/destinations/uganda/bwindi-impenetrable-forest/
At a Glance
Bwindi is a dense, ancient montane rainforest in southwestern Uganda and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It holds a substantial share of the world's remaining mountain gorillas across a number of habituated families — more trekking capacity than any single park in the region.
The Four Sectors
Bwindi is trekked from four main sectors — Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo — each with its own habituated families, lodges and access route. Because sectors are hours apart by road, the sector your permit is issued for determines where you stay, which is why permits and accommodation must be booked together rather than separately.
Gorilla Habituation Experience
Uganda uniquely offers a habituation experience in certain sectors, allowing a longer period with a family still undergoing habituation — considerably more contact time than a standard trek, at a higher permit cost and with a smaller number of places available each day.
What the Trek Involves
Bwindi's terrain is steep, dense and frequently muddy — the name is not marketing. Treks vary from a couple of hours to a full day depending on the family's location. Porters are available and widely recommended, both for the practical help and as direct local employment.
Best Time to Visit
Year-round, with generally drier conditions from June to August and December to February — though this is rainforest and rain is possible in any month.