3 Days Bwindi Gorilla Safari
The 3 Days Gorilla Safari to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is rated the best wildlife adventure in the world. Meet the gorilla’s eye to eye in the wild of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The expert local guides will lead you through the forest in search of the giants!. More on this Trip.
4 Day Bwindi & L. Bunyonyi
4 Days safari to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Lake Bunyonyi. After your gorilla trek in Bwindi, come, sit down, relax or have a swim in one of Africa’s prettiest lakes, Lake Bunyonyi in south-western Uganda!More on this Trip.
4 Days Mgahinga Gorilla Tour
The 3 days gorilla tour includes Mgahinga Forest national park visit for gorilla tracking; golden monkey tracking alongside other primates or volcanic peaks hiking of your choice (Muhabura, Gahinga or Sabinyo). More on this Trip.
4 Days Uganda Gorillas & Wildlife Safari
Explore two fantastic travel destinations on this 3 days gorilla tour that leads you to Bwindi Forest and Queen Elizabeth National Park. Meet the gorillas in Bwindi Forest and enjoy game viewing/luanch cruise in QENP! More on this Trip.
5 Days Gorillas & Chimpanzee Tour
A 5 days adventure in Uganda combining mountain gorilla safaris and chimpanzee tracking. Tour Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Kibale Forest National park on this primates safari in Uganda. More on this Trip.
6 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda & Rwanda
The 6 days breathtaking gorilla safari to Uganda and Rwanda leading you through the impenetrable forest of Bwindi, Western Uganda, and PNV in Rwanda. Tour activities on this safari include gorilla tracking, nature walks, and local community tours. More on this Trip.
More about gorilla safaris in Uganda and Rwanda
Gorilla trekking is the leading wildlife experience in terms of popularity among visitors to Uganda and Rwanda. The encounter attracts the highest number of visitors to the two countries fetching huge amounts of revenue to their economies.
Gorilla trekking destinations
Mountain gorillas are protected in two major areas; the Virunga Mountains which straddle the borders of Uganda, Rwanda, and the DRC, and in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwest Uganda. There are 3 national parks that protect gorillas within the Virunga Mountains including Virunga National Parks in DR Congo, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. About 1,064 mountain gorillas are estimated to be living within these habitats with Bwindi having about half of this population. Each park has got several groups of habituated gorillas that are visited by trekkers every day. Bwindi has about 15 groups, Volcanoes has 12, Virunga National Park has 8 while Mgahinga has got 1 group.
The cost of gorilla trekking
A gorilla permit or a gorilla pass is the primary requirement for trekking the endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda, and DRC. Rwanda’s gorilla permit is the most expensive among the 3 countries sold at $1,500 per person. Uganda’s gorilla permit is sold at $700 per person for foreign nonresidents, $600 for foreign residents in East Africa, and UGX250,000 to East African citizens. Congo’s gorilla permit is the cheapest at $400 per person though gorilla trekking is always at a halt in the park due to security issues in the area. Meeting a family of rare mountain gorillas in the wild has been described as magical and one of the best wildlife experiences in the world hence making its relatively high-cost worthy undertaking.
Gorilla trekking rules/guidelines
Mountain gorillas are endangered species which were at the brink of extinction a few decades ago, thanks to the intensive conservation efforts which have helped increase their population. Due to the need to continue preserving and protecting gorillas, a few guidelines were drafted to guide trekkers as they meet these elusive primate giants in their natural habitats. These include;
Limiting the number of trekkers that visit a gorilla group to 8 (in a group) per day
Spending not more than an hour in the presence of gorillas
Prohibiting contact between gorillas and humans (maintaining a minimum distance of 7 meters)
Prohibiting eating from the gorilla habitat
Travelers are advised not to look directly into the eyes of gorillas
Trekkers are encouraged to maintain silence while in the presence of gorillas
Best season for gorilla safaris
The dry seasons running between June to September and December to February is the best period to trek mountain gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo. Gorilla trekking is carried out in thick and rugged montane rainforests and the encounter proves to be more difficult in the wet season due to heavy rains and slippery conditions in the parks.
Packing list for gorilla safaris
Gorilla trekking is a tenacious encounter and requires some unique gear for a successful trek through the jungle. Some of the most important items include; hiking boots, gloves, a rain jacket, a pair of khaki trousers, a hat, and a long-sleeved shirt. Other items like a walking stick, drinking water, packed lunch, and snacks are provided by your accommodation lodge.
