Knowing how best you can get to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a very key factor any visitor planning a perfect gorilla safari holiday should have in mind. Getting to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for a holiday starts by you landing at Entebbe International Airport or Kigali International Park. Kigali is an ideal gateway to southwestern Uganda where Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park a few most popular and premier gorilla destinations in the pearl of Africa. The best way of getting to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is either by road or by air. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is set suitably in southwestern Uganda just along the Albertine rift valley at the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
GETTING THERE:
Most gorilla safaris to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park start from either Kampala or Entebbe. Bwindi can be reached from QENP in the north (2-3 hours), from Kabale to the south (1-2 hours), or from Kampala via Mbarara (6-8 hours). The roads meet at Butogota, 17km from the Buhoma entrance gate. 4×4 recommended during the rains.
Traveling Distances
The routes, distance and way to Bwindi Forest National Park for Gorilla trekking is about 9 to 10 hours on the road and about 1 hour and 30 minutes on the flying safari. For gorilla trekking in Uganda, you are required spend a day within or close to the park before the day you are to take a hike. However the question is how to get to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. How many hours expected to spent on the way to Bwindi National park.
Traveling to Bwindi National Park by Land
Usually, tourists book Uganda safari vehicles on a private basis at the start or before there safari. The way to Bwindi national park is quite fur and bumpy giving you an African massage but very scenic therefore you need a 4×4 wheel drive Safari car to give you a comfortable way. On the way, you have a chance of seeing features like the rolling Kigezi hills, meandering rivers like Ishasha River, Rwizi River, Munyanga River, Katonga Rivers and so much more. Some are embedded within the valleys of the rolling hills which is a picturesque scenery. Arrival time is usually in the evening so must limit on the stopovers in case you are driving directly to Bwindi National Park.
From Entebbe/Kampala
The drive to Bwindi Impenetrable national Park is about 9 to 10 hours on land in case you are commencing from Entebbe or Kampala and vice versa. When it is a rainy season, the amount of time to spend on the way may increase because you take the longer route when the bridges are broken. You drive through about 550km to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
From Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is the closet game park to Bwindi National park ands takes about 5 to 6 hours to get there. You drive through Ishasha sector of the park and on a lucky day, you have the chance of seeing the tree climbing lions. Although this is a scenic and shorter way, at times the connecting bridge is washed away by River Ntungwe which over floods during heavy rainy seasons. This require you to take another route. You drive through Kihihi town and get to Bwindi National Park
From Lake Mburo National park
If driving from Lake Mburo National park you may take 6 to 7 hours on the way. Most people take an intermediate stop over at Lake Mburo National park to shorten the time spent on the way to the Mountain Gorilla Land. Lake Mburo National park is home to the Impalas, Zebras, elands and the scenic Lake Mburo.
From Kibale National Park To Bwindi National Park
Those interested in both chimpanzee tracking and gorilla trekking have to drive from Kibale National park. This drive is about 6-7 hours going through Ishasha Section then to Kasese, Fort portal and finally to Kibale National Park.
From Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park)
From Rwanda, the drive to Bwindi National park is about 6 to 630 hours including the boarder procedures. Most tourists who wish to do two gorilla trek safaris in Uganda and Rwanda normally have to take the route through Katuna border.
Some take public transport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park but this is not reliable because there is no guarantee to the safety of your property. There may be delay in getting to the park or the bus may breakdown requiring a mechanic from Kampala which is quite fur.
Flying To Bwindi National Park.
Most gorilla trekking tourists who wish not to take the long drive have opted for fly-in Gorilla trekking safaris. This service is available with various scheduled or charter flight companies that fly into Kihihi and Kayonza Air strips. However these have a limit to the baggage weight you carry and a vehicle is required to pick you from the Air strip to Bwindi National park. We offer this service and work closely with these fly-in companies so that we can organise your tour better.
A safari vehicle must be organised to pick you from the landing air strip because Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is slightly fur from it.