Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Wildlife

Mountain gorillas are the main attraction. The last census, in 2018, counted 459 mountain gorillas in Bwindi, and a large number of families have been habituated to human visitors. Each family can be visited by a small group once a day.

Bwindi is also home to chimpanzees, although they are not habituated for tracking here, along with L’Hoest’s monkeys, black-and-white colobus, red-tailed and blue monkeys, and baboons. Forest elephants, giant forest hogs, duikers and bushpigs live in the forest but are rarely seen.

For birders, Bwindi is one of the most important sites in Africa. Albertine Rift specials such as the African green broadbill, Shelley’s crimsonwing, handsome francolin and several species of turaco, sunbird and warbler draw dedicated birders from around the world. The Ruhija sector and the Mubwindi Swamp trail are particularly rewarding.

Key wildlife

• Mountain gorilla
• Chimpanzee
• L’Hoest’s monkey
• Black-and-white colobus
• Red-tailed monkey
• Forest elephant
• Giant forest hog
• Duiker
• African green broadbill
• Great blue turaco

Best Time to Visit

Short answer: Jun–Aug. Also good: Dec–Feb.

Peak Good Quieter

Gorilla trekking is possible all year. The drier months, usually from June to August and from December to February, are the most popular, with firmer trails and easier hiking. These are busy periods, so book permits early.

The rainier months, from about March to May and September to November, make trails muddier and more challenging, but the forest is green and lush, birding is excellent and there are fewer visitors. UWA has offered discounted low-season permits in some of these months, so ask your safari planner about current offers. Rain is possible at any time in this mountain rainforest, so pack waterproofs.

Getting There

Most international visitors arrive at Entebbe International Airport (EBB). From there, scheduled domestic flights serve airstrips close to Bwindi, such as Kihihi for the northern sector and Kisoro for the southern sectors, followed by a road transfer. By road from Entebbe or Kampala, Bwindi is a long drive of around eight to ten hours, often broken with a stop at Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The southern sectors of Rushaga and Nkuringo are closer to Kigali in Rwanda than to Entebbe. Many travellers fly into Kigali International Airport (KGL) and drive to Bwindi in around four to five hours via the border, which makes it easy to combine with Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park.

Fees & Access

Gorilla permits are issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and include park entry, guide fees and a community contribution. Foreign non-resident visitors buy permits through a licensed tour operator, and each permit is for a specific date and sector.

Visitor groups are limited to eight people per gorilla family per day, and the time with the gorillas is one hour. The minimum age is 15. In the Rushaga sector, UWA also offers a gorilla habituation experience, where a small group spends up to four hours with a family that is being habituated, a more in-depth and costlier alternative.

Treks begin with a briefing at the sector headquarters in the morning. Depending on where the gorillas are, a trek can take from one to several hours each way over steep, slippery ground. Porters can be hired at the trailhead to carry your daypack and help on steep sections, which also supports local communities.

Entrance fees

Gorilla permits are issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and include park entry, the guide fee and a community contribution. Foreign non-residents pay US$800, foreign residents US$700, visitors from the rest of Africa US$500 and East African citizens UGX 300,000. UWA set a US$600 low-season rate for foreign non-residents in April, May and November 2026.

The gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi costs US$1,500 for foreign non-residents, rising to US$1,800 from 1 January 2027. Foreign non-residents must book through a licensed tour operator. The minimum age for trekking is 15.

Gate hours

Trek briefings at each sector headquarters in the morning; arrive early to register.

Health

Malaria risk: Moderate. Ask a travel clinic about antimalarials before you go.

Fees and gate times change. Check the latest rates with the park authority before you travel.

Things to Do

Gorilla trekking is the highlight, an hour with a habituated mountain gorilla family in the forest.

Gorilla habituation experience in Rushaga offers a longer encounter alongside researchers and trackers.

Birding walks with specialist guides, especially in Ruhija and along the Buhoma trails, reveal Albertine Rift endemics.

Forest and waterfall walks on trails such as the Munyaga River trail near Buhoma explore the forest beyond the gorillas.

Community and cultural visits, including experiences with the Batwa people, who lived in the forest before it became a park, add an important human dimension.

Explore Rwanda’s gorillas on our Rwanda gorilla tracking safari, browse all safaris, or plan your safari with us.