Gorilla Trekking Bwindi Forest National Park.
The most popular tourist activity in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is gorilla trekking, which is done by visitors to this impenetrable bush. One of the greatest national parks in Uganda is Bwindi Forest National Park, sometimes called Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. While on a safari trip, visitors may take part in a variety of activities there, including the much awaited gorilla trekking experience.
Situated just over the high ridges of the Great Albertine Rift Valley in the southwest of Uganda, Bwindi Forest National Park is a stunning expanse of greenery. In 1942, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was gazetted as a forest reserve; in 1992, it was elevated to park status. Because of its significant biodiversity and the presence of the then-critically endangered mountain gorillas, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which spans over 327 square kilometers, is a vast area of vegetation. For obvious reasons, the park’s name, “Bwindi,” means “impassable.” With its steep terrain, slick valleys, and high, draughty hills, Bwindi Forest National Park is a maze of lowland and montane forest plants.
More than half of the world’s great endangered mountain gorillas live in Bwindi Forest National Park, one of the few ancient rainforests still standing on the African continent. The remaining gorillas are spread across the Virunga Massifs in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
In Bwindi Forest National Park, gorilla trekking involves hikers ascending the steep, impenetrable rainforest slopes in order to get up close and personal with mountain gorillas. This allows visitors to see the gentle giants’ expressive brown eyes in their natural environment.
Given that Bwindi Forest National Park is home to approximately 450 gorillas and around 19 gorilla families that have become used to visitors, gorilla trekking is a very exciting and 100% assured experience. Aligning the wild gorillas to accept human contact takes one to three years to habituate gorilla families.
The four gorilla sectors of Bwindi—Buhoma, Nkuringo, Rushaga, and Ruhija—are home to the fully habituated gorilla families that visitors may see on a gorilla trekking safari trip in Bwindi Forest National Park. It is safe to visit these habituated gorilla families, and each one offers visitors a different gorilla trekking experience, allowing them to potentially see many gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
What is required to hike gorillas in Bwindi Forest National Park?
A gorilla trekking permit, which costs just $800 for international non-residents, $700 for foreign residents, and UGX300,000 for East African nationals, is required for visitors to experience gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest National Park. Only eight gorilla trekkers are allowed to visit a single gorilla family each day, and visitors must be at least 15 years old.
They may only spend an hour in the wild with the gorillas. The Uganda Wildlife Authority headquarters in Kampala or a reputable tour operator are the places to get gorilla trekking permits. Due to their limited supply, gorilla permits are in great demand and sell out quickly. To guarantee your desired gorilla trekking dates and sector, it is crucial to make reservations in advance.
Experience gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest National Park
Trekkers arrive at the sector starting locations as early as 7am to begin their gorilla trekking adventure in Bwindi Forest National Park. Here, hikers get a briefing on what to anticipate from their gorilla trekking experience in the park, along with the laws and regulations that must be adhered to. Trekkers are then assigned to gorilla families to hike with after being split up into groups of eight.
The distribution of gorilla families is mostly based on the trekker’s physical capabilities; trekkers who consider themselves to be sluggish or even old are given far easier access to gorilla families. After having the opportunity to hire porters if necessary, hikers set out to find the mountain gorillas in their native environment by trekking through the dense jungle.
Throughout the gorilla trekking excursion in Bwindi Forest National Park, keep an eye out for more animals, birds, and plant species that your guide will point out to you. You will be alerted when the gorillas are nearly there so you can get ready.
Spend some time observing how gorillas and humans are similar, including how they communicate, eat, and tend to their young, among many other things. You may always snap photographs, but be careful not to use a flash camera. Return to the starting site after the journey, stopping for a lunch break for those who brought one.
