Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda; Gorilla trekking is the most popular activity that involves visitors moving on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of the endangered mountain gorillas and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. 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 Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park in Democratic Republic of Congo.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda
Uganda is the most visited gorilla destination in that it’s a home of about 459 mountain gorillas which is half of the world’s mountain gorilla population. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is best done in Bwindi impenetrable national park which is located in southwestern region in Kanungu district. Bwindi impenetrable national park is a home of about 21 habituated gorilla families which are found in four sectors namely Buhoma sector in the north, Rushaga sector in the south, Ruhija sector in the east and Nkuringo sector in the south.
Bwindi impenetrable national park also offers gorilla habituation experience a process where the wild mountain gorillas are trained to get used to human presence for trekking. Gorilla habituation experience is only done in Rushaga sector in the southern part of Bwindi impenetrable national park and it allows visitors to spend four hours with the gorillas in their natural environment.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda is also done in Mgahinga gorilla national park which is located in southwestern region in Kisoro district. Mgahinga gorilla national park is a home of one habituated gorilla family Nyakagezi which is available for trekking on a daily basis.
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is done in Volcanoes national park which is located in northwestern region in Musanze village. The national park is a home of about 10 habituated mountain gorilla families which are available for trekking on a daily basis.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park and Volcanoes national park starts early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing you will be allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek and an experienced park guide who is well conversant with gorilla trekking trails. Trekking of 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, you will be able to view other primate species, animals, different plant and tree species, birds among others. Once the gorillas are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their habits, behaviors, watch them feed, breastfeed, groom young ones, take photos and record videos to show people back home after the safari.
Cost of a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda and Rwanda
A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda that is Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park costs 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.
A gorilla habituation permit in Bwindi impenetrable national park costs 1,500 USD per person for foreign non residents, 1,000 USD per person for foreign residents and 750,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
A gorilla trekking permit in Volcanoes national park in Rwanda costs 1,500 USD per person for all nationalities.
How to book gorilla trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda
Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda can either be booked directly through Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) or Rwanda Development Board (RDB) by contacting the head offices via email or telephone calls. Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda can also be booked through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris. When booking through a tour operator, you will contact us with the date, months, year and gorilla destination that you wish to visit. After contacting us we will check for permit availability and if there are permits that are available on your preferred dates, you will be asked to make a deposit for the permit. Once we receive the money, we will purchase the permit on your behalf and send you a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation. Booking gorilla trekking permits through Achieve Global Safaris is the best option to use in that we will also be able to plan for your entire gorilla trekking safari which involves, transportation, accommodation, other activities to engage in after gorilla trekking and other destinations to visit.
Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda should be booked 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because they are competitive and usually get sold out quickly especially during the peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February.
Best time to go for gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda can be done all year round though the best 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 that period, there is less rainfall in the national parks therefore access roads and gorilla trekking trails will be dry and passable which makes trekking easy, vegetation will be thin which helps you to have clear views of the mountain gorillas and other wildlife species.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda is an exceptional activity that shouldn’t be missed during your safari and for more information, you can contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website to book an affordable gorilla trekking package.
