What Season Can I Expect To See More Gorillas During The Gorilla Trekking Safari

The season when you can expect to see more mountain gorillas during gorilla trekking safari in Uganda or Rwanda is hard to determine. Gorilla trekking is an all year around adventure because seeing the mountain gorillas is a sure deal no matter the season. There are two seasons that is the rainy season which is March to April and November then the dry season which is June to October and December to February on both Rwanda and Uganda.

In Uganda, Gorilla trekking safari happen in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. In Rwanda, gorilla trekking tours happen in Volcanoes National Park. These parks are part of the greater Virunga area where rain falls at anytime without warning no matter the season. The Virunga area has a dense network of rivers and streams that crisscross the forests leaving it wet most of the day. Contact Us

Note that mountain gorillas live in cohesive families under the leadership of mainly despotic leaders called Dominant Silverback. The dominant silverbacks normally capture gorilla family power by fighting the reigning leaders and then elope with some of the family members or take over the entire gorilla family. Others may become leaders of the gorilla family as heirs of the fallen dominant male.

The dominant silverback normally fights to the last breath to defend the sovereignty of the gorilla family members. The dominant silverback has the last command and is followed by every family member through the communication they usually murmur out to the gorilla family.

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Doing Gorilla Trekking In During The Dry Season

To do gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda in the dry season which is normally June to October and December to February, there are more chances of seeing the mountain gorillas. The Virunga forests are known to be dense most of the year with less chances of sunray penetration to the ground. This keeps the ground moist most of the time and slippery too but the environment of the dry season slightly differs.

During the dry season, the precipitation in the forest is lower permitting faster movement to different locations on the park. The mountain gorillas spend most of there time closer to the ground sine there is normally less food supply in the upper areas of the forest because of the high competition for some supplies with other primates in the forest.

Sometimes the gorilla families move deeper into the forest as they search for better feeding areas that can satisfy every family member. As all these activities happen in the forest during the dry season, the gorilla family stays together and so you may get the chance to spot all members of this family at one go. Note that more tourists do gorilla trekking safari in Uganda during the dry season and so even competition for the limited gorilla permits id high too in this season.

Other than the mountain gorillas, there are other forest dwellers including primates that you may spot some include black and white colobus, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, blue cheeked mangabey and others. A multitude of birds find solace in this wilderness including Albertine rift endemics.

Doing Gorilla Trekking In During The Wet Season

Going gorilla trekking in the wet season in Uganda or Rwanda is not bad timing for this adventure too. The wet season which is normally November, March to May comes with more rains falling in the Virunga area. Expect to see the mountain gorillas in the wet season too.

Each day a team of trackers wakes up earlier than other to follow up the mountain gorillas where they spent the night, there possible hangout spot and others. The trackers give feed back to those at the ranger station and it’s the clues that rangers with tourists normally follow in order to lead the tourists to the location of the mountain gorillas. Note that it is not a guarantee that the mountain gorillas will remain static in the position where they were spotted.

In the wet season, the mountain gorillas tended to find shelter in the upper ends of the forest. Some mountain gorillas tend to spend time on the hill slopes or deep in the dense valleys so you may need to hike to find them.

If you wish to have exclusive attention without spending any extra penny, the wet season may avail that opportunity as fewer tourists book the gorilla trekking safaris. You may be the only tourists doing the gorilla trekking safari on that day or a few others.

Ensure to carry the right gorilla trekking gears that can support you as you explore the forest in search for the mountain gorillas.

Be sure to find the mountain gorillas in the forest even in the wet season because mountain gorillas cannot move very far because of there bulky bodies. There is even more food available in the wet season so these primates donot move very far from there known locations. The number of gorilla family members also keep changing as some may die, some grabbed, new births received, deserters and others.

What Is The Cost Of The Gorilla Trekking Safari In Uganda Or Rwanda

Note that the cost of the gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda and Rwanda vary with safari package that is luxury, mid-range or basic package. The cost of the gorilla permit is the universal price across these packages that is in Uganda the cost of gorilla trekking permit is $800 for foreign nonresidents, $700 for international residents, $500 for other Africans and 300000shs for East Africans.

The current cost of Rwanda gorilla trekking permits is $1500 for International nonresidents, $500 for International residents and $200 for East Africans.

When making the gorilla safari quotation in Uganda or Rwanda, there are other amenities that may be considered including accommodation cost, Transport and others.

Is Gorilla Trekking in Uganda or Rwanda Safe

Gorilla trekking adventures in Uganda or Rwanda are safe because before opening the gorilla family to the public, it is habituated for a period of 2 years to more years. Gorilla habituation is a process where researchers and habituators assists the mountain gorillas to get used to the presence of humans without altering there nature. In nature, the mountain gorillas are nonviolent primates even though there bodies may look quite scaring.