The Bwindi Forest National Park travel route
Bwindi Forest National Park is accessible by air and vehicle. To traverse the park’s terrain by road, a 4WD safari vehicle is advised. About eight hours separate Kampala from Bwindi Forest National Park, with many stops along the road, such as the Equator or, if time permits, Queen Elizabeth National Park. Some of the most popular roads to Bwindi Forest National Park are Kampala-Kabale-Kanungu-Buhoma and Kampala-Ntungamo-Rukunjiri-Kihihi-Buhoma sector.
Due to Uganda’s expanding aviation sector, Bwindi Forest National Park is also accessible by plane. Scheduled flights to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are operated by Aerolink Uganda and other airlines from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi to a number of airstrips inside and around the park, including Kihihi and Kisoro airports as well as Kayonza airport.
Accommodations in Bwindi Forest National Park for gorilla trekking
While visiting Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, visitors may stay at a variety of lodging options. These lodging options, which are available both within and outside the park, vary from luxury to mid-range to inexpensive, accommodating all types of tourists. While gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, visitors may stay at a variety of lodging options, including Buhoma Lodge, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, Nkuringo Gorilla Camp, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, and many more.
When to visit Bwindi Forest National Park for gorilla trekking
Although Bwindi Forest National Park is open year-round, the ideal time to go gorilla trekking is during the dry season when the roads and trails are clear and less muddy. Gorilla sighting is also a little easier since the forest is not as overgrown.
Because rains often fall in the afternoons and evenings rather than during the day, gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest National Park is also possible during the rainy season, providing visitors with the chance to see gorillas and partake in all the activities offered by Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Because Bwindi Forest National Park is a rainforest, it is important to remember that rain might fall there even during the dry season. Therefore, it’s crucial to have warm clothes with you.
One of the most spectacular things to do in Bwindi Forest National Park is gorilla trekking. Travelers may, however, engage in a variety of activities at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, such as gorilla habitat, Batwa cultural visits, community tours, bird watching, nature walks, and many more.
A wildlife watching safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park is another excellent way to add excitement to your gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi Forest National Park.
Trekking with Gorillas in Bwindi Forest National Park
The most popular tourist activity in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is gorilla trekking, which is done by visitors to this impenetrable bush. One of Uganda’s top national parks, Bwindi Forest National Park, sometimes called Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, offers visitors on safari tours a variety of activities, including the much awaited gorilla trekking experience.
Situated just over the high ridges of the Great Albertine Rift Valley in the southwest of Uganda, Bwindi Forest National Park is a stunning expanse of greenery. In 1942, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was gazetted as a forest reserve; in 1992, it was elevated to park status. Due to its high biodiversity and the presence of the then-critically endangered mountain gorillas, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which spans over 327 square kilometers, is a vast area of vegetation. For obvious reasons, the park’s name, “Bwindi,” means “impassable.” With its steep terrain, slick valleys, and high, draughty hills, Bwindi Forest National Park is a maze of lowland and montane forest plants.
More than half of the world’s great endangered mountain gorillas live in Bwindi Forest National Park, one of the few ancient rainforests still standing on the African continent. The remaining gorillas are spread across the Virunga Massifs in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
In Bwindi Forest National Park, gorilla trekking involves hikers ascending the steep, impenetrable rainforest slopes in order to get up close and personal with mountain gorillas. This allows visitors to see the gentle giants’ expressive brown eyes in their natural environment.
Given that Bwindi Forest National Park is home to approximately 450 gorillas and around 19 gorilla families that have become used to visitors, gorilla trekking is a very exciting and 100% assured experience. Aligning the wild gorillas to accept human contact takes one to three years to habituate gorilla families.
The four gorilla sectors of Bwindi—Buhoma, Nkuringo, Rushaga, and Ruhija—are home to the fully habituated gorilla families that visitors may see on a gorilla trekking safari trip in Bwindi Forest National Park. It is safe to visit these habituated gorilla families, and each one offers visitors a different gorilla trekking experience, allowing them to potentially see many gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
What is required to hike gorillas in Bwindi Forest National Park?
