Bwindi Impenetrable NP is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it is the best place in Uganda to track mountain gorillas. The oak protects around 40 of the world’s mountain gorilla population and has several habituated groups. The forest is also a bird-watching paradise, with 350 species recorded, including the Albertine Rift endemics.
Wildlife
Aside from the endangered gorillas that live in the mountains, different primates of different species are found in the forest—about nine of them. Like chimpanzees, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, and Lhotse’s monkey. Elephants are there in the forest but rarely viewed. In the forest there are bushbucks with many and different types of forest duiker that are not commonly seen in the forest. There are good-looking birds and a butterfly checklist.
Scenery
Bwindi is a pristine rainforest on the edge of the Albertine Rift Valley. The terrain is a string of ridges and valleys covered in very tense, impenetrable forest. Bwindi has one of the most diverse floras in East Africa, and it harbours 10 tree species that don’t occur anywhere else in the country.
Weather and Climate
The rain rarely lets up at Bwindi, with the heaviest fall occurring from March to May and October to November. Pack plenty of wet-weather gear to combat the drizzle. The forest’s mid-climate is easier to enjoy in the drier months of June to August and December to February.
Best Time To Visit
Tracking gorillas is best when Bwindi’s trails are not so sodden and there is more sunshine from June to August and December to February. Slippery tracks and weekend mist make wildlife watching more challenging during the wetter months.
