+256 752643809 | info@steadysafaris.com
  • About us
  • Contact Us

Best Uganda safaris: Uganda gorilla trekking | Steady Safaris

  • Home
  • Where to go
    • Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
    • Bwindi forest national park
    • Craft Market
    • Golden Monkey
    • Kagulu Hill
    • Kalinzu Forest
    • Kazinga Channel
    • Kibale Forest National Park
    • Kidepo Valley National Park
    • Lake Bunyonyi
    • Lake Mburo National Park
    • Lake Victoria
    • Mount Elgon
    • Murchison Falls national park
    • Nyero Rock Paintings
    • Queen Elizabeth national park
    • Semliki national park
    • Sipi Falls
    • Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
  • Before you go
    • Safari Travel Insurance
    • Terms and Conditions.
    • Travel Tips
    • What to Pack
    • Conference Coordinator
    • Covid-19 Travel Certificate
    • FAQ
    • Flights to Uganda
    • Money Matters
    • Visa
    • Yellow Fever Certificate
  • Destinations
    • Uganda Safaris
      • 10 Days Uganda Safari
      • 12-Day Luxury Uganda Tour
      • 11 days Uganda safari trip
      • 12 Days Uganda Safari
      • 12 days Uganda safari tour
      • 13 days Uganda wildlife
      • 14 Days Uganda Safari
      • 15 Days Uganda tour
      • 16-Day Uganda Holiday Package
    • Kenya Safaris
      • 10 Days Kenya Flying Safari
      • 10 days Kenya luxury tour
      • 17 Days Masai Mara and gorilla trekking tour
      • 3 Days Masai Mara Safari
      • 7 Days Masai Mara Wildlife Safari
    • Rwanda Tour
      • 3 Days Rwanda gorilla safari
      • 6 days Rwanda safari
      • 5 Days Rwanda Safari Trip
      • 8 days Rwanda safari tour
    • Tanzania Safaris
      • 13 Days Uganda and Tanzania Safari
      • 7 Days Tanzania safari
      • 6 Days Tanzania trip
  • Gorilla trekking
  • Short Tours
    • 2 days Murchison Falls safari
    • 3 Days Buhoma gorilla trekking
    • 3 Days Lake Mburo safari
    • 3 Days Mgahinga Gorilla Trekking
    • 3 days mountain gorilla tracking tour
    • 3 Days Murchison Falls Trip in Uganda
    • 3 Days Nkuringo gorilla trekking trip
    • 3 Days Queen Elizabeth National Park safari
    • 3 Days Rushaga gorilla trekking trip
    • 4 Days Mountain Gorilla Habituation Trip
    • 6 Days Uganda Tour

Bwindi forest national park

Bwindi forest national park

The Bwindi forest national park was gazetted in 1991 as a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site in 1994. It is one of the most biologically diverse forests in Africa due to its antiquity (it dates to before the Pleistocene ice age, making it over 25,000 years old). Bwindi forest national park is a true rainforest.

In April 1993, the Mubare gorilla group was the first for tourism in Uganda.

Bwindi forest national park

The Bwindi forest national park is in the southwest of Uganda on the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Bwindi forest was gazetted as a reserve in 1932; today, it is a world heritage site by UNESCO for Mountain Gorilla trekking.

Forest Range

This forest range is at an altitude of 1,200m and 2,700m above sea level. The forest covers a series of steep ridges and valleys that form the eastern point of the Albertine rift valley. With annual rainfall on average at 1600mm, that flows in five rivers that flow into Lake Edward as a source since it is a catchment area.

The Mountain Gorillas of Bwindi forest

More than half the world’s wild mountain gorilla population is residents of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. Though the focus is mountain gorillas, there are 93 mammal species in this forest, more than any other national park in Uganda except Queen Elizabeth national park.

Other Mammals

Although the list of mammals consists of mainly small ones such as rodents and bats, you will find chimpanzees and varieties of monkeys with common viewings of the blue monkey and black-and-white colobus.  Occasionally forest elephants appear; there are six species of antelopes, the bushbuck and five types of forest duiker.

Other animals

For the bird lover, 23 particular species characteristic to the Albertine Rift, with 14 species found nowhere else but the Bwindi forest, among them the African green broadbill, white-tailed blue flycatcher, brown-necked parrot, white-bellied robin chat and Fraser’s eagle owl.

There are also roughly 300 butterfly species.

The gorilla families

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in southwestern Uganda and is home to more than half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. There are currently 36 gorilla families in the Bwindi forest, each with its own unique characteristics and history. Some of the most well-known gorilla families include the Mubare, Habinyanja, and Rushegura groups.

In terms of accommodation, there are various options available for visitors to Bwindi forest. These include lodges, camps, and guesthouses located both inside and outside the park. Some popular options include Buhoma Lodge, Mahogany Springs Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge, and Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge.

It is recommended to book accommodation well in advance, particularly during peak season (June to September and December to February), as availability can be limited. Visitors should also be prepared for the rugged terrain and unpredictable weather conditions in the Bwindi forest, which can make getting around challenging.

Gorilla tracking in Bwindi forest national park is in four main sectors, namely Ruhija, Buhoma, Rushaga, and Nkuringo.

Gorilla tracking in Buhoma will bring you to either one of the gorilla families, Rushegura, Mubare, Katwe, or Habinyanja.

The Ruhija sector is located east, and it has the families Ruhija, Bitukura, and Kyaguriro.

While Rushaga is south of Kahungye, Busingye, Nshongi, Bweeza, Bikingi, and Mishaya.

Nkuringo is in the southwest of Bwindi forest with two families, the Nkuringo and Christmas gorilla families.

When to go

All year round, you can visit the park, although the heavy rains are seen in the months of April, May, June, October, and November.

Getting there

Private tour operators, public transport and self-drive, are options available.

Where to stay

There is a span of accommodation standards and campsites.

How to get a gorilla permit

Visiting the Gorillas of Uganda requires that you get a tracking permit from the UWA. Send us an email for more details.

UGANDA SAFARIS

  • 10 Days Uganda Safari
  • 11 days Uganda safari trip
  • 12-Day Luxury Uganda Tour
  • 12 Days Uganda Safari
  • 12 days Uganda safari tour
  • 13 days Uganda wildlife
  • 14 Days Uganda Safari
  • 15 Days Uganda tour
  • 16-Day Uganda Holiday Package
  • 2 days Murchison Falls safari
  • 22 Days bird watching safari
  • 3 Days Luxury Gorilla Tracking Safari
  • 3 Days Mgahinga Gorilla Trekking
  • 3 days mountain gorilla tracking tour
  • 3 Days Murchison Falls Trip in Uganda
  • 3 Days Nkuringo gorilla trekking trip
  • 3 Days Queen Elizabeth National Park safari
  • 3 Days Rushaga gorilla trekking trip
  • 4 Days Gorillas Tracking and Lake Mburo Safari
  • 4 Days Mountain Gorilla Habituation Trip
  • 5 Days Chimpanzees and Lion tracking
  • 6 Days Uganda Tour
  • 7 Days Uganda safari
  • 9 Days Uganda Safari
  • Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest
  • Murchison Falls Safari
  • Customer Agreement
  • Online Cookies
  • Online Security
  • Privacy
  • Terms and Conditions.

@2023 Steady Safaris Limited. All rights reserved. KWD

TOP