Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a renowned national park located in three districts of Kisoro, Kanungu, and Rubanda in south-western Uganda, is a UNESCO world heritage site and home to half of the world’s mountain gorillas, estimated at around 400 individuals.
With over 20 habituated gorilla species, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is said to have the most number of mountain gorillas in the world, offering tourists in Uganda a great trekking experience like never before.
One British tourist even wrote about the park in reviews to their experience, saying, “Picture this: I’m standing in the middle of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a place so lush and wild it makes the Amazon look like a backyard garden.”
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a conservation authority, there are only about 1060 left in the wild.
Gorillla trekking opportunities can be primarily found in four national parks in the world, including Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Forest National Park, Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, and the DRC’s Virunga National Park.
According to Catherine Nabbaale and Moreen Tumushabe, the gorilla experts from Nkuringo Safaris, for budget-minded adventurers, gorilla trekking permits in Uganda are significantly cheaper compared to neighbors like Rwanda, which is another gorilla destination.
Uganda’s gorilla trekking permits cost about $800 per person compared to those of Rwanda, providing budget-conscious travelers an affordable option.
“Spend up to four hours with a gorilla family for the same price as a regular permit in Rwanda ($1500), an unforgettable opportunity,” the Nkuringo Safaris experts noted.
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The traveler can reach Bwindi in so many ways, one by taking flights from Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro or Kihihi Airport, which is a 1.5-hour drive from the Gorilla Sanctuary, or one can fly into Bwindi through Kigali Airport and take a 3-hour drive to the Park. By road, one can take about 10 hours.
From budget-friendly camps to luxurious lodges surrounded by breath-taking scenery, the National Park is indeed a gorilla lover’s paradise. Communication is also easy since almost every Ugandan, even the villager, speaks and understands English.
Uganda can, however, do better in promoting this heritage as neighbors in Rwanda. According to the Nkuringo Safari experts, tourists face challenges ranging from difficult access to the roads during the rainy seasons to chartered flights in Uganda that are pricier compared to the Rwandan counterparts.
Uganda doesn’t even have a festival dedicated to gorillas, yet Rwanda has one called “Rwanda’s annual baby Naming ceremony.”
