The Camp

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

This concession of land is the only one with 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 Impenetrable 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!

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Facilities & Amenities

• En suite bathroom with tub and shower
• Hair dryer
• 220v charging outlets in rooms
• Spa (extra cost)
• Wi-Fi in main area
• Laundry included
• Local drinks included (house alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks)
• Credit cards accepted (Visa, MasterCard and American Express)

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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.

Bwindi offers some of the best mountain gorilla viewing in Africa. Other primate viewing may include colobus monkeys, chimpanzee, as well as eight other primate species. Rarer sightings may include elephant, giant forest hog and African civet. Exact sightings will depend on seasonality and wildlife movements.

Climate

Conservation

Conservation in integral to Gorilla Forest Camp’s mission. The camp's architectural design, use of solar energy, careful wastewater management, and biodegradable soaps and cleaning agents are all part of an eco-aware approach, while local labor and sustainable materials are used extensively. The camp also supports local cultural and health care initiatives, including working with the Batwa Development Program to help sustain the Twa pygmy tribe, semi-nomadic forest dwellers who are the oldest human residents of central Africa's great lakes region. The program helps with home construction, medical support through Bwindi Community Hospital, and constructing schools. Gorilla Forest Camp also supports the hospital directly, helping to develop its resources in vital areas of children's health services, maternity care and delivery, as well as helping to fund a new adult wing, nursing school, and two new ambulances.

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