northern sector and Nyakabande in Kisoro for those going to track gorillas in the southern sector (Nkuringo and Rushaga).
Bwindi Gorillas and Permits
The demand for gorilla permits exceeds supply for most of the year in Bwindi. Over 18 gorilla families have been habituated for tracking in Bwindi Forest. A Gorilla permit in Uganda costs: $700 USD per person yearly.
Buhoma Sector
Nestled in the northwest corner of the park, Buhoma has three groups of gorillas: Rushegura, Mubare, and Habinyanja. As the first section of the park to open for gorilla tracking, gorillas are probably the most accessible here too, sometimes as little as 2 hours’ trek away.
Ruhija Sector
In the northeast of the park, Ruhija has three gorilla groups: Bitukura, Oruzogo and Kyaguriro. There’s a good range of accommodation sprouting up here but otherwise it is also accessible from Kabale or Buhoma.
Nkuringo Sector
While there’s only one group in Nkuringo, it is regarded as one of the most entertaining and relaxed of the gorilla groups. Nkuringo is spectacularly set in the southwest of the park on a ridge opposite the wall of green that is Bwindi. From various spots you can spy Lake Edward, the Rwenzori, all of the Virunga’s.
Rushaga Sector
Located in the southeast of the park, Rushaga has 40 permits available for its five groups including Nshongi, the most popular, Mishaya, Busingye, Bweza and Kahungye is Bwindi’s largest habituated group. This lovely thick tract of forest is also home to elephants.
The Gorilla Experience in Bwindi
Tracking mountain gorillas is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, hanging out with mountain gorilla is one of the most thrilling wildlife encounters in the world. In East Africa Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the best places to see them. There over 80 permits daily available to track in Bwindi Forest.
Trips leave from the park office nearest the group you will be tracking at 8:30am daily, but you should report to park headquarters by 7:45am. Once you join a tracking group, the chances of finding the gorillas are almost guaranteed. But, as the terrain in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is mountainous and heavily forested, if the gorillas are a fair distance away it can be quite a challenge to get close.
The path is often steep and slippery and it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to five hours to reach them, so you will need to be in reasonable enough shape. If you think you are going to struggle it’s strongly advised you hire a porter who can lend a hand getting up and down the hill. Walking sticks are also a very good idea and are provided by UWA.
Besides gorilla trekking spending one hour with the gorillas, we also have another experience called Gorilla Habituation Experience which allows you to spend 4 hours with the mountain gorillas. The permit for this experience cost $1500 USD per person yearly.
Birding tours in Bwindi
On a gorilla safari in Bwindi Forest, Birding is another suitable activity that can be added on gorilla tracking. For bird watchers it is one of the most exciting destinations in Uganda’s national parks, with almost 360 species, such as the African green broadbill. With a good guide, sighting daily totals of over 150 species is possible. On the other side, Bwindi harbours eight endemic plants.
Batwa Experience
The Batwa Experience helps preserve the culture of the Twa people who were displaced from their forest habitat when Bwindi became a national park by allowing you to both meet the Twa and see how they lived in the forest. The five-hour tours include witnessing a mock hunting party with bow and arrows, stories from Twa legend and song and dance, an intense and often emotional experience.
Forest walks
Even if you can’t afford gorilla tracking, Bwindi is a rewarding park to visit just for a chance to explore the lush virgin rainforest. Several three-to-four-hour nature walks penetrate the Impenetrable Forest around Buhoma.
The Waterfall Trail
A 33m waterfall on the Munyaga River is the best trail or spotting both Orchids and primates.
Muzabijiro Loop Trail and Rushura
These offer excellent views south to the Virunga volcanoes and the Western Rift Valley in the DRC. The latter, which is a more different climb, also serves up views of Lake Edward and on an exceptionally clear day, the Rwenzori’s
River Ivi Trail
A longer but much easier trek is along the River Ivi Trail, which follows the path of a planned but never built road between Buhoma and Nkuringo. It’s 14km through the road to Nkuringo village: you might be able to hitch this last part.
