Learning How to Access Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the first stages if you want to partake in a gorilla safari in Uganda. Set within southwestern Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the country’s chief gorilla trekking destination. Hence, it’s undoubtedly the most explored of all gorilla-inhabiting parks. Because of its rich biodiversity and unique terrain, this national park attracts nature lovers. These include birders, lepidopterists, researchers, adventure/leisure seekers, and gorilla trekkers. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park caters to every traveler’s needs for a jungle.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of Africa’s most popular destinations and is synonymous with the endangered mountain gorillas. Consequently, any Safari to Uganda is incomplete without a gorilla trek in this park. With almost half the world’s population of mountain gorillas in this park, many have ranked it as the best gorilla trekking destination in the whole world. Of all 40 gorilla families in Bwindi, about 23 are well-habituated for trekking daily. You can find them in 4 different sectors of the park.
With 23 habituated gorilla families, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has the highest number of habituated mountain gorillas. These are more than Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo combined. The four sectors include Ruhija to the East, Nkuringo and Rushaga to the South as well as Buhoma to the North. Hence, these offer unforgettable gorilla trekking experiences all year round.
Location of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
You can find Bwindi Impenetrable National Park within the south-western side of Uganda. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is about 540 kilometers/8-9 hours’ drive from the Capital (Kampala). The park borders the tiny Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This Park is set along the brim of the Albertine Rift that extends from the North to the southern part of Africa.
This extraordinary location means Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is marked by misty rolling hills. Verdant impenetrable forests with huge trees of different species cover the whole park. These are popular for offering a haven to at least the endangered mountain gorillas. As we saw earlier, the Park is about 540 kilometers away from Kampala (Uganda’s Capital). Also, it is only about 220 kilometers from Rwanda’s Capital, Kigali.
Accessing Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by air
Three main Airstrips serve Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. strategically, you can find them a few kilometers from the gorilla trekking sectors. Once you reach Entebbe Airport or Kigali Airport, you charter a helicopter for a 1-hour flight to these airstrips. These include;
Kisoro / Nyakabande Airstrip.
You find Nyakabande/Kisoro Airstrip on the outskirts of Kisoro Town. Hence, it’s less than 2 hours drive from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This Airstrip serves Bwindi’s southern sectors of Nkuringo and Rushaga. This Airstrip is also only one hour’s drive away from Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. this makes it the chief connecting hub for this wonderful National Park.
Kayonza Airstrip.
Kayonza is the closest Airstrip to the Buhoma sector, in the north of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This thus makes it the main gateway to gorilla trekking in the Buhoma sector. However, Kayonza Airstrip is only used for private chartered flights.
Kihihi Airstrip.
Kihihi Airstrip is within the Kanungu District and is just a stone’s throw away from the popular Buhoma Park Headquarters. For visitors planning to visit either the Buhoma or Ruhija sector, you can use the Kihihi Airstrip. This is because it is only one hour from Buhoma and two hours from the Ruhija gorilla trekking region.
Daily scheduled flights are from Entebbe International Airport, Kajjansi Airstrip (Kampala), and Mweya Airstrip (Queen Elizabeth National Park). A flight can also depart from Pakuba Airstrip (Murchison Falls National Park). This makes it the perfect one to connect to other safari destinations in Uganda. A flight from Mweya takes only half an hour, and Kampala or Entebbe and Pakuba to Kihihi takes 45 minutes.
How to Access Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by Road.
You can also access Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by road transport, from Kampala/Entebbe or Rwanda’s Kigali City. Kigali is the nearest, taking 3-4 hours from Bwindi while it takes 8-9 hours’ drive from Kampala City.
This might seem like a whole lot of time. Contrary, expect jaw-dropping views of verdant vegetation as well as rolling hills.
Book a safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park
You now know how to access the park with the “Ultimate Gorilla Experience”. Safari Vacations and Travel Services organizes tailor-made gorilla safaris in Uganda and Rwanda. We organize 1-day, 2-days, 3-days, and any other safari depending on the number of days you have for a safari. Hence, don’t hesitate to contact the right people for your ultimate gorilla safari.
