Bwindi Forest Gorilla Tours

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Location And How To Get There

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Location And How To Get There: Home to half of the world’s remaining gorilla population, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the south western of Uganda. This magical destination dominated by ancient rainforest is home to the endangered mountain gorillas, endemic bird species and beautiful butterflies.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a must visit Uganda Safari Destination, as you are planning to visit Bwindi for your next adventure. You will need to figure out how to get there in addition to the location of the park.

Where Is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Located?

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the Southwestern region of Uganda, near the towns of Kisoro and Kabale, approximately 500 kilometers from Kampala. The park covers an area of 321 square kilometers of both montane and lowland forest and is accessible only foot.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is situated at the edge of the Great Rift Valley in the highest parts of the Kigezi Highlands. The park’s topography is very rugged with narrow valleys intersected by rivers and steep hills. Elevations in the park range from 1,190 to 2,607 meters above sea level and 60 percent of the park have an elevation of over 2,000m. The highest elevation in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is Rwamunyonyi Hill at the eastern edge of the park, to the northern of Bwindi lies Queen Elizabeth National Park.

To the south, there is the Virunga Volcanoes of Rwanda and the DR Congo lies on the western edge of the park, this ancient rainforest jungle is surrounded by intensely cultivated agricultural lands, previously covered by forest vegetation.

Also, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located about 55 km northwest of the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi – the second deepest lake in Africa.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Location And How To Get There
Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Sectors and Gates

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is divided into four sections named after the surrounding villages that is Buhoma and Ruhija in the north and Rushaga and Nkuringo in the South.

When purchasing a gorilla permit, you have to be mindful of the gorilla sector you intend to do gorilla trekking.

How To Get To Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?

There are two main ways to get to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park that is from Kampala, the capital of Uganda or from Kigali – the capital of Rwanda. The quicker route is actually via Kigali but you will then need to clear immigration twice that is at the airport in Rwanda and when crossing the border into Uganda.

If you are heading to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you are possibly also to see more of Uganda in which case it makes the most sense to travel via Kampala. One way to arrive at Bwindi is to fly into Entebbe International Airport (EBB) just outside of the city of Kampala. From there, you can choose one of the two options to reach Bwindi.

  • Fly to an airstrip near Bwindi and then take a short drive to the park
  • Drive straight there.

Getting to Bwindi By Air

Flying is the fastest way to get to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, there are a number of domestic flights each day from Entebbe International Airport in Entebbe City or Kajjansi Airstrip in Kampala. Most Uganda domestic flights between parks are arranged by tour operators and are normally included in your Uganda Tour Package.

Kihihi airstrip is the closest airstrip to Buhoma and Ruhija trailheads and Kisoro Airstrip is closest to the southerly Rushaga and Nkuringo. The flight time is 1 hours, both airstrip are about 40 kilometers from the park and the drive from wither takes usually around 11/2 hours.

Getting to Bwindi By Road From Kampala

Driving is the most popular way for visitors to get to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, from Entebbe or Kampala the road trip to Bwindi will take approximately 8 to 10 hours. Although this road journey is much longer than flying. The route is interesting for those who are adventurous and nature lovers.

On the journey to Bwindi, you travel through several small Uganda towns, rural villages and scenic regions of the country with stops to important landmarks like the Uganda Equator line or even stop to buy fruits and local artifacts. Your drive through the countryside also gives you a much better impression and understanding of Uganda than flying.

You might even stop for a day at Lake Mburo National Park to break the long journey, the park is located about 3 to 4 hour drive from Kampala and 4 to 7 hours drive from Bwindi’s various trailheads. Lake Mburo National Park is popular for spotting zebras, giraffes, buffaloes and antelopes during day game drives, horseback safaris, boat cruises, game walks and cycling tours.

From Queen Elizabeth National Park, it is a drive of 2 to 3 hours to Buhoma Sector and from Kibale Forest National Park, it is a journey of 6 to 7 hours.

Getting to Bwindi From Rwanda

Flying into Kigali City of Rwanda and then drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is another faster option to get to Bwindi for a gorilla safari.

You can easily drive to Bwindi on day one, track mountain gorillas the next morning and then return to Kigali afterwards. This is the only chance to see gorillas in Uganda on a 2 Days Gorilla Safari.

Note: due to the long drive distances, it is impossible to do a gorilla trekking adventure on a 2 days Bwindi gorilla safari starting and ends at Kampala/Entebbe. The minimum duration for a gorilla tour from Entebbe / Entebbe is 3 days as you need to spend the night immediately before and after you trek at a lodge or camp close to the relevant park.

Yes, it is possible to do gorilla trekking in Rwanda. You might reasonably need to cross into Uganda to do the same activity, the answer reason is that it is cheaper. Uganda gorilla trekking permits cost US$ 800 as opposed to US$ 1,500 for gorilla permit in Rwanda.

Thus, visiting Bwindi gorillas from Kigali is an ideal option for travelers with limited or a very tight budget. Also, you will get to experience the emerald green hills of Rwanda and Uganda on a spectacular drive from Kigali City to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Location And How To Get There
Buses

Can I Get To Bwindi By Public Transport

Yes, it is possible to visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by using public transport means to and from the park, the first step is to know which part of Bwindi you will be visiting so that you know the bus you will be using.

If you are going to trek gorillas in the Southern Section, you will need to take buses that go to Bwindi via Mbarara, Kabale and then Kisoro Town.

If you are going to trek gorillas in the Northern Sector of Bwindi, you need to take buses to go through Mbarara, Ntungamo, Rukungiri, Kihihi and the border town of Butogota.

Whether you are to visit the south or North of Bwindi, no public means will transport you up to the park headquarters. If you decide to go to the North, then you need to budget for a motor cycle transfer from Butogota Town to Buhoma Park headquarters.

Also, check with your lodge if they can offer you transfer to and from Butogota Town. If you decided to visit the southern section, buses are likely to drop you either in Kabale or Kisoro or from there, you will need to organize transport either to Nkuringo or Rushaga.

There are several bus companies offer daily on these routes from Kampala, while traveling in these buses you need to be extra serious with your luggage as there are so many thieves that may target you.

Please ensure that you hold your luggage all the time, move with it when moving out of the bus at all times.

Note: we do not recommend traveling by public means of transport as the risks are more than the benefits but should you decide to do so please take care.

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