Buhoma in the north is the original sector, with the widest choice of lodges and generally the gentlest terrain. Ruhija, high on the eastern side, is the birders' base and the coldest. Rushaga and Nkuringo in the south hold the most habituated families between them and are where the extended habituation experience is offered; Nkuringo's treks are the steepest in the park.

The trek itself is unpredictable by nature. Groups move daily, and trackers set out at dawn to locate them before visitors follow — you might walk half an hour or seven hours through wet, near-vertical undergrowth. Hire a porter: it is inexpensive, it directly supports the surrounding community, and on a hard trek it is the difference between enjoying the hour and enduring it.

The forest away from the gorillas is worth building a day around. Bwindi holds a long list of Albertine Rift endemics, and the Mubwindi swamp trail from Ruhija is the classic birding walk, with African green broadbill among the prizes.

Trekking runs year-round. The drier months of June to August and December to February make the trails less punishing, but gorillas are found in every season and rain is always possible in a rainforest.

Permits

A standard permit costs 800 US dollars for foreign non-residents and buys exactly one hour with the family once you reach them. Uganda now runs a low-season rate of 600 dollars in April, May and November. The habituation experience, available in the southern sectors, costs 1,500 dollars and gives up to four hours alongside researchers with a group still being habituated.

As of 2026 individual travelers can no longer buy permits directly from the wildlife authority — bookings go through licensed Ugandan tour operators. Permits for peak months sell out far ahead, so secure the permit first and build the itinerary around it.