Overview
Take a trip to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest on your Uganda Vacation
Offering one of the richest ecosystems in Africa, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is found in southwestern Uganda, sharing a border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, and situated on the edge of the Albertine Rift. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the forest spans 331 square kilometres (128 square miles) and is only accessible by foot.
In 1932, two blocks of the forest were designated as Crown Forest Reserve and by 1942, these blocks were combined and enlarged to create the Impenetrable Central Crown Forest. By 1964, the area had been deemed an animal sanctuary to protect the endangered mountain gorillas who inhabited the forest and in 1991, along with Mgahinga Gorilla Reserve and Rwenzori Mountain Reserve, it was designated as a national park and renamed Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
On an Uganda safari, Bwindi Forest is considered impenetrable due to the immense vegetation that covers an array of cracked landscapes that include steep ridges and slippery valleys. The park is known for its diversity of species containing over 1,000 flowering plant species, 163 types of trees and more than 100 types of ferns. Approximately 100 mammal species can be found in the park along with almost 350 different types of birds.
As Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the only countries where it is possible to view mountain gorillas, the park has become increasingly popular with visitors who wish to track these incredible animals on Uganda safari.
As Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the only countries where it is possible to view mountain gorillas, the park has become increasingly popular with visitors who wish to track these incredible animals on Uganda safari.
At a Glance
Languages
English, SwahiliCurrency
Ugandan Shilling (UGX)What do the experts say?
The staff at the lodges are all exceptional and really go out of their way to make your stay memorable. In one lodge, the wake up call included him singing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" to me.
Gorilla trekking is such a unique experience - it can only be done in this part of the world. While the gorilla trekk is such a highlight, the surrounding areas are so beautiful it is worth considering spending more time in destination.
Gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Young gorilla
Fog lifting from the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Seeing a baby mountain gorilla will be a highli...
See one of the most endangered animals in the w...
Eastern mountain gorilla baby in rain the forest
Travel Stories
Get Inspired About Your Trip to Uganda
Unlock more by subscribing to our newsletter.
With our newsletter, you’ll get access to regular communications that inspire you and help you explore the world your way.Exclusive Savings
Insider Benefits
Trending Stories
ExcellentBased on 5,159 ReviewsEverything was expertly planned, from the drivers to the hotels to the tours to the flights. We particularly enjoyed Hobart and the animal sanctuary, Adelaide and the trip to Kangaroo Island, Melbourne and the evening tour with dinner and drinks, and Sydney with the private boat cruise of the Harbour. We will definitely use Goway again.SARA WiebeThere were 4 travelers on this trip. All of us were in our late 70's. We started planning this trip 6 months prior to our travel date and had a lot of questions regarding this trip. Our Goway Travel Specialist, Karen Larrota, always answered our questions in a timely and complete manner. We traveled to Quito, Ecuador, the Galapagos, The Sacred Valley in Peru, Machu Picchu, and Cusco in Peru. Not only were the destinations and accommodations excellent, but every tour guide and driver were beyond excellent. The entire trip went smoothly every step of the way, which was amazing given the fact that there were numerous flights and hotels included in our package. We found out that the tour company that Goway used, Condor Travel, checked on us with our guide to make sure we were doing OK which we thought was very nice but also amusing as we are fairly fit older adults. Would also like to mention that we did a cruise thru the Galapagos on the Galapagos Legend which was arranged thru Go Galapagos - Kleintouurs. This portion of our tour was also excellent as were the wildlife guides and staff. We continue to discuss how wonderful this trip was with our family and friends and how wonderful this experience was. Would definately use Goway for our travel needs in the future.DianneAfter spending some time with our agent, we felt that she understood exactly what we had in mind as far as the level of service, etc, we were hoping for. The trip exceeded our expectations. Lori kept us busy(not too busy!) and we had many, many very exciting experiences. Bruce BelshawAylin is an exceptionally proficient advisor. Coordinating my clients simultaneously often feels like herding cats, but she has remained patient and accommodating through every modification and delay. Goway continues to be my go-to for complex itineraries, and they never disappoint.Nick Cron, ACCMahalo Goway Travel for helping in planning our group Japan's trip. Lawrence was very helpful & patient with all the changes & additions we did. Also, mahalo to Natasa who helped planned my Australia trip past November. The planning from transportation to tours to hotels worked very smoothly. I'll continue to use Goway travel for all my International trips. I'll also will recommend to my friends & family to use Goway...MahaloTanya LaguatanMaria Spitman was wonderful to work with. She was very helpful in designing our trip to Japan and equally wonderful when we had to cancel it. I loved the service she gave us.Sandy WarrenMy daughter and I had a wonderful 2 weeks in New Zealand! The country is so beautiful and the people so friendly. Our destination specialist did a great job with planning and organizing the itinerary, choosing our hotels, and organizing transportation. The hotels were absolutely beautiful and we had great views. We felt right at home and found all of the staff to be friendly and accommodating. There were no issues with our itinerary and our excursions we were always on the list. Our transportation was always ready and waiting for us.
We want to thank Goway Travel for their hard work and patience with us in planning this trip. Any changes that needed to be made were communicated timely. We also want to thank you for the beautiful weather during the entire 2 weeks it was perfect every day 😀.
It was a memorable trip that we will never forget and we will think of Goway when we plan our next adventure. Because it was not just a vacation; it was an adventure!Connie WenhardtWe had a great travelling experience with GoWay !
Thank you all involved in organazing our trip!MaiaBrigitta Fuller is Amazing! She was my group coordinator. She understood the assignment and all the nuances I was trying to achieve. The itinerary she curated was fantastic. If you want someone who truly cares about her group and what they are trying to achieve. I will always reach out to Brigitta first for Europe groups. Kathryn WalkerMy clients had a wonderful time on their trip to Easter Island. They were very pleased with the Hare Nua Hotel Boutique and especially noted the warmth and hospitality of the hotel staff as well as their excellent breakfasts.
Jaime Vargas-Hendandez was an exceptionally gracious and knowledgeable agent, who went out of his way to ensure that my clients had the best possible experience. I will definitely contact him for future bookings and will recommend him to my colleagues.Alethea Kardas
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified