What To expect on Uganda Safari including Gorilla Trekking

When the Uganda safari includes Gorilla trekking, expect to pay park fees in the game parks but the gorilla safari destination park fees are included in the cost of the gorilla trekking permit. Gorilla trekking and game safaris in Uganda are best enjoyed with an early morning start. When you wake up early for a game drive in the game parks, you may have the opportunity of seeing several animals as they emerge from night hideouts to meet the day.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda starts very early in the morning with briefing at the ranger station. Since it is hard to determine time of finding the mountain gorillas, it is best to start the trek early before they move far in the forest.

Uganda has four game parks that you can include on the itinerary for the Uganda safari these include Murchison falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park. Expect to find more vehicles on the tracks of these Uganda game parks during the dry season which serves as the peak season too. donot expect a crowd of vehicle on the tracks during the game safari in Uganda.

While on Uganda gorilla trekking and game safari, silence or talking at a low tone is advisable so as not to scare the wild animals. Mountain Gorillas are easily intimidated by loud noise plus unfamiliar voices and so are the wild animals in the jungle.

Expect to share the experience of gorilla trekking with other people because maximum 8 tourists are allowed to visit each gorilla family per day no matter the safari package you choose. During game safaris in Uganda, more people drive through the tracks of the game parks to enjoy the mesmerizing views and untamed wildlife. Enquire Now

On the way to do gorilla trekking and game safari in Uganda, donot expect a smooth ride because the roads in the countryside are bumpy and dusty but can get messy in the wet season hire a 4×4 wheel drive vehicle.

Donot expect lights all through the night for every accommodation you book during gorilla trekking and game safari in Uganda because most of the upcountry accommodations use solar energy as the main source of power. Sometimes the sun doesn’t shine bright especially during the severe rainy seasons.

Where To Go For Uganda Gorilla Trekking And Wildlife Safari?

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Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

 Two Uganda national Parks are celebrated for hosting the mountain Gorillas some of the most endangered species in the world living in only three countries that is Uganda, Rwanda and D.R.Congo.

Bwindi Impenetrable National park and Mgahinga National park are the hosts of these mountain Gorillas. At the moment, Uganda is hosting the largest population of mountain gorillas about half the total number. For gorilla trekking in Uganda, the country has more than 20 gorilla families fully habituated and opened to the public.

The gorilla trekking permits for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park ae booked according to the four areas under which the park is subdivided that is Buhoma in the North, Ruhija in the East, Nkuringo and Rushaga in the south. These areas also determine where to book accommodation to use during gorilla trekking tour in Uganda.

Where to do Game Safari In Uganda

Game safaris in Uganda happen in four game parks that is Queen Elizabeth National park, Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Mburo National Park and Kidepo valley National Park.  Each of these game parks is endowed with features and inhabitants that are unique to it.

Murchison falls National park

The powerful Murchison Falls in this park along the River Nile Valley distinguish Murchison Falls national Park from any other Uganda game safari destination. During the launch trip to these falls, look out to the shore where chances of seeing a number of wild animals are more open and an array of birds.

River Nile water accommodates a huge population of Nile crocodiles that stage there show at the crocodile restaurant. The schools of hippos that spend there day in River Nile appear like rocks embedded in the water.

Listen to the soothing sounds of River Nile water as it squeezes and bursts through a narrow bend of about 6 meters wide to produce a thundering sound before cascading down 43 meters high cliff.

While on game drive in Murchison Falls National park, driving through the Buligi track is the most exciting with chances of spotting animals like lions, leopards, waterbucks, bushbucks, giraffes, oribi, cape buffaloes, Uganda kobs to mention but a few.

Chimpanzee trekking in Kaniyo pabidi forest is worth adding to the list of activities to do in Murchison Falls National Park. Birding in Murchison Falls National Park is never a disappointment

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is a biosphere reserve hosting some of the unique species. This park seats on the floor of the rift valley with a scenic backdrop of Rwenzori ranges that explode from the plains. During the game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park using tracks like the Kasenyi track some of the wild animals you may have chance to see include lions, leopards, waterbucks, bushbucks,  herds of elephants, cape buffaloes, topis, mongoose, hyenas and others.

The launch trip on Kazinga channel is the highlight of a game safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park as the shoreline of the channel is often graced by several wild animals. All year around a plethora of birds love spending time by the Channel banks and this is a RAMZA site too. Kazinga channel is a magnet to even foreign migrant birds that make stops to enjoy the freebies of this channel.

Driving through the volcanic crater lakes area is spectacular and several wet and dry craters are dotted in different parts of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura gorge is amazing but get ready to hike to get to the floor of this forested point of the gorge which  may be challenging some times.

Lake Mburo National Park

Driving through the tracks of Lake Mburo National Park is rewarding with chances of seeing animals like zebras, giraffes, cape buffaloes, herds of elephants, waterbucks, reedbucks, bushbucks, elands, rare leopards and others.

The boat trip on Lake Mburo is relaxing as you sail passed several water birds, look for the swamp vegetation with the wealth of wildlife that they support. The long bird list of Lake Mburo National Park is incredible with more than 315 species so far recorded.

