Uganda is one of the few countries that offer the rare opportunity to track the rare mountain gorillas. These rare giants are found in two Ugandan national parks; Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park.
Mountain Gorilla Trekking is one of the most interesting activities constituting a complete tourism package for Uganda. It is so challenging, adventurous though rewarding. It is a must do activity and capital among Uganda’s highlights. Uganda is home to half of the remaining mountain gorillas in the world and spending time with the habituated gorilla family in the wilderness leaves everyone happy and impacted. The silverback eyes are terrific but its more than that when it gets close during the one hour of photography and observation. Get special real experience with gorillas in jungle and see how it feels to raise hopes after taking a glance at the silverback. Many writers have written about how it feels to meet up with gorillas in their natural home but no great words can simply explain the magical special experience. All I can say it’s one in a life time and if you want to spend more time with these cool huge forest creatures, gorilla habituation will take you to the moon and back.
Where to Go Gorilla Trekking
Are you planning to visit Uganda? It is better to know the type of safari you will prefer and which activities are carried out in a particular national park. For those interested in gorilla tracking, there are only two national Parks where this world class activity is carried out and these are;
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
The breathtaking beauty of Uganda lays in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National park, two national parks that protect the mountain gorillas. These places are among the most fascinating places in the country. At times, they are referred to as the endangered mountain gorillas simply because half of the surviving gorillas in the world are only found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This impenetrable forest has twenty habituated gorilla groups that are tracked by tourists. Their natural habitat is the tropical rain forest of Bwindi.
On this safari you will find unique primates, interesting culture, nature and landscape. Travelers expect heading for trips in Uganda have more than 95% chances to meet the mountain gorillas in Bwindi and Mgahinga. The country is known for its excellent hospitality and culture, in fact the warm attitude of locals is often one of the great times tourists cherish while in Uganda. Besides, the lakes, wildlife and islands across the country also give them various stories to tell.
Above all Uganda gorilla safaris are the reason as to why many tourists visit Uganda, the Pearl of Africa. Imagine a natural wonder that never fade for decades and its one of the outstanding wildlife encounters on earth.
Gorilla tourism demand in Uganda has continuously been on the rise that the country receives 80% visitors for gorilla safaris every year. The great thanks goes to the conservation team that dedicated all life to monitor and watch over gorillas that today Uganda alone has over fifteen gorilla families living in both Mgahinga and Bwindi forest national park. Much of Uganda tourism stands on mountain gorillas, the country’s prime tourist attraction and a blessed hidden gem that is found only in Africa.
Are you looking for places to see endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda? well you are lucky because Uganda the Pearl of Africa has two mountain gorilla parks in western region offering unique gorilla safari experience to whoever visits Uganda for gorilla trekking tours. Long no more to see mountain gorillas physically in there jungle forested home because Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable forest have a broad range of tour activities to make your Uganda gorilla trek outstanding. If you ready grab your gorilla permit and experience the fun jungle vacation in Uganda.
Mgahinga National Park
Gorilla tours in Mghainga forest extend beyond just looking at gorillas but the park landscape and attractive volcanoes make the trek more rewarding and awesome. Tracking gorillas and hiking the volcanoes is the park main highlight but tourists also enjoy golden monkey trekking, bird watching, hiking, biking and cultural excursions to the Batwa caves. While in Mgahinga it’s very easy to find quiet moments with park habitants especially when you visit the Buffalo walls. However, Mgahinga national park is ideal for fit travelers because its treks are quite tough and amazing. Not too many people track gorillas and hike the volcanoes in Mgahinga but it’s a great life time experience once tried out. In Uganda, Mgahinga national park reflects a perfect gorilla trekking safari destination in Africa better than no other due to its unique features and location.
Bwindi Forest National Park
The highlights of all Uganda safari tours are mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable National Park. The gorillas have increased in number after a while but still the highest populations of the living endangered mountain gorillas live here. For best gorilla safari experience in Africa, head to the beautiful forested jungle forest of Bwindi where you can take a glance of the silverback and other gorillas in just a single trek. While in Bwindi forest, you may also like to check out the detailed lifestyle of the forest people who vacated their ancestral home for mountain gorilla conservation.
The Batwa people today are a living great example of true local Ugandans who still live the life of the ancient despite the introduction of western culture.
The Gorilla permits of Bwindi costs same just like those of Mgahinga at only $600 for all months of the year a price that was announced and confirmed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.But the best time to track gorillas is when the time when gorilla permits are available in the time of need. Therefore would recommend every primate lover to secure his or her gorilla permit first among the entire Uganda gorilla safari trekking essentials.
Other gorilla safari destinations in Africa include Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in Congo. To sum it up, there three countries –Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo are the only places to see mountain gorillas in the all world.
