UGANDA

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Home of the mountain gorilla. Deep forest, ancient roots, and once-in-a-lifetime encounters.

A Forest Unlike Any Other

Tucked in the southwestern corner of Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most biologically diverse forests in Africa. It is best known as the sanctuary for more than half the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. The terrain is rugged, the forest ancient, and the experience deeply humbling.
 
Bwindi is not just a place to visit. It’s a place to feel small, connected, and transformed.

Featured Tours in Bwindi

Experience gorilla tracking and more with these curated options:

Uganda and Zanzibar Beach Safari

Combining a Uganda safari with a Zanzibar Beach safari is a fantastic way to experience both African Big 5 wildlife and ocean life. This combo offers incredible wildlife encounters, including gorilla trekking, with Zanzibar providing a serene beach escape. This combination is perfect for nature lovers and beach enthusiasts alike.

Uganda Gorilla and primate safari experience

The 5-Day Uganda Wildlife and Primate Experience Safari starts and ends at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda. This magical safari promises you the most adventurous and magical wildlife, primate, and cultural experiences filled with back-to-back fun. This adventurous Uganda safari was planned to give you an unforgettable wildlife experience and an ultimate primate experience, such as meeting eye-to-eye with the amazing gorillas and chimpanzees fully in their natural habitat, getting a close encounter with other diverse African wildlife species such as leopards, lions, elephants, and cape buffaloes, several primate species, many antelope species, beautiful landscapes, visiting several ancestral places such as the Igongo cultural center for amazing African culture, and if you are a keen bird lover, this is an ideal Uganda safari to spot several African bird species. The 5-day Uganda safari involves a visit to Kibale Forest National Park for chimpanzee tracking and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for Mountain Gorilla trekking. This is an ideal tour to fully enjoy nature and to explore the abundance of wildlife species, beautiful scenery, and numerous primate species such as the miraculous mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, among others. After the gorilla trekking, you will drive to Lake Bunyonyi where you will spend a night and have a canoeing experience, and later drive to Kigali International Airport.

Uganda Wildlife and Primate Encounter Safari (8days)

The 8-day Uganda Wildlife and Primate Encounter Safari starts and ends at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda. This 8-day Uganda safari will give you the best of African jungle experiences that are made up of remarkable wildlife diversity, ranging from the African great primates to plenty of wildlife species of the African savanna that are perfectly distributed across various national parks to be visited on this 7-day African safari. This 7-day Uganda safari involves visiting destinations with exclusive attractions that ensure you capture the uniqueness of the African jungle in a magical style, such as meeting eye-to-eye with the magical mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, which are the top highlights that are highly recommended by almost all visitors to Uganda, and general wildlife encounters like lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, caped buffaloes, and many others, boat cruises, and visiting some local communities for cultural experiences. It will take you to visit the most adventurous places in Uganda, such as the Ziwa rhino sanctuary for the white rhino tracking experience, Murchison Falls national park to visit magnificent Murchison Falls for the breathtaking scenic views of the Falls, boat cruise experience on the river Nile and game drive safaris for animal sightings, Kibale forest national park, “the primate capital of the world,” for the Chimpanzee trekking experience and Bigodi community experience, Queen Elizabeth National Park, “a medley of wonders,” for wildlife encounters, a boat cruise on the Kazinga channel, and a game drive to search for tree-climbing lions, Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park for mountain gorilla trekking experience and conclude your safari with a visit to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation and boat riding on this beautiful lake. This is the best African safari for unique primate experiences, exploring many of the African wildlife species, including elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards, and Caped Buffaloes, going through the most scenic places like the rolling hills of the Kigezi highlands, big tea plantations, experiencing African culture, and many other experiences. We carefully selected the best activities to make this package eye-catching and for you to enjoy each minute you spend with us on this safari in the true African wilderness.

