It lies in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Rift Valley. Its mist-covered hillsides are blanketed by one of Uganda's oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests, which dates back over 25,000 years and contains almost 400 species of plants. More famously, this “impenetrable forest” also protects an estimated 400 mountain gorillas – roughly half of the world’s population, including several habituated groups, which can be tracked. This biologically diverse region also provides shelter to a further 120 mammals, including several primate species such as baboons and chimpanzees, as well as elephants and antelopes. There are around 350 species of birds hosted in this forest, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics.

Activities to Bwindi Forest

Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable

The highlight of the visit to Bwindi is the magical hour in the company of a family of mountain gorillas. Tracking the gorillas can last from a few hours to a whole day, depending on how far the group has moved since it was observed nesting up the previous evening. Bwindi has 15habituated gorilla families that are tracked from trailheads at Buhoma in northwest Bwindi, Ruhija, Nkuringo, and Rushaga. Contact time with the gorillas is limited to 1hour and participants must be aged 15 and over.