Gorilla trekking Uganda
Gorilla trekking is an interesting an adventurous activity in Uganda where visitors above the age of fifteen move into the tropical rain forest in search of the endangered mountain gorillas and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. Gorillas are engendered species which are found in three African countries that is Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. In Uganda they are found in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park, in Rwanda they are found in Volcanoes national park while in Democratic Republic of Congo they are found in Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park.
Where to go for gorilla trekking in Uganda
The mountain gorilla census reveals that there are about 1069 mountain gorillas in the world and in Uganda there has been an increase of the mountain gorillas from 400 to 459 which implies that Uganda harbors half of the mountain gorilla s in the world and this makes it the best country for gorilla trekking in Africa. Mountain gorillas in Uganda are found in two national park that is Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
The national park is located in south western Uganda in districts of Kanungu, Kabale and Kisoro. Bwindi impenetrable forest is a home of 19 habituated gorilla families which are found in four sectors that is Buhoma sector in the north, Rushaga sector in the south, Ruhija sector in the east and Nkuringo sector in the southern part of the park. Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park starts early in the morning with a briefing at the park headquarters about the expectations, rules and regulations. after the briefing you will be grouped into 8 people to trek each habituated gorilla family and a guide who will be sharing information about the gorillas and also showing them the trails to use while in the jungle. gorilla trekking takes about takes about 2 to 6 hours depending on the location of the mountain gorillas because they like to move from one destination to another in search of food and once they are found you will spend one hour with them in their natural habitat learning about their behaviors, habits, taking photos with flash less camera and recording moments.
Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park
The national park is located in southwestern Uganda in Kisoro district and harbors two habituated gorilla families namely Nyakagezi family and Hirwa family. Hirwa was a habituated family in Volcanoes national park Rwanda and migrated to Mgahinga gorilla national park in October 2019 to add on the Nyakagezi family making them two families to trek daily. Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park also starts in the morning with a briefing at the park headquarters where after you will be grouped into 8 individuals and allocated a gorilla family to trek. Trekking takes about 2 to 6 hours in the forest and once the gorilla family is found you will spend one hour in the presence of the gorillas learning about their habits, behaviors, recording videos and taking plenty of photos with flash less cameras so as not to frighten the mountain gorillas.
Cost of gorilla trekking permit in Uganda
A single gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park costs $600 for foreign non-residents, $500 for foreign residents and UGX 250,000 for East African citizens. however the prices will be increased by $100 for foreign non-residents and foreign residents effective 1st July 2020 and the price of a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda is a bit cheaper compared to prices in Volcanoes national park Rwanda where a gorilla trekking permit costs $1500 for all nationalities. Therefore since there are 19 habituated gorilla families in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park it means that there are about 152 gorilla trekking permits available on a daily basis and 16 gorilla trekking permits in Mgahinga gorilla national park because it harbors two habituated gorilla families.
How to book a gorilla trekking permit
A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda can be booked directly from Uganda Wildlife Authority offices in Kampala a tourism body in Uganda through contacting them on email or telephone calls or you can book a gorilla trekking permit through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris. When booking through the company, you will contact us with the date, month and year when you want to engage in gorilla trekking and we will check the availability of the permit and get back to you. When the permit is available you we will send you bank details so that you make a deposit for the permit and when the deposit has been made you will send scanned passport details which will be used to acquire your gorilla trekking permit and we will purchase the permit for you and send you scanned copies as confirmation.
Booking a gorilla trekking permit via Achieve Global Safaris is the best option in that we will not only purchase your permit but also plan your entire safari which involves transportation to Bwindi forest or Mgahinga gorilla national park, meals, book accommodation near the destination where you will be trekking the mountain gorillas because each gorilla trekking sector has its own accommodation facilities, plan for you other activities you can engage in after or before gorilla trekking and other destinations you can visit so as to make your safari in Uganda extraordinary and unforgettable.
When to acquire a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda
A gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park can be acquired anytime throughout the year though it’s advisable to book 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date so as to avoid disappointments because the permits are competitive and usually get sold out especially during the dry season.
Company to use for gorilla trekking Uganda
There are various companies which offer gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda and when choosing a tour company you consider many factors such as if the company is registered with tourism associations like Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO), Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) among others, how fast they reply to your questions, their gorilla trekking safari price, mode of payment, reviews about the company, reputation among others therefore on your gorilla trekking safari in Uganda, you can choose tour operators like Achieve Global Safaris, Explore Rwanda Tours or Focus East Africa Tours because they are trusted tour companies that poses all the factors mentioned.
When to go for gorilla trekking Uganda
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park can be carried out anytime throughout the year though the best time is during the dry season in the months of June to September and December to February. during the dry season there is less rainfall in the jungle therefore there will be short grass in the forest which favors clear viewing of the gorillas, the gorilla trekking trails will be dry and the access roads to the gorilla destinations will be passable as compared to the wet season when the roads and trekking trails will be muddy and slippery.
Where to stay
There are luxury, midrange and budget accommodation facilities in each gorilla destination where visitors can stay during their gorilla trekking safari in Uganda such as Mount Gahinga Rest Camp, Bwindi Jungle Lodge, Mount Gahinga Lodge, Mutanda Island Lodge, Mgahinga Safari Lodge, Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Travellers Rest Hotel, Gorilla Safari Lodge, Bwindi View Lodge and Campsite, Ruhija Community Rest Camp, Lake Kitandara Camp, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla lodge, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Silverback Lodge, Volcanoes Safari Bwindi lodge, Engagi Lodge, Mahogany Springs Camp, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Camp, Nshongi Camp, Trakkers Tavern Cottages, Gift of Nature Lodge, Ruhija Community Rest Camp among others. the lodges offer facilities such as comfortable beds, en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, free Wi-Fi in public places, well stocked bar, restaurants which prepare traditional and international meals, sitting lounge, gardens for relaxation, great views of the wildlife among others which make your stay conducive and enjoyable.
How to get to the gorilla trekking destinations
All gorilla destinations in Uganda are located in south western Uganda and they can be accessed by road and air transport means
Road transport
When travelling to Bwindi impenetrable national park you will drive from Kampala via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale and then to any sector in the park where you will be trekking and the journey takes about 8 to 9 hours’ drive while when travelling to Mgahinga gorilla national park you will drive from Kampala via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, Kisoro and then connect to the park which takes about 9 to 10 hours’ drive.
There are also public means of transport to the gorilla destinations for example when travelling to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park you will board a bus from Kampala to Kabale and then hire a private taxi to any of the sectors in the park while when traveling to Mgahinga gorilla national park you will board a bus from Kampala to Kisoro and then hire a private taxi to the park headquarters.
Air transport
There are domestic airlines like Aerolink Uganda limited which operate scheduled and chartered flights from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi airfield to Kihihi airstrip departing at 12:45pm and arriving at 13:55pm and then connect by road the sector where you will be trekking from. In case you are flying to Mgahinga gorilla national park there are domestic flights which depart from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi airfield at 7:00am and arrive at Kisoro airstrip at 8:10am where after you will connect to the park headquarters by road.
