5 facts about visiting Bwindi National Park : Bwindi impennetrable national park is one of Uganda’s most visited national parks with half of the world’s mountain gorilla population in the world.

- Bwindi national park has 4 sectors
Bwindi national park consists of 4 sectors which tourists can visit during their gorilla tours in Uganda and they include Rushaga sector, Buhoma sector, Nkuringo sector and Ruhija sector.
Rushaga sector is located in the south western part of Bwindi national park and is one of the most visited sectors of the national park. apart from gorilla trekking, tourists can also engage in gorilla habituation when visiting this sector.
Buhoma sector is located in the northern part of Bwindi national park . the Nkuringo sector is also located in the southern part of the national park while Ruhija sector is located in the eastern part of the national park.
When visiting Bwindi national park, a limited number of gorilla permits are issued for gorilla trekking experiences. This is because only 8 people are allowed to visit a gorilla family daily during tours around the destination.
There are different gorilla families which can be visited during tours around the sectors of Bwindi national park and they include Nshongi, Habiyanja, Nkuringo, Rushegura, Bitukura, Kyaguriro, Oruzogo, Mukiza, Bushaho, Christmas, Katwe, Mubare, Busingye, Bikingi, Bweza, Kahungye, Mishaya among others.
- Bwindi national park is in south western Uganda
The location of Bwindi national park in the south western part of Uganda makes it easy to access from Uganda and also from Rwanda.
Tourists can choose to drive or to fly to Bwindi national park during their safaris in the country. There are private means of transport and public transport means used to access the destination by road while the flights can be booked through domestic airlines such as Aerolink Uganda.
By road, tourists can get to Bwindi national park via the Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara-Kabale-Kanungu route which takes about 8 to 9 hours for the Buhoma and Ruhija sectors and about 10 hours for the sectors in the southern part of the park which include Rushaga and Nkuringo.
When accessing Bwindi national park by road from Rwanda, tourists can cross via the Cyanika border or the Gatuna border which takes about 4 hours driving from Kigali. This route is shorter and is a good option for combined safaris between Uganda and Rwanda.
Another way to get to Bwindi national park is by flying from Entebbe international airport to the airstrips in the national park which include Kisoro airstrip and Kihihi airstrip. Kisoro airstrip is used by tourists visiting Rushaga and Nkuringo while Kihihi airstrip is used by tourists going to Buhoma and Ruhija sector.
- Bwindi national park is home to mountain gorillas
Mountain gorillas are the popular attraction which tourists can see during tours around Bwindi national park.
During the search for the mountain gorillas of Bwindi national park, tourists can take part in gorilla trekking and also gorilla habituation experiences. Many other activities including bird watching, nature walks and hikes and also cultural tours take place at the destination.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi national park is an activity which involves visiting the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. During this activity, tourists spend 1 hour with the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat and enjoy watching their behavior closely.
Gorilla habituation in Bwindi national park is a full day activity during which gorillas are introduced to the human presence in their natural habitat.
Gorilla permits are required for tourists to engage in gorilla trekking and also gorilla habituation experiences in Bwindi national park. These permits are issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and can be booked through licensed tour operators such as Achieve Global Safaris.

Permits for gorilla trekking in Bwindi national park costs 800 USD for foreign nonresidents, 700 USD for foreign residents and 300,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens.
Permits for gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi national park costs 1500 USD for foreign nonresidents, 1000 USD for foreign residents and 750,000 Uganda shillings for East Africa citizens. Tourists are advised to book their gorilla permits in advance to avoid missing out on the experience during their tours in Uganda.
When visiting Bwindi national park, gorilla trekking and habituation experiences are to be done by individuals above the age of 15 years.
- Bwindi national park is home to the Batwa
The Batwa pygmies are among the tribes that tourists visiting Bwindi national park can interact with during their Uganda Gorilla safaris.
During tours around Bwindi national park, tourists interact with the Batwa and experience their culture and way of life. The Batwa also act as guides for tourists during their tours along the Batwa trail where they can see various bird species and also encounter primates among the trees.
Tourists also get to learn how to hunt with the Batwa, listen to traditional stories, enjoy traditional dance performances and also visit their homesteads. This activity can be combined with gorilla trekking experiences in Bwindi national park.
Originally the Batwa are known for being forest dwellers in the Bwindi forest and they depended on the forest for survival. When visiting Bwindi national park during gorilla tours in Uganda, tourists can also interact with the Bakiga tribe and engage in experiences such as visiting the local farms, learning how to make local gin from banana, craft making, dancing among other activities.
- Bwindi national park has over 350 bird species
There are many other attractions to see during tours in Bwindi national park including over 350 bird species found at the destination.
Different trails are followed through the forest during the search for the bird species throughout the sectors of Bwindi national park. Bird guides accompany tourists during the bird watching experience around the national park.
Some of the bird species which can be seen around Bwindi national park include Red-Throated Alethe, Rwenzori Batis, African Green Broadbill, Kivu Ground-Thrush, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Great Blue Turaco, Brown-capped Weaver, Handsome Francolin, Great blue Turaco, Ross’s Turaco among others.
Bird watching in Bwindi national park can be done throughout the year with the best time for the activity being the months of March to September and also around November to April when migratory bird species can be seen around the Bwindi forests.
