Why Gorilla trekking Is An Authentic African Safari

Gorilla trekking is a life changing African safari done in only Uganda, Rwanda and DR. Congo. Mountain gorillas have been kept in confinement in some countries but that is not there normal home. When you book a gorilla trekking tour in Uganda or Rwanda, count yourself lucky to be part of this life changing holiday in the Authentic home of the mountain gorillas. Just these a few are still left in the world and highly conserved by UNESCO.

 Gorilla Trekking Safari In Africa

How To Book The Authentic Gorilla Tracking Tour

Once you have secured your holiday period, select some days and send us an inquiry about your preferred gorilla trekking safari ranging from a 3 day gorilla tracking tour, 4 day gorilla trekking safari, 7 day gorilla trek tour mentions it.

Our safari consultant will get back to you with availability of the gorilla tracking permits for the days you have prepared. In case gorilla permits are available, you need to secure one as soon as you can because only 8 gorilla permits are released for tourist each day per gorilla trekking family.

Book the gorilla trekking permit by paying for it as soon as possible because these are on first come first serve basis. No booking without full payments.

When to book accommodation for Gorilla trekking holiday

Accommodation is key in gorilla trekking safari booking because gorilla permits are sold according to area .you need to be safe by booking accommodation in the area where the gorilla permit has been secured. Bwindi is a very large forest with the northern sector and the southern sector.

In case you are trekking in one sector but secure accommodation in another the following may happen to you

You may miss out on gorilla trekking if you are not briefed because you may arrive late at the briefing point.

Your car may break down as you drive to the other sector

You may find a log across the road which may block your way making you delay and chances of arriving late for briefing are high so missing out on your gorilla tracking experience.

As you rush to the briefing point, you may have a car turn over as this is a hilly area that requires your attentive driving.

What To Book After Gorilla Tracking

Uganda is endowed with many National Parks that are close to each other especially those in the southern sector. Anyone interested in game viewing, has the opportunity to enjoy this in Queen Elizabeth National park. This park is 4 to 5 hours away from Bwindi National park. 

It is home to the tree climbing lions, herds of buffaloes, elephants, kobs, warthogs and has a rich avian life including foreign birds that fly all the way from Europe to Africa during the winter seasons.

This park is also home to the chimpanzees in Kyambura gorge which requires one to hike to get to the chimpanzee home.

Kibale National Park is another place to book after gorilla trekking. This is the biggest home of habituated chimpanzees in the entire Africa. These have about 98% human genes which makes them the closest cousins of humans in the animal kingdom.

Kibale National park is home to a variety of other primates like the black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, retailed monkeys, grey checked mangabey to mention but a few.

Lake Mburo national Park is the closest National park to Kampala. As you drive back from Bwindi forest, you may opt to drive through Lake Mburo national Park for a game drive. This park is home to the Zebras, statungas, rare bush bucks and so much more.

Uganda wildlife education Center (UWEC) is the last point you can visit to see more animals but these are in exhibits since it was initially a zoo. It is like the summary of Uganda wildlife.

What to pack for gorilla trekking and Wildlife tour in Uganda

Tracking boots are a good idea to pack so that you can protect your feet from pricking sharp sticks that you may come across while in the wilderness.

Long trousers are safe for your legs to protect you from stinging nettles.

Travel shorts are also comfortable for a game drive.

A safari hat will shield your head from droppings and dew on the surfaces of the leaves,

Garden gloves are safe for your palms to get hold of a grip when you slide while in the jungle

A camera is the only way you can keep memories of your African tour alive.

Extra fully charged butteries for your camera will protect you from not capturing the big moments during this holiday.

A poncho is good   to protect you from the rain that fall without warning.

Insect repellant is protection for your skin against the stinging nettles.