Gorilla Tourism
Looking at mountain gorillas tourism, experience, gorilla permits and demand, Uganda is a perfect gorilla safari destination that travelers should opt for today and tomorrow because of its great primate experience and gorilla permit price stability until 2019.Tourists will not incur any more cost for their trips in 2018-2019 due to change in gorilla permit prices or other tour adventure. To top it up you will not only see gorillas in Bwindi forest or Mgahinga National Park but also interact with the Batwa people of the forest as you take part in their daily life and history, track golden monkeys, hike the beautiful volcanoes of Gahinga and also give hand to the well being of different locals living close to the park. Other tourist attractions to check out while in Uganda are the other national parks like Queen Elizabeth, Murchison falls, kibale forest, Lake Mburo, Kidepo valley , Semuliki etc. Lake Bunyonyi island is a place you should also check out during your gorilla safari in either Bwindi forest or Mgahinga National Park.
Gorilla Permits
It is a requirement for every visitor who would like to see the mountain gorillas, to posess a valid gorilla permits. Gorilla permits are passes issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to whoever tracks gorillas in either Bwindi Forest or Mgahinga National Park with an age limit of fifteen years (15yrs) of age. Be the one to experience what thousands have experienced and still get impacted for life.
This activity is charged US$500 for international non residents, and the pre requisite is that a gorilla permit MUST be purchased in advance and is guaranteed only after whole cash payment. As your tour operator, we help to secure you a gorilla permit and organize your complete tour package. Just contact us. Gorilla tracking is Uganda’s most sought after tourism activity. Tourists should book well in advance to ensure that permits for your requested dates are available.
What to take-a checklist
- Solid walking shoes or boots
- Rain gear and hat
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- Drinks and snacks
- Binoculars
- Camera
Porters are available at a modest cost.
Gorilla rules
To protect the gorillas and visitors, the following rules must be adhered to.
- No one with a communicable disease such as flu or diarrhea is allowed to vist the gorillas
- Do not surround the Gorillas but remain in a tight group
- Leave a distance of at least 5 mitres between you and the gorillas
- If they approach you, move back slowly
- Flash photography is strictly forbidden
Go Gorilla Trekking in Uganda
On a gorilla trek, you will visit one of the habituated gorilla family. Each family is comprised on adult males, adult females, juveniles, infants and it is headed by the dominant male also known as the silverback! Silverback gorilla is the name given to the adult male gorilla because of the silvery fur running across their backs and hips. Gorillas live in groups with a clearly defined social structure. The dominant leads the group of other males, females and young ones in daily activities such as eating and sleeping. During their day today life, mid day is spent by playing and resting. Each evening they make their own nests, more especially out of vegetation before going to sleep.
Being in the class of mammals, Gorillas are well known to be very intelligent compared to other animals. Like human beings, they communicate through vocalizations, body language, facial expressions and gestures while in the wild. However much Gorillas are calm and quiet animals, they at times fight each other. Particularly the dominant males will beat their chest, scream, roar and bark while standing upright in a show of power.
One may wonder why a gorilla Safari should be done in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, a small park compared to others parks but the reason is that it has a thick rain forest with a wide variety of tree species and gorillas are known to be vegetarians. There is enough food for them in the park and this is the reason why some even migrate from Congo and Rwanda to this place. Though not in large numbers, gorillas of Mgahinga are easily seen in their natural habitats and this makes tracking more easy compared to other parks.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is one of the few in Africa to have flourished throughout the last Ice Age and it is home to roughly half of the world’s mountain gorillas. Bwindi can be accessed either by air from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip or by road from Kampala. From Entebbe, there are scheduled flights to Kihihi which is close to the northern sector of Bwindi and also flights to Kisoro which is close to the Southern sector of Bwindi. Flights to Kisoro only leave in the morning while Kihihi has both morning and afternoon departures from Entebbe. You can also do charter flights from Kajjansi Airstrip to either Kisoro or Kihihi
However, Kampala-Ntungamo-Rukungiri-Kihihi-Buhoma is regarded as the quickest and most direct of all the routes from Kampala and follows a tarmac route to Rukungiri about 390km followed by murram roads to Buhoma for about 82km. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is best known for its Mountain Gorilla populations and gorilla tracking.
Is It Safe to Go Gorilla Tracking in Uganda?
In case you are interested in mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda, you will need a gorilla permit which should be booked in advance of your trip. There are only 8 people that are allowed to visit a group per day, the demand is high, this means that we are ready to book your permit and organize your gorilla safari. To purchase the permit, you will need to give us your full names, nationality, passport number, date of trekking as well as the gorilla fees. The minimum age for trekking is 15 years and a certain level of fitness is required and you shouldn’t be sick.
