MEMORABLE  GORILLA SAFARI

Travel adventures have in the past loved wildlife and Savannah trails with a lot of flora and fauna being the fountain of tourism attraction, apparently the works of Dr. Diana Fossey which was displayed in a Movie “Gorillas in the Mist” have attracted many travelers to Africa specifically Uganda, Rwanda and D.R.Congo. the giant gentle Apes create a unique encounter and thus many visitors have been satisfied and termed it a memorable gorilla safari which you can never go wrong while choosing how and where to spend your holiday.

Mountain gorillas inhabit Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes national Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in Democratic Republic of Congo. The Afro-Montane vegetation ranges of the land they inhabit foster their existence and thus they tend to move up and down the forests in search for fruits and vegetation for their survival, the movements therefore at times prompt travelers to move long hikes in search for the memorable gorilla safari which will be breath taking and a once in a lifetime experience.

Gorilla habituation experience.  

One of the exceptional and thrilling moment to the gentle Ape is habituation experience, therefore gorilla habituation is the process where gorilla families are taught how to relate with human beings once you encounter them in a friendly and violent free atmosphere. The process is moderated by experienced ranger guides and thus spend a period of 2-3 years understanding the different behaviors of a given gorilla family before being opened to travelers for trekking in the jungle. It’s upon this that the currently opened gorilla trekking families open for visitors to trek have been habituated and non-violent which means that safety on your memorable gorilla safari is guaranteed in the jungle with the gorillas.

Therefore visitors who are interested in habituation experience will be subjected to 4 hour experience with the gentle Apes in the jungle where armed ranger guides and researchers will accompany you through the entire experience and ensure that you’re satisfied on your safari. This activity is apparently conducted in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Rushaga Sector.

Gorilla trekking Experience.

Gorilla trekking experience is an hour encounter with the primates, besides gorilla habituation, on gorilla trekking you are allowed to spend one hour of experience with the gorillas however this is not counted on the time you spend while tracing the movement of the family in the forest, with the stipulated time you are allowed to take plenty of pictures and ask as many questions to the ranger for clarification on their behaviors and return to the park headquarters.

How to get to Bwindi/Mgahinga gorilla national park

Bwindi is found in southwestern Uganda about 530km from the capital, Kampala which is approximately 7-8 hour drive to your destination, The journey is amazing as it enable visitors view the rolling hills of Kigezi region, Lake Bunyonyi, the Uganda Equator, road side craft and fresh fruit shops. If you are from Kigali, Rwanda, its 3-4 hours.

By Air, you can choose to fly from Entebbe or from Kampala at Kajansi airfield to the up to date tarmac airstrip found at Kisoro. Bwindi is actually well served by 3 airfields at Kihihi plus Kayonza for the northern area in addition to Nyakabande found in Kisoro for people going to track mountain gorillas within the southern area including Mishaya, Nshongi and Nkuringo

 How much is a gorilla trekking permit

One of the requisitions of gorilla trekking is possessing a gorilla permit. This is one of the document that is needed for one to qualify to undertake the memorable experience to the gorillas. Therefore the cost of gorilla permits in Uganda stand at a cost of $600 though there was a slight increase of $100 to be implemented by 1^st JULY 2020, and the cost of gorilla habituation is $1500, all the permit are issues as “per person per trek”.

How to access a gorilla permit?

Accessing your memorable gorilla safari trekking permit is quite simple depending on which way you would like to acquire the permits. Gorilla trekking permits can be purchased online through sending an email to Uganda Wildlife Authority which is the mandated body to issue out gorilla permits to different sectors however there is a lot of bureaucracy and quite time consuming however we mostly recommend use of a trusted local tour operator whom you can send your bio-metric information coupled with dates, month and year when you would like to go for the exploration and can as well arrange for you other necessary facilities like transport, accommodation and others to quicken your overload for the trip. Endeavor to book as early as possible (4-5) months before since the demand is high and secure your availability for your tracking dates.

How to Plan for your memorable gorilla safari.

Planning is an essential tool before embarking on your tour. At safari Vacations & Travel Services we offer free consultation upon different opinions for your safari depending on your budget and the period you would like to spend on your safari to make it more adventurous and storytelling once you’re done with the exploration back home. We have a team of experienced travel consultants who will be able to respond to your inquiries and help you plan for your trip according to your preference and budget friendly and ass well make sure that there is no stone that is left unturned.

Whether you’re a long time traveler or first time traveler trust me Uganda has got a lot of potential tourism destinations, flora and fauna that will blend your safari into a memorable one and with a lot of storytelling. Plan your visit with us as we take your through the Pearl of Africa with experienced travel guides who will share with you great knowledge and relevant information as you enjoy your safari.

There are lot of other interesting attractions to include in your itinerary including traditional game viewing safaris in savanna national parks, chimpanzee tracking, mountaineering, bird watching, sport fishing and simply viewing the rich scenic beauty of Uganda.