Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
Gorilla trekking; several travelers normally ask different questions in regard to gorilla trekking, both in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo.
What is gorilla trekking?
Gorilla trekking is a process whereby a group of trekkers, alongside armed rangers and guides, are in position to follow up the mountain gorillas that have already been habituated and used to humans as they go on with their daily life of roaming in the forest. The art of trekking gorillas includes searching for the allocated gorilla family via different trails with in the forest until trekkers finally spot them.
Where can one trek mountain gorillas?
Gorilla trekking is carried out in 3 best countries including Uganda which harbors the largest population of mountain gorillas in the entire world including Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda: In Uganda, mountain gorilla trekking is done in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, all situated in south western part of Uganda. Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park has over 15 habituated mountain gorillas that are trekked all year round with in four sectors including Rushaga sector, Ruhija sector, Buhoma sector and Nkuringo sector. However, Rushaga sector is also the best sector where mountain gorilla habituation experience is also carried out.
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda: In Rwanda, Mountain gorilla trekking is done in Volcanoes National Park which is the second best destination for gorilla trekking after Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Uganda.
Gorilla trekking in DRCongo: In Congo , mountain gorilla trekking is done in Virunga national park and this is the third destination for gorilla trekking in Africa after Uganda and Rwanda.
How much is gorilla trekking permit in Uganda, Rwanda & DR Congo?
Different country set its own cost of a gorilla trekking permit thus it’s up to trekker to choose which destination to trek gorillas in relation to the gorilla trekking permit.
The cost of gorilla trekking permit in Uganda as of now is $800 per person for foreign nonresidents, $700 per person for foreign residents and UgX.300, 000 for Ugandans and East African citizens.
In Rwanda, gorilla trekking permit costs $1500 per person which is equivalent to a gorilla habituation experience in Uganda.
In DRC, gorilla trekking permit costs $400 per person for all visitors and 150$ Congolese residents. This implies that DRC offers the cheapest gorilla trekking permits all year round enables budget trekkers to also spend an hour with mountain gorillas in their natural habitats.
These gorilla trekking permits can be obtained either directly at the boards managing the parks for instance in Uganda, gorilla trekking permits can be obtained from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) that enables travelers to trek in either Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla national park or both. In Rwanda, gorilla trekking permits are obtained from Rwanda Development Board (RDB). This Rwanda permit enables a trekker to trek gorillas within Volcanoes national park. While in DRC, gorilla trekking permits are obtained from virunga park managements to trek gorillas in Virunga National Park. However, these permits can be obtained through a trusted tour operator.
What should I expect to inclusive and Exclusive in a gorilla trekking permit?
A gorilla trekking permit comes with a lot of benefits including the park entrance fees, this implies that once you book a gorilla trekking permit then no need to pay park entrance fees. This is applicable in both Bwindi impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park, Volcanoes national park and Virunga national park. A gorilla trekking permit also includes ranger fees, a full hour of close contact with gorillas, the park security and police patrol fees and other benefits as communicated during the briefing on a gorilla trekking day.
How long does gorilla trekking last in Uganda, Rwanda & Congo?
Duration of gorilla trekking is yet a frequently asked question about gorilla trekking. Well, there is no specific time fixed for gorilla trekking since trekkers end up with different experience while in the jungle trekking gorillas. However, Gorilla trekking is usually taken as a full day activity ranging between 2-7 hours or even to a full day depending on several factors such as movement of mountain gorillas since we are never sure of how far they will move on the trekking day as sometimes gorillas tend to spend their day up in the hill while sometimes they be nearby so this to determines the length of gorilla trekking. Also, the movement of trekkers will determine the duration of gorilla trekking since all trekker s must move at the pace of the slowest trekker.
However much the gorilla trekking is considered a full day activity, when travelers finally come closer to gorillas they are allowed to spend only One hour taking photographs and learning different gorilla behaviors. Therefore, the maximum duration offered to trekkers in close contact with the mountain gorillas is ONE hour and after this one hour, trekkers have to leave the gorillas since they don’t need to be interrupted.
When is the best time / season to trek mountain gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda & Congo?
