Characterized by its mist-covered hillsides and most biologically diverse rain forests, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park lies in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Rift Valley. Its international fame is due to the almost 400 mountain gorillas that live in the forest, roughly half of the world’s population, including several habituated groups, which can be tracked.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park includes a area of 321 sq. km with a exclusive biological diversity of 120 mammals, including several primate species such as baboons and chimpanzees as well as elephants and antelopes. In 1994, the UNESCO declared it as a World Heritage Site. Since then a lot of visitors come to this park every year to live one-hour experience with a family of gorillas. The climate here may be wet and cold depends of the season.
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Gorilla tracking
If visitors want to do a tracking they will need a gorilla permit. Eight permits are available to track each of the nineteen habituated groups, giving a daily maximum of 152 permits. Permits must be booked in advance through the UWA Booking Office in Kampala or through an authorized agencies. Early booking are advised (6 months in advance).
Bwindi Nationak Park is divided into four sectors: Buhoma (northwest) with three groups of gorillas, Ruhija (east) with four; Nkuringo and Rushaga (south) with eight. Buhoma was the first sport for gorilla trekkings, however, now most habituated gorillas are located in the south:
-Rushegura, Habinyaja, Mubare and Katwe Gorilla groups in Buhoma.
-Bitukura, Kyaguriro, Mukizo and Oruzogo Gorilla groups in Ruhija.
-Bishasho, Nkuringo and Christmas Gorilla groups in the Nkuringo.
-Nsonji, Mishaya, Bweza, Kahunjye, Businjye, Rwiji, Muchunguzi and Bikyinji Gorilla groups in the Rushaga.
Visitors must be for the registration at 07.30 hours in the gate of sector assigned. It will be followed by a briefing at 8 am where guide will explain the rules and what family of gorillas has been assigned to the group. Tracking starts at 8.30 am. Some of the groups will start the tracking from the meeting point and the rest will need to take the car.
Each group is comprised of 8 visitors as well as a guide and two rangers. The tracking can last from a few hours to a whole day, depending on how far the group has moved since it was observed nesting up the previous evening. They guarantee a 90% of probabilities to have a gorilla encounter. They don't refund money in any case. Once gorillas have been located, visitors have one hour to look up them. After the visit, rangers will ask for some tips and the guide will give the visitors a certificate of the National Park as a gift.
Please bring drinking water, food, rain coat, sun cream and mosquito repellent. Visitors also can hire porters to bring the bags (from 15 USD).
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Rushaga Sector
Visitors will arrive to a parking, then they will walk to the Meeting Point to do the Registration. There are washrooms and small shops in the park entrance to buy some souvenirs.
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Accommodation.
Bwindi Backpackers Lodge is a cheap hostel to stay in Bwindi. It offers a full board or bed & breakfast. They have a bar where sell beer and drinks. Here, guests find basic toilets, non-potable water. There is also power.
They can also manage your permits and your transfers to the park. Guests must be ready at 7 am to be picked up at the lodge. They also can pick up /drop as convenience for a fair price after the tracking.
However, visitors must ensure local agency got the permits before traveling to avoid any problems.
Price: in a 4-people room without bathroom is 25 USD./ person. More info here.
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Entrances
Via Rwanda: Kigali Airport - Ruhengeri (Musanze) - Cyanika border (4-5 hours). Tourists must pay a transit visa in Rwanda (30 USD). A taxi from Airport to Kigali centre (5.000 rwf). Taxi to Bus Station (3.000 rwf).
Via Uganda: Entebbe Airport (Kampala). By car is almost 10 hours.
Gorilla permits
Visitors must buy the tickets through a local agency as they have access to the online booking system. The price of a gorilla tracking permit rises to $700 on July 1, fr East African residents is 600 USD. This permit includes a day-entry in Bwindi National Park.
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Recommendations
Budget transport for Backpackers: Take a bus (for example, Fidelity Express bus company) from Nyabugogo Station, Kigali, to Ruhengeri (5 USD - 3 hours), then take another bus (for example Virunga Express bus company from 1 USD 45 minutes) or look for a driver to go to Cyanika border (10 USD). Bwindi Backpackers can pick you up there from 40 USD/ person (round trip 2 hours approximately). If you want to travel to Congo, don't take Bunagana border as it's not safe with bad conditions roads.
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Kigali Genocide Memorial. It includes three permanent exhibitions, the largest of which documents the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Entrance is free but an audio guide is available for 15 USD - 15.000 rwf at the beginning of the tour.
Schedule: 8:00am – 5:00pm (last entrance is at 4:00pm) Monday- Sunday. More info here.
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Casa Keza. In Kigali you will find a Spanish restaurant with a wide range of tapas meanwhile you read a book in its quite terrace.
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La Paillotte Restaurant. In Musanze tourists can find a lovely place to have a short break and taste its delightful Italian pizzas (7,000 rwf) or croissants (300 rwf). More info here.
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Other gorilla trekking
Rwanda trekking in Volcanoes National Park are the most expensive with strict rules for visitors such as a longer minimum safety distance. Fees: 1.500 USD Book in advance online or by a local operator.
Congo trekking in Virunga National Park is less safe but cheaper. Visitor can book online the gorilla permit as a package that includes 2-nights accommodation, food and transfer (662 USD) or a single permit (400 USD) here.
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More info here.
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