UGANDA · NATIONAL PARK GUIDE
A guide to Uganda's ancient rainforest, home to around half the world's mountain gorillas: the four trekking sectors, the gorilla families, getting there and what else to do.
Quick answer: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an ancient rainforest of more than 120 square miles (320 km²) in southwest Uganda and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It protects 459 mountain gorillas, around half the world's population, with more than 20 habituated gorilla families spread across four trekking sectors: Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo.
Southwest Uganda, on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The southern sectors are about 4–6 hours by road from Kigali, Rwanda.
More than 120 square miles (320 km²) of montane and lowland forest, at about 3,900 to 8,400 feet (1,190 to 2,560 meters) above sea level.
A national park since 1991 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994, recognized for its exceptional biodiversity.
The most recent published census, in 2018, counted 459 mountain gorillas in Bwindi, around half of the world's total. More than 20 families are habituated for visitors.
Chimpanzees, L'Hoest's monkeys and other primates, more than 200 butterfly species and at least 350 bird species, including 22 of the 36 Albertine Rift endemics.
Your gorilla permit is for a specific sector, so it's worth choosing carefully. Each sector has its own trailheads, gorilla families and lodges, and they're several hours apart by road, so you stay close to the sector you trek in.
The original trekking sector, where Bwindi's first gorilla family, Mubare, was opened to visitors in 1993. Some families range near the forest edge, which can mean shorter treks. Buhoma has the widest choice of lodges and is the closest sector to the Kihihi airstrip. Best for: first-time trekkers and trips that combine Bwindi with Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The highest sector, at around 7,500 feet (2,300 meters). Treks often start high and drop into deep valleys, so mornings are cool and the climb back is steep. Ruhija is also Bwindi's top birding area, with the trail down to Mubwindi Swamp. Best for: fit trekkers and birders who want a quieter sector.
The sector with the most gorilla families, which usually means the best permit availability, and the only place to do the Gorilla Habituation Experience. Rushaga is close to Lake Mutanda and the easiest sector to reach from Kigali. Best for: travelers coming from Rwanda and anyone booking at shorter notice. Our Uganda tours trek here.
Perched on a ridge with views across to the Virunga volcanoes, Nkuringo has fewer families and some of Bwindi's toughest treks: a steep descent into the valley and an equally steep climb back. Best for: fit hikers who want spectacular scenery and smaller crowds.
Rangers assign each trekking group to one habituated family on the morning of the trek, based on the sector on your permit. Each family can be visited by up to eight people a day, for one hour. Families split, merge and new groups are habituated over time, so treat this list as a guide:
✓ Buhoma: Mubare, Habinyanja, Rushegura and Katwe
✓ Ruhija: Bitukura, Oruzogo, Kyaguliro and Mukiza
✓ Rushaga: Nshongi, Mishaya, Kahungye, Busingye, Bweza, Mucunguzi and others, plus Bikingi for the Habituation Experience
✓ Nkuringo: the Nkuringo family and related groups
In Rushaga, a small group of up to four visitors can spend around four hours with a family that researchers and trackers are still habituating to people. It's a longer, rawer encounter than a standard trek, and you see how habituation actually works. Permits are very limited, so book well ahead. See our gorilla permits guide for current prices.
The quickest way to the southern sectors. Rushaga and Nkuringo are about 4–6 hours by road, including the border crossing between Rwanda and Uganda. This is the route on all our tours.
A full day's drive of around 8–10 hours to any sector, often broken with a stop in Lake Mburo or Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Scheduled and charter flights link Entebbe with the Kihihi airstrip, for Buhoma and Ruhija, and Kisoro, for Rushaga and Nkuringo, followed by a road transfer to your lodge.
✓ Batwa cultural experience: meet the Batwa, the forest's original inhabitants, and learn how they lived in Bwindi before it became a national park
✓ Village walks: guided walks in the communities around the park, visiting homes, schools and craft projects
✓ Ivy River trail: a full-day forest hike between Buhoma and Nkuringo, through the heart of the park
✓ Birding: more than 350 species, with Ruhija's Mubwindi Swamp trail the highlight for Albertine Rift endemics
✓ Lake Mutanda: kayaking, swimming and canoe trips on the lake near Rushaga, where our Uganda tours are based
✓ Golden monkeys: trekking in nearby Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Bwindi is a forest island surrounded by some of the most densely farmed land in Uganda, so its future depends on its neighbors. The Uganda Wildlife Authority shares 20% of park entry fees with surrounding communities, plus US$10 from every gorilla permit. Bwindi Community Hospital in Buhoma, the Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation in Ruhija and local conservation groups all work to keep people and gorillas healthy. Read more about how your trek supports conservation.
Buhoma for first-timers and the widest choice of lodges, Rushaga for the most families and permit availability, Ruhija for birding and quieter trails, and Nkuringo for views and a tougher trek. If you're traveling from Kigali, Rushaga is usually the easiest choice.
The southern sectors, Rushaga and Nkuringo, are about 4–6 hours by road from Kigali, including the Rwanda–Uganda border crossing. Buhoma and Ruhija take longer.
The most recent published census, in 2018, counted 459 mountain gorillas in Bwindi, around half of the world's mountain gorillas.
No. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a separate, much smaller park on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes, a short drive from Rushaga, with one habituated gorilla family and golden monkeys. Our best place for gorilla trekking guide compares them.
Yes, Bwindi is open all year. Trails are muddier in the wet seasons, but permits are discounted in April, May and November. Our best time for gorilla trekking guide explains the seasons.
Gorilla family names change as groups split and new families are habituated. Figures from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, IUCN and the 2018 mountain gorilla census. Correct as of November 2026.
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