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.