When To Book Gorilla Trekking Permits For Christmas And New Year
What Are The Dos And Donts Of An Africa Safari To Uganda
September 2, 2022
Why Gorilla Trekking Is Becoming Africa Safari Show Stopper
September 7, 2022
Spending your Christmas holidays with the mountain gorillas is the best Santa package you can choose. You work and save all year so you need a memorable experience that will take you into the next year with chills. Light up your holiday spirits with gorilla trekking safari in Uganda or Rwanda.
In Uganda gorilla trekking happen in Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park while in Rwanda volcanoes National Park is the gorilla trekking sanctuary.
You may reward your family, friends and colleagues with a gorilla trekking Christmas experience but they must be 15 years and above.
Best Time To Book Christmas Holiday Gorilla Trekking permits
Festive days permits for gorilla trekking adventures sell out like hot cakes so you need to book your gorilla permit in advance as early as 6 months in advance. Many people want to make Christmas holiday statements by travelling to do unique activities including gorilla trekking.
You may also book Christmas day gorilla trekking experience as early as a year in advance or when the year is still young.
Even new year holiday many travelers want to commemorate it with a statement experience that they will talk about at least for the rest of the year. Gorilla trekking is that special expedition you can choose to take on new year. Just like Christmas, you need advance booking of your gorilla permit.
Send your Enquiry we do the rest for you. Make Us your Santa
Which Accommodation To Book For Gorilla Trekking Christmas Holidays
In Uganda Gorilla trekking permits are sold per area so you need to reserve accommodation closer to the area where your permit is booked.
This is because of the lengthy drive you need to take early morning to catch up with briefing in another area. The roads are sometimes impassable because of the nature of terrain in this area. Finding an obstacle in the middle of the road from one sector of Bwindi impenetrable National Park to another is common which may delay you too.
Accommodation in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park area are graded according to Luxury, Mid-range and Budget. Some of the accommodations you can book for gorilla trekking include Gorilla Forest Camp, Clouds Lodge, Engage Lodge, Volcanoes Lodge, Silverback Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge, Gorilla Resort, Bwindi View Bandas, Lake Kitandara Campsite to mention but a few.
Rwanda offers a wide range of accommodations within and outside the Volcanoes National Part premises. The proximity and great road network in Rwanda makes it quick for one to overnight in Kigali city and do gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. They are graded according to Luxury, Mid-range and Budget accommodations.
Some Rwanda accommodation you can book for gorilla trekking safari Christmas festival include
Virunga Volcanoes Lodge, Hotel Mille Collins, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Mountain Gorilla View lodge, Kinigi Guest house to mention but a few.
What Is The Cost Of Gorilla Trekking Permit On Christmas
Prices for commodities change with the festive season especially Christmas but the gorilla trekking permit costs $700 in Uganda and in Rwanda $1500 per person per trek.
You need to reserve your permit in advance so that they are not sold out because of the different intension people have for doing gorilla trekking this festive period.
You need to reserve accommodation, secure your guide driver, book other additional activities you wish to add to gorilla trekking like game drives, white water rafting in Uganda, birding and so much more.
How Many People Are Allowed To Do Gorilla Trekking
Whether trekking gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda, only 8 people are allowed to visit the mountain gorillas per day. This is to reduce on the park human congestion that would trample on the gorilla food. Gorillas are vegetarian by nature and require about 50 pounds to 70 pounds of foliage to take them throughout the day and night.
How Difficult Is Gorilla Trekking
The nature of the topography where mountain gorillas live is mountainous. You need to have some level of fitness to enjoy the entire experience. This however does not mean that if you physically impaired you cannot do gorilla trekking. Sedan chair and a lifting stretcher are available to hire.
Sometimes the mountain gorillas feed from the slopes while other times they are at the bottom. You need to follow the trail leading to where the gorillas of a particular family are situated. The trails in the wilderness sometimes blocked by dripping creepers so ranger guide has to use a machete to make a way for you.
Staying closer to your gorilla trekking group keeps you safe and enjoy the best adventures of the forest. The ranger guide follows the paces of the slowest trek so that no one is forgotten in the forest. You need to keep moving because you do not know when to locate the mountain gorillas. They are always on the move to locate the best food.
How To get To The Mountain Gorillas Christmas Season
Christmas is festive time when everybody wants to party with friends and family away from work but you need a driver guide to take you to the destination. Our team of guide drivers is always on duty ready to serve you and make your dream holiday come to life.
