Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

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A UNESCO World Heritage Site of tangled, mist-wrapped rainforest in Uganda’s far southwest, Bwindi shelters nearly half of all the mountain gorillas left on earth: around 25 habituated families spread across four trekking sectors. The hour you spend with them is widely called the greatest wildlife encounter in Africa, and we agree.

Highlights

Gorilla trekking is the reason everyone comes: small groups of eight follow expert trackers through the forest, treks lasting anywhere from one to six hours before that breathless first sighting. Beyond the gorillas, Bwindi offers 350 bird species (23 found nowhere else), forest waterfalls and moving cultural encounters with the Batwa, the forest’s first people.

Best Time to Visit

The dry seasons, June to August and December to February, bring firmer trails and easier treks. In April, May and November permits drop from $800 to $600 and the trailheads are blissfully quiet; the gorillas don’t mind the rain.

Where to Stay

We base treks from Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp inside the forest at Buhoma, or Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge high on the Nkuringo ridge.

Ready to meet them? Start with our Gorilla Trekking Safari or explore all our Uganda journeys.