Bwindi is a dense, ancient forest in southwestern Uganda, its name meaning 'impenetrable' for good reason. It's steep, tangled, and wet underfoot, and it holds roughly half of the world's remaining mountain gorillas. Visits centre on a single permitted trek per day per group, guided by rangers who track a habituated family from where they last nested.
Wildlife
- •Mountain gorillas, tracked in permitted groups across several habituated families
- •Chimpanzees and several other primate species, including L'Hoest's monkey
- •Over 350 recorded bird species, among them a number found nowhere else in East Africa
- •Forest elephant, rarely seen but present in the deeper, undisturbed sections
Best Time to Visit
June to August
The main dry season. Trails are firmer underfoot, which makes for an easier climb to reach the gorillas.
December to February
A second dry stretch, also good for trekking, with fewer visitors than the June to August peak.
March to May and September to November
The rainy seasons. Treks still run, but trails get muddy and steep sections take longer to climb.