Kidepo Valley National Park

The best game safari in Uganda is in Kidepo Valley National Park a game rich destination in Uganda. while driving through on the tracks within the plains of Kidepo valley National Park you may spot animals like lions, cheetahs, herds of elephants, cape buffaloes, hyenas, bat eared fox, side striped jackals, klipspringer, Guenther’s dikdik, herds of elephants, Burchell’s zebras, reedbucks, elands, bushbucks, Defassa waterbucks to mention but a few.

More than 463 bird species are registered as occupants of Kidepo Valley National Park including 26 uncommon bird species. These bird species include Egyptian vultures, Abyssinian roller, Karamoja Apalis, ostriches and others.

Visiting the Karamojong homesteads gives you chance to know more about there unique life. They are cattle keepers and there life depends on their cattle. They live in Manyattas similar to the life of the Masai in Kenya.

When Is The Best Time To Do a Combo of Uganda Gorilla Trekking And Game Safari?

The gorilla trekking safari in Uganda or game tours combo is best done in the dry season when the wilderness has less precipitation. The gorilla trekking destinations in Uganda that is Bwindi and Mgahinga forest receive untimely rains that may take an entire day. Even in the game parks, the dry season is best preferred. The dry season is normally June to October and December to Febuary.

The trails in the forest are quicker to navigate while on gorilla trekking adventure in Uganda and these is less under growth protruding through to cover the trails. As you take on the game drive in the tracks of the different Uganda game parks during the dry season, chances of seeing more animals are more open since the grass is generally lower and animals are all over the park searching for better feeding points.

Note that the demand for both gorilla trekking and game safaris in Uganda is high in this season creating scarcity for last minute bookers. The gorilla permits may run out for last minute bookers and so are other logistics that support gorilla safaris like accommodation, transport, driver guide and others.

For game safaris in Uganda, accommodation to use during these safaris options may run out in the dry season so to be on the safe side, secure yours in advance.

The wet season which is normally the low Uganda safari season that is March, April, May and November is also open for safaris. In case you wish to see new births, the low season may open this opportunity. Chances of seeing wild animals in the wilderness during the low season are available.

How Sure Can I Be To See Mountain Gorillas And Wild Animals During Gorilla Trekking And Game Safari?

After booking the gorilla trekking permit, be sure to see the mountain gorillas no matter the season. Wild animals linger the game parks during Uganda safaris all seasons although the grass is higher in the wet season.

For gorilla trekking safaris be sure to see the mountain gorillas in the wilderness. They donot normally linger the forest because of there huge weight. A normal fully grown mountain gorilla weighs about 200 kilograms and the female about half its weight,

The mountain gorilla families are first habituated before opening them to the public for unknown time until proved ready. The gorilla habituation process enables these mountain gorillas to be in front of humans for the designated time that is one hour. There are 99% chances of seeing mountain gorillas in Uganda during gorilla safari.

What Is The Cost Of Gorilla Trekking And Game Safari In Uganda?

The cost of gorilla trekking and game safari in Uganda varies with the package you choose of Up scale to mid-range to basic. The general cost of gorilla trekking safari in Uganda is the cost of gorilla permit and park entrance fees for game parks.

The current cost of the Uganda gorilla trekking permit is $800 per person per trek and Park entrance fees are between $40 to 45$ depending on the game park you visit. Included in these Uganda safari costs is the conservation fund support, security, ranger guide fees, park maintenance and much more. When costing the Uganda Safari, some of the items considered may be the number of people travelling with, number of days, time of booking the safari, safari package and much more.

How safe is Uganda as an African safari Destination?

Uganda is safe as an African Safari destination. In all these safari destination are professional Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger guide who understand there work and ready to defend wildlife and visitors. The co-operate with other Uganda security agencies to keep law and order in and around these safari destinations.

Tourists on gorilla trekking safari in Uganda are advised not to walk in the park without an escorting ranger guide to prevent chances of an attack from the forest dwellers.

 While in the game park, on Uganda safari, try to stay on track so as to avoid chances of landing in dangerous areas of the park. You may even be attacked by the wild animals as you try to chase them while driving off track.

Register every person traveling with at the ranger station or park entrance to avoid chances of people getting lost without trace. The national parks are vast and so it may take sometime to locate a person in case they wander into the deeper ends of these destinations.

Why travel to do Gorilla Trekking in Uganda?

Mountain Gorillas are some of the few primates still existing in the entire world. World over, mountain gorillas are living in Uganda, Rwanda and D.R.Congo only. There is no other chases of seeing the mountain gorillas in any other part of the world because they can only survive in the Virunga volcanoes area.

Mountain gorillas have about 96% human DNA bringing them closer to human beings. It is exciting being just a few meters from these primates , watch them go about there daily programs just like humans and get to know there actually life other than what they are portrayed to be.

Mountain Gorilla conservation still need funding and from the cost of the gorilla trekking safaris, a portion of the funds collected are used to support the survival of mountain gorillas. From the 1980s census when the population of mountain gorillas was estimated to be about 250 mountain gorillas, the recent census states that more than 1000 mountain gorillas are living. Part of this success is attributes to the support tourists who purchase gorilla permits.

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