Uganda’s mountain gorillas have become an important part of the country’s conservation and tourism story, while also contributing to the livelihoods of communities living around their natural habitat. For visitors who encounter these gentle giants in the misty forests of southwestern Uganda, the experience is more than simply seeing wildlife. It demonstrates how protecting nature can benefit both wildlife and people when conservation, tourism and community development work together.
As the world prepares to mark World Gorilla Day on September 24, Uganda is highlighting the importance of protecting the mountain gorillas and the forests where they live. The survival of the animals has become closely connected to the wellbeing of communities around Bwindi and Mgahinga. World Gorilla Day was launched in 2017 and coincides with the anniversary of Dian Fossey’s Karisoke Research Centre. The annual event seeks to encourage global efforts to protect all gorilla subspecies.
Uganda is home to more than half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, according to the 2019 census. Although another census has since been conducted, the final 2025/26 population figure is still being awaited. John Makombo, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Commissioner for Biodiversity Management, said the gorilla population has continued to increase, largely due to registered births. He explained that the final population figure will be released after the remaining stages of DNA analysis are completed.
The increase in the gorilla population has also coincided with growing interest in Uganda’s protected areas. Bashir Hangi, the UWA spokesperson, said Mgahinga National Park received 3,601 international and domestic visitors in the 2021/22 financial year. The number increased to 5,325 in 2022/23, 5,507 in 2023/24 and 6,222 in 2024/25.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has recorded even larger visitor numbers. The park received 20,367 visitors in 2021/22, rising to 37,360 in 2022/23 and 43,984 in 2023/24. The number slightly decreased to 43,716 in 2024/25. Hangi cautioned that these figures cover all tourism activities in the two parks and therefore should not be considered gorilla trekking figures alone. However, the revenue generated from gorilla tourism shows its major contribution to Uganda’s tourism industry.
According to Makombo, Bwindi and Mgahinga generated more than Sh109.8 billion from gorilla tourism alone in the 2022/23 financial year. When other tourism activities were included, the two protected areas collected a total of Sh147.9 billion. Revenue later dropped to Sh131.9 billion in 2023/24, with gorilla tourism contributing Sh86 billion. Makombo linked the decline partly to negative travel advisories issued by foreign missions.
Tourism stakeholders subsequently carried out campaigns to help restore visitor numbers and revenue. As a result, revenue increased to Sh142 billion in 2024/25, with gorilla tourism contributing Sh93 billion. The growth continued in 2025/26, when the two protected areas generated Sh162.5 billion in total revenue, including Sh110 billion from gorilla tourism.
The financial benefits of conservation are also being shared with communities surrounding the protected areas. In the financial year that ended in June 2025, UWA disbursed Sh2.97 billion to communities around the Bwindi-Mgahinga Conservation Area under its revenue-sharing programme. The money is being used to support community projects, social enterprises and businesses.
Gorilla tourism has also created opportunities for people who provide services to visitors. The Porters’ Association in Buhoma, which was established in 1992, currently has 100 members, while more than 50 other community members are stationed at the Nyamishamba outpost. Other Bwindi sectors, including Rushaga, Ruhija and Nkuringo, have similar community associations. Their combined membership is about 500 people who provide services to tourists.
Christine Katushabe, founder of Change A Life-Bwindi, a non-profit organisation based in Ruhija, Mpungu Sub-county in Kanungu District, said tourism has also contributed to the expansion of accommodation and hospitality businesses around Bwindi. She noted that high-end lodges continue to be established around the park, providing employment and creating markets for locally produced goods and supplies.
Katushabe said the value of gorillas extends beyond their importance as a tourist attraction. She explained that communities have increasingly come to see the animals and their forest habitat as a source of hope and future opportunities. She emphasised that protecting the forest also protects children’s livelihoods, culture and identity, adding that conservation works best when communities living closest to the gorillas are actively involved.
The development around Bwindi and Mgahinga has also extended beyond tourism businesses. High-end lodges, improved telecommunications, electricity, roads and air connectivity have accompanied the growth of tourism in the region. As a result, conservation in Bwindi and Mgahinga is increasingly being viewed not only as a way of protecting wildlife and forests but also as a means of supporting local economic development.
The World Gorilla Day celebrations this year will take the conservation message directly to communities around the gorilla habitat. While World Gorilla Day is observed on September 24, the main national celebrations will be held on October 1. Several activities will also take place from September 19 to 21 in the Ruhija sector of Bwindi, in Mpungu Sub-county, Kanungu District.
The programme, led by Change A Life-Bwindi in partnership with UWA, will include community cleaning exercises, tree planting, free medical camps, community dialogues and gorilla tracking. There will also be media engagements involving communities, lodges, accommodation facilities and other businesses whose livelihoods depend on gorilla tourism and conservation.
Richard Muhabwe, Chief Warden of the Bwindi-Mgahinga Conservation Area, said the main celebration was initially scheduled for September 24 but was shifted to October 1 because of other engagements involving UWA’s top management. He said the change would not affect the purpose of the celebrations. Instead, the activities are expected to reinforce the message that protecting gorillas requires protecting the forests, which in turn helps preserve the economic and social benefits generated by conservation.
Juliana Kagwa, Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Tourism Board, described mountain gorillas as a key part of Uganda’s tourism story. She said a significant portion of tourism arrivals can be directly linked to the country’s mountain gorillas. The animals are found only in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, making their protection a shared responsibility among the three countries.
Kagwa called for sustainable tourism practices in Bwindi and Mgahinga while highlighting Uganda’s unique gorilla-tracking experience. She also said Uganda is diversifying its tourism portfolio by developing other attractions that can complement gorilla tourism. The move could help spread tourism benefits to more destinations and experiences while supporting the wider tourism sector.
This year’s World Gorilla Day celebrations are supported by several partners, including Asilia Africa, Rugarama Hospital, ICN Uganda, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, the International Gorilla Conservation Programme, Onzoka Tours, Agandi Uganda, Gorilla Highlands Coffee, Uganics and Caldera, among others.
