Gorilla Trekking Safari in Uganda 2021-2022

Gorilla trekking safari in Uganda 2021-2022; gorilla trekking is an adventurous and one of the major activities carried out in Uganda and it involves visitors moving on foot into the tropical rainforests in search of the habituated mountain gorilla families and once found spend one hour with them in their natural environment.

Where to go for gorilla trekking safari in Uganda 2021-2022

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is carried out in two destinations that is Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park both located in southwestern part of Uganda. Bwindi impenetrable national park is the most visited gorilla destination in Uganda because it harbors the highest number of mountain gorillas which are found in four destinations namely Buhoma sector in the north, Rushaga sector in the south, Ruhiija sector in the east and Nkuringo sector in the south. Bwindi impenetrable national park also offers the interesting gorilla habitation experience a process where the mountain gorillas are trained to get used to human presence for trekking and visitors who engage in the habituation experience get an opportunity to spend four hours with the gorillas.  Gorilla trekking is also done in other destinations like Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Gorilla trekking experience in Uganda

Gorilla trekking is an extraordinary and interesting activity which starts with a briefing at the park headquarters about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing you will be sub divided into groups of 8 people where each group will be allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with trails in the jungle. Allocation of mountain gorillas is done according to age, physical fitness and personal preference therefore in case you are not physically fit you are advised to communicate with your driver guide so that they allocate you a gorilla family that is near. Trekking of the mountain gorillas in Uganda 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 enjoy great views of different plant and tree species, animals like forest elephants, buffaloes, duikers, other primates like l’hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, chimpanzees, view variety of forest birds among others. Once the mountain gorilla family is located you will get a chance to learn about their behaviors, habits, watch them feed, breastfeed, play, groom young ones, take photos and record the moments to show people back home after the safari.

Cost of a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda 2021-2022

A gorilla trekking permit is a legal card/ document that is issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to any visitor above the age of 15 years allowing him or her to visit a habituated gorilla family in either Bwindi impenetrable national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park. A single gorilla trekking permit in Uganda costs 700 USD for foreign non residents, 600 USD for foreign residents and 250,000 UGX for East Africa citizens. a gorilla trekking permit is valid for one day and allows visitors to spend one hour in the presence of the mountain gorillas in their environment.

For visitors who wish to engage in gorilla habituation experience, the habituation permit 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 habituation permit on the other hand allows visitors to spend four hours with the mountain gorillas.

How to acquire gorilla trekking permits in Uganda 2021-2022

Gorilla trekking permit in Uganda can either be acquired directly through Uganda Wildlife Authority a government body in charge of tourism in Uganda by contacting the head offices in Kampala through email or telephone calls. Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda can also be acquired through a local tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris. When booking through a tour operator you will contact us with the dates, month, year and destination you wish to visit. We will check for permit availability and once there are permits that match with your dates you will be asked to make a deposit for the permit. Once we receive the money, we will purchase the gorilla trekking permit on your behalf and send you a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation. Booking though Achieve global safaris is the best option to use in that its less tiresome and we will not only acquire the gorilla trekking permit but also plan for your entire safari which involves accommodation, transportation, meals, other activities to engage in and other fascinating destinations to visit during your safari in Uganda.

Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda should however be acquired 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because they are competitive and usually get sold out quickly especially during the dry season in the months of June to September and December to February. Therefore in order to avoid last minute inconveniences you are advised to book the permits in advance.

Best time to go for gorilla trekking safari in Uganda 2021-2022

Gorilla trekking safari in Uganda 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, July, August, September, December, January and February. During the dry season the gorilla destinations receive less rainfall therefore access roads and gorilla trekking trails will be dry and passable compared to the wet season when the gorilla trekking trails are wet, slippery and muddy which makes trekking difficult.

Gorilla trekking safari in Uganda can also be done in the wet season also known as the low season during the months of March to May and November. Though the wet season is characterized by heavy rainfall it also has some advantages like few crowds in the gorilla destinations and accommodations offer discounts to visitors hence favoring budget travelers.

What to pack for your gorilla trekking safari in Uganda 2021-2022

There are a number of items to carry for your gorilla trekking safari in Uganda 2021-2022 including,

• Face mask and sanitizer to protect you and against the deadly COVID-19 disease and also prevent the mountain gorillas from acquiring the deadly disease because gorillas are vulnerable to human diseases.
• Hiking shoes to keep your feet dry and protect them from sharp objects, crawling bugs and mud during trekking in tropical rainforests.
• Garden gloves to protect your hands from germs, thorny and itching plants in case you touch plants during trekking.
• Long sleeved shirt and trouser to keep you warm during morning hours and protect your skin from scratches and biting insects.
• Energy snacks like packed lunch from the lodge and lots of drinking water to keep you hydrated during trekking.
• Waterproof jacket to protect you from rainfall because both Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park are tropical rainforest which implies that it can rain anytime of the day regardless of the season.
• Camera and extra batteries to take photos and record the breathtaking moments to show people back home after the safari.
• A pair of binoculars for clear viewing of other wildlife species in the national park such as birds, other primates like chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, mammals among others.
• Insect repellent to protect your body from biting insects like mosquitoes and tsetse flies
• Waterproof backpack to carry your gorilla trekking items such as energy snacks, camera, a pair of binoculars, insect repellent, facemasks and keep then dry incase it rains.

Please contact us at Achieve Global Safaris for more information about gorilla trekking safari in Uganda 2021-2022 or visit our website for affordable gorilla trekking safari packages in Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic republic of Congo.