What Makes Gorilla Trekking A Lifetime Adventure

Over view

Gorilla tracking in Uganda or Rwanda is a one in life experience filled with adventures. The time you take searching for the way about of the mountain gorillas is like treasure hunting.

 Lots of primates share the forest all the day long jumping from one branch to another while searching for wild fruits. Some of the common primates include blue monkeys, black and white colobus, red tailed monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, olive baboons, bush babies to mention but a few.

What happens during gorilla trekking in Uganda Or Rwanda?

Early in the morning trekkers converge at the ranger station for briefing. Ranger guides take you through what you are expected to do as you search for the gorillas and when with them. You are advised to keep up with the rest of the group on your way, stand at a distance of about 8 meters apart from the gorillas.

After briefing the entire gorilla trekking group is subdivided into groups of 8 people to visit one gorilla family for that day. Check if you have all the gorilla trekking gears camera, masks, sanitizer, energy bites, tracking boots to mention but a few prior to starting.

Hit the trail where the gorillas spend there day previously but this is not guarantee that you will find them at the same point. Gorilla trekking is like hide and seek game in the wilderness.

The time for finding the gorillas is not known as they keep moving to get a meal for the day. Gorilla trekking may take between two hours and three quarters of the day depending on the factors in the forest like food proximity.

Enjoy other forest dwellers like lots of bird , butterflies, monkeys, rare tree and plant species, waterfalls, unique valleys the list is endless. Bwindi Forest in Uganda or Volcanoes Forest in Rwanda are like a natural supermarket. The choice of what to look at depends on.

What happens When With The Mountain  Gorillas

The first sight of the Mountain gorillas may stimulate some adrenaline but try not to show freight as this may cause suspicion.

When mountain gorillas become suspicious, they may go into hiding cutting short your lifetime moment with them.

The connection most people get when with the gorillas is over whelming stunning. They are indeed lost human cousins ruling the forest.

 Try not to get so close to the gorillas, try to keep your gears next to you because one of them may sneak in and pic your belongings.  

Staring directly into the eyes of the mountain gorillas makes them feel shy and may push them into hiding. Try to do it steal-fully so as not to cause them any discomfort.

Watch the family do its day’s activities like feeding, grooming, playing, combing to mention but a few.

Slowly retreat from the presence of the mountain gorillas, return to your lodge and relax . Leave nothing and carry nothing apart from the memories of your adventure with the mountain gorillas.

How To Cost for Gorilla Trekking In Africa

• You need to have a gorilla permit first secure as this is the only guarantee of a gorilla trekking experience. Sometimes gorilla permits get sold out so quickly but advance booking and saving for your Africa Safari is more comfortable

Each gorilla permit in Uganda costs $700 and In Rwanda the gorilla permits price is $1500 per person per trek. Each day only 8 gorilla permits are opened for the public to purchase per family.

No permit is preserved for anyone as first come first served basis is applied.

• Accommodation in the area where your gorilla permit was booked is also relevant when costing for a gorilla tracking safari.

You need to spend the night before your trek closer or with in close proximity of the area booked for your gorilla tracking safari. To avoid waking up so early to drive to the ranger station for briefing.

• A vehicle to drive you to the park in case you are doing a road trip or to transfer you to your lodge when you land at the air strip. You must include the fuel expenses too and the drive guide.
• Fly-in gorilla tracking in Uganda necessitates you to book a seat on the daily schedules domestic flights or hire in advance a charter flight in case you wish to travel privately.

This however this is for those who do not want to spend a lot of time in transit as the drive from Entebbe to Bwindi forest in Uganda last between 8 hours to 9 hours but very scenic. Scheduled flights normally take 1 hour and 30 minutes then transfer vehicle may take about 2 hours to the final destination.

• If intending to include other activities like Uganda Safari game drives after gorilla trekking, state this in advance so that a nice itinerary is tailored and other arrangements are made for you too.

Which is the best Gorilla Family To Trek In Uganda

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is booked according to area but after briefing, tourists in that area are subdivided into groups of 8 to trek a particular family on a particular day. All gorilla families have interesting attributes depending on your preference.

Some trekker want families with infants and these keep changing with time, some water playful juveniles, others want to trek gorilla families with authoritative silverbacks, pregnant gorilla and so much more.

When you state prior your intended interest, we may try and find a way of liaising with the authorities to grant your wish although its not a guarantee.

Which is the best Family to Trek In Rwanda

 Similar to Uganda, all gorilla families in Rwanda have differing tributes that make client happy. Rwanda gorillas are slightly located on higher altitudes which requires you to hike.

 A number of gorilla families live in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park like Sabyinyo gorilla family, Susa gorilla family, Kwitonda Gorilla family, Amahoro gorilla family to mention but a few.

What Else To see During Gorilla Tracking Safari in Africa

Mountain Gorillas do not exist alone in wild National Parks of Uganda or Rwanda although they are the dominant animals of the forests where they reside.

In Uganda, lots of game safaris are arranged with gorilla trekking. You have an opportunity to see animals like lions, herds of Elephants, water bucks, bush bucks, Rothschild giraffes, herds of buffaloes,  cheetahs, bush babies, wild beests, leopards  to mention but a few.

Uganda hosts about 10 more national parks all placed in different regions of its boundaries. Some of the game parks include Murchison Falls Park, Queen Elizabeth National park, Kibale National park, KIdepo Valley National park, Semliki National park, Rwenzori National park and so many others.

Rwanda hosts national game parks like Nyungwe National park home to the great chimpanzees and rich bird life, Akagera National Park.

All these can be put together with your gorilla tracking safari in Africa either Uganda or Rwanda depending on the time available for your stay.