Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a bio diverse, mountainous area in southwestern Uganda occupying 331km² of forest cover in serene forest cover. Bwindi Park is covered with shrubs and bamboo and hilltops. The weather in Bwindi is ever chilly because of the immerse canopy.

And shared by three districts in the Albertine rift valley, Kabale, Rukungiri and Kisoro and some portion in Kanungu. Its home to the largest number of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, which feed on roots, leaves and fruits from the parks diverse trees and fern species. Restricted numbers of viewing permits help protect the endangered gorilla families. It was aslo declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

The forest is divided into four sector for gorilla tracking which include; Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, Nkuringo. Over 10 gorilla families have been habituated for tourism and individuals from 15 years of age are permitted to visit a gorilla family per day.

Bwindi is a good birding haven with over 23 greatly localized endemic Albertine Rift species making a suitable location for bird watching.

With more than half the total world’s mountain gorilla’s population, it has more than 30 elephants as well as 120 mammal’s species among which are 7 diurnal primates such as black-and-white monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, De Brazza monkey, Baboons, Chimpanzee along with the main attraction the Mountain Gorillas.

Bwindi is home to 360 bird species and 200 species of butterflies, the Afro-montane rain forest with its serene thick undergrowth of shrubs, ferns plus vines and more than 324 species of trees recorded there, among which 10 cannot be found in any other part of Uganda thus making Bwindi a “must trek” for enthusiastic tourists.

This Gorilla tracking activity begins at 7:00 as we head to the briefing center in the morning and may range from 1 to 4 hours or less before we actually face the giant gorillas. Each gorilla group is limited to 8 people.

Other activities include the following.

When to Go to See the Mountain Gorillas in Uganda

Although trekking the mountain gorillas can be conducted throughout the year in Uganda due to the seasons experienced by the national parks in which these gorillas stay, most tourists prefer visiting from June to September as well as from December up to February when the rain is less. You can visit Bwindi at any time of the year but it is not easy trekking the hills in the wet season but our experienced guides over the years and helpers or porters in the park have made it possible to visit the gorillas any time of the year.  

Please make sure you book the permits with us in advance due to the high demand. 
How to get and leave this park

The entire journey goes for 534 km and lasts 9 to 10 hours from Kampala. Setting off early in the morning is recommended in addition to using a 4WD vehicle. Bwindi is reached through a number of routes which with a meeting point close to Butogota
 A lengthy drive of 108 km from Kabale to Buhoma through Ruhija which takes approximately 3 hours however much longer when it rains and we greatly recommend that you use 4wd vehicles.
From Kampala up to Buhoma, the finest route is through the surfaced road through Kabale to Ntungamo approximately 60 kilometers from Mbarara. Driving from Ntungamo take a right turn for 45 kilometers will take you to Rukungiri, and from here via Kambuga up to Kanungu and lastly reach Butogota 17 kilometers to Buhoma Park Head office.

From Kasese or Fort Portal are two routes: one through Katunguru, Ishasha and then Kihihi going for 3 to 5 hours. The second route takes the Mbarara road up to Ishaka, 33 kilometers from here up to Kagambe along the Kabale road at the junction with Ntungamo to Rukungiri road, and from here more directions heading to buhoma are as stated above.

One can easily get to Bwindi with in a flash using scheduled flights from Entebbe to Bwindi taking approximately 1 to 2 hours.

Activities in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Gorilla Tracking / Trekking Experience

The experience starts early morning by 7:00 am as we drive to the parks visitor information center where you shall be briefed about the gorilla trekking experience. The park ranger will divide you into groups and after this you shall start your trek into the forest. You will track the gorillas and on finding them you shall be allowed to observe them for 1 hour. Gorilla tracking takes about 1 to 4 hours or less and the actual observation takes 1 hour.

Gorilla Habituation Experience  

This kind of interesting activity is engaged in with rangers alongside research expects who train the gorillas helping them get used to the humans in the same environment.

The gorilla habituation experience is carried out in Rushaga tracking sector in which the sector has 11 families that were habituated. The experience starts at 7:00 am and the visitors spend 4 hours with the gorillas observing every detail about them right from behavior / life style and how they do their day to day routine activities.

The Bird watching safaris

Bwindi is a good haven for birding safari destination in Uganda with more than 348 species of birds that are hard to see in a number of other areas within East African. Some of the other special species include; the Dusky Crimson, honey guide, kivi ground thrush as well as Rusty-faced woodland Gruel’s Rush Warbler Bar-tailed Trogon, the Wing, Warbler, White-tailed Blue Monarch Short-tailed Warbler, Yellow-eyed black Fly-catcher, white tailed blue fly catcher, brown necked parrot. Passionate bird watcher may be in a position to identify up to 100 species every day.

The Nature Walks to Bwindi Forest

With a stay of 2 or more days within Bwindi impenetrable national park may engage in a hiking tour across the hiking-trails that are popularly conducted within the park. Experience on a number of bird species, the various primates, butterflies and a number of tree species.

Bwindi has more than six trials in buhoma and these include the following

Rushara trial. Munyanga river trial, Bushoma villiage tourist walk, Muzubijiro loop trail, waterfall trail, Munyanga river trail among others.

Cultural Experiences

The cultural encounter is done with the locals that live on the edges of the park and these happen to be the Batwa people who are famously known as the ancient pygmies of Buhoma and Rushaga. They were hunters that lived in the Bwindi forest majorly on the side of rushaga sector. While on this cultural encounter we get to witness the activities that they usually engaged in such as craft making, cultural dances and more about their lifestyle.

