Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
The dense forests of Bwindi in the south-west corner of Uganda are home to over half of the world’s small population of the endangered mountain gorilla.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is 331 km² and supports almost half the world’s population of mountain gorillas. It is one of Africa’s richest rainforests and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Bwindi is more than 25,000 years old and ranges in altitude from 1,160m to 2,607m above sea level.
The forest’s age and altitude give Bwindi abundant biodiversity. More than 320 tree species have been recorded here, which are home to 310 butterflies, 88 moth, 51 reptile and 120 mammal species, including a further nine primates, such as chimpanzees, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey and blue, red-tailed and L'Hoest monkeys. The forest is alive with birdsong (Bwindi Impenetrable Forest has been named as one of Africa’s top 10 birding destinations by the African Birding Club).
Gorilla trekking
The best places to see gorillas in the wild
Gorillas are creatures of the equatorial African rainforest, where their range is restricted to 10 countries. Only one species was recognised prior to 2001, when DNA tests revealed the eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei) and western gorilla (G. gorilla) to be distinct species, both now red-listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN...read more