Bwindi is an ancient forest of steep ridges, tree ferns, giant trees and deep valleys. The name reflects how dense it is. Mountain gorillas live here in family groups led by a silverback, and the park's conservation work has helped their numbers recover slowly.

Our Uganda trips focus on gorilla trekking. We keep the programme small and well organised: the permit, transfers, accommodation near your trailhead and a local guide.

The mountain gorilla is listed as Endangered. Only two populations survive: one in the Virunga volcanoes, which Uganda shares with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and one in Bwindi. A census in 2018 counted about 459 gorillas in Bwindi, in dozens of social groups, and the world total is generally estimated at a little over a thousand animals. Their numbers have been rising slowly, which is one of the most encouraging conservation stories in Africa.

Gorillas live in family groups led by a mature male known as the silverback, named for the silver hair across his back. A group also includes adult females, younger males called blackbacks, and infants. Groups are typically around ten animals, though size varies. They eat mostly leaves, shoots and stems, and they spend much of the day feeding, resting and playing. Because they are so close to us genetically, they can catch human illnesses, which is why the rules below exist.

Some gorilla families have been habituated, which means they have been slowly and patiently accustomed to the presence of people over a period of years. Only habituated groups can be visited, and visits are limited to protect them. Tourism income also helps pay for rangers, trackers and veterinary care, so a permit is part of how the gorillas are looked after.

Bwindi is surrounded by some of the most densely farmed land in Uganda. Most families nearby depend on small farms for their living, which puts pressure on the forest edge. The Batwa people, who traditionally lived in and from the forest, were asked to leave when the park was created in 1991, and their loss of access to ancestral land remains a serious and unresolved issue.

Today many communities benefit from the park through guiding, portering, lodge work, craft sales and local enterprise projects. Optional cultural experiences with Batwa hosts are offered in the area. If you want to include one, we can arrange it through hosts we know, and we encourage you to listen with respect and to buy crafts directly from the makers. Hiring a local porter is another simple way to share the benefit, and it also helps you manage the steep, muddy ground.

Parts of the forest were protected as forest reserves in the 1930s. In the 1960s the area became a game sanctuary, and in 1991 it was declared a national park. Gorilla tracking for visitors began in 1993, and in 1994 the park received World Heritage status. Since then the gorilla population has grown, and the park has become one of the best-known places in the world to see mountain gorillas in the wild.

This history is a reminder that protection depends on people. The park is managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, with support from conservation charities, research groups and local communities. Each visitor who treks responsibly contributes to that effort.

Pack waterproof hiking boots, long trousers and sleeves, gaiters, gloves, a light rain jacket and insect repellent. A hat and a small daypack are useful. You can add a Kenya safari before or after your gorilla trek; for more ideas see our Kenya safaris.