Bwindi Impenetrable Forest / Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is in the southwestern region of the country.  The national park forms part of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, located along the border to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) next to Virunga National Park, on the edge of the Albertine Rift.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park covers an area of 331 square kilometres of pristine jungle forests and is home to lowland and montane forest.  Accessible only by foot, this forest attracts adventure travellers from all over the world in search of the rare mountain & silverback gorillas. Being a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park consists of one of the richest ecosystems in Africa and has a high diversity of species. 

Wildlife

Habitat for more than 120 species of mammals, 220 species of butterflies, 348 species of birds,  28 species of frogs, geckos, chameleons, and many endangered species is established here.

This park is a sanctuary for many primates including the colobus monkeys, the chimpanzees as well as many birds such as hornbills and turacos.  This national park is well known for its Bwindi gorillas (about 300).  It is here where half the world's population of the critically endangered mountain gorillas live.  Four habituated mountain gorilla groups live here which are accessible to tourism.

Mountain Gorilla groups:

• Mubare group
• Habinyanja group
• Rushegura group near Buhoma
• Nkuringo group at Nkuringo.

Flora and Fauna

In regards to the floral kingdom, Bwindi counts as being one of the most diverse forests in Eastern Africa.  It is here where more than 1,000 plant species can be found.  These include more than 160 species of trees and more than 100 species of ferns.  The northern region of the national park, which is at a low altitude, is rich in species of the Guinea-Congolian flora which include two species internationally recognised as endangered.  These are the brown mahogany and the Brazzeia long pedicellate.

Mountain Gorillas in Uganda

The Bwindi National Park is home to about 340 individual mountain gorillas, who are referred to as the Bwindi population.  These gorillas make up almost half of all the mountain gorillas in the world.  The other mountain gorillas live in the nearby Virunga Mountains. 

The diet of the magnificent Bwindi gorillas is higher in fruit than that of the Virunga population.  The Silverback Gorillas and the Bwindi Gorillas are more likely to climb trees to feed on fruits and foliage.  During some months of the year, the Gorillas diet is very similar to that of the Bwindi Chimpanzees.   The gorillas found in Bwindi usually build their nests in trees, which are almost always in Alchornea Floribunda, locally called an 'Echizogwa', which is a small understory tree.  Mountain Gorillas are endangered with an approximate total population of 650 individuals.

• Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
• Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Mountain Gorillas
• Silverback Gorillas
• Located along the border to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
• Next to the Virunga National Park / on the edge of the Albertine Rift
• Covers an area of 331 square kilometres
• Home to lowland and montane forest
• Accessible only by foot
• Mountain / Silver back gorillas trekking
• UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site
• One of the richest ecosystems in Africa
• The great diversity of species.