BWINDI — British actress and global conservation advocate Maisie Williams has praised Uganda’s conservation model after visiting the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, describing the experience as “once in a lifetime” and “inspiring,” and pledging to use her global platform to promote sustainable tourism and wildlife protection.
Williams, widely known for her role in Game of Thrones, visited the park with the World Wide Fund for Nature Uganda (WWF Uganda) as part of her role as a global ambassador for climate and nature.
During her visit to the home of nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, Williams said she had previously been skeptical about wildlife tourism but was impressed by Uganda’s conservation approach.
“I’ve always felt a little skeptical about wild animal tourism. But seeing what’s happening here is really inspiring,” she said. “It’s a real gold standard of how this can be done.”
She added that the experience in Bwindi was deeply moving and unlike anything she had encountered before.
“It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Williams said, describing moments such as seeing a silverback gorilla carrying its young as particularly memorable.
WWF Uganda said the visit highlighted how ethical and regulated tourism is directly contributing to conservation efforts and supporting surrounding communities. Gorilla trekking permits, which cost about £600, fund anti-poaching operations, habitat protection, and community development programmes.
Following her visit, WWF Uganda said Williams plans to leverage her global audience—reportedly more than 10 million followers across platforms—to raise awareness about conservation issues affecting mountain gorillas and their habitat.
“She is leveraging her platforms to advocate for habitat protection, promote sustainable tourism, and support conservation messaging around mountain gorillas,” WWF Uganda said in a statement.
Williams is also expected to promote WWF’s “Adopt a Gorilla” initiative, which allows supporters to contribute to conservation efforts while funding community and environmental programmes in Uganda.
Conservation officials note that mountain gorilla populations have significantly improved over the decades, rising from fewer than 400 in the 1980s to over 1,000 today, largely due to sustained conservation efforts and controlled tourism.
Uganda remains one of only three countries in the world where mountain gorillas can be found in the wild, making Bwindi Impenetrable National Park a critical global conservation site.