The best time / season for gorilla trekking is usually the dry months from June to September and from December to February. In these months the parks dry and passable thus making gorilla trekking more enjoyable unlike in rainy months when parks tend to be slippery, Muddy and with thick blush that some tines make gorilla trekking abit tiresome. All in all, gorilla trekking can be enjoyed all year round whether during high or low season but the nature and condition of the park tend to be harsh during rainy months than in dry months. Choose the best month to have an adventurous and memories experience but keep in mind that during high season, gorilla permits tend to get sold off very fast as compared to low seasons. Also, during low season, the parks are less congested as compared to high season when several travelers are on safari thus congesting the parks but the overall condition of the park is good for trekkers and other travelers on other safaris such as wildlife viewing safaris, birding safaris and nature walks.
What is the gorilla trekking minimum age in Uganda, Rwanda & Congo?
15 years is the minimum age limit when it comes to gorilla trekking in both Uganda, Rwanda and DRC. A person aged 15 years is considered to be mature and able to manage and handle the straining trails while trekking gorillas. Also a person of 15 years can understand the rules and regulations and even try to follow all instructions given by the rangers and guides during gorilla trekking including minimizing the noise level while in the jungle and many other regulations that are put up to ensure security and safety of both gorillas and trekkers and that’s the reason as to why the minimum gorilla trekking age limit was set at 15 years.
What are the chances of seeing the mountain gorillas during the gorilla trekking safari?
Travelers should be informed that the probability of encountering mountain gorillas during trekking is as high as 99% this is possible due to the fact that before embarking on a gorilla trekking adventure, rangers already know where the particular gorilla families are and it’s a matter of trekking through the forest to get to where it is and I am pretty sure that no one has ever missed out a chance of encountering gorillas during the trekking safari.
Is it possible to trek gorillas in Uganda via Kigali Rwanda?
yes, this is the best way for travelers to arrive in Kigali and then cross into Uganda for gorilla trekking safari at a cheaper gorilla permit. This is also very advantageous as it saves travelers time as the journey from Kigali to Kisoro where gorilla trekking is carried out is between 4-5 hours as compared to 11-12 hours’ drive from Kampala to Kisoro.
How many people are allowed to trek mountain gorillas?
Well, a maximum number of 8 persons is allowed to trek a particular mountain gorilla both in Bwindi Impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national, Volcanoes national park and Virunga national park. And these group of trekkers is limited to only one hour of close viewing.
What are the requirements for gorilla trekking safari in Uganda, Rwanda & Congo?
Below are the requirements each trekker must have;
A gorilla trekking permit: once you are done booking your permit, the first thing to remember is to pack a gorilla permit since it’s the gate pass to access the home of mountain gorillas thus no permit, no trekking gorillas. As mentioned earlier, this gorilla trekking permit can be obtained direct from boards governing wildlife or from a tour operator.
A camera: like any other safari, travelers never miss out a Camera in their back packs and the same applies to mountain gorilla trekking safari, ensure that you pack a camera and well charged batteries that can keep you throughout your gorilla safari in order not to miss out capturing such awesome moments while in jungle with the endangered mountain gorillas.
Appropriate gorilla trekking attire: After packing the camera and the gorilla trekking permit, the next thing is to pack the best gorilla trekking attire which includes;
Lightweight but waterproof hiking shoes to help you walk through mud, thorns, and the lightweight enables you to feel comfortable while trekking gorillas since it requires more hours on a walk.
Long sleeved trousers and shirt to protect both your legs and arms from injuries by thorns, and other itchy plants with in the forest during gorilla trekking
A rain jacket to protect you from getting wet in case it rains while on a gorilla trekking safari since you won’t be able to find a house for shelter therefore a rain jacket will be your savior at that moment.
A warm sweater to keep you warm during cold day in the jungle while trekking gorillas
Sun glasses should also be included in your back pack for eye protection from foreign materials and even protect your eyes from direct sunlight.
A cap for sun protection
Garden gloves to ensure that your hands are safe since during gorilla trekking hand land on several things including thorns.
Insect repellent to expel away insects, including tsetse flies, mosquitoes and other insects that might bite you while on a gorilla trekking adventure.
Sunscreen is also crucial to protect the body parts exposed to the sun from sunburns.
Snacks to keep you energetic during a fascinating gorilla trekking safari
A hiking stick is also necessary to offer support to the trekker, but several trekkers obtain one from the park headquarters during the gorilla trekking briefing.
