Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is situated in the southwestern part of Uganda, on the boundary of the Albertine Rift Valley, at elevations ranging from 1,160 m to 2,607 m. It is a genuine tropical rainforest spread over steep ridges and valleys.
The park forms part of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and lies along the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo next to Virunga National Park. Covering approximately 331 square kilometres, it contains both montane and lowland forest and is accessible only on foot. Bwindi is a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site and one of the richest ecosystems in Africa.
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Dense forest across a dramatic rift valley terrain
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Reserve was established in 1942 and later upgraded to a national park in 1992. In 1994, it was recognized as a World Heritage Site.
The park covers about 327 square kilometres of dense vegetation draped over a deeply fissured landscape of steep ridges and narrow valleys.
Nearly half of the world’s remaining population
The park is home to around 400 individual mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), representing almost half of the global population. The remaining mountain gorillas live mainly in the nearby Virunga National Park.
Census data has shown gradual population growth over the years, increasing from approximately 300 individuals in 1997 to 340 individuals in 2006.
Gorilla tracking is the park’s main tourist attraction. Visitors must obtain a permit in advance, and access to habituated gorilla families is strictly controlled to protect the animals and their habitat.
Exceptional primate and bird diversity
There are 11 species of primates recorded in the park, including chimpanzees, L’Hoest’s monkey, red-tailed monkey, blue monkey, black and white colobus and olive baboon.
Bwindi is also home to 346 recorded bird species, including 90% of all Albertine Rift endemics, and approximately 200 species of butterflies.
Remote location and seasonal considerations
Tourists can visit the park throughout the year, although conditions can be more challenging during the rainy season.
Accommodation options include lodges, tented camps and community-run guesthouses near the Buhoma entrance gate.
Access involves a long journey. It is approximately a six hour drive from Kampala to Kabale. From Kabale to Buhoma Park Headquarters takes three to four hours and may require a 4WD vehicle. Public transport options are limited and less predictable.
A young mountain gorilla rests in the dense forest of Bwindi
An olive baboon moves across the open grassland
A mountain gorilla feeds quietly among the thick rainforest vegetation
A young mountain gorilla peers through the forest foliage in Bwindi
A wooden bridge crosses a small stream in the rainforest
A close-up of a mountain gorilla’s hand resting among the leaves
Once-in-a-lifetime
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