Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest impresses with a truly theatrical landscape - this is a region of volcanoes, jagged valleys, waterfalls, lakes and dramatic mountain ranges. And it is here, on a flat ridge high in the forest, that Sanctuary's Gorilla Forest Camp is tucked away. The camp has an airstrip 40 minutes away where most guests arrive, but can also be reached by car in eleven hours from Kampala.

It's hard to fathom that such luxury and sophistication could be available in an area as remote as this, and we did face enormous logistical obstacles - but it was worth the wait. 

Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp is the ideal base for a gorilla tracking adventure in Bwindi. Once in a while the gorillas even wander into the camp itself. Guests can dine under the stars and relax by the roaring campfire. On cooler evenings, the central cottage provides a warm shelter.

The eight tents are just as impressive as the communal areas. Wooden floors and decks support comfortable warm beds, and each tent boasts a bathtub, ideal for soaking tired muscles after a day spent observing and meeting gorillas, that looks straight out into the jungle's canopy.

Forest Walk

Bwindi is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a spectacular place to visit. Birders come thousands of miles to see the more than 350 species that live within the area.  There are also rare forest elephant, giant forest hog and eleven kinds of primates, such as red tailed and blue monkey, black and white colobus, baboons and chimpanzee. You can also find forest duiker antelopes and bush buck antelopes and over 200 species of butterflies are found in the park. Enjoy a guided forest walk on the Munyaga waterfall trail. This trail starts from the Park office and ends at the magnificent Munyaga waterfall. The walk to and from the waterfall takes about three hours and is a good way to practice or warm down before or after the Gorilla tracking.

Community Interaction

After a short 10 minute drive from camp, your guide will brief you on the communities that live in the area. Bwindi is surrounded on the Buhoma side by the Bakiga community and the Batwa pygmy community. The walk takes about two hours and begins with a stroll through a small tea farming project, here you can stop to meet the tea pickers and perhaps even learn how to pluck tea leaves along the way.  Then visit a local beer brewery and see how they mash bananas to make a fermented brew which is mixed and distilled to make banana beer - a popular local drink in the area!  From here walk a short distance to the local clinic which Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp supports through various projects. Learn about how it started and the work they do for the community. Continue your walk to a nearby village and visit a traditional medicine men.  The knowledge of using herbs for healing has been passed on from generation to generation and he will show you some of the herbs that grow in the forest and talk about how they are used. Later, relax and enjoy a performance by the Batwa pygmy community before returning to the lodge.

Private charter flights depart daily from Entebbe or Kajansi airstrip (about 25km from Entebbe). 

Smaller groups can land at Kayonza airstrip, then drive about 25 kilometres to the camp.

Larger groups land at the new Kihihi airstrip or Ishaha, then drive about 60 kilometres to camp.

Gorilla Tracking

The gorillas are completely wild but have become used to seeing a few humans after years of habituation. Many of the expert guides have been involved in this process since the beginning, and are able to explain the complicated etiquette involved in meeting a giant silverback. This is an opportunity afforded only to a select few, as just eight visitors are allowed to view each group every day. Tracking through dense forest with steep slopes means that participants do need to be physically fit to enjoy the track. Once the gorillas are located, spend a maximum of one hour with them before returning back to camp. Please note only children aged 15 and above can track gorilla. A one day tracking permit is currently US $500 per person.

Birding Walks

Bwindi boast over 350 bird species, including 24 that are endemic to these highlands straddling Uganda, Rwanda and the Congo – the “Albertine Rift Endemics”.  For keen birders, we can arrange for a local expert to guide you on a fascinating 2-3 hour walk through the park. Price: $10 per person, $20 per person park fees, $65 total for a specialist birding guide