Gorilla trekking for backpackers; gorilla trekking is an adventurous activity in Uganda that involves travellers moving on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of the habituated mountain gorillas and once found spend one hour with them in their habitat. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in two national parks that is Bwindi impenetrable national park which harbours the highest number of mountain gorillas and Mgahinga gorilla national park both located in south western region.

Backpackers are adventurous tourists who travel independently at a low cost and this article will guide backpackers on the gorilla destination to visit, cost of a gorilla trekking permit, where to sleep during the safari, how to get to the gorilla destinations among others.

Gorilla trekking experience for backpackers

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park starts early in the morning at around 8:00am with a briefing about the rules and regulations at the park headquarters. After the briefing, you will be subdivided into groups of 8 people where each group will be allocated an experienced park guide who is well conversant with different trekking trails. Trekking of mountain gorillas in Uganda takes about 2 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 wildlife species and 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 watch them carry out their daily activities, learn more about their behaviours, take photos and record videos

Cost of gorilla trekking permits

Gorilla trekking permits in 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.

How to book gorilla trekking permits?

Backpackers can book their gorilla trekking permits through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris where you will contact us via email or telephone with the date, month, year and gorilla destination that you wish to visit. After contacting us we will check for permit availability on your preferred dates and if there are permits available, 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 via Achieve Global Safaris is the best option to us in that we will not only acquire permits on your behalf but also organize your entire safari which includes transportation to the park, accommodation, services of a knowledgeable driver guide, other activities to engage in after gorilla trekking and other destinations to visit during the safari.

Best time to go for gorilla trekking safari

Gorilla trekking for backpackers in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park can be done all year round though the best time is during the low season in the months of march to May and October to November because during this period there are few travellers in the park and some lodges offer discounts which favours budget travellers. During the low season gorilla trekking permits will easily be purchased.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park can also be done in the dry season in the months of June to September and December to February because during this period there is less rainfall in the park therefore access roads and gorilla trekking trails will be dry and passable which makes trekking easy.

How to get to Bwindi impenetrable national park

Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park can be accessed by road transport means where you will drive from Kampala via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale and then to the park headquarters which takes about 9 to 10 hours’ drive

You can also access Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park from Kigali Rwanda where you will fly to Kigali international airport and then connect to either Bwindi national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park via cyanika border in Kisoro or katuna border in Kabale which takes about 4 to 5 hours’ drive.

Both Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park can as well be accessed by public means where you will board a bus from Kampala bus park to Kabale town or Kisoro town and then hire a taxi to the park headquarters.

What to pack for your gorilla trekking safari?

There are a number of items that backpackers can carry when going for the gorilla trekking safari including hiking shoes, insect repellent, long sleeved shirt and trouser, garden gloves, waterproof rain jacket, camera and extra batteries, warm sweater, face masks, walking stick, energy snacks and drinking water, back pack among others.

You can reach out to us at Achieve Global Safaris for more information or visit our website for budget gorilla trekking packages