Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda 2022/2023
Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda 2022/2023; Gorilla trekking is one of the major activities that attracts big numbers of tourists to travel to Uganda and Rwanda and it involves tourists moving on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of the endangered mountain gorillas and once found spend one hour with them in their environment. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in two national parks namely Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park while in Rwanda gorilla trekking is done in Volcanoes national park. Apart from Uganda and Rwanda, gorilla trekking is also done in Democratic Republic of Congo in Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda
Uganda is known as one of the best gorilla trekking destinations due to the fact that it harbors the highest number of mountain gorillas which are found in two national parks that is Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park both located in southwestern part of Uganda.
Mgahinga gorilla national park is a home of one habituated gorilla family Nyakagezi which is open for trekking and Bwindi impenetrable national park is a home of over 21 habituated gorilla family which are available for trekking daily and they are found in four sectors namely Rushaga sector in the south, Ruhija sector in the east, Buhoma sector in the south and Nkuringo sector in the south.
Bwindi impenetrable national park also offers gorilla habituation experience where the wild mountain gorillas are trained to get used to human presence for human presence for trekking. Gorilla habituation experience allows visitors to spend four hours in the presence of the mountain gorillas and its only done in Rushaga sector.
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is done in Volcanoes national park which is located in northwestern part of the country in Musanze village. Volcanoes national park is a home of about 11 habituated gorilla families available for trekking on a daily basis which makes it one of the best places for gorilla destinations.
Gorilla trekking experience
Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda starts very early in the morning at around 8:00am with a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow at the park headquarters. After the briefing you will be sub divided into groups of 8 people where each group will be allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is conversant with gorilla trekking trails. Trekking of the 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 visitors will be rewarded with views of other primate species, views of different bird species, plant and tree species among others. Once the mountain gorillas are located, visitors will be allowed to spend one hour with the gorillas where they will get a chance to learn more about their habits, behaviors, watch them feed, play, rest, groom young ones, breastfeed young ones, take photos and record the breathtaking moments.
Cost of gorilla trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda 2022/2023
Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda are legal cards or documents that are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority or Rwanda Development Authority to visitors above the age of 15 years allowing them to visit any habituated gorilla family in either Bwindi impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park or Volcanoes national park and spend one hour with the gorillas in their environment. Gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda cost 1,500 USD per person for all nationalities while gorilla trekking permits in Uganda cost 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.
How to book gorilla trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda
Gorilla trekking permits can either be booked directly through Uganda wildlife Authority (UWA) a government body in charge of tourism in Uganda or Rwanda Development Board (RDB) a government body in charge of tourism in Rwanda by contacting the head offices through email or telephone calls inquiring about permit availability. Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda can also be booked through a trusted our operator like Achieve Global Safaris where you will contact our tour consultants with the date, month, year and gorilla destination that you wish to visit. After contacting us, we will check for permit availability on your desired dates and if there are permits available you will be asked to make a deposit for the permit. Once the payment has been made, you will be asked to share copies of your passport details and we will be able to purchase the permits on your behalf and send you copies of the receipt as confirmation.
Booking gorilla trekking permits through Achieve Global Safaris is however the best option to use in that we will not only book for you permits but also plan for your entire safari which involves transportation to the gorilla destination, accommodation where you will stay during the safari, services of a full time driver guide, other activities to engage in after gorilla trekking and other interesting destinations to visit during the safari.
Best time to go for gorilla trekking safari in Uganda and Rwanda
Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda can be done anytime throughout the year though the bet time is during the dry season also known as the peak season in the months of June to September and December to February because during this period there is less rainfall in the gorilla destinations therefore access roads and gorilla trekking trails will be passable which makes gorilla trekking easy.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda can also be done in the low or rainy season during the months of March to May and October to November because regardless of the rainfall, you will still be able to view the mountain gorillas as it doesn’t rain the entire day. During the rainy season, permits can easily be acquired due to the fact that there are few tourists in the national parks and some luxury lodges offer discounts to visitors which favors budget travelers.
Where to stay during your gorilla trekking safari in Uganda and Rwanda
There are a number of accommodation facilities ranging from budget, midrange and luxury where tourist can stay during their gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi Impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park and Volcanoes national park. Travelers can either book the accommodations on their own or through a trusted tour operator and when cooking accommodation, tourists should consider location so that they book lodges that are near the starting point, Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda 2022/2023
What to pack for your gorilla trekking safari in Uganda and Rwanda
When going for your gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park and Volcanoes national park, there are a number of essential items that you should carry or pack including insect repellent to protect you from biting insects, long sleeved shirt and trouser, garden gloves, hiking boots, energy snacks and drinking water, camera and extra batteries, a pair of binoculars, waterproof rain jacket/ poncho, walking stick, warm sweater, waterproof back pack among others.
Other safari activities to do in Uganda and Rwanda after gorilla trekking
There are other interesting activities that visitors can engage in after the adventurous gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda including cultural tour, bird watching, guided nature walks, chimpanzee trekking, golden monkey trekking, Dian Fossey hike, game drives in savannah national parks, boat cruise safaris, mountain climbing among others.
For more information about gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda 2022/ 2023, do not hesitate to contact our experienced tour consultants at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website to book an affordable gorilla trekking package for 2022 or 2023.
