Early bird gorilla trekking in Uganda 2023/2024; Gorilla trekking is the major activity in Uganda that attracts many tourists and it involves travelers moving on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of the habituated gorilla families and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in two national parks Bwindi impenetrable national park which harbors half of the world’s mountain gorilla population and Mgahinga gorilla national park both located in southwestern part of Uganda. Gorilla trekking is also done in Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park in Democratic Republic of Congo.
Gorilla trekking experience in Uganda
Mgahinga gorilla national park is a home of one habituated gorilla family while Bwindi impenetrable national park is a home of about 22 habituated gorilla families which are found in four sectors namely Rushaga sector in the south, Buhoma sector in the north, Nkuringo sector in the south and Ruhija sector in the east. Gorilla trekking in both Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park starts very early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations at the park headquarters. After the briefing, you will be subdivided into groups of 8 people where each group will be allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek and an experienced park guide who is well conversant with gorilla trekking trails. Trekking of mountain gorillas in Uganda takes about 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to view other primate species, different bird species, plants among others and once the gorillas are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn about their behaviors, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, grooming young ones, take photos and record videos.
Uganda also offers gorilla habituation experience where the wild mountain gorillas are trained to get used to human presence. Gorilla habituation experience in Uganda is only done in Bwindi impenetrable national park in Rushaga sector and it takes a period of 2 to 3 years to complete. Gorilla habituation experience involves a team of researchers, park guides, rangers and visitors who engage in the experience will be able to spend four hours with the mountain gorillas in their environment.
Best time to go gorilla trekking in Uganda
Gorilla trekking in Uganda can be done anytime throughout the year though the best time is during the dry season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February because during this period there is little or less rainfall in the national park therefore access roads and gorilla trekking trails will be dry and passable which makes gorilla trekking easy compared to the rainy season when the trekking trails are muddy and slippery which makes trekking difficult.
Cost of gorilla trekking permits in Uganda 2023/2024
Gorilla trekking permits are legal documents or cards that are issued to visitors above the age of 15 years allowing them to visit any habituated gorilla family and spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. Gorilla trekking permits in Bwindi impenetrable national park cost 700 USD per person for foreign non residents, 600 USD per person for foreign residents and 250,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
A gorilla habituation permit in Bwindi impenetrable national park costs 1,500 USD per person for foreign non residents, 1,000 USD per person for foreign residents and 750,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
How to book gorilla trekking permits in Uganda 2023/2024
Gorilla trekking permits in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park can either be booked directly through Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) where you will contact the park headquarters in Kampala through email or telephone calls.
Gorilla trekking permits in Bwindi impenetrable national park can also be booked through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris. When booking through a tour operator, you will contact us with the date, month, year and gorilla destination that you wish to visit. After contacting us we will check for permit availability on your desired dates and if there are permits available, you will be asked to make a deposit. Once we receive the money, we will purchase the permits on your behalf and send you a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation.
Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda should however be booked 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because they are competitive and usually get sold out quickly especially during the dry or peak season in the months of June to September and December to February therefore in order to avoid last minute disappointments, you are advised to book in advance.
What to pack for your early bird gorilla trekking safari in Uganda 2023/2024
When planning for your gorilla trekking safari in Uganda 2023/2024, there are a number of items that you should pack including the long sleeved shirt and trouser to keep you warm, hiking shoes to protect your ankles and keep your feet dry, waterproof rain jacket to protect you from rainfall, insect repellent to protect you from biting insects, garden gloves, energy snacks and drinking water to keep you hydrated, camera and extra batteries to take photos and record videos, a pair of binoculars, walking stick to give you support during trekking and a back pack to carry your gorilla trekking essentials.
For more information about early bird gorilla trekking in Uganda 2023/2024, do not hesitate to contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website for several safari packages.
