Gorilla trekking in Uganda from Kigali

Gorilla trekking in Uganda from Kigali

Gorilla trekking in Uganda from Kigali: Uganda is the Pearl of Africa in that it harbors half of the world’s mountain gorillas which make it the best gorilla trekking destination in the world. Gorilla trekking is a thrilling activity where visitors move 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 is the most popular activity in Uganda and it’s carried out in two destinations namely Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park. There are other destinations in Africa where gorilla trekking is carried out such as Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Destinations for gorilla trekking in Uganda

Bwindi impenetrable national park, the national park is located in southwestern Uganda and it’s the most visited gorilla destination in Africa in that it harbors the highest number of mountain gorillas. Bwindi impenetrable national park harbors about 19 habituated gorilla families which are found in four sectors of the park namely Ruhija, Rushaga, Buhoma and Nkuringo sector. There are two gorilla sectors in Bwindi impenetrable national park which are easily accessed by visitors while travelling from Kigali and they include Rushaga sector and Nkuringo sector both located in the southern part of the park.

Mgahinga gorilla national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park is another destination located in southwester Uganda harboring the endangered mountain gorillas. The national park is a home of two habituated gorilla families namely Nyakagezi and Hirwa family. Hirwa gorilla family migrated from Volcanoes national park to add on Nyakagezi family therefore it’s visited by travelers in Uganda. When travelling from Kigali Mgahinga gorilla national park can be accessed through Cyanika border in Kisoro district.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in two destinations which are located in southwestern region therefore when travelling from Kampala to the gorilla destinations it takes about 8 to 9 hours’ drive to reach the park headquarters therefore trekking the mountain gorillas from Kigali is the best option in that you will fly to Kigali international airport and then connect by road to either Bwindi impenetrable national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park via Cyanika border in Kisoro or Katuna border in Kabale which takes about 3 to 4 hours’ drive.

Reasons for trekking gorillas in Uganda from Kigali

Short distance, it’s a short distance drive from Kigali to Bwindi impenetrable national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park because it takes about 3 to 4 hour whereas driving from Kampala to Bwindi impenetrable national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park takes about 8 to 10 hours’ drive because these gorilla destinations are located in southwestern Uganda therefore visitors who trek the ,mountain gorillas in Uganda from Kigali will drive for a short distance hence saving on transport costs and time.

Save money, it’s cheaper trekking the mountain gorillas in Uganda from Kigali in that a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda costs $600 for foreign non-residents while a gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda costs $1500 for all nationalities therefore when you trek gorillas in Uganda you will have saved half of the money.

Short trip, due to the short distance from Kigali to Bwindi impenetrable national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park, you can do a gorilla trekking safari of 2 days where on the first day you travel to the park and on the second day you carry out gorilla trekking and travel back to Kigali for you next flight. This is however not possible for visitors travelling from Kampala or Entebbe airport because the least number of days for a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda is 3 where by on the first day you will travel for the whole day to the park, on the second day you will carry out gorilla trekking and on the third day you will transfer back to Kampala or Entebbe.

Booking a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda from Kigali gives you an opportunity to visit two countries in that you will be able to visit Rwanda the land of a thousand hills with various attractions like Kigali genocide and attractions in Uganda such as the, homesteads, Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale, Batwa people, visit other national parks such as Queen Elizabeth national park, Lake Mburo national park among others.

Best time for gorilla trekking safari in Uganda

Gorilla trekking 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 during this period there is less rainfall in the gorilla destinations therefore access roads to the gorilla destinations will be passable, there will be short bushes in Bwindi forest and Mgahinga gorilla national park which enables you to clearly view the mountain gorillas in the forest and gorilla trekking trails in the jungle will be dry and passable hence making gorilla trekking successful.

Gorilla trekking can also be carried out in the rainy season during the months of March to May and October to November. During the rainy season the forest receive heavy rainfall which makes access roads and gorilla trekking trails muddy and slippery. Though the rainy season makes gorilla trekking difficult it has some advantages for example the gorilla trekking permits will be less competitive in that the last minute travellers can also be able to acquire a permit, there will be less crowds in the national parks and some lodges will offer discounts as a way of attracting visitors.

Uganda is the best destination for gorilla trekking in that apart from harboring half of the world’s mountain gorillas, it offers an affordable gorilla trekking permit which favors the budget visitors and the mountain gorillas in Uganda are found in two national parks.

Visitors interested in trekking gorillas in Uganda from Kigali can book packages like 2 days gorilla trekking Uganda from Kigali, 3 days Uganda gorilla safari from Kigali among others or contact us for more information.