Is Gorilla Trekking Safari Good Choice For A Family Holiday

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Published by arch safaris and tours at April 22, 2025

Where to Go For Gorilla Trekking Safari with Family

In Rwanda

Volcanoes National Park

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda happens in Volcanoes National Park a pristine forest in Northwestern Rwanda. The number of mountain gorilla families open to the public in Rwanda is currently about 12 gorilla families some include Hirwa, Susa, Amahoro, Umubano and others.

Note that having some level of fitness is necessary before travelling for a gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda. T his is because of the nature of the topography of Volcanoes National Park which has five of the six Virunga Volcanoes that is Mountain Gahinga, Sabyinyo, Muhavura, Bisoke and Karisimbi. These mountains and other highland influence how fast or slow you get to find the mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park.

Other than the mountain gorillas, Volcanoes National Park is home to other primates including golden monkeys, black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, grey cheeked mangabey and others. More than 200 bird species including Albertine rift endemics can be spotted during the gorilla trekking safari.

In Uganda

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to the biggest number mountain gorillas that is over 450 primates. Bwindi Impenetrable is a pre-historic forest vast in size and separated by features that make it difficult to explore it to other areas so it was divided into four areas for better administrative purposes. The four areas of Bwindi forest include Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija and Nkuringo.

When reserving the gorilla trekking permits for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park they are booked according to these four areas. The area where the Bwindi gorilla permit is booked also influences where to reserve accommodation too.

At the moment, Bwindi impenetrable National Park has about 19 gorilla trekking families open to the public but these are booked within the four areas where they are found. Some of the Bwindi gorilla trekking families include Mubare, Rushegura, kasingye, Nshongi, Mucunguzi, Bweza and others.

Other than the mountain gorillas, Bwindi forest which is biosphere reserve hosting other primates including chimpanzees, olive baboons, vervet monkey, black and white colobus, grey cheeked mangabey and others. Over 350 bird species are residents of Bwindi forest and much more. Other mammals are also residents of Bwindi forest including forest elephants, duikers and others.

Mgahinga National Park

Gorilla trekking is the main activity in Mgahinga National Park with so far one gorilla family open to the public that is called Nyakagezi. If you are looking to move in an untamed environment Mgahinga forest is that ideal destination where gorilla trekking happens. Mgahinga National Park is less traveled giving it chance to maintain it natural environment.

Other than the mountain gorillas, Mgahinga National Park is home to other primates including golden monkeys, black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, blue monkeys and others. More than 115 bird species are residents of Mgahinga forest including Albertine rift endemics.

If you wish to test your fitness level while on a visit to do gorilla trekking in Mgahinga forest, there are three mountains where you can participate in this activity while in this park. Mgahinga National Park mountains including Sabyinyo, Muhavura and Gahinga

What Are The Important Steps When Planning the Gorilla Trekking Safari For A Family

Choose Where To Go For Gorilla Trekking

There are three gorilla trekking destinations you can choose from that is Uganda, Rwanda and D.R.Congo. Each of these safari destinations has different national parks where gorilla trekking happens. it is best to spend the night before the gorilla safari within or closer to where gorilla trekking is up happen in all these countries in order to avoid having to travel early morning to catch up with briefing.

The gorilla safaris destination include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in D.R.Congo.

Select The Date When To Do Gorilla Trekking Safari

Before finding gorilla permit availability, in Uganda, Rwanda or D.R.Congo, one needs to select a date when to do gorilla trekking too and choose the people to travel with. As this helps with finding availability of the gorilla permits as they sold according to per day. Note that no gorilla permit is reserved without payment and first come first served issue is used to book the gorilla permits. when you finally find gorillas permit availability there is no guarantee of finding the same status in a short while.

Purchase the Gorilla Permit

To reserve the gorilla trekking permits, you are required to make payment which you can do fully or in installments. In Uganda, the Uganda Wildlife Authority is responsible for managing and regulating the mountain gorillas permits in Uganda. In Rwanda, the Rwanda Development has the mandate to sell and regulate the gorilla permits.

Note that purchasing the gorilla permits in instalments in Uganda or Rwanda is according to 30% and 70% respectively. Note that to be accepted to purchase the gorilla permit in instalments, you need to purchase it before 90 days to gorilla trekking date and top it up before 90 days to gorilla safari date.

Reserve Accommodation To Use On Gorilla Trekking Safari

It is best to reserve accommodation to use while on gorilla trekking safari but it must be closer to where your gorilla permit is booked. On gorilla Trekking day, tourists are required to attend briefing no matter how many times you do gorilla tours.

