Where is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park located?

The location of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is often asked a lot because it is one of the most popular parks in the country. One famous motivational speaker once said that dreams without experiences are not dreams. This is short to say dreams are meant to be experienced and turned into realities. This is where now Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of those places where dreams come true.

Think of a place where God Himself crafted with His bare hands to perfection. Uganda is indeed blessed and gifted to be crafted with absolute perfection. During his journey across Africa, the former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill traversed most of the countries and was amazed and blown away by the beauty of Uganda. As he documented his experience in the book My African Journey, Winston Churchill named Uganda the Pearl of Africa. He felt the name would be fitting to illustrate the untamed beauty that should be considered treasured as Africa’s finest destination. It is in this same spirit that Bwindi Impenetrable National Park emerges as the best gorilla destination in the world.

Location of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the southwestern region of Uganda stretching through the districts of Kanungu, Rubanda, and Kisoro. The park is situated close to the border of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s strategic location in this area grants it a place in the Virunga conservation area.

This Virunga conservation area is one of the best places and highly anticipated areas by visitors across the world. This conservation area is the only left habitat for mountain gorillas. It is for this reason that mountain gorillas were considered critically endangered primate species and put on the IUCN red list of endangered species. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the Albertine Rift Valley region.

What is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park famous for?

When you talk about Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, one thing comes to mind, mountain gorillas. This is because Bwindi is the leading gorilla destination not just in the country but also in the world. As mentioned earlier, the park is located in the Virunga conservation area, a hotspot for endangered mountain gorillas. Mountain gorillas are the biggest of all the primate species in the world. As their name signifies, mountain gorillas dwell in highland areas and hence the topography of the Virunga conservation area suits them perfectly. You may wonder why Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is often put at the front of any gorilla destination. This is because Bwindi hosts the largest population of mountain gorillas in the Virunga conservation area.

Approximately 459 mountain gorillas dwell in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. These primates live in social groups known as gorilla families. Each gorilla family is headed by the dominant male gorilla called a silverback. Silverbacks are distinctive with their silver-like fur on their low backs. They are very territorial, often defending their families from intruders in brutal fights. The silverbacks are also in charge of finding food and locating the family to where the food is. There are over 50 gorilla families in the park, however, only 26 families are habituated and ready for trekking.

What are the gorilla sectors in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?

Gorilla sectors are sections or regions within Bwindi Impenetrable National Park that harbor the endangered mountain gorillas. Bwindi stretches for over 331 square kilometers, and locating the mountain gorillas can be challenging. Hence, gorilla sectors were named across the four compass directions of the park to ease navigation. These gorilla sectors in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park include the following.

Buhoma gorilla sector

Located in the northern region of Bwindi, the Buhoma gorilla sector stands out as the most popular gorilla sector. This is because it was the first sector to be sectioned and hosts the first gorilla family in the park, the Mubare gorilla family. The Buhoma gorilla sector was established following the gazetting of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Among all the gorilla sectors in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the Buhoma gorilla sector is the most developed sector with improved roads and state-of-the-art accommodation facilities. Some gorilla families in this sector include the Binyindo, Habinyanja, and Rushegura gorilla families. The Buhoma gorilla sector in total hosts five gorilla families.

Rushaga gorilla sector

The Rushaga gorilla sector is located in the south-eastern region of Bwindi. This sector is one of the most widely visited sectors because of its location and having many gorilla families. The Rushaga gorilla sector is also the one sector in the whole park that offers gorilla habituation adventures. It is for this reason that this gorilla sector is highly developed with stunning accommodation facilities. Some of the gorilla families in this sector include Busingye, Bweza, Kahungye, and Nshongi to mention but a few.

Nkuringo gorilla sector

Situated at the extreme southern end of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the Nkuringo gorilla sector is among the gorilla sectors in Bwindi. This gorilla sector is located at the edge of the Albertine Rift Valley on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The sector gives incredible scenic views of the Virunga Mountains of Congo in the backdrop as you trek gorillas.

Ruhija gorilla sector

The Ruhija gorilla sector is located in the eastern region of the park, easily accessed by visitors coming from the Kabale district. It is an incredible destination of untamed and uncharted treasures as it is less visited compared to other sectors. This is because of its challenging terrain that requires a certain level of fitness to navigate the steep slopes of this sector. The Ruhija gorilla sector has numerous gorilla families such as Oruzogo and Bitukura gorilla families.

Accessibility of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can easily be accessed by air or road transport means because of the improved transport network systems in the country. The park is located close to the border with Rwanda, hence can also be accessed from Rwanda.

