Bwindi

The most striking first impressions of Uganda is how incredibly green it is: the universal measure of fertility, life and bounty is evident wherever you look. Despite its rather dark post-colonial history when Uganda did little to protect the wild spaces within, the amazingly friendly people of this small country have a long, deeply cultural, practice of cherishing their natural heritage. In recent decades this innate custodianship has resulted in a massive resurgence of the country’s prolific biodiversity – and it continues to grow as local communities set aside more and more land for conservation.       

Herds of elephants traverse large swathes of both savannah and forest; the diminutive blue duiker antelope feeds on the fallen fig scraps of chimpanzees; lions seek cool respite in the branches of giant Candelabra trees; Kob, giraffe and buffalo mingle peacefully between iconic Acacia groves; and forest canopies sway with primates of every shape, size and colour.

However, there is one place and one primate that is Uganda’s Ambassador for Nature – and that is the endangered Mountain Gorilla of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. With its innumerable shades of green, ‘the Bwindi’ is home to half of the world’s Mountain Gorilla population. Many years of careful management, patient habituation and astute guardianship has meant that this incredible habitat with its incredible residents is accessible to a few people for a few hours every day.   

Last Chance Safaris offers both private guided adventures and bespoke itineraries that will uplift your spirit and renew your faith in humanity’s ability to cherish the natural world.