Gorilla trekking Uganda Trip Advisor
Gorilla trekking Uganda Trip Advisor
Are you interested in seeing the gorillas in Africa and trekking Uganda mountain gorillas, Gorilla trekking Uganda Trip Advisor? Are you worried about your safety in the Jungle to see the gorillas in their natural Environment? Worry not, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is safe for Gorilla trekking in Uganda Africa. Uganda and Bwindi are the leading destinations to see the gorillas. The park is home to half of the remaining mountain gorillas in the wild. Hence, you will be sure to have the ultimate gorilla experience.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
In Uganda, tourists go gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The park is in southwestern Uganda sharing a border with Congo. It is one of the only two parks in Uganda where you can trek and see the magnificent Mountain Gorillas. You watch them in their natural habitat; the other place to see them is Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. The park is home to more than half of the only remaining population of Mountain Gorillas. This thus makes it a famous and best place to trek the Mountain Gorillas. The park is one of the oldest forests in Africa and is declared a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. Tourists go Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Forest National Park in the Rushaga, Buhoma, Ruhija, and Nkuringo sectors. The experience in all the sectors is the same and very enjoyable.
The chance of seeing the gorillas in Uganda is 98%. This is because Uganda has half of the world’s population of these great endangered apes. There are 22 habituated gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The wardens allocate 8 visitors per day to every gorilla family. This thus allows you to visit the gorillas any time of the year. The activity is safe and such a lifetime experience on your travel list.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Gorilla trekking means visiting the gorillas in their natural habitat in the forest. The trek in the Bwindi forest starts at 7:00 am with a briefing at every Park headquarters in each region. The briefing is generally on the dos and don’ts while moving in the forest and with the gorillas. After briefing, the park guides, rangers, and trackers lead you to the forest to find the gorillas. They’ll give you one hour to view the gorillas after finding them and later you return to the starting point. You then receive a certificate for the successful gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
The gorillas are amazing to watch as they have 95% of the human DNA. Only eight visitors see gorillas in each habituated family per day. This is according to Uganda Wildlife Authority policy to conserve the gorillas. To be eligible to do gorilla trekking, you must be 15 years or older as per the policy. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is safe for gorilla trekking. Hence, policies and guidelines are in place for trekking and conservation which as Safari Vacations and Travel Services we always share with you while planning your gorilla trip.
How many gorilla trekking families are in Bwindi for gorilla trekking?
Gorilla trekking Uganda Trip Advisor. Uganda has 23 habituated gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. Bwindi has 22 Habituated gorilla families for gorilla trekking and Mgahinga has one Habituated gorilla family all for gorilla trekking.
In Bwindi, every sector has gorilla families that visitors visit for gorilla trekking. The ones in the Buhoma sector include Mubare, Habinyanja, Rushegura, Katwe gorilla families, and others. Ruhija sector has the Bitukura, Oruzogo, Mukiza, Kyaruguriro Gorilla Families and others. In the Rushaga sector, there are Nshongi, Mishaya, Bweza, Bikyingi, Kahungye, Busingye, and Mucunguzi gorilla families. In Nkuringo there is the Nkuringo Gorilla Family, the Bushaho Gorilla Family, the Christmas Gorilla Family, and others.
What is the price of the gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?
Gorilla trekking Uganda Trip Advisor. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has about 192 gorilla trekking permits per day to sell out at the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The gorilla trekking permit for Bwindi costs USD800 per person for Non-Foreign Residents and USD700 for Foreign Residents. East African citizens pay a sum of Shs.300, 000. This kind of permit allows you to have only one hour of viewing the gorillas or staying in their space.
The gorilla trekking permits normally sell out so very quickly during the high season (January, February, July, August, September, and December every year. Contact Safari Vacations and Travel Services about your planned trek and desired dates. We shall check the availability of permits online system for the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Hence, if permits are available, we shall send you an invoice to make payment for the permit.
You pay for them first because they are a top priority. Hence, if they are not available, you will choose other dates that have the availability of permits. Once we receive payment, we shall book and secure your permits. Then, we’ll later send you a copy of the receipt with the booking ID to confirm your trek. The process of acquiring the gorilla permits is easy and transparent. This thus allows for your smooth booking of a gorilla trip to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
What is the best time for gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?
Since Bwindi is a tropical forest and there are rains throughout the year, the best time to trek gorillas in Bwindi is during the drier months of January, February, June, July, August, and early September. These months experience less rainfall though the climate changes every day. Any time of the year, you can visit the gorillas in Bwindi. Sometimes, the rainy season is better to see the gorillas. This is so because there is a lot of food growing because of rain and thus you can spot. Gorilla permits tend to sell out quickly and all those interested in trekking gorillas during this time should book their gorilla permits in advance.
How to access Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for trekking Uganda mountain gorillas?
You can access Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by road. It is about 9-10 hours’ drive from Kampala/Entebbe. The road trip is enjoyable as you will stop at the Equator for Photography. You also stop for Lunch in Mbarara and other stops to view the beautiful scenery. We do use 4×4 vehicles that are comfortable for your trip and our professional and trained driver guides will ensure your safety on your gorilla trip.
You can also fly to Kisoro or Kihihi Airstrips which serve Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The flight is about 1-2 hours and then you drive to the hotel/ lodge. There are daily flights from Entebbe International Airport and Kajjansi Airstrip. Therefore, you can opt to schedule a flight or charter one depending on your trip budget.
You can also fly into Kigali International Airport, and drive to southwestern Uganda through the Cyanika or Katuna border. This journey takes only 4-5 hours with the time you spend at immigration at the border. We always advise our visitors to acquire the East African Visa. This allows multiple entries of both Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda. The East African Visa fee costs USD100 which you can get at the Airport upon arrival. Alternatively, you can obtain it online and it is cost effective instead of buying single entry Visas. But you can also opt to secure single Visas as well. The Rwandan Visa costs USD30 and the Uganda Visa costs USD 50. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is easily accessible and safe for gorilla trekking.
Where to stay on a gorilla trekking trip to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has many lodges/Hotels where you can stay on your gorilla trekking tour. These range from budget to high-end hotels. Safari Vacations and Travel Services can help you book the hotel of your choice and budget. We recommend staying in the sector where you are trekking for easy accessibility to the park headquarters.
In Rushaga, you can stay at Rushaga Gorilla Camp, Four Gorillas Lodge, and Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge. In Nkuringo, you can stay at Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge and Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge. If you are to stay in the Buhoma sector, you can stay at Buhoma Lodge, Mahogany Springs Lodge, Bwindi Lodge, and Gorilla Forest Camp. In the Ruhija sector, you can stay at Trekkers Tavern Lodge, Bakiga Lodge, or even at Lake Bunyonyi or lodges in Kabale town. The lodges are very many in Bwindi but you need to book in advance as you can miss out during the high season. We always ensure standard service for the safety of clients during their stay.
Why book with Safari Vacations and Travel Services trekking Uganda mountain gorillas?
Safari Vacations and Travel Services is a Local tour operator based in Uganda with its head offices in Kabale, near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Safari Vacations and Travel Services is run and owned by Ugandans. We have been in operation for many years and we specialize in life-changing experiences and sustainable tours and holidays to all East African countries. Also, we are members of AUTO (Association of Uganda Tour Operators) and are registered by UTB (Uganda Tourism Board). We have a good and long working relationship with UWA (Uganda Wildlife Authority) making it easy to book your gorilla permits and gorilla trekking safari. Safari Vacations and Travel Services is highly reviewed on Trip Advisor as well as Safari bookings. Please contact Safari Vacations and Travel Services for Gorilla Trekking Uganda Trip Advisor.
