Planning a flight to Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park? There are currently up to three (03) domestic flight Companies operating daily scheduled and chartered flights from Entebbe to Bwindi Forest National Parks. These include; Aerolink Uganda, Fly Uganda, and the newest being BAR Aviation. Each of the above-mentioned companies strives to offer its very best to its clients at very competitive rates & offers.
While each of the above companies operates a fairly sized fleet of aircraft, there are still limited seats for specific destinations like Bwindi which makes booking essential.
Can I book my own flight to Bwindi? Yes, you can do it yourself, but then you need to be knowledgeable about which airport you would prefer to fly to, and secondly, you’ll need to worry about organizing your own local road transfers to/from the airport to get your actual gorilla trekking location (Bwindi has 04 gorilla trekking locations). Even on the actual day of trekking, you might need to have a stand-by vehicle to transfer you to the start of the Gorilla trekking trailhead. We say cut yourself some slack and let us do the hard work as you purpose to enjoy your holiday – we’ll only charge a reasonable fee.
Best time to Plan my flight to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Flights to Bwindi operate all year round but might require a minimum number of persons booked during the low season months of March, April, May, or November to fly to airports like Kisoro. Besides the Minimum numbers, Kisoro airport located further south suffers from a lot of foggy weather that might take forever to clear especially in the low season rainy months of March, April, May, or November. With these put into consideration, the best time to Fly to Bwindi would be in the drier season months of June to August or December to February. If you must fly in the rainy season, we recommend that you plan your flight to land at Kihihi Airport.
Kihihi Airport connects well with two (02) Gorilla trekking locations in Bwindi;
- Buhoma Gorilla trekking Location – 1hr30minutes road transfer from Kihihi Airport.
- Ruhija Gorilla trekking Location – 2 hours road transfer from Kihihi Airport.
What is the cost of Flights to Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park
- Flights to Bwindi Forest National park using Aero Link Uganda, Cost;
Flight Company From To Departs Arrives Adult Child Taxes
Aero link Uganda
Entebbe
Kihihi
07:00am
08:45am
One-way
$273
$191.1
$10
Return
$452
$316.4
$10
Kihihi
Entebbe
09:45am
11:25am
One-way
$273
$191.1
$10
Return
$452
$316.4
$10
Entebbe
Kihihi
12:00pm
02:00pm
One-way
$273
$191.1
$80
Return
$452
$316.4
$90
Kihihi
Entebbe
02:45pm
04:15am
One-way
$273
$191.1
$80
Return
$452
$316.4
$90
Entebbe
Kisoro
07:00am
08:10pm
One-way
$273
$191.1
$80
Return
$452
$316.4
$90
Kisoro
Entebbe
08:25am
11:25pm
One-way
$273
$191.1
$80
Return
$452
$316.4
$90
- Flights to Bwindi Forest National Park using BAR Aviation Cost;
Flight Company From To Adult Child Taxes
BAR Aviation Entebbe Kihihi One-way $250 $175 $10
Entebbe Kihihi Return $430 $301 $20
Entebbe Kisoro One-way $250 $175 $60
Entebbe Kisoro Return $430 $301 $70
FARES:
- Fares quoted are in US dollars Fares are valid as indicated. USD fares may be converted to the Uganda Shilling equivalent using the IATA rate of exchange prevailing at the time of purchase of tickets. Bar Aviation Limited reserves the right to adjust the above fares in the event of major economic changes.
INCENTIVE FARES:
- Circuit discounts – 3 or more sectors e.g. Entebbe-Kisoro-Kihihi-Entebbe = 25%
- Group discounts – 10+ passengers = 25%
TAXES:
- Fares are exclusive of taxes. Taxes are subject to change without notice.
PAYMENTS:
- The Client will pay by cash, Credit Card, or company cheque 14 days prior to the travel date for all tickets with Bar Aviation Limited Uganda Limited. THE TICKETING TIME LIMIT IS THEREFORE 14 DAYS BEFORE THE DAY OF TRAVEL FOR ALL FLIGHTS.
CANCELLATION & NO SHOW POLICY:
- Above 10 days before date of travel: $ 20 fee per ticket if tickets have been issued.
- Between 9 to 5 days before date of travel: $ 50 fee per ticket.
- Within 4 days to the date of travel and NO-SHOWS: No refund.
- No-show tickets can be re-used on a stand-by basis, up to the validity of the ticket, with a $20 amendment fee.
