Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Ancient montane rainforest holding almost half the world's remaining mountain gorillas.

Overview

Bwindi is a 331-square-kilometre block of Afromontane rainforest on the edge of the Albertine Rift, and it is one of the very few African forests that survived the last ice age intact - which is why its biodiversity is so unusually rich. It holds around 460 mountain gorillas, close to half of the global population, across more than twenty habituated families available for trekking. A gorilla permit costs 800 US dollars and buys one hour with a family; the trek to reach them can be anything from one to seven hours through steep, muddy, genuinely impenetrable forest. It is difficult, and it is also, by almost universal agreement, worth every shilling and every step. Beyond the gorillas the park holds 350 bird species including 23 Albertine Rift endemics, eleven primate species, and forest elephant. The four trailheads - Buhoma in the north, Ruhija in the east, Rushaga and Nkuringo in the south - are hours apart by road, so your permit sector determines where you stay.

Best time to visit

June to August and December to February are the drier months, when the trails are less treacherous and permits are hardest to get. March to May and September to November are wet - the trekking is harder and muddier, but permits are easier and some lodges discount. Gorillas are present and trackable all year.

Travel tips

Book permits months ahead through the Uganda Wildlife Authority or a tour operator, and book your lodge in the same sector as your permit - the roads between sectors take three to five hours. Hire a porter at the trailhead: it costs little, it helps enormously on the climbs, and it puts money directly into the local community. Bring gaiters, gardening gloves for grabbing vegetation, and a waterproof for your camera. Gorilla habituation experience permits, at 1,500 dollars, buy four hours instead of one.

Browse by category in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Safaris & Tour Operators Hotels & Accommodation Activities & Experiences Car Rental & Transport Tour Guides Restaurants & Food Experiences

Photos of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Operators serving Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

See all operators

Western · Uganda

Trackers Safari Lodge

See all operators

Things to do in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Places and experiences rather than companies. Each one carries the thing you would otherwise find out by turning up.

Gorilla trekking
Wildlife
One habituated family, one hour with them, permits limited daily.
The permit is US$800 and the walk can be anything from one hour to seven — the gorillas move overnight. Hire a porter: it costs about US$20, makes the climb far easier, and is the main local income from the park.
Half a dayPaid
Batwa cultural experience
Culture
Forest skills and history from the people displaced when the park was gazetted.
Worth knowing the context: the Batwa lived in this forest and were moved out in 1991 when it became a national park, with no land granted in exchange.
3 hoursPaid

Where these are, around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

1 listings with a mapped location.

Map of 1 listings

Listed

What Bwindi Impenetrable National Park costs

All-in on the ground, per person per day, excluding international flights. Ranges rather than a single figure, because accommodation and group size move the total more than anything else.

Indicative daily cost per person for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, by travel style
Style	Per person, per day
Camping or budget lodge, shared vehicle	$250 – $350
Mid-range lodge	$350 – $600
Luxury camp, private vehicle	$700 – $1,500

Of that, $40 – $60 a day is government fees set by Uganda Wildlife Authority. Every operator pays the same, so a quote below this floor is not a better deal — it is a different trip.

Gorilla trekking permit, per person: $800

Add this to a whole-trip estimate

Indicative figures checked for 2026. Park fees are revised annually and some are quoted before VAT — confirm current rates with your operator or the park authority before you book.

When to visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Month by month: wildlife, weather and how busy it gets.

October

Long rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices.

Wildlife: Wildlife: 5 / 5
Weather: Weather: 2 / 5
Crowds: Crowds: 2 / 5
Rainfall: 160 mm
Temperature: 11–22 °C

Show all twelve months

When to visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Best time to visit	Wildlife	Weather	Crowds	Rainfall	Temperature
JanuaryPeak seasonDrier trails and firm ground — the easiest trekking of the year.	Wildlife: 5 / 5	Weather: 4 / 5	Crowds: 4 / 5	70 mm	11–24 °C
FebruaryPeak seasonShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors.	Wildlife: 5 / 5	Weather: 4 / 5	Crowds: 4 / 5	80 mm	11–24 °C
MarchWet month — expect rain most days, and lush, difficult country.	Wildlife: 5 / 5	Weather: 3 / 5	Crowds: 3 / 5	130 mm	11–23 °C
AprilThe gorillas are still here — the mud is the only difference, and permits are the same price.	Wildlife: 5 / 5	Weather: 2 / 5	Crowds: 2 / 5	180 mm	11–22 °C
MayLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices.	Wildlife: 5 / 5	Weather: 2 / 5	Crowds: 2 / 5	150 mm	11–22 °C
JunePeak seasonShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors.	Wildlife: 5 / 5	Weather: 4 / 5	Crowds: 4 / 5	60 mm	10–23 °C
JulyPeak seasonPeak season; permits sell out months ahead.	Wildlife: 5 / 5	Weather: 5 / 5	Crowds: 5 / 5	60 mm	10–23 °C
AugustPeak seasonShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors.	Wildlife: 5 / 5	Weather: 4 / 5	Crowds: 5 / 5	90 mm	10–23 °C
SeptemberWet month — expect rain most days, and lush, difficult country.	Wildlife: 5 / 5	Weather: 3 / 5	Crowds: 3 / 5	130 mm	11–23 °C
OctoberLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices.	Wildlife: 5 / 5	Weather: 2 / 5	Crowds: 2 / 5	160 mm	11–22 °C
NovemberWet month — expect rain most days, and lush, difficult country.	Wildlife: 5 / 5	Weather: 2 / 5	Crowds: 2 / 5	140 mm	11–22 °C
DecemberPeak seasonWet month — expect rain most days, and lush, difficult country.	Wildlife: 5 / 5	Weather: 3 / 5	Crowds: 4 / 5	100 mm	11–23 °C

Quieter alternatives to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is on nearly every itinerary, which is both why it is good and why it is busy. These are the places travellers choose when they want the same thing with fewer vehicles — each with what it costs you to go there instead.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Gorillas and golden monkeys on the same volcano slopes, with a fraction of Bwindi’s permit competition and open terrain far kinder to walk than the Impenetrable Forest’s name suggests.
The trade-off: One habituated family, which sometimes crosses into Rwanda or the DRC — when it does, trekking stops and permits are refunded rather than rescheduled. Plan it as a bonus, not as the reason for the trip.
Plan a trip to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Guides for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Gorilla trekking: Uganda or Rwanda?

The same animals, an hour with them either way, and a US$700 difference in the permit. Uganda charges US$800 and Rwanda US$1,500 in 2026 — what that money actually buys you.

8 min read

One request. Multiple quotes.

Request a Quote