Uganda Wildlife and Primate Encounter Safari

The 10-Day Uganda wildlife and primate encounter safari starts and ends at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda. This 10-day Uganda safari will give you the best of African jungle experiences that are made of remarkable wildlife diversity, ranging from the African great primates to plenty of wildlife species of the African savanna that are perfectly distributed across various national parks to be visited on this 10-day African safari. This 10-day Uganda safari involves visiting destinations with exclusive attractions that ensure you capture the uniqueness of the African jungle in a magical style, such as meeting eye-to-eye with the magical mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, which are the top highlights that are highly recommended by almost all visitors to Uganda, and general wildlife encounters like lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, caped buffaloes, and many others, boat cruises, jungle walking safari and visiting local communities to experience the unique African culture. It will take you to visit the most adventurous places in Uganda, such as the Ziwa rhino sanctuary for the white rhino tracking experience, Murchison Falls national park to visit the magnificent Murchison Falls for the breathtaking views of the Murchison Falls, boat cruise experience on the river Nile and game drive safaris for animal encounters, Kibale forest national park, “the primate capital of the world,” for the Chimpanzee trekking experience and Bigodi community experience, Queen Elizabeth National Park, “a medley of wonders,” for wildlife encounters, a boat cruise on the Kazinga channel, Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park for mountain gorilla trekking experience and conclude your adventurous safari with a visit to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation and boat riding on this beautiful lake, and Lake Mburo National Park for a night game drive safari to explore the jungle at night and a jungle walking safari to walk with zebras and giraffes. This is the best African safari for unique primate experiences, exploring many African wildlife species, such as elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards, and Caped Buffaloes, going through the most scenic places like the rolling hills of the Kigezi highlands, big tea plantations, experiencing African culture, and many other experiences. We carefully selected the best activities to make this package eye-catching each minute you spend on it.

Bwindi Mountain Gorilla and Culture Flying Safari

The 4-day Uganda mountain gorilla trekking safari starts and ends at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda. It involves meeting eye-to-eye with the magical mountain gorillas. This Uganda safari will take you to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park to meet eye-to-eye with the endangered mountain gorillas. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is famous for being home to half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. It is one of Uganda’s oldest as well as most biologically diverse rainforests, with over 25,000 years of history and almost 400 species of plants that form the huge impenetrable forest that is evergreen. It is home to approximately 400 mountain gorillas, 120 mammal species such as numerous primate species, and over 350 bird species, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics, and is the ancient home of the Batwa bush people. This is an ideal tour to fully enjoy nature, beautiful scenery, and numerous primate species, such as the miraculous mountain gorillas.

Uganda and Rwanda Wildlife and Primate Encounter Safari

The 10-day Uganda and Rwanda Uganda wildlife, primates and culture encounter safari starts at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda and ends at Kigali International Airport in Rwanda. This 10-day Uganda safari will give you the best of African jungle experiences that are made of remarkable wildlife diversity, ranging from the African great primates to plenty of wildlife species of the African savanna that are perfectly distributed across various national parks to be visited on this 10-day African safari. This 10-day Uganda and Rwanda safari involves visiting destinations with exclusive attractions that ensure you capture the uniqueness of the African jungle in a magical style, such as meeting eye-to-eye with the magical mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, which are the top highlights that are highly recommended by almost all visitors to Uganda, general wildlife encounters like lions, leopards, elephants, caped buffaloes, and many others, boat cruises, and visiting some communities to experience African culture. It will take you to visit the most adventurous places in Uganda, such as the Kibale Forest National Park, “the primate’s capital of the world,” for the Chimpanzee trekking experience and Bigodi community experience, Queen Elizabeth National Park, “a medley of wonders,” for wildlife encounters, a boat cruise on the Kazinga channel, and a game drive to search for tree-climbing lions, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for the mountain gorilla trekking experience, visit Lake Bunyonyi for the boat riding on this beautiful lake, and visit some of its islands and the Batwa pygmy cultural experience. Later, cross over to Rwanda, also known as the country of a thousand hills, to enjoy more African jungle safari experiences. So, while in Rwanda, you will visit Volcanoes National Park, where you may decide to do the golden monkey trekking or Mt. Bisoke volcano hike, visit Lake Kivu Gishenyi for leisure and boat riding, and conclude your safari with a visit to Nyungwe National Park for the cappy walk experience. This is the best African safari for unique primate experiences, exploring many of the African wildlife species, including elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards, and Caped Buffaloes, going through the most scenic places like the rolling hills of the Kigezi highlands, big tea plantations, experiencing African culture, and many other experiences. We carefully selected the best activities to make this exciting and memorable.

