Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Three days to the gorillas of Bwindi
You land in Kigali. We cross at Cyanika and drive into the forest. Same mountain range as Rwanda, same hour with the same families, and a permit that costs $700 less.
Private departures, built around your dates permit, lodge and vehicle arranged for you
Why we start in Kigali
Rwanda charges $1,500. Uganda charges $800.
The gorillas do not know about the border.
Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi sit in the same volcanic chain. The rules are identical: eight people per family, one hour, seven metres. What changes is the price and the forest.
Kigali International is the closest well-connected airport to southern Bwindi. Flying into Rwanda and trekking in Uganda is not a workaround. It is the shortest route to the cheaper permit, and we have driven it since 2016.
In April, May and November the Uganda permit drops to $600. That is $900 less than Rwanda, for the same hour.
Duration
3 days, 2 nights
Trekking
One full day in Bwindi
Permit
USD 800, included
Group
Private. Eight per family
Starts and ends
Kigali International
Fitness
Moderate. Two to six hours walking
Minimum age
15 years
Best months
June to September, December to February
The three days
Two long drives and one morning that people talk about for years.
Day One
Kigali to Bwindi
We collect you at Kigali International and drive north-west. The border at Cyanika usually takes forty minutes to clear and we handle the paperwork. By mid-afternoon the road is climbing through tea and the temperature drops. You reach the lodge with enough light to walk, eat properly and sleep before a six o’clock start.
About four and a half hours driving, plus the border.
Day Two
The trek
Briefing at park headquarters at seven. Rangers assign the groups, and we tell them honestly what your party can walk. Being put on a four-hour ascent you did not expect is the fastest way to spoil the morning.
Then you walk. It can take forty minutes. It can take most of the day. When the trackers signal, you leave your bag on the path and you have one hour.
You are back at the lodge by mid-afternoon with nothing else scheduled. That is deliberate.
Then you walk. It can take forty minutes. It can take most of the day. When the trackers signal, you leave your bag on the path and you have one hour.
You are back at the lodge by mid-afternoon with nothing else scheduled. That is deliberate.
Two to six hours on foot, depending on where the family slept.
Day Three
Bwindi to Kigali
Breakfast without a clock. We drive back through Kisoro and stop at the Kigezi viewpoints, where the hills fall away in every direction and most people ask us to pull over anyway. You are at Kigali International with time to spare.
Late afternoon flights are comfortable. Early ones are not, and we will say so before you book them.
Late afternoon flights are comfortable. Early ones are not, and we will say so before you book them.
About four and a half hours driving.
What your trip includes
+ Gorilla permit, USD 800 per person
+ Two nights, full board
+ Private 4×4 and driver-guide throughout
+ All park fees and government taxes
+ Airport collection and return, Kigali
+ Border assistance at Cyanika
+ Bottled water every day
What it does not cover
– International flights
– Uganda and Rwanda visas
– Porter, USD 20, and worth every dollar
– Tips for guides, trackers and lodge staff
– Drinks other than water
– Travel insurance, which we require
Before you book
Five things we tell everyone
Sectors are assigned, not chosen. Bwindi has four: Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. Permits are allocated by availability. Anyone promising you a named sector months out is guessing.
The permit is paid in full at booking and is not refundable. UWA removed the temporary hold system in March 2026.
The low-season price is real, and it is fixed to a date. A $600 permit in April cannot be moved. If your flights are complicated, pay the $800 and keep the flexibility.
Rwanda is not automatically the easier walk. The climbs at Volcanoes are steeper. Bwindi is denser but kinder underfoot. Both can be hard. It depends entirely on where the family slept the night before.
Minimum age is 15, in both countries. There is no exception and no operator can arrange one.
Tell us roughly when
We come back with permit availability for your dates, a quote with nothing hidden in it, and an honest view on whether three days is enough for you. No deposit until you are sure.