Before going for gorilla trekking, tourists must attend briefing no matter how many time you have been with the mountain gorillas. There is always an update about the gorilla family that you are visiting as there moods change just like human moods. Every tourists is expected to abide by the rules of gorilla trekking because these have been researched and approved as some of the things that may trigger the mountain gorillas to change there moods.

Every gorilla trekking adventure is led a professional ranger guide who follows the pace of the slowest tourists. He or she carries some protective gears including a rifle and a machete for any emergency. The ranger guides also have back from the ranger station incase the situation is beyond there control.

As a tourists, your safety is first priority so ensure not to compromise your security before and during gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda. Try not to expose your precious belongings to the public that can attract the wrong company or those keep them safe and donot explore with them.

Is Gorilla Trekking Safari Worth The Money

The gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda and Rwanda are worth the money as it is a lifelong dream to many having won the gorilla permit. The supply for gorilla trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda is limited to maximum 8 per gorilla family per day. The number of gorilla permits is restricted as a conservation measure because the mountain gorillas are highly vulnerable primates with about 1000 gorillas currently surviving the entire world.

Standing a few meters from the mountain gorillas is an unbelievable experience as many people world over believe that they are aggressive primates as because of there physical appearance. In nature, the mountain gorillas have dark furred bodies, huge physical appearance and much more. These may seem quite scaring.

If you want to overcome some of your fears, doing the gorilla trekking tour is one of these experiences worth trying. The mountain gorillas may physically appear scaring but they are serene in nature and cowards too. When standing before the mountain gorillas the first time, you may feel a cool chill running down your spine as you watch each gorilla family member emerge out from the vines.

When you perchance the gorilla permit in Rwanda or Uganda, contribute to the sustainable existence of these vulnerable primates. The population of the mountain gorillas was about 250 mountain gorillas according to the census carried out in the 1980s by Dian Fossey the American primatologists and her team.

Is Gorilla Trekking in Uganda or Rwanda Easy or Hard

Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda is quite strenuous because of the nature of the topography of this area. The Virunga area is mountainous with several highlands that form its topography resulting from volcanic actions in this area. Some times the mountain gorillas take off time on the slopes of the ridges and plateaus so you need to find them. Having some level of fitness is very important of you are to enjoy the entire experience.

The forest has creepers and vines that have tangled over time and so to get through to where the mountain gorillas may be requires challenging requiring to have machete.

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is quite steep because of the five Virung Volcanoes that form part of this park that is mountain Gahinga, Muhavura, Sabyinyo, Bisoke and Karisimbi.

Even though finding the mountain gorillas may take some time, having some level of patience and opening your mind to seeing other forest dwellers keeps the excitement candle burning to finally find the mountain gorillas.

How long is gorilla trekking experience on Uganda and Rwanda

The time to take on the gorilla trekking experience varies that is some times may take two hours while other may take more time. The location of the mountain gorillas depends on factors prevailing in the forest includes food proximity, family feud, weather conditions of the day, pace of fellow tourists and others. It is best to have some level of patience as the location of the mountain gorillas vary.

Each day a team of trackers try to find where the mountain gorillas may be staged for the day but note that they are not permanent as they have to search for a meal to enjoy during the day and support them in the night. On average, fully grown male mountain gorilla may consume about 200 kilograms of foliage.

Instead of focusing on only meeting the mountain gorillas, identify other forest dwellers that you may encounter along the way include olive baboons, black and white colobus , grey cheeked mangabey and others.

Upon finding the mountain gorillas, you may forget the hardships you may have gone through as you try to locate the mountain gorillas. Standing before the mountain gorillas creates mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness.

Which is a better gorilla trekking safari destination of Uganda and Rwanda

To determine which is the better gorilla trekking safaris destination of Uganda or Rwanda depends on one’s perception after visiting both countries, but note that no matter where you go gorilla trekking, the experience is always fantastic.

Rwanda has one gorilla trekking destination that is Volcanoes National Park while Uganda has two gorilla trekking destinations that is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park.

The current cost of Uganda gorilla trekking permit is $800 per person while the current cost of Rwanda gorilla trekking permit is $1500 per person.       

The drive time from Entebbe airport or Kampala city in Uganda is about 8 to 9 hours while the drive time from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is about 3 hour

The moment Uganda has about 20 gorilla trekking families and 4 gorilla habituation experience families while Rwanda currently has 12 gorilla trekking families. From gorilla trekking tour in Uganda, there are several safari destinations you may choose to combine this experience with while Rwanda has limited choices of optional safari activities.

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