Facing the giant mountain gorillas scares the hell out in most people but those who have been to gorilla trekking safari can testify how gentle they are. Uganda and Rwanda are the only hosts of the prehistoric mountain gorillas in the world and preserving them for the future is the number one goal of both countries.
Most first time gorilla trekkers have mixed feeling about the first glance at the gentle giants. Fore sure some adrenaline may rise along the way as you are not sure if they will like you or not.
Finally the moment of truth unfolds as you come face to face with the gorillas. The gorillas have the adorable spell that you marinate into right away. They have deep brown gentle eyes full of innocence that brings out there sweetness. You may not see this reality in the gorillas in captivity.
Watching the gorillas nibble at there delicacy the bamboo stems deepens your nature conservation spirits. Mountain gorillas naturally feed on foliage which calls for preserving vegetation and avoiding littering the forest. Altering nature denies the mountain gorillas chance to enjoy enough food.
The gorilla trekking adventure has infused many tourist into the environmental conservation spell. Most trekkers depart the forest with over whelming love to protect nature as it is another creature’s meal.
Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda or Rwanda are available for every day of the year but only your timing may make it a difficult move. Uganda Wildlife Authority is responsible for selling all the gorilla permits in Uganda whereas Rwanda Development Board controls and sells the Rwanda gorilla permits.
In both countries only 8 trekkers are allowed to visit a gorilla family each day even if demand worldwide is high, gorilla tracking permit supply is constant. This calls for first come first served basis which increases on the competition to secure a gorilla permit in advance especially in the June to September period when Africa holiday safaris are at there peak.
When you inquire about gorilla trekking on particular dates, our tours team at Arch Safaris And Tours checks availability of your dates and give you feed back. Our turnaround time is 24 hours as its dependent on the response from Uganda Wildlife Authority office or Rwanda Development Board. The call queue at the authority is insanely busy. They deal with a lot.
Getting through is like hitting a jackpot but that does not overpower our desire to get our client’s dream come true.
Gorilla trekking permit is firstly the entry ticket to seeing the mountain gorillas. In Uganda, a gorilla permit card with all your details is used so as to reduce on the amount of paper tickets issued per day. In Rwanda the paper tickets are given per client.
Park entry fees are paid per park to support the conservation program and so with in your gorilla permit price park entrance fees are included.
Game ranger fees as salary to the selfless men and women who do there best to protect the mountain gorillas. Without them may be the gorillas would completely go into extinction. Each morning a team of rangers visits the families prior to tourist visit to establish the conditions in the forest.
Gorilla research fees are included in the price for a gorilla permit as gorillas are like humans. You never exhaust the changes in humans and so are the gorillas. More research is being done to catch up with the changes in the gorillas.
Medical support is offered to the mountain gorillas even if they are naturally thriving. Sometimes they need extra support to boost there lives which is the work of the veterinary team. Medical supplies are required for this work.
Support to the local Community is necessary to encourage them to love and jealously protect the mountain gorillas. Annually 10% of profits acquired from the gorilla tracking permits sales are donated to the community to support community work.
Wear a mask when with the mountain gorillas so as to avoid spreading any infectious disease to these human close relatives. Corona Virus, influenza all may cause illness to the gorillas which may lead to there massive death.
Volunteer to stay behind in case you feel any illness before meeting the wild mountain gorillas.
Only 8 clients are allowed to visit the mountain gorilla family per day per trek. This is to reduce on the amount of traffic in the forest which tramples on the animal food. Mountain gorillas are generally vegetarian.
Do not dump anything in the forest which will alter nature. Mountain gorillas depend on foliage to survive so when you dump waste, you deny them enough food supply.
In Uganda
Game drives are super interesting in Uganda if you add them to the gorilla trekking safari. In case you sometime on your holiday, head to Queen Elizabeth National park which is home to numerous wild animals like lions, leopards, water bucks, hyenas, bush bucks, buffaloes the list is endless. Driving from Buhoma in Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth Park is about 5 hours.
The launch trip in Queen Elizabeth Park gives you chance to view lots of riverside animals and rich bird life that regularly feeds from the marshy banks of Kazinga Channel. After gorilla trekking you can proceed to Queen Elizabeth National park for additional wildlife adventure Africa holiday.
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National park and Queen Elizabeth National Park gives you extra time to identify the difference between the gorillas and the chimpanzees. After gorilla trekking you have this opportunity to add chimpanzee trekking too. The drive from Bwindi forest to Kibale forest is about 6 hours
Hiking the Mountain Muhavura for those who want to check there fitness after gorilla trekking is awesome. From its top you get to watch the volcanic work that makes up the Uganda, Rwanda and D.R.Congo boarder.
Birding In Uganda is one of the highlights of your experience and after gorilla trekking, a keen birder can take advantage of birding in Bwindi. Ruhija gorilla trekking area is the primary birding center in Bwindi especially on the Mubwindi Swamp tail. Here someone can identify at least over 100 species of birds including the Albertine endemics on the red list of IUCN
A game drive in Akagera National park is additional activity that you add to gorilla trekking. Some animals to see include buffaloes, elephants, water bucks, bush bucks, lions, Kobs, to mention but a few.
The Boat trip on Lake Ihema in Rwanda exposes you to the beauty of wild Rwanda. The spectacular views of the mountainous surrounding is breathtaking. With this trip you full get the look of the Land of a thousand hills.
Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National park in Rwanda gives you a moment with the human cousins. This tropical rain forest is home to other primates too like olive baboons, blue monkeys, red tailed monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, L’hoest to mention but a few.
Golden monkey trek after gorilla trekking is worth taking advantage of while in Rwanda. This rare species of monkeys is forest active and adorable. They have a unique brown fur color that distinguishes them from other primates.
Visit the Dianne Fossey grave after gorilla trekking which is a walk in the steps of a conservation fanatic. She gave up her life to the gorilla protection program which was heroic. Her remains lie in the grave amidst the mountain gorillas which was her dream.