The Camp

Location: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
Number of Rooms: 8

This camp is the only accommodation located within the national park itself, offering guests an unrivaled location. Genuine luxury and comfort within the lush rainforest are what set Gorilla Forest Camp even further apart. Private verandas where you can sip hot tea in the morning or relax with a late afternoon sundowner overlook spectacular views of the Bwindi Impenetrative Forest. Carefully designed tents have wooden floors with two queen-size beds dressed in down comforters, en-suite facilities, hot showers and a wonderful bathtub for soaking. The thatched central dining cottage includes a bar and restaurant that serves both locally inspired and international cuisine. Its open-sided design allows for comfort and cover while allowing guests revel in the chorus of night sounds in the rainforest. Guests can also dine al fresco and mingle by the roaring campfire where local musicians come to perform. The well-manicured lawn is even occasionally a play area to gorillas who sometimes wander through the grounds!

Wildlife Viewing & Activities

Bwindi is home to just over half of the world’s last surviving population of mountain gorillas. As the gorillas often cover large distances overnight, it’s necessary to track the habitutated family groups each day to locate them for an encounter with a new band of visitors. Trekking through the dense rainforest can be challenging: steep slopes are covered in dense vegetation (the name “bwindi” is a local word meaning “impenetrable”), and the going can be slick, but the effort is more than worth it—seeing wild gorillas at close range ranks as one of the world’s premier wildlife encounters. Several times a month, though, gorillas actually roam through Gorilla Forest Camp! Birders delight in the more than 350 species found in the area, alongside 300 species of butterflies. Rare forest elephant, giant forest hog, bushbuck, duiker and 11 kinds of primates, such as red-tailed and blue monkey, black and white colobus, baboons and chimpanzees, also thrive in the forest.

Conservation

Conservation in integral to Gorilla Forest Camp’s mission. As the only accommodation inside Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the camp holds a privileged place within the protected habitat for this critically endangered species. The camp’s social and environmental programs are thus of major importance. From architectural design that honors the local environment to efforts to create a minimal environmental footprint, the camp incorporates a host of measures that respects the land, its wild inhabitants and the local community. Solar energy, careful wastewater management, and biodegradable soaps and cleaning agents are all part of an eco-aware approach. All solid waste is sorted and removed, while scavenger-proof cages are used for temporary waste storage. Wherever possible, local labor and sustainable materials are used in camp construction and maintenance, and local people are hired and trained as camp staff. The camp’s owners work extensively with the local community to help develop businesses, and to support projects such as schools and healthcare initiatives.