Gorilla trekking from Queen Elizabeth national park

Gorilla trekking from Queen Elizabeth national park : Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the best wildlife safari destinations in Uganda and the closet wildlife park to Bwindi impenetrable National Park a home to mountain gorillas, because of its close location. It is easy to combine gorilla trekking in Bwindi with a wildlife safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park, from Queen Elizabeth National Park is a drive of approximately 4-5 hours to Buhoma sector/ region and about 6 hours to Rushaga, Nkuringo and Ruhija sectors.

This case you are doing gorilla trekking in Buhoma sectors, you pass through the Ishasha Southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park where you will spot the rare tree climbing lions lounging on the branches of fig trees.

By flight – it is a one hour’s flight from Mweya Airstrip to Kihihi or Kisoro airstrip then have a 2 hours’ drive to Bwindi.

There are a number of Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth National Park (wildlife and mountain gorillas) combined safaris.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi impenetrable national park is arguably the best place on earth to see the endangered mountain gorillas, the park is located in the south western part of Uganda sharing borders with Congo. The park is one of the only two national parks in Uganda where you can see mountain gorillas and is home to half of the world’s remaining population of mountain gorillas.

Bwindi impenetrable national park is divided into 4 different sectors/ trailing heads where you can do gorilla trekking namely Rushaga, Buhoma, Nkuringo and Ruhija Sectors. Each of these sectors hosts its own habituated gorilla family.

bwindi gorillas

What to do in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park on a gorilla safari visit

Bwindi impenetrable National Park is a thrilling gorilla safari destination and is recognized as one of the leading great tourism destination in Africa to visit, Bwindi offers a number of thrilling and entertaining safari activities to do.

Gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking is the main safari activity to do in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park offering you an opportunity to see the endangered mountain gorillas, Bwindi is home to half of the world’s remaining population of mountain gorillas and 20 habituated mountain gorilla families so you have over 98% chances of seeing mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.

On gorilla adventure, you can choose to do gorilla trekking either in Rushaga, Ruhija, Nkuringo or Buhoma Sector.

To participate in this life changing experience, you must have a gorilla permit which you are to purchase in advance through your tour operator.

On a daily, a group of 8 people enters into the forests of Bwindi after briefing in search for mountain gorillas, the search for mountain gorillas in the jungle takes approximately 30 minutes – 6 hours depending on movement of the gorillas and where they spent the previous night. Once you find the gorillas, you will spend one hour in their presence in the natural habitat while observing them go on with their daily life. You are allowed to take pictures, however remember that flashlight photography is not allowed.

Gorilla Habituation Experience

Gorilla Habituation Experience is another amazing activity to do in Bwindi offering visitors an encounter with mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, unlike gorilla trekking. Gorilla habituation experience offers you 4 hours of being in the presence of mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.

Only four people are allowed to do gorilla habituation experience and they are accompanied by researchers and scholars dedicated to studying mountain gorillas. Visitors get to witness how mountain gorillas are trained to get used to the presence of human beings, monitor the way they feed, move, rest and also communicate with them.

Gorilla Habituation Experience is only done in Nkuringo sector.

Bird watching

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a birders’ paradise hosting various bird species including Albertine Rift Endemic birds, some of the key bird species you will spot in Bwindi include.

bwindi birds

Cultural and community experience

Cultural experience is one of the amazing safari activities to do in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, this experience takes you on a visit to the Batwa – the pygmy people who used to inhabit in the forests of Bwindi but since the park was recognized as a park. They were evicted from the forest to the neighboring community, on your visit to the Batwa you will be entertained by traditional dances and songs, visit the medicine man, visit women groups who make crafts and sell food, visit the medicine man and demonstration of their hunting skills.

Nature Forest Walks

Bwindi impenetrable national park is an ideal destination for forest walks, the park is dominated by tropical forest which is one of the oldest forests in the world and it has been in existence for over 250,000 years. During the nature forest walks, you will have a chance to sight different animals including rare forest elephants, monkeys, baboons, different tree species.

There are several trails used on nature walks such as Ivy River Trail crossing the Ivy River, Kashasha Trail on which you will encounter beautiful waterfalls, forest animals and birds.

Where to stay in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi impenetrable National Park is divided into 4 gorilla trekking sectors that are Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija and Nkuringo sectors where gorilla trekking is done. You will have to choose your accommodation basing on the sector where you are going to do gorilla trekking.

Accommodations in Buhoma Sector include Buhoma Lodge, Buhoma Haven Lodge, Mahogany Springs among others.

Accommodations in Rushaga Sector include Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge, Four Gorillas Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Camp

Accommodations in Nkuringo Sector include Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi Lodge among others.

Accommodations in Ruhija Sector include Ruhija Community Rest Camp

Bakiga Lodge, Agandi Uganda Eco lodge among others.