Frequently Asked Questions About Gorilla Trekking
10 frequently asked questions about gorilla trekking in Uganda
Many questions about gorilla trekking arise before one plans to for for the activity. Therefore, there is a need to first know what one should necessarily do to have a successful gorilla tour. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is one of the most popular and rewarding activities. Thus, this article serves to inform you about the crucial aspects of a gorilla trekking safari.
Some of the Popular Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safaris
Discounted 3-day Gorilla Trekking Safari from Kigali
4-day Uganda Gorilla Trekking from Kigali
5 Days Gorilla and Game Safari
Some of the questions that are asked about gorilla trekking in Uganda include the following;
What is gorilla trekking?
Gorilla trekking is an activity during which individuals visit the gorillas. They find them in their natural habitats and spend time watching the gorillas closely.
The activity involves a briefing at the park headquarters about the rules of gorilla trekking. Then, the grouping of tourists and assigning ranger guides and gorilla families follows. Note that 8 tourists visit each gorilla family per day around the gorilla trekking destinations in Uganda.
Depending on the location of the gorillas in the forests, tourists can spend a few hours in the forests or a longer period looking for the habituated gorillas.
Which destination in Uganda does gorilla trekking take place?
When visiting Uganda, you can do gorilla trekking in 2 destinations in the southwestern part of the country. These include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park.
Dense tropical rainforests make up Bwindi National Park, and it’s where gorilla trekking takes place. Gorilla trekking tours take place across its different sectors which include Rushaga, Buhoma, Nkuringo, and Ruhija. Each of the sectors offers exciting gorilla treks with the gorilla families that are ready for trekking. There are also many other activities to engage in including community tours, hiking, nature walks, and also bird watching excursions.
In Mgahinga National Park, tourists can enjoy gorilla trekking experiences in the forests with the Nyakagezi gorilla group. This national park is also home to golden monkeys and other primates. These include black and white colobus monkeys, and red-tailed monkeys among others. From Mgahinga, you can also choose to hike the mountains of Gahinga, Sabinyo, and Muhabura.
You can access the two destinations for gorilla trekking in Uganda by flight. You fly from Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro Airstrip or Kihihi Airstrip. Alternatively, you can drive for about 8-9 hours from Entebbe to the two national parks. Also, another easier way is flying to Kigali and then embarking on a 4-hour drive to the two National parks.
What is the cost of gorilla trekking in Uganda?
The permit fee mainly affects gorilla trekking costs in Uganda. The permit fee is 800 USD for foreign nonresidents and 700 USD for foreign residents. 500 USD is for citizens from other African countries and 300,000 Ugandan shillings for East African citizens.
The gorilla permit fee applies to individuals above the age of 15 years. They are the ones that the Uganda Wildlife Authority allows to engage in gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga National Park during tours in Uganda.
Other costs of gorilla trekking in Uganda include transport costs and accommodation costs. However, your budget greatly determines how much these costs. These categories may be budget, midrange, or high-end/luxury. The cost also depends on other personal expenses such as porter hire, tipping, souvenir shopping, and others.
How Do I get gorilla trekking permits in Uganda?
Uganda Wildlife Authority in Uganda issues Gorilla permits. You can also obtain it through a tour operator with experience like Safari Vacations and Travel Services.
Also, UWA issues a certain number of gorilla permits for gorilla trekking experiences daily in Bwindi and Mgahinga. The availability of these permits varies from one sector to another for Bwindi National Park. Thus, it is important to check availability before booking the tour to Uganda.
How safe is gorilla trekking in Uganda?
Gorilla trekking in Uganda is safe and there are many safety precautions. UWA put them in place so that tourists follow them during the activity around Bwindi and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Some of the safety precautions to be followed during gorilla trekking in Uganda include keeping a distance of about 7 meters from the gorillas, moving with ranger guides in the forests, having a briefing before the gorilla trek, limiting the number of individuals visiting the gorillas daily among others.
What are the rules or guidelines to follow during gorilla trekking in Uganda?
This is one of the questions about gorilla trekking in Uganda that you should consider. There are different rules and regulations put in place for tourists to follow during gorilla trekking experiences. These include no use of flash photography to record the gorillas and not making noise in the presence of the gorillas. Also, you should not eat in the presence of the gorillas, not feed them, and, keep a distance of about 7 meters from them. Only individuals above 15 years of age visit the gorillas in Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga National Park.
What should I pack for a gorilla trekking experience in Uganda?
Packing the right items for the gorilla trekking experience in Uganda is important. This ensures a successful tour and some of the things to pack include insect repellant, sunscreen, and hiking shoes. Also, you should pack long-sleeved shirts, jackets, cameras, a day pack, a sun hat, sunglasses, and garden gloves.
It is important to keep in mind that even during the dry season around June to October which is arguably the best time for gorilla trekking in Uganda, tourists should consider packing rain clothes. This is so because it can rain at any time in the forests during the search for the gorillas.
What is the best time for gorilla trekking in Uganda?
A crucial question that you should consider about gorilla trekking. You can do Gorilla trekking in Uganda both during the rainy season and also in the dry season. This is the best time to visit the gorillas of Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga National Park.
The dry season is during January and February and also around June to October. Many tourists visit Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga National Park for gorilla trekking.
What is the amount for tips during gorilla trekking in Uganda?
Tipping is a form of appreciation for the services you receive during the gorilla trekking tour in Uganda. As much as it is not compulsory, these tips which you can give to guides, rangers, or porters around Bwindi National Park or Mgahinga National Park can range from 15 USD to 30 USD or more.
How can gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda be booked?
You can book Gorilla trekking tours in Uganda through a licensed tour operator (see the form at the end of the article). We’ll arrange for the safari, book the gorilla permits, and ensure everything is in order including transport, accommodation, activities, meals, and other trip details.
Booking the gorilla safari through a tour operator also makes it easy to get information about gorilla trekking in Uganda. This includes how to get there, activities to do, other destinations in Uganda to visit, additional activities, and what to pack among other things.
