Gorilla trekking in bwindi national park from queen elizabeth park
Gorilla trekking is a thrilling activity in Uganda where visitors above the age of fifteen move into the dense tropical forests of Bwindi impenetrable national park in search of the endangered mountain gorillas and once found spend one hour with them in their natural environment. Mountain gorillas are the most popular attractions in Uganda and gorilla trekking the most done activity in Bwindi impenetrable national park. The endangered mountain gorillas are only found in four African destinations namely Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park, Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and Virunga national park in Democratic Republic of Congo.
Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park is located in southwestern Uganda in Kanungu district and harbors over 430 mountain gorillas which is half of the total number of mountain gorillas in the whole world. Some of the mountain gorillas in the park have been habituated and currently there are about 19 habituated gorilla families which are available for trekking daily with a maximum of 8 people for each family.
Queen Elizabeth national park is the second largest and most visited national park located in southwestern Uganda in Kasese, Rukungiri, Kamwenge and Rubirizi districts. the national park abundant wildlife species including vegetation types, the famous tree climbing lions in Ishasha sector, elephants, buffaloes, hippos, leopards, waterbucks, bushbucks, Uganda kobs, warthogs, giant forest hogs, bird species like African shoebill, papyrus Gonolek, open billed stork, yellow backed weaver, black crake, white tailed lark, palmnut vulture, black headed Gonolek, primates like chimpanzees, baboons, red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys among others.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable national park
Bwindi impenetrable national park is a home of about 19 habituated gorilla families which are found in four sectors namely Rushaga sector in the south, Buhoma sector in the north, Ruhija sector in the east and Nkuringo sector in the southern part of the park. all the four sectors harbor habituated gorilla families which are available for trekking therefore visitors should stay in lodges near the gorilla trekking sector for easy accessibility. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable national park starts early in the morning with a briefing at the park headquarters about the expectations during trekking, rules and regulations. After the briefing you will be grouped into 8 individuals to trek one habituated family and given a park guide who will be taking you into the jungle, sharing information about the gorillas among others.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi forest national park takes about 2 to 6 hours or even more depending on the location of the mountain gorilla family and once found you will spend one hour in the presence of the gorillas taking photos, recording the moments, learning more about their habits, behaviors among others which gives you breathtaking and lifetime experiences on your safari.
A gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi impenetrable national park costs $600 for foreign non-resident, $500 for foreign resident and UGX 250,000 for East African citizens. However the gorilla trekking permit was increased by $100 for foreign non-residents and foreign residents effective 1st July 2020. The price of a gorilla trekking permit is cheaper compared to other gorilla destinations like Volcanoes national park in Rwanda where the permit costs $1500 for all nationalities. A gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi impenetrable national park should be booked 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because the permits are competitive and usually get sold out especially during the peak season.
Advantages of trekking mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable forest from Queen Elizabeth national park
Short distance, it’s a short distance travelling from Queen Elizabeth national park to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park because it takes about 3 to 4 hours’ drive passing via Ishasha sector therefore you will be blessed with great views along the way in a short distance.
Visit the tree climbing lions, when going for gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi impenetrable national park from Queen Elizabeth national park you will get an opportunity of viewing the famous tree climbing lions which are found in Ishasha sector because you will use ishasha sector route when travelling to Bwindi impenetrable forest.
You will also be able to combine wildlife viewing with gorilla trekking on your gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi impenetrable national park because Queen Elizabeth national park offers various thrilling and adventurous activities such as
Game drive, this is carried out in Kasenyi plains, Ishasha sector, Mweya peninsular among others. during the game drive you can either opt for a morning or evening game drive session following different tracks and you will be able to view animals like elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, warthogs, bird species among others.
Boat cruise, this is an interesting activity in the park where visitors cruise on water close to wildlife. Boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth national park in carried out on Kazinga channel a water body that connects Lake Edward and Lake George. Boat cruise is done in two sessions that is the morning and the afternoon session and takes about 2 hours. During the boat cruise you will have a view of the fishing villages around the water, large herds of hippos and crocodiles in water, water birds, animals like elephants, antelopes, buffaloes among others along the water shore drinking water especially during the dry season.
Nature walk, this is an adventurous activity where visitors move out of the car and walk on foot while exploring the park with beautiful scenery, cool breeze, fresh air among others. nature walk in Queen Elizabeth national park is done on Mweya peninsular, Maramagambo forest where you will have views of primates like chimpanzees, baboons, l-hoest monkeys, red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, bird species among others.
Lion research tracking, this is one of the new and fascinating activities in the park where you track lions with radio collars. Lion tracking is carried out in Kasenyi plains with researchers who will be tracking the lions. lion tracking allows visitor vehicles to go off track so as to view the lions in their hiding places and also gives you an opportunity to learn more about the lions, their behaviors, habits and spend more time viewing, taking photos, recording the moments among others.
Chimpanzee trekking, chimpanzees are the second most visited attractions in Uganda after the mountain gorillas. Chimpanzee trekking in Queen Elizabeth national park is carried out in Kyambura Gorge also known as the valley of apes located in eastern part of the park. Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge can either be done in the morning or in the evening and takes about 2 to 4 hours or even longer depending on the location of the chimpanzees because they like to move deep into the forest in search of food especially during the dry season. During chimpanzee trekking you will spend one hour with the chimpanzees in their natural habitat taking photos, recording the moments, learning about their behaviors, lifestyle among others which gives you unforgettable memories.
Getting to Bwindi Impenetrable national park from Queen Elizabeth national park
Bwindi Impenetrable national park is located in south western Uganda and when travelling to from Queen Elizabeth you will drive from Mweya via Ishasha sector to Bwindi Impenetrable national park which takes about 3 to 4 hours’ drive.
You can also use air transport where you will book domestic airlines like Aerolink Uganda limited from Entebbe airport or Kajansi airfield to Mweya airstrip and then connect to Bwindi impenetrable national park by road via Ishasha sector.
On your gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park from Queen Elizabeth national park you can book safari packages with Achieve Global Safaris such as 8 days Uganda Wildlife and Gorilla trekking tour, 5 days Uganda Gorilla and Wildlife safari among others for breathtaking and unforgettable gorilla trekking and wildlife experiences .
