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Home to almost half of the world’s surviving mountain gorillas; the World Heritage listed Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of Africa’s special places. Set in improbably steep mountain rain forest, the park is home to an estimated 480 critically endangered gorillas. The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is one of the most biologically diverse areas on earth and one of Africa’s most ancient habitats. Bwindi is one of the few in Africa to have flourished throughout the last Ice Age and it is home to roughly half of the world’s mountain gorillas.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is found in south-western Uganda on the edge of the western arm of the Great East African Rift Valley, about 530km from Uganda. The park contains 120 species of mammal more than any of Uganda’s other national parks though sightings are less common due to the dense forest. Lucky visitors might see forest elephants, 11 species of primate, duiker, bush buck, African golden cats and the rare giant forest hog. It also offers some of the finest montane forest birding in Africa and is a key destination for any birder doing a safari to Uganda.

Mountain gorillas are the most attractive animals in Bwindi forest and draw people from all around the world to come and spend an hour with them. Dian Fossey’s research and stories certainly brought international attention on them. Having a face-to-face encounter with these fascinating apes might be the primary goal for exploring the park; however, there are other valuable reasons to stay in the park once you are done with the gorilla tracking. It includes bird watching, forest nature walks to waterfall trail, Batwa village walk, exploring cultural encounter of the local Bakiga and Batwa communities with village walks, and mountain biking in Bwindi.

Gorilla trekking safari takes you to the major activity in Bwindi forest which is gorilla trekking limited to a maximum of 8 people per particular gorilla group per day. Permits must be booked before since they are on a very high demand all year round. You can do this by getting in touch with Uganda wildlife Authority or contacting your local Uganda safari Operator for advice.

For a gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda you need to be fairly fit, equipped for the humid, muddy conditions of a rain forest hike, and healthy. You will not be permitted to go gorilla trekking if you have a cold or similar illness because gorillas are susceptible to many human diseases. So you have to be in a good condition before you go for your gorilla trekking experience.

The region’s mid-December to February and June to September dry seasons are the best time to go gorilla trekking but you can still expect a tough day on foot: it’s sometimes humid, wet and muddy with steep slopes and tangled vegetation. Nevertheless, the chances of finding a gorilla family are often around 95%.

After a briefing from your ranger guide, begin trekking the mountain gorillas through the ancient Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. This can take a couple of hours or a whole day depending on the location of the apes. Keep an eye out for forest species such as buffaloes, elephants, black fronted duikers and bush bucks.

Once a habituated gorilla family has been located by your guides, you can settle down for a maximum of an hour to watch and observe them as they feed and groom while their babies run up and down round you, all under the watchful gaze of the great silver back male. Sitting only 7 meters from a gorilla and looking into its soft brown eyes is a spine-tingling experience not easily forgotten.

Discover the communities that live side by side with the gorillas on a village walk, there are various options in Buhoma, Nkuringo, Rubuguri and Nyundo. Activities include meeting traditional healers, visiting authentic homesteads, watching the local blacksmith at work and learning skills such as basket weaving and millet grinding. There are also cultural performances by Bakiga and Batwa communities and a group of orphans. These tours benefit the communities and the environment.

What to bring on your gorilla trekking safari includes; Good hiking boots if attempting any hikes or climbs, wet weather clothing and warm layers for the evenings because Bwindi is a rain forest, so its’ gets cold and damp at this altitude. The sun is still fierce during the day even when overcast so be sure to still wear sunscreen and a sun hat. You may also want to bring waterproof bags to protect cameras and other equipment when hiking. Drinking water and snack are also advisable.

The best way to escape stress in this world is through visiting Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. These are the only areas in Uganda where you can watch and understand that gorillas are the most amazing creatures on this planet earth. I went to Uganda for a trip which provided me with words to say other wise what story really could I tell to my children and my grand children!!!!!!!!. On  reaching the parks, I found their some of the great tour guides who provided me with good historical background of these mountain gorillas though I had a tour company I traveled with.

I was surprised that there are so many gorilla groups, these were  mentioned to me and they included, the Mubare gorilla group which was the first to become available for tourism in Uganda in 1993, Oruzoojo, Bitukula and Kyaguriro can also be tracked at Ruhija sector. Fourteen groups are now habituated for tourism at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, gorilla trekking tours in Uganda, a permit cost $600 per person and other costs such as travelling, accommodation and meals Moses can prepare for you an estimated budget depending on the number of the visitors and the days you are to spend in the safari.