Why Visit Bwindi?

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park isn’t just a destination—it’s a profound encounter with some of Earth’s last remaining mountain gorillas, set in one of the oldest and most biologically rich rainforests on the planet.

Mountain Gorilla Encounters

The chance to sit quietly in the presence of a gorilla family—just meters away—is one of the most humbling wildlife experiences anywhere. Bwindi offers well-regulated trekking programs with experienced guides, ensuring both safety and deep respect for these endangered giants.

Diverse Wildlife & Forest Trails

While gorillas are the highlight, Bwindi is alive with other wildlife: from forest elephants and duikers to 120 mammal species and over 1,000 plant varieties. Well-marked forest trails wind through the ancient canopy, offering a magical backdrop for walking and exploring.

Community-Based Tourism

Bwindi stands out for how deeply tourism is integrated with local livelihoods. Many lodges and trekking programs are community-owned or closely partnered with local initiatives—so every visit helps support schools, clinics, and conservation programs in the surrounding villages.

Birding Paradise

With more than 350 species, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics, Bwindi is a top-tier destination for birders. Whether you're a beginner or enthusiast, you’ll find the forest full of rare sightings—from the green broadbill to the African green pigeon.

Intimate, Low-Impact Tourism

Only a limited number of trekking permits are issued each day, ensuring that every visit feels personal, unrushed, and environmentally sensitive. It’s conservation in action, where tourism directly funds protection and education.

When to Visit

June – August & December – February: 

Dry seasons with easier trekking conditions

March – May & October – November: 

Wet season; more lush and quiet, but trails can be slippery

Note

Gorilla sightings are excellent year-round, as families don’t migrate far.

What You’ll See

Black-and-white colobus monkeys, L'Hoest's monkeys
Forest elephants, duikers, bush pigs (rare)
Over 350 bird species, including green broadbills and African green pigeons
Butterflies, tree ferns, orchids, and endemic plants

Signature Experiences

Gorilla Habituation Experience

Spend up to 4 hours with a semi-habituated family. Available only in select areas.

Batwa Cultural Trail

Learn about the forest’s first people and their way of life before conservation.

Birding Walks

Target endemic species with expert local guides.

Waterfall Hikes & Forest Trails

Gentle to moderate hikes through some of Africa’s oldest forest canopies.

What to Expect

Start early: Trekking begins around 8 AM after a safety briefing

Hike duration: 1 to 6 hours depending on gorilla location

Group size: Max 8 people per trek

Time with gorillas: Strictly 1 hour once located

Gear needed: Good hiking boots, rain jacket, gloves, long pants

Where to Stay

Safari Styles Available

Gorilla trekking (standard or habituation)

Birding and forest walks

Cultural immersion tours

Multi-park Uganda circuits

Fly-in safaris from Entebbe or Kampala

Practical Information

Getting There: Fly-in to Kihihi or Kisoro airstrips, or drive ~8–10 hrs from Entebbe

Permits: Gorilla trekking: ~$700 USD per person; Habituation: ~$1,500 USD

Health: Yellow fever certificate required; malaria precautions recommended

Packing: Layers, rain gear, insect repellent, and hydration packs advised

Suggested Add-On Trips

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Classic big game viewing and boat cruises

Kibale Forest

Chimpanzee tracking and primate diversity

Lake Bunyonyi

Scenic lakeside rest post-trek

Entebbe

Overnight stays, botanical gardens, and craft markets

Gorilla Trekking is a Bucket List Journey.

Let us help you plan it right—from permits and lodges to connecting flights and meaningful local impact.

[Explore Uganda Safaris] →

Explore More

Weather by Month

Every journey with Jungle Dwellers is more than a trip—it's a deep dive into Africa's untamed beauty, guided by those who know it best.

Why Travel with Jungle Dwellers?

  • Locally owned & operated with deep expertise in East Africa
  • Permits, flights, and guides handled for you
  • Sustainability-focused, supporting conservation and communities
  • IATA-accredited for complete safari coordination
  • Real insight from expert Uganda-based partners

Plan Your Safari

Whether it’s your first trek or a return to the forest, we’ll make sure your Bwindi experience is safe, meaningful, and unforgettable.

Start Planning Now