Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: Gorilla trekking / Uganda gorilla trekking is an exceptional activity where visitors above the age of fifteen years move into the dense tropical rainforests in search of the habituated gorilla families and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat.
Gorilla trekking is carried out in five African destinations namely Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda, Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park in Democratic Republic of Congo.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park
The national park was gazetted in 1991 mainly to protect and conserve the endangered mountain gorillas and was declared a UNESCO natural world heritage site in 1994. Bwindi impenetrable national park is located in south western Uganda in Kanungu district. The park covers an area of 327 square kilometers and harbors the highest number of endangered mountain species in Africa.
Bwindi impenetrable national park is a home of about 19 habituated gorilla families which are found in four sectors namely Rushaga sector with 8 gorilla group including Mishaya, Nshongi, Kahungye, Bweza, Busingye, Bikyingi, Mucunguzi and Rwigi families, Ruhija sector with four habituated gorilla groups including Bitukura, Oruzogo, Kyaguriro and Mukiza families, Nkuringo sector with three habituated gorilla groups including Nkuringo, Bushaho and Christmas families and Buhoma sector with four habituated gorillas including Mubare, Habinyanja, Rushegura and Katwe families.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park starts in the morning with a briefing about the expectations, rules and regulations. After the briefing you will be grouped into 8 individuals depending on age and physical fitness so that visitors who are not physically fit are allocated a gorilla family that is near. You will then start trekking in the jungle with a park guide who will be sharing information about the mountain gorillas.
Trekking the endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park takes about 2 to 7 hours in the jungle depending on the location of the gorillas and once found you will spend one hour with them in their natural habitat learning more about their lifestyle, behaviors, habits, taking photos and recording the moments to show people back home after the safari.
Bwindi impenetrable national park is an extra ordinary destination in Africa in that it’s the only gorilla destination which offers gorilla habituation experience a process where the mountain gorillas are trained to get used to human presence. Gorilla habituation experience is carried out in Rushaga sector which is located in the southern part of the park and the process takes a period of 2 to 3 years. Visitors who engage in gorilla habituation experience spend four hours with the endangered mountain gorillas monitoring them, observing their habits, behaviors and also engage in naming the young gorillas.
After gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park you will be issued a certificate to signify that you have participated in gorilla trekking activity in the park.
Cost of a gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi impenetrable national park
A gorilla trekking permit is a document/ card that is issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority to any visitor above the age of fifteen years allowing him or her to engage in gorilla trekking in any destination. A single gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi impenetrable national park costs $600 for foreign non-residents, $500 for foreign residents and UGX 250,000 for East African citizens. The gorilla trekking permit in Uganda was however increased by $100 therefore effective 1st July 2020 a gorilla trekking permit for foreign non-residents will cost $700 and $600 for foreign residents.
A gorilla habituation permit in Bwindi impenetrable national park costs $1500 for foreign non-residents, $1000 for foreign residents and UGX 750,000 for East African citizens
How to book for a gorilla trekking permit
A gorilla trekking permit can either be booked directly through contacting Uganda Wildlife Authority offices in Kampala by email or telephone calls or you can book through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris. when booking through Achieve Global Safaris you will contact us with the date, month and year when you want to engage in gorilla trekking, we will check for permit availability and if there are permits matching your dates you will be asked to make a deposit on the permit. When the deposit has been made you will be asked to send your scanned passport details which will be used to register for your permit. We will pay for your gorilla trekking permit and send you a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation.
When to book for a gorilla trekking permit
A gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi impenetrable national park should be booked 3 to 4 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 peak season in the months of June to September and December to February.
Where to stay during your gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi impenetrable national park
the national park has a wide range of luxury, midrange, budget and camping sites where visitors on a gorilla trekking safari can stay including Gorilla Resort, Mahogany Springs Camp, Bwindi View Bandas, Engagi Lodge, Silverback Lodge, Volcanoes Safari Bwindi Lodge, Lake Kitandara Camp, Buhoma Lodge, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, Jungle View Lodge, Gorilla Friends Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Camp, Trekkers Tavern Cottages, Ruhija Gorilla Mist Camp, Cuckooland Tented Lodge, Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge, Gift of Nature Lodge, Wagtail Eco Safari Camp, Ruhija Community Rest Camp, Ruhija Gorilla Friends Resort and Campsite among others. the lodges are strategically located in that they offer spectacular views of the forest, home steads, birds, animals, offer quality amenities and facilities like comfortable beds, en-suite bathrooms, bar, restaurant which serves local and international dishes, sitting room, gardens for relation after gorilla trekking, free Wi-Fi in public areas among others.
Best time to go to gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park can be done anytime throughout the year though the best time is during the dry season in the months of June to September and December to February. The dry season is also known as the peak season and most visitors prefer travelling during the peak/dry season because during this period there is less rainfall in the park therefore access roads to the park headquarters will be passable, gorilla trekking trails in the jungle will be dry and passable which makes gorilla trekking exciting and there will be short shrubs in the forest which enables you to clearly view the mountain gorillas.
Bwindi impenetrable national park also experiences the rainy season in the months of March to May and October to November. During this period there is heavy rainfall in the forest which makes gorilla trekking trails muddy and slippery. most visitors do not prefer to travel during the rainy season due to heavy rainfall and visitors who travel get some advantages like exploring the entire park alone because there will be less crowds, discounts on the luxury accommodations and acquiring a gorilla permit at the last minute which is quite impossible during the dry season.
What to pack on your gorilla trekking safari
Weather in Bwindi impenetrable national park is unpredictable in that it can rain anytime of the day regardless of the season therefore visitors are advised to pack various items for their safari including hiking shoes which reach your ankles to support you during trekking in the jungle, garden gloves, long sleeved shirt and trousers to give you warmth, waterproof rain jacket to protect you from the rain, insect repellent, energy snacks, walking stick, warm sweater, back pack to carry your items, camera for taking photos and recording the moments and many others.
How to get to Bwindi impenetrable national park
The national park is located in southwestern Uganda and can be accessed by both road and air transport means
Air transport, there are domestic companies like Aerolink Uganda limited which operate scheduled and chartered flights daily from Entebbe airport or Kajansi airfield to Kihihi airstrip which take about 1 hour and 45 minutes and then connect to the park headquarters by road. Air transport is the best option for visitors who want don’t like travelling long distance journeys and those who want to reach faster.
Road transport, when travelling to Bwindi impenetrable national park using road transport you will drive from Kampala via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale and then to the one of the sectors in the park where you will trekking from. The journey takes about 8 hours’ drive and is full of beautiful views of the scenery, local people, equator among others.
Bwindi impenetrable national park can also be accessed from Kigali Rwanda and when using this option you will fly to Kigali international airport and then connect to Bwindi impenetrable national park via Katuna border in Kabale which takes about 3 to 4 hours’ drive. When using this option it will save you from driving long distance.
You can also access the national park from Queen Elizabeth national park which is the second largest and one of the most visited national parks in Uganda. When you want to access Bwindi impenetrable forest from Queen Elizabeth national park, you will drive from Kampala to Queen Elizabeth national park and then connect to Bwindi impenetrable forest via Ishasha sector where you will have an opportunity to view the tree climbing lions lying up in the fig/acacia tree branches.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park is a thrilling and incredible activity that will give you breathtaking and unforgettable experiences on your safari in Uganda. You can book a gorilla trekking package with Achieve global safaris or check on our website.