From their I proceeded to Mgahinga National Park which is like a twin park to Bwindi  because they are nearing each other and also they are the only parks with Gorillas in Uganda. The  gorilla group I tracked from this park included the Nyakagezi group and this was so amazing. What I discovered and I was also told was that these wonder full gorillas share most of their characteristics with Human beings features. The way how female gorillas can take care of their babies is so interesting. Male gorillas are also their to give protection to their families and also leading them to places where they can locate food.

On this matter, I also discovered that these gorillas are so vegeterians in that, they feed on the fruits within the forest. Another thing that made me wonder was the way how these gorillas constructed their homes of residences in the branches of fig trees within the thick vegetation and this is why gorilla trekking is so strenuous.

Another surprise was that they don’t allow people to spend much time with the gorillas most especially those with yellow fever and cold are more restricted from tracking gorillas that they can too contract  human diseases, indeed every person should visit these parks.

I have traveled to many countries in this world but I never found such kinds of Gorillas, Uganda has over 400 gorillas almost half of the world’s left gorillas and this gave me a reason as to why next time before coming to Uganda to enjoy this wonder full trip, I have to inform my other colleagues to also come and experience these amazing gorillas. Basing on these facts, I cannot fail to give a credit to Moses and the company for their great services they offered to us. They made sure that we have a safe travel.

This is an exceptional Uganda safari tour offered with a combination of gorilla trekking safari and wild game drive at Lake Mburo National Park. This safari gives you a chance to come and see the rare mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park combined with Lake Mburo National Park. Bwindi Impenetrable is a world heritage site, one of the most biological diverse areas on earth and its unique precious flora sustains roughly half of the world population of mountain gorillas. Bwindi is the only forest in Africa which has two apes living together.

Lake Mburo is a compact beautiful gem located conveniently close to the highway that connects Kampala to the parks of western Uganda. It is the smallest of Uganda’s Savannah national parks. The park en-route the Albertine rift and offering a great way to view the Defassa, Oribi, Impalas, Buffalo, Elands, Topi and 1 the largest herd of Zebras in the country, together with avast variety of bird life with 350 bird species and 68 mammal species. Lake Mburo is small enough to cover in a day and conveniently located close Kampala city to make it the perfect budget gorilla and wildlife getaway.

Lake Mburo is a wildlife park in Uganda where one can participate in activities such as guided nature walk, bicycle safari, Horseback safaris without any major threat from the wildlife animals in addition to the game drives, boat trips on the lakes, bird watching and sport fishing. For only 4 days in Uganda Budget Gorilla Trekking can take you down to Bwindi forest for you gorilla trekking as you share the greatest experience that millions of other people around the world have done.

Tourists can visit the park anytime throughout the year. Available tourist accommodation includes lodge notably Mihingo Lodge, Mantana Tented Camp, Arcadia Cottages, Rwakobo Rock, Mburo Safari Lodge, Mpogo Lodge, Eagle’s Nest Lodge, Rwonyo Camp Site and many other options in the nearby towns of Mbarara.

The safari starts from Kampala as you depart for Lake Mburo National Park in the morning with a brief stopover at the Equator and then carry on to the park arriving in time for lunch and check in, after the lunch break head for the boat cruise on the Lake to view the hippos, crocodiles and plenty of bird life which include the king fish Eagles and the endemic African fin foot. After the boat ride, an evening game drive before heading back to your lodge for the give a chance to see the nocturnal.

The next day after morning coffee, set off to Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park. As you pass through pas through the park one will encounter zebras, Antelopes, Elands, Buffaloes, and impala along with a great variety of birds. En-route lunch break on the way arriving in the late afternoon in Bwindi forest known for its outstanding gorilla tracing and also it provides refuge to elephants, chimpanzee, monkeys, and various small antelope and bird species.