AMENDMENT POLICY:
- Above 10 days before date of travel: Nil charge if the ticket is not issued.
- Above 10 days before date of travel: $20 fee if the ticket has been issued.
- Within 9 to 5 days to the date of travel: $50 fee per change on a firm basis OR $20 fee per change on a standby basis.
- Within 4 days to the date of travel: $100 fee per change on a firm basis OR $20 fee per change on a standby basis.
- Tickets are not transferable. Tickets are valid for six months.
REFUNDS/CREDIT NOTES:
- In all cases, refunds will be paid within 30 days from the date of cancellation.
PENALTIES:
- Penalties are payable IN CASH before the date of travel.
CHECK IN-TIME:
- Check-in is 1hour 30 mins before departure
- Check-in is 30 mins before departure for all flights from outstations.
FREIGHT & EXCESS BAGGAGE:
- Charged at USD 3 per kilo subject to space availability
INFANTS & CHILDREN:
- Infants under 2 years of age are carried free provided they do not occupy a seat. Children under 12 years of age are carried at 70% except for internal flights
What to consider when planning your flight to Bwindi Forest National Park
We like to assume your intention for flying to Bwindi is to see the mountain gorillas. If not, then this article might be irrelevant. For those going to trek gorillas, this might be the best guidance you get regarding how to plan your Flights to Bwindi.
While gorilla trekking is not the only thing to see or do on a Safari to Bwindi, it remains the main drawcard for most travelers visiting this heritage park.
Learn More: Things to see & do in Bwindi
For anyone visiting Bwindi on a Flying gorilla safari, you need to consider the following;
- Book your gorilla permit in advance – as they get sold out, especially during the peak season months of mid-June to August, and December to February.
- Book your accommodation in advance.
- Plan your entire transport – both air and road.
Gorilla Permits do make or break the efficient planning of any Gorilla Trekking Holiday. These must be booked and fully paid for well in advance to avoid the disappointments/frustrations that come with last-minute bookings. Last-minute bookings are often characterized with;
- Missing out on getting a gorilla permit.
- Missing out on your preferred gorilla trekking location.
- or getting allocated a very distant gorilla trekking location far away from your accommodation.
We’ll now discuss with you how to book a gorilla permit, how much it costs, and how to choose the best gorilla trekking locations in Bwindi for your flying Safari.
Booking a gorilla Permit:
There are three (03) very important things you/we need from you in order to book your gorilla Permit;
- Preferred trekking dates (suggest two dates in case there is no availability on one)
- A copy of your passport. (ensure it meets the East Africa Passport Validity Rule)
- Full payment of your gorilla Permit. (Only with this can we guarantee your permits).
The copy of the passport that we ask for is for registration and booking purposes. The information is used by the Uganda wildlife Authority while processing your gorilla permit – you’ll find your passport details imprinted on your gorilla permit.
A gorilla permit in Bwindi costs $700 per person or $1,500 per person if you choose to go for Gorilla habituation instead of the traditional – 1 hour with the gorillas.
Booking accommodation:
After you/we have secured a gorilla permit for you, the next step is to book accommodation for you. We have a list of accommodation options that we like to recommend to our clients based on their travel budget. As part of our corporate responsibility, we like to work with locally owned community-operated lodges like; Ride for a Woman in the Buhoma region, and a few others that meet the strict selection procedures we use in choosing who we work with.
Quick Links to finding the appropriate accommodation in Bwindi:
- Budget accommodation In Bwindi
- Midrange Accommodation in Bwindi
- Luxury Accommodation in Bwindi.
Booking the Flight and Road Transfers to your desired Sector in Bwindi
After you/we are sure that your gorilla permit and accommodation are booked, we can then move to Plan the Flights and Road Transfers to your desired Sector in Bwindi. The choice of the airport you/we choose to land at will be determined by the sector/region of Bwindi indicated on your gorilla permit – You can’t afford to get this wrong!
Look at the table below for better insight into Planning a Flight to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
| Sector/Region of Bwindi | Closest Airport | Road transfer from nearest Airport | Vehicle recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buhoma | Kihihi Airport | 1hr30mins | 4X4 |
| Ruhija | Kihihi Airport | 2hrs | 4x4 |
| Rushaga | Kisoro Airport | 1hr30mins | 4x4 |
| Nkuringo | Kisoro Airport | 1hr30mins | 4x4 |
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