Bwindi Impenetrable National park is Uganda’s number one destination for gorilla trekking in Uganda. Over the past few years, travel to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to view mountain gorillas has grown more and more popular. It’s most known as a home to over 460 gorillas which is almost half of the global mountain gorilla population.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park covers an area of about 331 sq km hence its one of the biggest montane and lowland rain forests in East Africa. It is located in southwestern Uganda at the edge of the Albertine rift valley about 2 hours flight from Entebbe airport/ Kajjansi airstrip and 12 hours drive from Kampala, Uganda’s capital city.
Believed to have survived the ice age about 2,500 years ago during the Pleistocene epoch, Bwindi Forest Park has the greatest biological diversity including 120 species of mammals, 10 species of primates including chimpanzee, 202 species of butterflies, 346 birds, trees and reptiles most of which are not found anywhere else in the world.
For that reason it was designated UNESCO world heritage site in 1994 and it’s also a place where two great apes both the chimpanzee and gorilla live in harmony with man.
Bwindi is a world class eco tourism destination and mountain gorilla trekking is based on strict environmental rules and regulations meant to protect, conserve gorillas and other wildlife. As a result since 1994 when gorilla tourism started, millions of nature friendly tourists visit the park for their gorilla trekking safaris and other wildlife safaris.
This has therefore generated huge economic benefits leading to economic development of the surrounding local communities in Kisoro, Kabale, Kanungu districts and Uganda at large. Therefore community development has increased tourist experiences far beyond the gorillas with a lot of cultural encounters including BaTwa people, home stays, cultural trails, local food, and arts and crafts.
About Bwindi
Bwindi means darkness as explained by local legend; the rainforest is still virgin symbolized by the amazing nightmare cover of mist and clouds due to thick under cover and closed canopies. Though impenetrable, it’s most accessible on foot by forest trails hence gorilla trekking can be challenging without physical fitness. To see gorillas you need a gorilla permit which can be booked online via Uganda wildlife authority website or through a trusted tour operator.
Though, it may be tiresome getting to Bwindi by road or hiking through the impenetrable forest, it pays back once you set your eyes on a gorilla family. Bwindi is not far from towns like Kisoro and Kabale from where you can start or end your gorilla trekking safari. It offers a relaxation opportunity along lakes like Bunyonyi, Mutanda for boat cruises, sunset canoes, swimming, birding and BaTwa cultural encounter
Sectors in Bwindi
The forest comprises of three parts; Buhoma sector which is in the northern part of the park, Ruhiija sector which is in the central of the park and has the highest altitude of this park, Rushaga sector which is in the southern part of the park and this also shares Nkuringo sector also in the southern part of the park.
There are six habituated gorilla permits in the southern sector; Nkuringo in Nkuringo sector, Mishaya, Kahungye, Nshongyi, Busingye and Bweza in Rushaga sector, Bitukura, Oruzogo and Kyaguriro in Ruhiija sector, Habinyanja, Mubare and Rushegura in the Buhoma sector.
These are the gorilla families that are sought after for gorilla tracking by the tourists. Travels from all over the globe come to Uganda from to enjoy this Ultimate adventure in Uganda – Mountain Gorilla trekking / tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Getting There
One can get to Bwindi National Park or Mgahinga gorilla national park either by road from Kampala which is an eight hours drive or by road from Kigali-Rwanda which is 3 hours drive or by plane which is 45 minutes flight from Entebbe plus one hour drive to the National park.
Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is done all year round. Mountain gorillas are the main tourist attractions in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. There are 24 habituated gorilla families, 22 are meant for tourism while 2 are for research, habituation experience and tourism altogether.
Gorilla trekking is guided by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) staff in all the well established 4 gorilla trekking sections each with a number of habituated gorilla families. They include Buhoma the park headquarters with 3 gorilla families, Ruhija with 4 gorilla families, Rushaga with 5 and Nkuringo has 2 gorilla families.
Gorilla trekkers can select one of the park sections according to their interests, though Ruhija sector the highest point at 2,607 meters above sea level has many Albertine rift endemic birds in Mubwindi swamp just like Rwamunyonyi peak. Buhoma sector has nature walk trails, you move through the jungles to see waterfalls, rivers and view butterfly breeding grounds, primates such as L’hoest money, birds like short tailed warbler and wild chimpanzees.
Whether you stayed outside or inside Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, early morning you must report to gorilla trekking trailheads. Perhaps you may join another group of trekkers and experienced Uganda wildlife authority guides take you through briefing and orientation about the rules and regulations for gorilla trekking.
Upon briefing, real trekking starts at 08:30am moving through the forest with rangers and guides. Guides communicate with advance trackers to where the gorilla are located hence there’s no defined time when you might see gorillas or return back.
It’s very wise to have the right hiking gears, packed food, drinking water and or hire a porter in preparation for the time you might spend in the forest. Upon return with from the forest with memories of see gorillas to make highlights of your African Safari experience, you are awarded a gorilla trekking certificate by the head guides.
Where to Stay
There are several accommodations in Bwindi National Park where one can stay to suitably transfer to the park headquarters in the morning at 7am for pre-tracking briefing.
- In Rushaga sector, there is Gorilla Safari Lodge, Gorilla valley Lodge, Nshongi gorilla lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge among others.
- In Nkuringo there is Nkuringo gorilla camp, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge among others.
- In Ruhiija there is Gorilla Mist camp, Bakiga Lodge, Trekkers Tavern, Ruhiija Lodge, Broadbill Forest camp among others.
- In Buhoma sector, there are several accommodations but most notably there is Silverback Lodge, Mahogany springs, Buhoma Community campsite, Sanctuary gorilla forest camp among others.