Mountain Biking

6 – 7 hours and 13 km to Iviri River

Other activities that we can engage in while in Bwindi include, Mountain Hiking, Community walks.

Where to Stay 

Choosing the best safari lodge or accommodation depends on how much you can afford ranging from budget, midrange and luxury.  It’s all about the facilities, location, food, services and other related services.

Gorilla permits for an individual in Uganda cost USD 700 for Non-residents and for residents it costs 600 USD. The permit offers you one hour with the mountain gorillas in a group of 8 people. The money paid for your gorilla permit helps in conservation of gorillas in their natural habitat. Gorilla trekking is managed by Uganda wild life Authority and its terms and conditions apply.

You will actually observe the gorillas for an hour in the midst observing their day to day routine activities. Kindly note 80 people are allowed to see the gorillas of the different families in their natural habitat each day in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This is done to preserve the endangered gorillas

What to know about the Mountain Gorillas of Uganda

Only 8 people are allowed to see a gorilla family with rules put in place by Uganda wildlife Authority. Book your gorilla permit through Wabs Safaris to helps you book a gorilla family which is not far away from your choice of accommodation! The routes to Bwindi and its various regions are often tricky as the region is in a remote area. We make it a point to give you the best Gorilla trekking experience.

What to Wear?  Choosing the right Clothing

Gorilla Trekking gear guide, gloves, Good quality walking boots if trying any hikes or even climbs, warm layers of cloth for the cold evenings and clothing for wet weather remember it becomes cold and wet at this high altitude, carry your rain jackets in case of rain and must be in good health conditions.

Background Information on Mountain Gorilla in Uganda –Behavior, History, Facts of Mountain Gorillas, Predators, Habitat plus Diet:

The endangered impressive Mountain Gorillas in Uganda don’t live in any zoo across the planet since they cannot survive in captivity or dentation and thus there aren’t any known mountain gorillas surviving within zoos. These can only be found and seen in Africa, in just three countries including Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.  There are approximately 786 Mountain Gorillas remaining in the world with approximately half of them staying in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest plus the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park within Uganda found in East Africa.

When you talk about Mountain Gorillas memorable thoughts cross anyone’s mind; with thoughts of King Kong. 

Mountain Gorilla Trekking, How do Gorillas look like?

The Males are two times the size of the females, they may grow to 6 ft tall and even weigh 350 -500 pounds.  These are strong, with long arms and muscular.  The males are referred to as the silverback because as they mature the hair on their back turns somewhat silver, hence the name Silverbacks.  The strength of the males is ten times stronger compared to the strongest boxer, even taking steroids.  The arms of silverbacks can stretch to 7 feet

Mountain Gorillas possess longer plus darker hair compared to their lowland counterparts because they stay in colder climates and higher altitudes.  Their life span is between 40 and 50 years.

The mountain gorillas mainly stay on the ground although they will climb a tree occasionally given that it can support them.

How Do Mountain Gorillas Feed ?

It is the forest’s altitudes are between 1,160m and 2,607m above sea level. Typically Mountain Gorillas eat large quantities of flowers, leaves, fruit, roots, bamboo and shoots in season.  The Adults can consume up to 75 pounds each day.

Uganda has two parks where Mountain Gorillas may be seen, one is Mgahinga Gorilla National Park a stunning park and with the serenity of the Virunga volcanoes that extend into the DRC and Rwanda, and then in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

The day of a Mountain Gorilla starts at 6 am up to 6pm with a snooze around lunch time. 

Are Mountain Gorillas Dangerous Species? Will they hurt me during the trek ?

Visitors into Bwindi Impenetrable Forest inquire if mountain gorillas are dangerous?  Although dominant and very strong, these are gentle as well as shy, and in addition the mountain gorillas which visitors see within Uganda have been habituated.  In other words, they are habituated to people, which process that takes close to 2 years. 

While mountain gorillas are threatened they do attack so as to protect their very own.  When different Mountain Gorilla groups meet, there is a fight between the leader Silverbacks to death.  Mountain gorillas exist in groups which differ in size from 2 – 30 or 40, however commonly in groups of 10.  There is no specific mating season while babies are born through the year.  The Males begin breeding at around 15 years while the females start giving birth between 10 and 12 years.  Females can give birth after every 2 to 3 years giving birth to 4 – 6 offspring through their lifetime.

Mountain gorillas communicate through sounds like roars, grunts and shouts, and 25 sounds currently have been documented by researchers

The main threat to the Mountain Gorillas is human encroachment for settlement around them. However, through an educational program by the Uganda Wildlife Authority through the tourism industry that the gorillas within Uganda are today no longer as threatened by various poachers.

They are threatened by various diseases transmitted by human visitors into the park, and for that reason the Uganda Wildlife Authority has set up strict rules to prevent spreading

 of such diseases.

Uganda offers the Best Option for Seeing and trekking The Mountain Gorillas

Uganda is the best in gorilla trekking experience since we have the highest number of mountain gorillas compared to others destinations. Besides the mountain gorillas, you can visit Murchison Falls or the primates in Kibale, Queen Elizabeth National Park with its famous tree climbing lions, Kidepo valley National Park with its wilderness, Lake Mburo National Park with the whispers of the wild and many others.

Sample Trip for gorilla trekking in Bwindi

2 Days Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi from Kigali

3 Days Giant Gorilla Trekking Experience

3 Day Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Fly In

5 Days Gorilla Tracking and Wildlife Safari

8 Days Prime Wildlife Safari