Why you should choose Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for a gorilla trekking safari

If you want to trek a mountain gorilla then you will have to go to Africa specifically to either Uganda, Rwanda or Congo, but do you know where to have the best experience from? There all reasons for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to be your best option

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the popular Uganda gorilla trekking safari destination situated in the south western districts of Rukungiri, Kabale and Kisoro. It is the single natural habitat with the biggest number of mountain gorillas with the rest of the mountain gorillas shared by the three National Parks of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park Uganda, Volcanoes National Park Rwanda and Virunga National Park in Congo all within the Virunga massif. It’s the best destination to go for gorilla trekking because of these different reasons;

Gorilla trekking is done on a daily basis within Bwindi forest therefore you can plan your safari at any time of the year. Gorilla trekking means spending about 2-8 hours trekking the gorillas and when the gorillas are found a maximum of one hour is what you can spend with the gorillas.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park hosts 16 mountain gorilla families distributed in 4 gorilla trekking sectors of the forest. Every gorilla family is trekked by a total of 7 Uganda gorilla trekking tour trekkers alongside an armed park ranger. The big number of mountain gorillas offers the highest percent of seeing the gentle giants.

The forest is a single habitat and therefore you expect to find the gorillas in their home. Unlike the other gorillas in the Virunga massif that are transboundary, the mountain gorillas of Bwindi are found within a single habitat.

Uganda’s gorilla trekking permit costs USD 600 which is way cheaper compared to those in Rwanda that go for USD 1,500. The amount of a gorilla permit is per individual for a single trek. Children below the age of 15 are not allowed to trek the gorillas.

Bwindi forest is accessible from various parts of the country. On arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you can opt for a long road trip about 490km away on a tarmacked road or take a chartered aircraft to one of the 2 airstrips close to the park.

Bwindi forest is on altitude that ranges from 1,190-2,607m above sea level which is lower to trek compared to the Virunga massif which is 2,230m-5,109m above sea level.

Accommodation in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is nothing to worry about. Because of the treasure there, areas close to the park have accommodation facilities that can accommodate any type of traveler. The hotels and lodges within Bwindi impenetrable national park range from luxury/upmarket, mid-range to budget/basic. All these accommodation facilities offer a taste of the local Ugandan cuisine depending on what you want.

Other activities that can be done at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

A side from gorilla trekking, there’s another experience known as gorilla habituation. Gorilla habituation means spending four hours with the mountain gorillas. The gorillas that are open for habituation are those that are not fully tamed to behave normally in the presence of human beings and therefore this is done to familiarize them with people before they are let for gorilla trekking. Spending four hours with the gorillas will teach you a lot especially on feeding habits.

Birding is one of the best activities here! Bwindi Impenetrable forest was named the best birding spot in Africa by Africa bird club with about 350 bird species. Bwindi impenetrable forest is home to 23 out of the 24 Albertine rift endemic birds. This is the best Uganda birding safari destination for all birders who love to see unique bird species.

Batwa cultural experience after a gorilla trek. The Batwa pygmies were the real inhabitants of the forest before they were resettled to the slopes for conservation purposes. The Batwa later decided to share their culture with those who visit their old home. The Batwa take tourists through their culture and the ways of life that they used for survival while in the forest.

As you still think of where to go for a gorilla trek, don’t think any further if what is here is what you need. Just remember to plan your safari to Bwindi.