Reasons to trek mountain gorillas in Uganda.
Reasons to trek mountain gorillas in Uganda: Gorilla trekking, which entails walking through a tropical rainforest in search of mountain gorillas and spending an hour with them in their natural habitat, is the most well-liked activity that draws large numbers of tourists to Uganda.
Two national parks in Uganda are home to mountain gorillas: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which is situated in the country’s southwest, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which is home to the greatest number of mountain gorillas. Additionally, gorillas can be found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Kahuzi Biega National Park, Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, and the Virunga National Park.
Ugandan gorilla hiking experience
At the park headquarters, gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park begins early in the morning with a briefing regarding expectations, rules, and regulations. Following the briefing, you will be split up into groups of eight, with an experienced park guide and a habituated gorilla family assigned to each group.
Because mountain gorillas prefer to roam around in search of food, trekking with them in Uganda might take anywhere from two to seven hours, depending on their location. In addition to seeing other wildlife while trekking, you will have the chance to spend an hour with the gorillas in their natural habitat, where you can observe them going about their daily lives, learn more about their behaviors, take pictures, and record videos.
The price of a Ugandan gorilla trekking permit
In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, gorilla trekking licenses are 800 USD per person for non-resident foreigners, 700 USD per person for locals, and 300,000 UGX per person for inhabitants of East Africa.
How can I reserve a permit to gorilla trek in Uganda?
Through a reputable tour operator like Experiya Tour Company, you may directly book gorilla trekking permits in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Simply contact us with the date, month, year, and gorilla destination you want to visit. After getting in touch with us, we will verify whether permits are available on the dates you have selected. If they are, you will be required to pay a deposit. We may buy the permits on your behalf as soon as the payment is received, and we’ll email you a scanned copy of the receipt as proof.
Motivation for Ugandan mountain gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking is a unique and essential sport in Uganda. There are several reasons to walk the mountain gorillas, including
Travelers can choose to trek in either Mghinga Gorilla National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park because Uganda is home to the greatest number of mountain gorillas in the world, which can be found in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and the four sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: Buhoma Sector in the north, Rushaga Sector in the south, Ruhija Sector in the east, and Nkuringo Sector in the south.
Because Uganda has the most mountain gorilla families accessible for trekking each day, tourists—especially those who go at the last minute—can be sure they will be granted gorilla trekking permits.
Motivation for Ugandan mountain gorilla trekking
In contrast to Volcanoes National Park, where a gorilla trekking permit costs 1,500 USD per person for all nationalities, hiking mountain gorillas in Uganda is inexpensive because the permit is 700 USD per person for international non-residents.
In addition to gorilla trekking, Uganda provides the exciting gorilla habituation experience, in which visitors can spend four hours with the mountain gorillas instead of just one hour, as the wild gorillas are tamed to become accustomed to human presence for trekking.
The easy access to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park via air transportation—travelers can schedule domestic flights from Entebbe International Airport to Kihihi or Kisoro airstrips—is another reason to trek the mountain gorillas in Uganda.
From Kigali, Rwanda, visitors can fly to Kigali International Airport and then travel to Uganda via the Cyanika border in Kisoro or the Katuna border in Kabale, which takes roughly four to five hours by car. From there, they can easily reach Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
In addition to gorilla trekking, Uganda offers a number of other destinations that you can combine with your adventure. Following your gorilla trekking experience, you can partake in a variety of fascinating activities, such as wildlife viewing, guided nature walks, batwa cultural experiences, chimpanzee trekking, golden monkey trekking, mountain climbing, lion tracking, boat cruises, white water rafting, sport fishing, and chimpanzee habituation experiences.
The ideal time to visit Uganda for a gorilla trekking expedition
While gorilla trekking is possible throughout the year in Uganda, the best time to do it is during the dry season, which runs from June to September and December to February. This is because the park receives less rainfall during this time, making access roads and gorilla trekking trails passable, making trekking easier than during the rainy season, when the trails are muddy and slippery.
What should I bring on my Ugandan gorilla trekking safari?
Insect repellent, long-sleeved shirts and pants, hiking shoes, garden gloves, energy snacks and drinking water, a camera and extra batteries, face masks, a waterproof rain jacket, a warm sweater, binoculars, a walking stick, and a backpack are just a few of the things you should bring on your gorilla trekking safari in Uganda.
