Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

The basics

While Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a birdwatcher’s paradise, the real draw of this UNESCO World Heritage site is its population of mountain gorillas—about a dozen families, or around 400 in total. A guided trekking excursion with a designated tracker is indispensable for navigating the forest and knowing where to locate the gorillas. Many travelers opt for a 3-day package, which increases your chance of sightings, but 1-day excursions are also available if you're short on time.

Things to know before you go

• You’ll need to buy a permit in advance to visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The park is very large, so you’re granted a permit for one specific gorilla trekking sector.

• Each sector has different landscape features and resident troops, or gorilla clans, so do your research in advance to figure out which one suits you best.

• Much of the park is above 6,500 feet (2,000 meters), so if you’re sensitive to altitudes you may want to have some remedies on hand. It’s also even more important to stay hydrated at higher elevations.

• Prepare for a lot of walking through dense, misty forest— there’s a reason it’s called impenetrable—and some uphill climbs. Expect to walk at least 45 minutes to reach a gorilla troop, although the duration can vary.

• Budget an hour in the forest to observe the gorilla family once you’ve spotted them. Cameras are allowed (you may want a good zoom lens), but be sure not to use your flash as the light may startle the animals.

How to get there

Though Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in Uganda, the nearest airport is Kigali International Airport across the border in Rwanda. For anyone who wants to avoid two separate border controls, you can also fly from Entebbe to either Kihihi Airport or Kisoro Airport and then continue to Bwindi by car.

When to get there

The best weather windows are the two dry seasons from June through August and again from December through February, when the roads are clear and the trails are easiest to navigate. That said, a limited number of gorilla-tracking permits are released each day (only 40 per each of the four sectors), so those willing to brave the rainy seasons will have a better chance of snagging a permit.

Save time for a cultural immersion with the Batwa people

The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was originally the home of Batwa pygmy communities, nicknamed “Keepers of the Forest.” They lived as hunter-gatherers side-by-side with gorillas and other wildlife for centuries. However, the Batwa were sadly displaced from the forest during the creation of the protected park. You can advocate for Batwa rights by partaking in a hike to a local Batwa settlement and respecting their role as the rainforest’s traditional knowledge keepers.