The main information about Bwindi Impenetrable National Park located in southwestern Uganda, is being a home to over half the world’s population of mountain gorillas. Bwindi impenetrable forest is covered in Kigezi region and is shared amongst three districts of Kanungu, Kabale and Kisoro.
Bwindi sits on an area of about 331 square kilometres bordered by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on the western side. The park is about 460 km from Kampala city, the capital of Uganda in an 8-hour drive by road.
Other information about Bwindi Impenetrable National Park indicates that it was designated as a national park in 1991. In 1994 the park was recorded as a UNECO world heritage site because of its incredible biodiversity and the large number of endangered species that call it home. The park is also known as ‘the place of darkness’, due to its dense treetops is an ancient.
As their name implies, mountain gorillas live in forests high in the mountains, at an elevation of 8,000 to 13,000 feet and at an altitude of 1,190 to 2,607 meters above sea level. They have thicker fur, and more of it, compared to other great apes. This fur helps them survive in a habitat where temperatures often drop below freezing.
More information about Bwindi and mountain gorillas.
The national park has a greatest population of more than 460 mountain gorillas in 50 gorilla families, and 13 solitary individuals since a census carried out in 2018. Apparently, there is approximately slightly above 1,000, total population of mountain gorillas world wide. So, this is a once in a lifetime experience seeing the giant apes right in front of your eyes, making it a great highlight of the trip.
After a dramatic decline in numbers following their scientific discovery in 1902, dedicated conservation initiatives have been put in place. As a result, such initiatives have helped to ensure that mountain gorilla numbers slowly start increasing especially within Bwindi forest.
It is so amazing to see these massive, gentle animals at such close range with great surprise of how many the guides will work hard to remove foliage between you and the gorillas so you could see them better. It is truly a once in a lifetime experience.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest provides a rare opportunity to observe the everyday interactions of these gentle and mysterious primates. This is so because they live in a dense vegetation which makes it a little difficult to spot them.
While on a tour to Uganda, many travelers combine a visit to Bwindi with a stopover at other national parks in Uganda. Some visit Queen Elizabeth National Park, for the amazing boat cruise along Kazinga channel, while others opt for chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park – the primate capital of the world. You could also opt not to miss Murchison Falls National Park, where the world’s most powerful waterfall can be found.