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Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tours

4.8/5  –  129 Bwindi Holiday Reviews

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is Uganda’s top gorilla trekking destination. Most people come to Uganda to see mountain gorillas and this extensive and pristine rainforest is the most accessible place to do this activity. Bwindi is home to more than 25 habituated gorilla groups, each of which is assigned to one of four different trekking hubs: Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. Other activities include nature walks and bird watching. There are also opportunities to visit a Batwa community. The Batwa people were the original inhabitants of the forest and were evicted from their environment when the national park was established.

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8 Questions About Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tours

1. When is the best time to visit Bwindi?
2. How long is the drive to the park?
3. How much does it cost for a Bwindi gorilla trekking tour?
4. How much time do I get with the gorillas?
5. Are mountain gorillas aggressive?
6. Are the hiking trails in good condition?
7. Are gorilla sightings guaranteed on a Bwindi gorilla trekking tour?
8. What lodges or camps would you recommend?
 
 

8 Questions About Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tours

Answered by Ariadne van Zandbergen

When is the best time to visit Bwindi?

“Bwindi can be visited at any time. People mostly come to Uganda for Bwindi gorilla trekking tours, and sightings are pretty much guaranteed throughout the year. However, the Dry season months of June to August and December to February offer the best trekking conditions. During the Wet season months, trails tend to be more slippery and harder to navigate. As gorilla trekking is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, it could be disappointing if it rained on the day. That said, the guides go out of their way to make the experience special, whatever the weather. If it rains hard, they might decide to wait somewhere for the weather to improve before approaching the gorillas.”

› More about Bwindi's best time to visit 1

How long is the drive to the park?

“Coming straight from the capital city of Kampala or nearby Entebbe International Airport (the normal entry point to Uganda), the driving time to Bwindi is at least 10 hours without stops. This means that if you are looking to head directly to Bwindi from Entebbe, you should consider booking a scheduled flight to Kihihi (for Buhoma or Ruhija) or Kisoro (for Rushaga or Nkuringo). It is also worth knowing that Bwindi is far closer to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, and many road tours to the park use that as a starting point. Many people also opt to visit Bwindi as part of an extended road tour of Uganda. You can approach Bwindi from Queen Elizabeth National Park, with the drive taking anything from two to six hours, depending on your exact starting point and which of the four gorilla trekking centers you’re headed to. Alternatively, you can approach Bwindi from Lake Mburo National Park, which takes five to seven hours.”

2

How much does it cost for a Bwindi gorilla trekking tour?

“The Bwindi gorilla trekking permit is currently US$800 for nonresidents. Although this might seem expensive, it is a bargain compared to the cost of the same activity in Rwanda, which is currently the only other country where these gentle giants can be observed in their natural habitat. The fee is discounted to US$700 for foreign residents, US$80 for East African citizens and US$500 for holders of other African passports. Gorilla trekking is offered in two national parks in Uganda: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Both offer a similar experience where you can spend one hour with a gorilla troop after you have reached their location. The group size is limited to eight people. A unique activity offered in Bwindi is the gorilla habituation experience. Two semi-habituated troops can be tracked by a limited group of four tourists daily, who can stay for four hours. Viewing is less easy as these gorillas are not yet fully used to people and prefer to keep their distance. The price for this special activity is US$1,500.”

3

How much time do I get with the gorillas?

“Visitors get to spend one hour with the gorillas. Bwindi gorilla trekking is a morning activity and it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to five hours to find the gorillas. Once your group gets near to the gorillas, you will regroup and leave some of your belongings with the trackers who will stay behind. You then get in close for the actual viewing of the gorillas. The guide will facilitate viewing during that time by getting you in good positions for photographs and by moving you around the group of gorillas to try to see different members of the group, including the silverback.”

4

Are mountain gorillas aggressive?

“Mountain gorillas are not at all aggressive. In fact, they are often referred to as gentle giants. Their massive size would make them too dangerous to be close to if they were aggressive. The only reason they can be approached closely on foot is because they lack aggression. Males might sometimes show aggression to other male gorillas, however, and they can at times fight. These fights for dominance mostly result in a male leaving the group or a group splitting up, but occasionally a fight can result in death. A gorilla might sometimes mock charge tourists, but this has never led to actual injury. Before heading off gorilla trekking, you’ll get a full briefing including what to do in case a gorilla approaches you or shows any sign of aggression. You should be totally safe if you follow your guide’s instructions.”

5

Are the hiking trails in good condition?

“The gorillas move around freely and they don’t stick to any trails. So, your guide will take you on a trail in the forest to get you in the general vicinity of a gorilla group first. When you get closer, you’ll probably have to leave the trail and follow the guide and trackers while they make their way through forest undergrowth. They try to find the easiest way through for you and they will use machetes to clear branches along the way. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is aptly named and vegetation tends to be very thick. Even the actual trails can be quite overgrown. On top of that, the trails can be slippery after rain. It is recommended that you hire a porter, who will not only carry your bag but also help you with a steady hand along the trail.”

6

Are gorilla sightings guaranteed on a Bwindi gorilla trekking tour?

“Gorillas move freely through their territory and it can sometimes be tricky to find them. In the briefing given to you by the head ranger before you start any Bwindi gorilla trekking tour, you are rightly warned that sightings are not guaranteed. However, in recent years the success rate has been as good as 100%, so you can assume you will get to see the gorillas. The only reason some people don’t succeed is if they are not physically up to it and decide to turn back. However, most people who are reasonably fit will make it. The guides and porters will make every effort to get you there and some people are literally pulled and pushed up the mountain slopes. To increase your chances, come well prepared with a walking stick, drinking water, a rain jacket and some snacks. It is also important to wear good hiking shoes.”

7

What lodges or camps would you recommend?

“There are many good lodges and camps in or near Bwindi. Some of the lodges are out in the villages and some border the national park. I always prefer to stay in the forest as you might be able to see monkeys and other wildlife. In fact, on my last visit to Bwindi, I saw gorillas on the property of the lodge where I stayed. If you book your own accommodations, it is important to know whether you’ll be tracking gorillas from Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga or Nkuringo. These hubs are quite far apart by road, so ideally you want to select a lodge at the same place. This may seem like obvious advice, but I’ve been struck by how often I meet people who need to drive to a different trailhead on the morning of their trek and then return to their lodge afterward. That is inconvenient but doable if you need to travel between Buhoma and Ruhija (about two hours) or between Rushaga and Nkuringo (about one hour). It is pretty much impossible with any other combination (most extremely, Buhoma and Nkuringo are a full six hours’ drive apart).”

8

Bwindi Holiday Reviews

4.8/5 129 Reviews
Expert
Stephen Cunliffe  –  
South Africa ZA

Stephen is a travel writer and avid conservationist whose work appears in prestigious magazines such as Africa Geographic and Travel Africa.

An Experience You Will Never Forget
5/5

Trekking to see the fabled mountain gorillas is something everyone should get to experience at least once in their lifetime. Gorilla permits are certainly not cheap and the hour you get to spend with these gentle giants whizzes by in a...

Full Review

Expert
Lizzie Williams  –  
South Africa ZA

Lizzie is a reputed guidebook writer and author of the Footprint guides to South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

A Special Place To Be Granted an Audience With the Greatest of Apes
5/5

It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve heard it, staring a gorilla in the eye is undoubtedly a magical wildlife encounter. Every one of my visits to Bwindi has been unique and every meeting with these gentle apes an honour. Bwindi is...

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Bonita Douglass  –  
United States US
Reviewed: Sep 27, 2024
5/5

Gorilla trekking was more incredible than I ever imagined! We were literally a few feet away from them. We saw so many gorillas including babies and a silver back. The guides, guards and porters were amazing. Trip of a lifetime!

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Panagiota Marouli  –  
Greece GR
Reviewed: Sep 2, 2022
5/5

This is the scenery for Tarzan & Jane story. Our guide would make way with his machete where there was nothing but dense forest in steep mountainside. One could employ porters to help with the trek, which provides income to members of the...

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Zsolt Banyai  –  
Hungary HU
Reviewed: Feb 22, 2021
5/5

Seeing the gorillas upclose is something that is hard to explain. We were lucky with the hike, after 20 minutes we already made it to the gorillas, but as far as I heard this is rather the apartment exception. Be aware, that even during...

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Virginia  –  
South Africa ZA
Reviewed: Mar 29, 2019
It was a wonderful experience Uganda's famous national park and I appreciate all their services.
4/5

It was a wonderful experience visiting Uganda's famous bwindi impenetrable forest, national park great adventures Uganda enabled me to have my 1st gorilla habituation experience. Where I got an interaction with this sweet endangered...

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All 129 Bwindi Holiday Reviews