Gorilla trekking for Solo travelers
Gorilla trekking for solo travelers; Gorilla trekking is an extraordinary activity where travelers will move deep into the tropical rainforest in search of the habituated mountain gorillas and once found spend one hour with them in their natural environment. Gorilla trekking is done in different national parks namely Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda, Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park in Congo. When planning a gorilla trekking safari, there are a number of factors that you should consider for example cost of a gorilla trekking permit, how to book a gorilla trekking permit, best time to go for gorilla trekking, what to pack for a gorilla trekking safari, where to stay during the safari and how to get to the gorilla trekking destination. Achieve global safaris organizes private and tailor-made gorilla trekking safaris for single travelers who wish to visit the endangered mountain gorillas in either Uganda, Rwanda or Democratic Republic of Congo and this article will guide solo travelers on how they can plan a successful gorilla trekking safari.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park, volcanoes national park, Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park starts early in the morning with a briefing and our driver guide will pick you up from your lodge to the starting point. After the briefing, you will be put in a group to make 8 people and start trekking in the jungle in search of the habituated gorillas which takes about 2 hours 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 mountain gorillas are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which helps you to learn more about their behaviors, habits, watch them carry out their daily activities, take photos and record videos to show people back home.
Cost of a gorilla trekking permit
A gorilla trekking permit is a legal document that is issued to any traveler above the age of 15 years allowing him or her to visit a habituated gorilla family and spend one hour with the gorillas in their natural habitat. Cost of a gorilla trekking permit in African varies according to the gorilla destination you wish to visit for example a gorilla trekking permit in volcanoes national park Rwanda costs 1,500 USD per person for all nationalities, a gorilla trekking permit in Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park costs 400 USD per person and a gorilla trekking permit 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 a gorilla trekking permit
A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo can either be booked through Rwanda Development Board (RDB) in Rwanda, Virunga reservation office in Congo and Uganda wildlife Authority (UWA) in Uganda by contacting the head offices through email or telephone calls.
A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo can also be booked through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris where you will contact us 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 be able to purchase the permits on your behalf and send you a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation.
Booking a gorilla trekking permit through Achieve Global Safaris is the best option to use in that we will not only purchase the permit on your behalf but also plan for your entire gorilla trekking safari which involves transportation to the gorilla destination, accommodation where you will stay during the safari, services of an experienced driver guide, other activities to engage in after gorilla trekking and other destinations to visit during your safari.
Best time to go for gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park, Volcanoes national park, Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park can be done all year round though the best time is during the dry season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February because during this period the trekking trails are dry and passable which makes gorilla trekking easy compared to the rainy season when the trails are muddy and slippery hence making trekking difficult.
What to pack for gorilla trekking
When going for a gorilla trekking safari in either Uganda, Rwanda or Congo, there are various essential items that you should carry including hiking shoes to protect your ankles, long sleeved shirt and trouser to keep you warm, insect repellent to protect you from biting insects, waterproof rain jacket, garden gloves, camera and extra batteries, long stockings, energy snacks and drinking water, a pair of binoculars, walking stick, back pack among others.
Gorilla trekking for solo travelers can be expensive due to the fact that they incur all the costs during the safari however that’s not a problem as Achieve Global Safaris offers budget and affordable gorilla trekking tours that favor the single travelers. For more information, you can reach out to our tour consultants or visit our website for various gorilla trekking packages.
