Located at the rim of the Great Albertine Rift Valley in southwestern Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the major parks to see Mountain Gorillas in Africa. It was started as a forest reserve in 1932 and later declared a National Park in 1991.
Spanning three districts including Rukungiri, Kisoro, and Kabale, this Park covers a total area of 331 square kilometers.
Part of it is occupied by the Bwindi impenetrable rainforest. This rainforest thrived throughout the last Ice Age and is one of the few found in Africa.
Bwindi provides shelter to half of the World’s remaining Gorilla population. Meeting in the jungle for a close encounter with these giants is undoubtedly one of the most beguiling experiences in Uganda.
Out of the 120 mammal species in Bwindi, eleven are primates including the Black and White Colobus monkeys. Besides Mountain Gorillas, numerous birds including the Albertine Rift endemic call this Park home.
In summary, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to many Mountain Gorillas that exceed 400 in total, 120 mammals, 200 species of butterflies, and 360 species of birds, and more than 324 tree species.
Getting there
By road
Road transport is the cheapest way to get to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Southwestern Uganda. From Kampala, it takes about 9- 10 hours for the drive via Kampala – Masaka – Mbarara highway or other options depending on the sector.
By Air
If not road transport, you can go by air means. Private charters are often arranged from Kajjansi airstrip to Kabale or Kisoro airstrip.
Travelers to Buhoma and Ruhija sector fly to Kihihi airstrip and those heading to Rushaga sector fly to Kisoro airstrip.
Sectors
Below is detailed information about the four regional sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Buhoma Sector
Nestled in the northern part of Bwindi, the Buhoma sector was the first to be established amongst the four sectors. It started with one Gorilla family known as Mubare and it was fully habituated in 1992.
It’s close to the Ishasha sector of Queen and you can either switch from Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth National Park or switch from Queen to Buhoma via the Ishasha sector route.
With this route, chances are high that you will see the famous Tree climbing lions resting up in the tree branches.
Buhoma has four habituated Gorilla groups including Mubare the oldest, Habinyanja, Rushegura, and Katwe Gorilla family.
Visitors to the sector also enjoy local visits to the Batwa and Bakiga communities for cultural encounters.
These excursions are offered along various hiking trails in Buhoma like the Waterfall trail, Munyaga, Muzabairo loop trail, River Ivi, and Rushura trail
Ruhija Sector
Ruhija sector is situated in the Eastern part of Bwindi. This area has the coolest temperatures in Bwindi.
It’s home to three habituated Gorilla families including Kyaguriro, Oruzogo, and Bitukura Gorilla family.
Apart from Gorilla trekking, tourists hike up to the Rwamunyonyi peak for scenic views of landscapes, rolling hills, and more.
Rushaga Sector
Rushaga sector has the highest numbers of Gorilla families. It occupies a portion of land in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This is also the only place where you can do the Gorilla habituation experience.
Some of the habituated groups in Rushaga include Bweza, Busingye, Kahungye, Nshongi, Mishaya, and Bikingi. After the Gorilla trek in this sector, you can transfer to the nearby Lake Mutanda for a stunning boat ride.
Nkuringo Sector
Families in this area include Nkuringo, Bushaho, and Christmas Gorilla family. This sector was opened for the Gorilla trekking experience in 2004. It’s in the southwestern part of Bwindi, just 40km north of Kisoro town.
It’s located at a higher altitude than other sectors. Trekking expedition exposes you both to Mountain Gorillas and spectacular views of inland vegetation, stretching forest gorges, rolling hills, and more.
