Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda; Gorilla trekking is an adventurous and one of the popular activities that attracts big numbers of tourists to visit Uganda and Rwanda. Gorilla trekking in both countries involves tourists moving on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of the habituated mountain gorillas and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. In Uganda gorilla trekking is done in two national parks that is Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park while in Rwanda gorilla trekking is done in Volcanoes national park.
Where to go for gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
Gorilla trekking in Uganda
Uganda is famously known for harboring half of the world’s mountain gorilla population which are found in two national parks, Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park both located in southwestern region. 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 Buhoma in the north, Nkuringo in the south, Ruhija in the east and Rushaga in the south and all the gorilla families are available for trekking on a daily basis.
Uganda also offers the interesting gorilla habituation experience where the wild mountain gorillas are trained to get used to human presence for trekking. Gorilla habituation experience is only carried out in Rushaga sector in the southern part of Bwindi impenetrable national park and it allows visitors to spend four hours with the mountain gorillas under the habituation process.
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is done in Volcanoes national park which is located in northwestern part of Rwanda in Musanze village. Volcanoes national park is a home of about 10 habituated gorilla families which are available for trekking on a daily basis.
Gorilla trekking experience
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park and Volcanoes national park starts very early in the morning with a briefing at the park headquarters about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing, you 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 and Rwanda takes about 30 minutes to 7 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, mammals, view different bird species, plants among others. Once the mountain gorillas are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you a chance to learn more about their behaviors, habits, watch them carry out their daily activities, take photos and record the moments.
Best time to go for gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda can be done all year round though the best period is during the dry also known as the peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February. During the dry season there is less or little rainfall in the gorilla destinations therefore access roads to the national parks and gorilla trekking trails will be dry and passable which make trekking easy compared to the dry season when the trails are muddy and slippery which make trekking difficult.
Cost of a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda and Rwanda
A gorilla trekking permit is a legal card that is issued to any visitor above the age of 15 years allowing him or her to visit a habituated gorilla family in either Bwindi impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park or Volcanoes national park. A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda costs 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 trekking permit in Volcanoes national park costs 1,500 USD per person for all nationalities.
How to book gorilla trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda
There are two options of booking gorilla trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda for example booking directly through Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) a government body in charge of tourism in Uganda and Rwanda Development Board (RDB) a government body in charge of tourism in Rwanda by contacting the head offices via email or telephone calls.
Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda can also be booked through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris where by you will contact us with the dates and gorilla destinations that you wish to visit. After contacting us, we will check for permit availability and if the permits are available on your desired dates, you will be asked to make a deposit for the permit. 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 and Rwanda should be booked 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because the permits are competitive and get sold out quickly especially during the dry 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.
Where to stay during gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
There are a number of accommodation facilities which range from budget, midrange and luxury in Bwindi impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park and Volcanoes national park where you can stay during your gorilla trekking safari.
Gorilla trekking is an interesting and exceptional activity that can be combined with wildlife viewing, lion tracking experience, bird watching or boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth national park during your safari. For more information about gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda, you can contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website to book an affordable gorilla trekking package.