Bwindi Accommodations Gorilla Safari lodge, Ruhija Safari lodge, Gorilla Forest Camp and others

Mgahinga Accommodations Gahinga Bwindi Lodge

Volcanoes Accommodations Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Kinigi Guest House, Mountain Gorilla View lodge

Do Exercises Before the Gorilla Safari

Before doing gorilla safaris in Uganda, you need to do some exercises because the nature of the topography of Virunga area is quite mountainous. Sometimes the mountain gorillas spend time on the slopes or deep in the valley. This necessitates tourists to hike in order to find the mountain gorillas.

It is better to have some level of fitness in order to maneuver the challenges of finding the mountain gorillas. You can hire a porter to assist with carrying your belongings in order not to weigh you down and the porter can assist to give you a push when tired. Even the physically impaired people can engage in gorilla trekking tour with the service of sedan chair assistance.

Pack the right Gorilla Trekking Gears

Gorilla trekking safari requires wearing the right gears that is safari boots, safari hat, insect repellants, long sleeved shirt, warmers, long sleeved shirt and others. The process of searching for the mountain gorillas is quite challenging and because it gets tiring as the time of finding the mountain gorillas may be quite hard to determine.

The way to find the mountain gorillas is slightly challenging because the ground gets quite slippery, soggy and quiet tough as you try to find these primates. Ensure not forget carrying some cash to use on ground payments as credit cards are not easy to use in Africa because of the lengthy process of collecting money from them.

Are Gorilla Trekking Safaris Safe when Traveling with Family

Gorilla trekking tours are safe as the destinations where these activities happen are under the guidance of well trained ranger guide. In Uganda, the ranger guides from Uganda Wildlife Authority and Rwanda at Rwanda Development Board.

Before travelling for gorilla trekking safari, you need to attend briefing from the ranger guides then you are allocated a gorilla family to trek. During briefing the ranger guides give you details about the guidelines of gorilla trekking and how to conduct yourself before and after seeing the mountain gorillas. There rules help you to stay in peace and safely for the mountain gorillas for the times you are in there company.

The mountain gorillas are first habituated for an unknown period for atleast more than 2 year and over then the gorilla family is opened to the public. Gorilla habituation is a process where wild gorilla family is helped to get used to the presence of humans without altering there nature.

Even though the mountain gorillas are known to be calm, they can charge when provoked so tourists need to be briefed about what may happen and how to deal with it. This is for the safety of the tourists and not to throw the entire forest into a stampede.

Carry some items that can protect you from the rough surfaces in the wilderness is very important as you pack for a gorilla trekking tour.

When Is The Best Time To Go For Gorilla Trekking As A Family

The best time to do a gorilla trekking safari as family is when you are ready. The dry season is the most preferred season for gorilla trekking tours that is June to September and December to February. The environment around the gorilla trekking destinations is better in the dry season when the forests receive generally less precipitation. The mountain gorillas and others forest dwellers take most of there time closer to the ground so you may not need to hike.

Note that competition for the limited gorilla permit availability is high in the peak season which is normally the dry season. This therefore necessitates booking the gorilla trekking permits in advance. there us high competition not only for the gorilla trekking permits but also other logistics that support tourism.

Expect to find more tourists on ground during the high season with who you may share the gorilla trekking experience since gorilla family allocation is done randomly with no proper criteria used.

The low season which is normally the wet season must not be given up when choosing the time of doing the gorilla trekking safari. This is because there are high chances of finding gorilla permit availability. The number of tourists who book gorilla safaris is minimal leaving chance to find gorilla permit availability even for last minute bookings.

What Is Interesting About Gorilla Trekking Tours

Meeting the only mountain gorillas there is in the word is a dream come true for most adventure seekers but the limited number of gorilla trekking permits antagonizes the African safari plans for Many

When you purchase the gorilla trekking permits, you contribute to the existence of the mountain gorillas that are endangered and are only living in Uganda, Rwanda and D.R.Congo and nowhere else in the world.

Being a few meters from the only surviving mountain gorillas in the world is fulfilling as you get to know the reality about there existence other than those portrayed in animations or cartoons.

On the way to find the mountain gorillas, there are chances of spotting a number of other forest inhabitants including golden monkeys, black and white colobus, vervet monkeys and many other. An array of birds are confirmed as residents of the destinations where mountain gorillas also survive.

Taking gorilla trekking is a chance to make dreams come true and share the same space with strangers. This is under the professional guidance of a ranger guide from the responsible authorities. Mountain gorillas have about 98% human DNA and they even engage in activities similar to those of humans. You get to witness the way mountain gorillas behave, carry out there daily activities, treat each other, carry out there day today activities and much more.

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