Carry some cash which may be used to buy some souvenirs and pay some extra bills that may not be included in the total cost of your tour package.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda

When you trek to see the gorillas, you get to see a number of interesting animals that you might have seen the packs in case you have a game safari before. Gorilla trekking in Uganda requires you to book a gorilla trekking card with some of your details like the names in your passport, nationality, age, expiry date, date of birth and so much more CONTACT US

Gorilla Trekking Tour

In Rwanda, you must also book a gorilla trekking permit which is a paper that you present before trekking to see the gorillas at the ranger station.

Compared to Uganda, gorilla trekking in Rwanda is done on uniformly steep slopes and only 8 people are allowed to be with the gorillas per family per trek for conservation reasons. Even in Uganda, gorilla trekking starts with booking a gorilla trekking permit card which you present to the ranger guide at the start of your tour. 

Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda are sold at $ 700 per permit per trek. This money is used to support the conservation of the mountain gorillas which are highly protected by UNESCO. As per the last census in 2011, about 880 mountain gorillas are thought to be existing in the world. Uganda harbors the biggest number of mountain gorillas whose home is in Bwindi Forest National Park and Mgahinga National Park. 

How To enjoy gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda

Having secured your gorilla tracking permit, you are ready to enjoy a tour to the mountain gorillas. Ensure that you have the below requirements readily packed in your suitcase or travel bag.

Tracking boots

The ground is wet and boggy throughout the year so you need to protect your feet from soaking, piercing sticks and so much more. It also assists you to get better stamina as you hike to find the gorillas.

Long trouser and shirt

You walk through the wilderness to see the gorillas where you by pass itchy surfaces, long sticks, sharp sticks to mention but a few and these may not be good for you. You need to protect your skin from search things using trousers and long sleeved shirt.

A rain coat

It rains at any time in this Virunga region whether trekking gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda, you have to note this. Carry a rain coat or poncho for such occurrences to avoid getting wet and cold on your way to see the mountain gorillas.

Gorilla trekking Uganda

Some energy bites

Since the trek to see the gorillas varies according to the family, you need to keep going since you do not know the time you might take to find the gorillas. They are very mobile creatures that keep moving from one area to another as they look for food. There delicacy is the bamboo shoot. 

Garden gloves

These are so much relevant during your trek because you need to support yourself on the close by branches in order to pass some spots.

Gorilla trekking Rules to follow

While you trek to see the gorillas do not liter the forest so as to conserve nature.

In case you wish to dispose off some waste, ensure that you ask the ranger guide to dig a hole for you and cover afterwards to avoid ant trace.

Keep with the rest of the group so that you do not miss out on any details.

Do not feed the gorillas while with them and avoid eating in there presence.

In case you wish to sneeze, do it away from the gorillas and for those with a cold, volunteer to stay behind because this is a highly contagious communicable disease which will affect the animals.

4 days Gorilla Trekking Safari

4 day gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi forest National Park Uganda includes a night with the chimpanzees on Ngamba Island where orphaned and abandoned chimpanzees are reserved and rehabilitated. After seeing other primates in Bwindi forest, you may have to the chance of seeing chimpanzees.

Day 1: Drive to Bwindi Forest National Park

You driver guide will pick you from your overnight hotel and take you to Bwindi forest National Park. The drive is quite long but very scenic where you have the chance of seeing the undulating hills of Kigezi and Kisoro, arrive in the evening redy for dinner and overnight.

Day 2: GorillaTrekking in Bwindi Forest

This is the gorilla trekking day where you will have the chance of meeting the gorillas in there natural environment. Gorilla tracking requires you to have carried your lunch because the return time is not known. Move to the ranger station for briefing and hire a porter to give you extra support in case you are tires. You may have the chance of seeing animals like olive baboons, black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, grey checked mangabey and so much more. When you get to find the gorillas, you will have just an hour with them. And return to the lodge.

 Day 3: Drive to Entebbe and Sail To Ngamba Island

After gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi Forest, drive back to Entebbe to catch up with your overnight on Ngamba Island. This is home to the surviving chimpanzees of the jungle harassment. These chimpanzees survive by the regular visit that clients give them. You may also overnight in Entebbe and rise up for an excursion to Ngamba Island.

