How to get to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Uganda for Gorilla Trekking

By Road

You can reach Bwindi forest from different places. If you’re coming from Queen Elizabeth National Park to the north, it’s about a 2 to 3-hour drive. From Kampala through Mbarara, it takes about 6 to 8 hours. Or if you’re coming from Kabale town to the south, it’s just 1 to 2 hours. All these roads meet at Butogota, which is about 17 kilometers from the Buhoma entrance-gate. It’s best to have a 4×4 vehicle during the rainy months. There’s also a daily bus from Kampala to Butogota, but after that, you might need a taxi for the last bit to Buhoma. It’s smart to book your gorilla trekking trip with a good tour company.

By Air

If you prefer flying, you can go from Entebbe or Kampala to the Kisoro airstrip, which has a nice new runway. You can also charter a plane to other airstrips nearby. Bwindi has three airfields: Kihiihi and Kayonza for the northern area, and Nyakabande in Kisoro for the southern area. From there, it’s not too far to the different gorilla groups.

Distance from Kampala

Bwindi is in the southwestern part of Uganda, about 463.7 kilometers from Kampala. It usually takes around 7 hours and 35 minutes to get there by road, especially via the Masaka Road.

Best Routes

There are different routes you can take from Kampala to Bwindi:

Queen Elizabeth National Park (Mweya) – Kihihi – Buhoma: This route lets you see some cool stuff like climbing lions and monkeys. It’s about 160 kilometers from Mweya and 64 kilometers from Ishasha.

Kampala – Kabale – Kanungu – Buhoma: This route mixes tarmac and murram roads. It’s around 414 kilometers and takes 5 to 6 hours on the tarmac, and then about 4 to 5 hours on murram roads.

Kampala – Ntungamo – Rukungiri – Kihihi – Buhoma: This is one of the easiest routes, mostly on tarmac roads. It’s about 390 kilometers to Rukungiri, and then some murram road to Buhoma.

Kampala – Kabale – Ruhija – Buhoma: This route has about 95 kilometers on murram roads, and it’s the only way to get to Ruhija. It takes around 3 to 4 hours.

Kampala – Kabale – Nkuringo: This route is about 105 kilometers from Kabale, then another 80 kilometers or so from Kisoro town. It’s a bit winding but doable in a 4×4.

Public Transport

There’s a bus that goes from Kampala to Butogota every day, then you might need a taxi for the last stretch to Buhoma. For Nkuringo, it’s best to hire a vehicle from Kisoro.

Climate and Best Time to Visit

Bwindi can be chilly, especially in the mornings and evenings, with temperatures between 7⁰C and 20⁰C. The coldest months are June and July. The rainy seasons are from March to May and from September to November, with the heaviest rains in September to November.

Accommodation

There are different places to stay depending on which gorilla group you want to track. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Reserve became Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in 1992 and was recognized as a World Heritage Site in 1994. The park covers about 327 square kilometers of tangled vegetation over steep hills and valleys. It’s challenging terrain, but that’s what makes Africa exciting. Bwindi is known for its large gorilla population and its chilly temperatures. It’s smart to pack warm clothes because it can get quite cold, and there’s a lot of rain, especially from March to May and September to November.