Rise up early morning for the highlight of the trip and set off with guides to track the gorillas. The thrill of you gorilla encounter is one of the greatest experience in the world. Bring hiking boots, rain gears, and sun glasses insect repellent, long sleeved shirt and trousers because the park is often wet. Use the one hour to spent time watching and observing the shy gorillas as they go about their daily activities feeding, playing sleeping, and swinging on trees. Each gorilla safari encounter is different and has its own rewards. Spend the evening on a community foot safari to explore the life style of the people living and surrounding the park.

After the gorilla adventure in Bwindi forest you can drive back to Kampala via Queen Elizabeth National Park for en-route game viewing if you’re lucky you may spot the Elephants, Antelopes and the warthogs. A stopover at the Equator line in Kasese to take pictures is also part of the experience to enjoy as you head back to Kampala or Entebbe for you flight back home.

The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was listed by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage site 1994. It is in southwest Uganda and occupies 32,000 hectares of land. It is mainly covered by an impenetrable forest. The forest was proclaimed as the impenetrable forest reserve in 1932, its official name until 1991 when it was gazetted as a national park and named Bwindi. Realizing that this local name has less allure to tourists than the colonial name, UWA expanded it to be the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Bwindi forest is a home to roughly half of the world’s mountain gorillas. Looking deep into the expressive brown eyes of these gentle giants is surely the most exciting and poignant wildlife encounter that Africa has to offer. The national park has 90 mammal species, including 11 primates, of which the black and white colobus, with its lovely flowing white tail, is prominent. The forest birding ranks with the best in Uganda, with 23 highly localized Albertine rift endemics present.

Getting there

By Road Bwindi can be reached from QENP (Mweya)- Kihiihi- Buhoma. This route passes through QENP southerly Ishasha sector, providing a chance for the tourists to stopover and search for the famous tree- climbing lions.

• From Kampala – Kabale- Kanungu- Buhoma ( 5-6 hours’ journey)
• Kampala- Ntungamo- Rukungiri- Kihiihi- Buhoma (5 hours’ journey)
• The kabale- Ruhija- Buhoma, (5-6 hours’ journey)
• Kampala- Kibale- Nkuringo (6-7 hours’ journey)

By Air travelers 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 is well served by three airfields at Kayonza and Kihiihi for the northern sector and Nyakabande in Kisoro for those going to track gorillas in the southern sector (Nkuringo, Nshongi and Mishaya).

Tourism in Bwindi focuses on gorilla tracking at four locations: Buhoma in the northwest of the park, Ruhija in the east, Nkuringo in the southwest and Rushaga in the south. Slightly more than half the world’s mountain gorilla population is resident in Bwindi: an estimated 408 individuals living in 15 troops. Given the focus on gorillas, it may come as a surprise to learn that Bwindi harbours at least 120 mammal species, more than any national park except Queen Elizabeth. 11 types of primates, including a healthy chimpanzee population and substantial numbers of L’Hoest’s, red- tailed and blue monkeys, as well as black and white colobus and olive baboon. A total of 350 bird species have been recorded in Bwindi, a remarkably high figure when you consider that, unlike most other national park checklists, it includes very few water- associated birds. Of particular interest to birders are 23 species endemic to the Albertine Rift, and at least 14 species recorded nowhere else in Uganda, among them being the African green broadbill, white tailed blue Flycatcher, brown necked parrot, white bellied robin chat and Frazer’s eagle owl.

When to visit the park

Tourists can visit the park any time during the year, although conditions in the park are more difficult during the rainy season. The park is in a remote location, and the roads are in poor condition. Tourist accommodations include a lodge, tented camps, and rooms run by the community located near the Buhoma entrance gate

What to see and do

Gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking is the main attraction as to why people visit the park. Gorilla trekking can be challenging and one needs to be reasonably fit before undertaking to venture into the activity. Registration and briefing at Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo and Rushaga visitor receptions commences at 7:30 am with general briefings conducted at 8:00am. The gorilla trekking safaris starts at 8:30 am and can last from a few hours to a whole day depending on where the gorillas were left the previous day.

A maximum of 80 gorilla tracking permits are available each day. Permits cost US$600 per person per visit. Only one group of tourists can visit the mountain gorillas each day and once you’ve found them, you’ll have just one precious hour in their company but the actual time spent with the gorillas for observation and photography is only one hour. Gorilla trekking safaris can be done throughout the year. Permits must be pre- booked at the UWA office in Kampala.