park any time during the year, although conditions in the park are more difficult during the rainy season. The park is in a remote location and the roads are in poor condition, the drive time from Kampala is estimated at 8 hours. The park is connected by domestic flights from Entebbe International Airport, which land at Kihihi Airstrip and Kisoro Airstrip. Tourist accommodations include a lodge, tented camps, and rooms run by the community located near the Buhoma entrance gate. Bwindi Community Hospital provides health care to 40,000 people in the area and to visiting tourists. Gorilla tracking is the park's main tourist attraction, and it generates much revenue for Uganda Wildlife Authority. Gorilla tracking first became available in April 1993, when tourists tracked the Mubare gorilla group. Tourists wishing to track gorillas must first obtain a permit. Selected gorillas families have been habituated to human presence, and the number of visitors is tightly controlled to prevent risks to the gorillas and degradation of the habitat. Several tour companies are able to reserve gorilla tracking permits for prospective visitors to Bwindi. The gorillas seldom react to tourists. There are strict rules for tourists to minimize the risk of disease transmission to the gorillas. Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are the only countries where it is possible to visit mountain gorillas. Guided walks through the forest include a walk to a waterfall, and walks for monkey watching and birding. See also Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation — a forest research institute in the park. References External links National parks of Uganda Kanungu District Kisoro District Important Bird Areas of Uganda World Heritage Sites in Uganda Protected areas established in 1991 1991 establishments in Uganda Albertine Rift montane forests