 Day 4: Drive to Entebbe Airport

Early in the morning, you will head to the feeding area to participate in the feeding of the chimpanzees. Watch them as they struggle for food and the weak are left without food. Return to the land and catch up with your flight back home.

Discounted Gorilla Trekking Safari Permits In Uganda

Discounted gorilla trekking permits in Uganda are still being sold in Uganda at $450 per permit saving $150 from the normal gorilla permit price of $ 600 in Uganda. November 2016 is the last chance for these permits to be sold. The Uganda Wildlife Authority has extended this offer to all esteemed customers who have for several years quested for at least a gorilla trek. It is a dream come true offer.

With the discounted gorilla permits selling like hot cake, most of the accommodations also have reduced there rates to match this offer. During the peak seasons, a Uganda safari may be sold at a higher value so you have to grab this chance as it lasts.

How To Book A Discounted Gorilla Permit

This offer doesn’t discriminate where you come from or who you are. Booking a discounted gorilla tracking permit is open to every desiring traveler. On a daily basis, these permits are sold out on first come first serve basis and only 8 permits per gorilla family are issued out for the day. You can contact us to secure for you your gorilla permit before being sold out.

Can I exchange a gorilla permit bought at $ 600 with a discounted gorilla permit

As terms and conditions apply for purchase of the discounted gorilla permits, Uganda Wildlife Authority doesn’t transfer funds for a normal permit to the discounted gorilla permit. You get no refund for this.

How Many Gorilla Treks Can One Make

Discounted gorilla permits are open to any one, you can buy as many gorilla permits as you wish and trek the number of times you want.

Details for obtaining a gorilla trekking permit

You must know your preferred date of tracking gorillas which you must state in your inquiry, our tour safari consultant will immediately inquire from Uganda Wildlife Authority on permit availability and offer you feed back. We advise you to pay for your gorilla trekking permit so that it can be secured. Send through your names, passport number, year of birth and Nationality for the gorilla permit card to be printed. Upon acquiring your gorilla permit, we book your accommodation based on the area where your permit has been bought. This is to avoid long distance driving early in the morning as you head from briefing at ranger station. Remember to pack your gorilla trekking gears and wear so as to have a comfortable gorilla trek safari.  Read more>>>>>>>>>>>

What to Expect on a Gorilla Trek Safari

Fitness before gorilla trekking

To enjoy your gorilla trekking experience, you need to be fairly fit, do some exercises to enable you walk through the forest. The usual safaris normally have a safari car to take you throughout the adventure but with gorilla trekking, you are first briefed at the ranger station and then you start off the search which might last an unpredictable time. 

Clothes to wear during gorilla trekking

Being a unique safari, you need to pack special clothes like long sleeved shirt, long trousers, camera, tracking boots for muddy conditions, equipped for the humid carry rain proof gears, soft stockings, a simple bag to carry your belonging and so much more. 

Health condition during gorilla trekking

You need to remember that mountain gorillas are susceptible to human diseases so you need to be in good health. Gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda as recommended by UNESCO necessitates you to check your health conditions prior to the start of your trek. Even a cold is very dangerous to these apes. Communicable diseases also affect these primates and they may not be able to be resistant.

In case you get to realize that you are unhealthy, you need to advise the guide who will report to the authorities concerned prior to the start of your trek. You will be compensated according the Authorities’ rules and regulations.

Weather conditions during gorilla trekking

Whether trekking gorillas in Bwindi Forest National Park Uganda or Volcanoes National Park Rwanda weather changes remain unpredictable in that it may rain at any time while you are in the wilderness without warning. The ground is usually boggy because of the regular rains that keep the ground humid all the time and that explains the reason why you should pack tracking boots

Carry a porter before gorilla trekking

If you are not sure of your fitness and resistance to the long walks, it is very advisable to hire a porter prior to gorilla trekking. This is at the briefing point. He will assist you carry your tracking baggage and give you a push when you are tired