New gorilla sanctuary near Bwindi 2026 — education, research, and visitor experience
A new gorilla education and research sanctuary that opened in the community buffer zone adjacent to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in 2026 is providing visitors, researchers, and local communities with a facility that complements the trekking experience in ways that neither traditional tourism nor pure research can achieve independently. The sanctuary — developed through a partnership between Uganda Wildlife Authority, an international conservation NGO, and a consortium of community land owners — occupies land in the community conservation area that borders the national park, and provides facilities for education, research, and community engagement around mountain gorilla conservation that were previously unavailable in the Bwindi area.
What the sanctuary is not
It is important to be clear about what the sanctuary is not: it is not a captive gorilla facility, and it does not contain any mountain gorillas outside of the national park. Mountain gorillas cannot survive in captivity and no ethical conservation organisation would attempt to maintain them outside their natural habitat. The sanctuary is an educational and research facility that uses immersive interpretation, documentary materials, and live ranger presentations to communicate the story of mountain gorilla conservation to visitors who have come to Bwindi for the trekking experience but who want a deeper understanding of the science and history behind what they will encounter in the forest.
The education facility
The sanctuary’s education centre houses an immersive exhibition covering the natural history of mountain gorillas, the history of gorilla conservation in Uganda, and the current state of the conservation programme. High-definition footage from Uganda Wildlife Authority’s documentary archive — including habituation footage, birth documentation, and long-term behavioural research films that are not publicly available anywhere else — provides a visual education in gorilla biology and behaviour that significantly enhances the quality of the trekking encounter. Visitor studies indicate that trekkers who spend time in the education centre before their trek observe more, understand more, and report higher satisfaction with the encounter than those who go directly to the forest with only the standard gate briefing as preparation.
Research facilities and community integration
The sanctuary’s research facilities — including laboratory space, data storage infrastructure, and residential accommodation for visiting researchers — address a longstanding gap in Bwindi’s infrastructure for scientific work. Researchers who previously had to base themselves in basic accommodation in the nearby towns now have access to purpose-built research space immediately adjacent to their study sites, reducing travel time and improving the conditions for sustained, high-quality fieldwork. The community integration element of the sanctuary — including a craft market, cultural performance space, and community storytelling programme that gives local Batwa and Bakiga community members the opportunity to share their relationship with the forest with visiting groups — creates an additional dimension to the Bwindi visitor experience that has been consistently praised in early visitor reviews.
Visiting the sanctuary
The sanctuary is accessible to gorilla trekking visitors as an addition to their trekking permit day — it can be visited in the afternoon following a morning trek, or on a dedicated day for visitors who want to extend their Bwindi stay. Admission to the sanctuary’s education centre is included in a combined facility ticket that is available through safari operators and at the Bwindi park gates. Our team can incorporate a sanctuary visit into your Bwindi itinerary as part of a comprehensive gorilla trekking safari package. Contact us to discuss the options.
