How To Plan Gorilla Trekking During Summer Holidays

To plan and do gorilla trekking during summer holidays in Uganda or Rwanda, you must secure the necessary permit in advance. Gorilla trekking is not a last minute decision because of the details surrounding its planning. Do check for gorilla permit availability atleast 90 days to a year in advance to be able to utilize the options of being able to switch dates where applicable.

Do follow the gorilla trekking safari packing list so that you do not forget the necessary items as this adventure is in the dense jungle which gets rough sometimes. Request For A Quotation

Guidelines for Booking Gorilla trekking safari in Uganda or Rwanda

Trending Gorilla Safaris

5 day gorilla and chimpanzee trekking Uganda

6 day gorilla and game safari in Rwanda

7 day gorilla, chimpanzee and game safari

8 day gorilla, chimpanzee and wildlife safari

3 day gorilla trekking in Rwanda

3 day gorilla trekking in Uganda

Book the gorilla permit: select the date for Gorilla trekking, find gorilla permit availability, confirm or purchase the gorilla permit

Reserve accommodation: Choose accommodation to use during gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda. For gorilla trekking in Bwindi of Uganda, do choose accommodation within or closer to the area where the gorilla permit is booked.

Level of fitness: Do maintain some level of fitness before gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda because of the nature of the terrain of the destinations where mountain gorillas live which is rugged. If you have physical challenges, sedan chair services is available at an affordable cost.

Reserve transport: to get to the gorilla trekking destinations in Uganda or Rwanda, you need transport that is by road or air. A 4×4 wheel drive vehicle in good condition is recommended because the roads in the countryside get messy sometimes so the vehicle must be terrain resistant.

Pack necessary gears: when packing for gorilla trekking, use assistance from the list of items to pack for gorilla trekking including safari hat, long sleeved shirt, garden gloves, sturdy safari boots and more.

Cost Of Gorilla Trekking Permit For Uganda And Rwanda

Currently, the cost of Uganda gorilla trekking permit is:

$ 800 for international non residents

$700 for international residents

$500 for other Africans

300000shs for East Africans.

Current costs of Rwanda Gorilla trekking permits is:

$1500 for international nonresidents

$500 for international residents and others Africans

$200 for East Africans.

Both Uganda and Rwanda sometimes offer discounted gorilla trekking permits however, this is not guaranteed every year unless it is announced by the Uganda Wildlife authority or Rwanda Development Boards.

Where to Do Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Rwanda

In Rwanda

Volcanoes National Park

The Volcanoes National Park is the only home for gorilla trekking adventure in Rwanda and where the first gorilla research station by fallen Dianne Fossey is stationed in Karisoke. Rwanda offers the most accessible gorilla trekking destination as the drive from Kigali to Volcanoes National park is about 2 hours and half to 3 hours drive.

Volcanoes National park is home to other primates too including black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, golden monkeys and others, more than 200 bird species are recoded as residents too.

So far approximately 12 gorilla trekking families are confirmed as open to the public in Volcanoes National park but only 8 gorilla permits per day are open for booking too.

In Uganda

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi impenetrable National Park just like the native meaning of the word “Bwindi” which is impenetrable suits directly with this name. The highest number of mountain gorillas in the world are living in Bwindi forest with more than 20 gorilla families open to the public.

As a biosphere reserve, Bwindi forest hosts more than 88 month species, over 200 tree species, 312 beautiful butterfly species and more. Bwindi topography has amazing sceneries which you can enjoy while standing at some points of the park.

Because of the vast size of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, it is divided into four administrative area that is Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija and Nkuringo. Even when booking gorilla trekking permits for the Bwindi, it is done using these areas.

Gorilla habituation experience where tourists have at least four hours with semi-habituated mountain gorillas is open in Bwindi forest. Maximum 4 tourists are allowed to do gorilla habituation experience and are accompanied by a team of researchers who have been around these gorillas and have clues about them.

Mgahinga National Park

Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park is still one of the most authentic encounters with the mountain gorillas. Even though so fat only one gorilla family is open to the public in Mgahinga forest that is Nyakagezi family.

The mountain gorillas in Mgahinga national Park are living with other primates like golden monkeys, black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, red tailed monkeys, golden monkeys and more. Over 115 bird species are recorded as residents on Mgahinga forest.

Mgahinga forest has a magnificent surrounding composed of several highlands but the most outstanding are Mountain Gahinga, Muhavura and Sabyinyo and more.

Gorilla Trekking Tips:

Health: Do a health check up before travelling for gorilla trekking to find the status of your body in order to prevent chances of not getting the gorillas which is the main reason for travelling. Treat any communicable infection like cough, flu and more as these may end in getting disqualified from attending gorilla trekking.

Gorilla safari Rules: adhere to the gorilla trekking rules as these have been tested and proved to control the time humans are around the highly sensitive mountain gorillas. Do not stare in the eyes of mountain gorillas, maintain the 8 meters gap when around the gorillas and more.