A gorilla trekking permit, which costs just $800 for international non-residents, $700 for foreign residents, and UGX300,000 for East African nationals, is required for visitors to experience gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest National Park. Only eight gorilla trekkers are allowed to visit a single gorilla family each day, and visitors must be at least 15 years old.
They may only spend an hour in the wild with the gorillas. The Uganda Wildlife Authority headquarters in Kampala or a reputable tour operator are the places to get gorilla trekking permits. Due to their limited supply, gorilla permits are in great demand and sell out quickly. To guarantee your desired gorilla trekking dates and sector, it is crucial to make reservations in advance.
Experience gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest National Park
Trekkers arrive at the sector starting locations as early as 7am to begin their gorilla trekking adventure in Bwindi Forest National Park. Here, hikers get a briefing on what to anticipate from their gorilla trekking experience in the park, along with the laws and regulations that must be adhered to. Trekkers are then assigned to gorilla families to hike with after being split up into groups of eight.
The distribution of gorilla families is mostly based on the trekker’s physical capabilities; trekkers who consider themselves to be sluggish or even old are given far easier access to gorilla families. After having the opportunity to hire porters if necessary, hikers set out to find the mountain gorillas in their native environment by trekking through the dense jungle.
Throughout the gorilla trekking excursion in Bwindi Forest National Park, keep an eye out for more animals, birds, and plant species that your guide will point out to you. You will be alerted when the gorillas are nearly there so you can get ready.
Spend some time observing how gorillas and humans are similar, including how they communicate, eat, and tend to their young, among many other things. You may always snap photographs, but be careful not to use a flash camera. Return to the starting site after the journey, stopping for a lunch break for those who brought one.
The Bwindi Forest National Park travel route
Bwindi Forest National Park is accessible by air and vehicle. To traverse the park’s terrain by road, a 4WD safari vehicle is advised. About eight hours separate Kampala from Bwindi Forest National Park, with many stops along the road, such as the Equator or, if time permits, Queen Elizabeth National Park. Some of the most popular roads to Bwindi Forest National Park are Kampala-Kabale-Kanungu-Buhoma and Kampala-Ntungamo-Rukunjiri-Kihihi-Buhoma sector.
Due to Uganda’s expanding aviation sector, Bwindi Forest National Park is also accessible by plane. Scheduled flights to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are operated by Aero Link Uganda and other airlines from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi to a number of airstrips inside and around the park, including Kihihi and Kisoro airports as well as Kayonza airport.
Accommodations in Bwindi Forest National Park for gorilla trekking
While visiting Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, visitors may stay at a variety of lodging options. Both within and outside the park, these lodging options are in a variety of price ranges to suit different types of tourists, from luxury to mid-range to low-cost. Among the several lodging options available to visitors doing gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are Buhoma Lodge, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, Nkuringo Gorilla Camp, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, and Buhoma Community Rest Camp.
When to visit Bwindi Forest National Park for gorilla trekking
Although Bwindi Forest National Park is open year-round, the ideal time to go gorilla trekking is during the dry season when the roads and trails are clear and less muddy. Gorilla sighting is also a little easier since the forest is not as overgrown.
Because rains often fall in the afternoons and evenings rather than during the day, gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest National Park is also conducted throughout the rainy season, providing visitors with the chance to see gorillas and partake in all the activities offered by Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Because Bwindi Forest National Park is a rainforest, it is important to remember that rain might fall there even during the dry season. Therefore, it’s crucial to have warm clothes with you.
One of the most spectacular things to do in Bwindi Forest National Park is gorilla trekking. However, visitors may engage in a variety of activities at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, such as gorilla habitat, Batwa cultural visits, community tours, bird watching, and nature walks, to name just a few.
A fantastic option to add some excitement to your gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi Forest National Park is to include a wildlife watching safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Speak with a trustworthy travel agency to get the ideal Uganda safari package for you, which includes gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest National Park and much more.
Park Safari. Speak with a trustworthy travel agency to get the ideal Uganda safari package for you, which includes gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest National Park and much more.