Accessing Bwindi by air requires visitors to board a chartered flight from Entebbe International Airport to Kihihi or Kisoro Airstrips. Upon landing, visitors can access Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by a short road trip of about 30 minutes. Flying to Bwindi takes approximately 1-2 hours from the capital Kampala.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can also be accessed by road transport from Kampala through the Masaka-Mbarara route to the Mbarara-Kabale route via Ntungamo. This route takes approximately 8-9 hours. This is the most direct route, however, the park can also be accessed from Queen Elizabeth National Park to the Buhoma gate. By road, Bwindi can also be accessed from Rwanda. Visitors can land at Kigali International Airport and take a road trip for about 2-3 hours to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park across the border. This is the shortest route by road to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Sándor Jakubinyi

14:31 22 Feb 24

2019 megigazulás

12:45 21 Feb 24

We went on a two-week trip with my family, organised by Coleb from Standard Safaris.

I had my concerns about organised trips, but this one didn’t justify any of those. Everything went very smoothly, even when some problems arose with one of the cars it got fixed by next morning, the accomodations were clean and comfortable, the programs were exciting and well-balanced - everything was done to a truly high standard.

If you plan to visit Uganda and are looking for a guide, I warmly recommend Coleb and his team. In case you have a choice of drivers, go for Godwin, his presence made this trip even more enjoyable - cheerful, helpful, good sense of humour, generally a great person. Just look for the guy with a big smile and big heart:)

Bert Simoens

09:38 08 Jan 24

We recently embarked on a safari adventure with Standard Safaris in Uganda, which was truly exceptional. Our guide, Yonah, was outstanding - his kindness, knowledge, and discretion significantly enhanced our experience. He was the heart of our trip.

The local company's planning was offering a tailor-made journey that matched our interests. We saw an array of wildlife in Murchison, enjoyed rafting at Jinja, and experienced mountain biking at Sipi. A visit to Kidepo National Park was a highlight and comes highly recommended.

The vehicle provided was comfortable and reliable. We highly recommend Standard Safaris for anyone seeking an unforgettable safari in Uganda. Their professionalism and the exceptional guidance of staff like Yonah make them an great choice.

Michał Kostrzewa

00:41 15 Nov 23

We are all extremely grateful Standard Safaris for an incredible East Africa experience. I recently booked a custom trip for group of 8 people, including an 8-year-old boy, from Kampala through Queen Elizabeth National Park and on to Rwanda and Burundi. Coleb delivered on everything that was discussed and agreed upon beforehand.

The car provided was in great condition and our driver Meddy went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, informed, and had the best possible time. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. All local services were inlcuded in (reasonable) price that we agreed, so there was no need to worry about payments during the 6 day trip. Also Standard Safaris agreed took care about safety and security by helping us organize armed ranger while in the park.

The whole trip was hassle-free and smooth. We saw amazing wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP, took in the sights of Rwanda and Burundi, and made lifelong memories.

I would happily book with Standard Safaris again in a heartbeat and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for the best East Africa trip. They provide top-notch service while ensuring you have an incredible, customized experience. If you want a hassle-free, flawlessly organized African adventure, Standard Safaris is the tour operator to book with.

Ivan Nammanda

18:31 27 Oct 23

Very organized travel operator who chose awesome guide to make our trip wonderful.

We booked a nine days trip with Standard Safaris and all was perfect from start to finish. Coleb was very prompt at replying and easy to liaise with ahead of the trip. We had done a lot of research and had an itinerary in mind and Coleb helped us to put everything together to make this happen for a very reasonable price.  On the trip we had a private vehicle for the whole tour which was exactly what we wanted. Bryan was our driver and an amazing guide - really friendly and knowledgable, working hard to find the things that we wanted to see and quickly understanding what was of interest to us/how much information to give.

Would highly recommend a trip to Uganda with Standard Safaris. We are definitely coming back soon!

MUGAIGA KENNETH

18:01 27 Oct 23

The company has very courteous tour guides with wide knowledge of fauna and frola in the whole of East Africa.
The choice of safari Lodges is good with first class treatment.
Game drive security is assured.
Almost The whole of September I was traversing through DRC, Uganda,and Rwanda on a gorilla tour and wildlife expedition.
Everything was arranged and booked perfectly by Standard Safaris.
The owner, Coleb was always helpful whenever we needed to ask questions about this gorilla safari in Uganda and beyond.
It was a complex expedition but Standard safaris and Coleb made it look amazingly easy.
I’ll recommend Standard safaris 200%, for all gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and wildlife tours in east africa.

travel uganda

16:35 27 Oct 23

This is so far the best gorilla trekking company in Uganda, and africa, by far. I had a wonderful time with Standard Safaris as a solo traveler.
My guide was excellent and our safari planner, Coleb was quick with responses and the prices were very friendly.
I’ll definitely book with Standard safaris on my next gorilla tour in Rwanda and Uganda.

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