Book gorilla permit: Reserve the gorilla permit in advance as these are limited despite having a high demand. This is a conservation measure used to reduce on the effects of mass tourism that may end in destroying the foliage onto which these primates feed.

Carry snacks : breakfast is taken too early to last an entire day so carry some energy bites to enjoy during breaks.

Remain in a tight group: When with the mountain gorillas, stay in a tight group as surrounding the mountain gorillas may appear suspicious to the highly sensitive mountain gorillas.

Safety on Gorilla safari: while on gorilla trekking adventure, safety starts with you not trying to extend a hand to touch the gorillas, do not move with your valuables for the gorilla trekking safari. Do attend compulsory briefing before gorilla trekking where the most recent details about the mountain gorillas is communicated.

How long is gorilla trekking?

Time to take on gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda varies with factors prevailing in the forest such as food location, having an adventurous dominant silverback, weather conditions prevailing and more. From the starting point of gorilla trekking, getting to the gorillas may take 30 minutes and more hours

Ranger guides always commend tourists to maintain the zeal they started with when booking the gorilla trekking safari to the end. Open your mind to finding other forest dwellers such as black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, red tailed monkeys and more.

Watch out for the variety of bird species that spend time in the forest such as handsome francolin, Rwenzori Turaco and more.

When you finally find the mountain gorillas one hour is allowed with these primates because they are habituated to be with humans for just that time.

How To be safe During Gorilla Trekking

• Safety of tourists is very important during gorilla trekking however, this is joint effort where the forest authority and tourists have high stake.
• As the Uganda Wildlife Authority or Rwanda Development Board, with the mandate to protect wildlife have a set of gorilla safari rules expected to be adhere to by tourists. Before gorilla trekking, details of the most recent information about the gorillas are explained to tourists.
• A team of ranger guides wakes up early morning to patrol the forest and establish the nesting point for the gorilla family the previous night, estimate direction to take for the day and more. These security details maintained to increase on the security of tourists and other forest inhabitants.
• In case you notice something odd about the mountain gorilla family, allow the ranger guide to provide new directions to take to curb the situation. Sometimes when the gorillas rage, it may be family feud, trying to show off, scare possible intruders and more.
• Wear your gorilla safari gears properly such as sturdy shoes, garden gloves, rain proof gears, safari hat, warmers and more.

List of What to Pack For gorilla Trekking safari

Safari boots

Safari long sleeved shirt

Camera with extra fully charged batteries

Rain proof gears

Sturdy safari boots

Long sleeved shirt

Convertible trousers

Hard cash

Foldable drinking water bottle

Water proof backpack

Light waterproof plastic bag

Warmers

Safari hat

Energy bites

A pair of stockings

Which Is The Best Gorilla Trekking Destination Uganda Or Rwanda

It is hard to draw a line on which destination of Uganda or Rwanda offers the best gorilla trekking experience. Each of these countries has advantages over another during gorilla trekking. Some of the few out lines that may be considered as differences between gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda include:

• Rwanda offers the shortest time on gorilla trekking safari that is 1 day gorilla trekking in Rwanda however this is a rushed progress that can turn messy if not well planned. This is because the drive from Kigali to Volcanoes National park is about 3 hours therefore allowing tourists with last minute safari plan to take advantage of this. The least time on Uganda gorilla trekking safari is 3 day gorilla trekking.
• Current cost of Uganda gorilla trekking permit is $800 where as the cost of Rwanda gorilla trekking permit is $1500 there fore saving almost $700 on the Uganda gorilla permit.
• Uganda hosts almost half the total number of gorilla families living the world opening more chances to securing a gorilla permit whereas Rwanda has currently about 12 gorilla trekking families open to the public.
• Rwanda has the first gorilla research station at Karisoke where gorilla trekking was conceived after the American primatologist Diana Fossey spread the status of mountain gorillas to the world.
• From gorilla trekking in Uganda, there are various options of safari activities you can combine with this safari like visit to source of river Nile, game drives, chimpanzee safaris, sports fishing birding, white water rafting and more. Rwanda still maintains limited other safari activities to combine with gorilla trekking such as game drives, birding in Rwanda, chimpanzee trekking and more.
• To do gorilla trekking in Uganda, one of the shortest routes is through Rwanda to Bwindi impenetrable National park or Mgahinga National park other than driving the long route pf 8 to 9 hours from Entebbe.
• The briefing spot for gorilla trekking in Rwanda is a mixture of modern touch and tradition while Uganda briefing points still maintain the nature inspired appearance.
• Uganda offer gorilla habituation experience which offers four hours with semi-habituated gorilla family and the same cost as gorilla trekking permit for Rwanda.

Note that no matter where you choose to do gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda, open your mind to watching the vulnerable mountain gorillas and later try to erase the bad image painted on them for being aggressive creatures. Mountain gorillas are perceived by many tourists as being very rough primates especially after animations or social media challenges.

Book Now