
A Safari covering the 4 Great Lakes countries
June 3, 2023
End of the year Safari in Kenya
June 3, 2023The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is located in southwestern Uganda. While there is no international airport directly adjacent to the park, the only known Airports near Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park are airstrips which include Kihihi and Kisoro, several airports in the region can be used as gateways to reach Bwindi by flying to these airstrips or taking a road trip.
Here are the Airports near Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park:
- Entebbe International Airport (EBB): This is the main international airport in Uganda, located near the capital city, Kampala. Most international visitors arrive at Entebbe Airport and then travel to Bwindi either by road or by domestic flight.
- Kigali International Airport (KGL): Although located in Rwanda, Kigali International Airport is a viable option for travelers heading to Bwindi. It is approximately 4-5 hours away from Bwindi by road, and there are various transportation options available.
- Kihihi Airstrip: Kihihi is a small airstrip located in Kanungu District, southwestern Uganda. It serves as a convenient entry point for visitors to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Several charter flights and scheduled flights operate between Entebbe/Kampala and Kihihi Airstrip.
- Kisoro Airstrip: Kisoro Airstrip is another small airstrip in southwestern Uganda that serves as a gateway to Bwindi. It is located near the town of Kisoro and offers flights from Entebbe/Kampala.
Once you arrive at one of these Airports near Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, you can choose to continue your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park by road or by taking a domestic flight to Kihihi or Kisoro Airstrip. It is recommended to make transportation arrangements in advance through tour operators or the lodge you plan to stay at in Bwindi.
Bwindi forest is done in 4 sectors which include Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo and Rushaga. Buhoma sector is located in the northern part of Bwindi and Ruhija sector in the North Eastern part of Bwindi both sectors are located close to Queen Elizabeth National Park making it easy to combine gorilla trekking with game viewing if you are trekking at these sectors. In the southern Part of Bwindi it is where Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors are located close to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for gorilla trekking and Golden monkey tracking. Each sector has different habituated mountain gorilla families open for gorilla trekking with Rushaga sector having many families compared to other sectors.
How much is Bwindi gorilla trekking
A Gorilla Permit costs USD700 per person per trek for Foreign Non-Residents, USD600 for East African Residents and USD70 for East African Citizens. This Gorilla permit gives you an opportunity to spend one hour encounter with mountain gorillas in Bwindi forest once you find them on your trek. A 3 Day Uganda gorilla trekking from Rwanda costs USD1290 per person all inclusive.
How to book Budget Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
You will need to secure your gorilla permit in advance to confirm you have booked Uganda gorilla trekking. Gorilla trekking permits are purchased from Uganda Wildlife Authority, this can be done at their headquarters in Kampala or Kisoro for tourists arriving in Uganda through Entebbe it is recommended to purchase their gorilla permits from Kampala and for tourists arriving in Uganda through Kigali they can purchase their permits at the branch headquarter of Uganda Wildlife Authority in Kisoro town which is 1-2 hours drive to Bwindi. Eco Adventure Safaris is one of the best gorilla safari companies which can purchase for you your gorilla permit in advance and on short notice, once you confirm your dates and share them with us via email or WhatsApp we will first tentatively reserve the gorilla permits for you online and then send you an invoice for you to make payment and once money comes through on our account we will purchase your gorilla permits immediately and send you scan copies of your permits for your records and perusal and this will confirm you have purchase your gorilla permits for your gorilla
What is the best time to go Gorilla Trekking in Uganda?
The best time to go for gorilla trekking in Uganda is during the drier months of January, February, June to early September, this is makes it easier to travel to the park and gives a clear view of gorillas given the vegetation cover is not too much high grown
What to wear during Gorilla Trekking in Uganda?
You might be probably wondering what to wear for your trek, below is a compiled list on what to wear;
- A long armed sweater since the park gets cold
- 2 pairs of long trousers
- Water proof hiking boots
- A hat and sun glasses depending on the weather though this is optional
- Cameras and long lasting batteries since photography are very important to keep your memories alive. Always remember to keep our flash off.
- A pair of Binoculars. This will help you to see the vast birds Bwindi impenetrable forest has among other primates
- Gardening Gloves; these will help you when you a holding onto trees are branches through the trek.
- A rain coat; Since Bwindi impenetrable forest is rainforest, the rain is unpredictable so to be on a safer side, you will be required to carry along a coat.
- A mosquito Repellent; since it is a forest, it has different dangerous insects so it’s advisable to carry it along or wear it
- A sun screen; Well this is optional but depending on the season, it might get too hot and you end up getting sun burns on your skin so to avoid that, you will need a sun screen.
- You should not wear very bright colors since this will charge or scare away the gorillas.
- Black and Blue colors are also not recommended since they attract Tsetse Flies So I would recommend neutral colors.
Where to stay during the budget gorilla treks
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest National Park is done in the northern part that is Buhoma and Ruhija and in southern part that is Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors. In Rushaga lodges, you can stay at Rushaga Gorilla camp, Four Gorillas Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge, Nsongi Camp, Icumbi Gorilla Safari Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge, Gorilla Valley Lodge and Karungi Camp. In Nkuringo lodges you can stay at Nkuringo Bwindi gorilla lodge, Clouds Mountain gorilla lodge or Lake Mutanda Resort, all these lodges are close to the start point of Gorilla Habituation and Gorilla trekking.
In the northern part, in Buhoma sector you can stay at Buhoma Lodge, Bwindi Lodge, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Ride 4 a Woman among others, In Ruhija you can stay at Trekkers Tavern Cottages, Agandi Eco Lodge, Gift of Nature Lodge, Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge, and Broadbill Tented Camp among others.
Why book Bwindi budget gorilla safaris in Bwindi with Eco Adventure Safaris?
Eco Adventure Safaris is a local tour operator in Uganda, we take pride in customizing tailor-made Gorilla trekking in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Including Uganda gorilla trekking from Kigali Rwanda. We have a very diligent and trustworthy team. Your queries are answered within 20 minutes by our team of professional tour consultants. These consultants will make you a travel plan for you, answer to all your questions and make sure all your services are booked in advance for you to avoid inconveniences. We also have very knowledgeable safari guides depending on your language preferences. Contact us here for more information and where to fly to Airports near Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.