By road you need to hire a 4×4 vehicle that will withstand the slippery terrain of the country side. A number of routes are used to excess Bwindi impenetrable National Park some of which are
Kampala to Kabale to Kanungu to Buhoma taking a tarmac road up to Kabale for 414km then a murram road for 120 km from Kanungu to Kanyantorogo.
Kampala to Kabale to Ruhija to Buhoma driving from on a murram road to Kabale for 414 km then connect to Ruhijah for 95 km.
Kampala to Ntungamo to Rukingiri to Kihihi to Buhoma which takes 390 km to Rukungiri then a murram road to Buhoma for 82 km.
Kampala to Kabale to Nkuringo driving to Kabale for 414 km then 105 km to Nkuringo. You may overnight in Kisoro which is 80 km from Kabale and connect in the morning to Nkuringo which is 35 km.
Daily domestic flights depart Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi airstrip to Kihihi airstrip but you need to reserve a transfer vehicle to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Another Domestic flight arrangement from Kajansi airstrip to Kisoro Airstrip can be made
In Rwanda, the drive from Kigali Airport to Volcanoes National Park goes through winding roads to Musaze and then you arrive in Ruhengeri. This drive is about 3 hours without considering stop overs.
What Gorilla family Is Best To Book For Christmas
All gorilla families in Uganda and Rwanda are lovely to be with. Although at sometimes gorillas feed from up the slopes, its not always the case because they feed according to availability of there food.
Some tourists derive fun from visiting a gorilla family with many family members, family with many infants, one with a huge silverback, gorilla family with charming juveniles and so much more.
As the mountain gorilla conservation is still going on more families are being formed to but so far these are the available gorilla trekking families.
Uganda has about 18 gorilla trekking families. Some of which are Mubare gorilla family, Oruzogo gorilla family, Bweza gorilla family, Rushegura gorilla family, Habyinyanja gorilla family Nyakagezi gorilla family, Nkuringo gorilla trekking family, Nshongi gorilla trekking family and so much more.
Rwanda has about 13 gorilla trekking families. Some of which are Sabyinyo gorilla family, Group 13 gorilla family, Amahoro gorilla family, Kwitonda gorilla family, Umubano gorilla family and so much more
What To Combine with Gorilla Trekking Safari During Christmas Festivals
Enjoying gorilla trekking is not the only activity to do during Christmas festivals but adding more fun from like game drives, water activities, chimpanzees trekking hiking, nature walks is incredible.
A number of game parks can be excessed from Bwindi impenetrable National park or Volcanoes National Park
In Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park is just 4 to 5 hours away from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The park harbors lions, elephants, water bucks, bush bucks, topis, hyenas, warthogs, buffaloes, lots of hippos, huge Nile crocodiles and so much more. A launch cruise on Kazinga channel relaxes your mind and watch out for incredible wild animal and rich avian life visits along the shores
Kibale National park is about 6 hours from Bwindi impenetrable National park in Uganda. This is the biggest home of habituated chimpanzees in Africa. It’s a tropical forested park with lots of other primate species like black and white colobus, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, L’Hoest and so much more.
The super launch Trip in Murchison Falls National Park is incredible and at Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park. These are the icing on the top of the safari cake in every National Park. Lots of animals spend the day at the shoreline bathing and quenching thirst. A number of birds grace the banks of River Nile and Kazinga channel. The life of the parks is best enjoyed at the Launch trip
In Rwanda, Nyungwe National park is an option to choose after gorilla trekking. This chimpanzee sanctuary is fun to visit because of its privacy and amazing views. It a birding haven too. The incredible canopy walk makes its more of a must go to when you take a Rwanda safari.
Akagera National park in Rwanda is a lovely stop for game drive in Rwanda. You may get to see elephants, zebras, Rhinos, water bucks, bush bucks, warthogs and so much more. The boat ride on Lake Ihema soaks you into the elusive beauty of the park.
A Rwanda city tour takes you into the life of 100 days of Rwanda genocide where indigenous people killed each other brutally. Visiting centers like St Famille church, Gisozi Genocide Memorial, Blue Beret Memorial site take you into the horrible but learning lesson about ignorance. Visit the Rwanda ethnological Museum and so much more.
Itineraries To Book For Gorilla Trekking In Christmas
4 day gorilla trekking And Ngamba Island
5 day gorilla and chimpanzee Trekking
6 day gorilla trekking and Wildlife safari
8 day Gorilla Trekking, Chimpanzee and Wildlife Safari
What to Pack for Gorilla Trekking Safari during Christmas Festive Time
A warm sweater to keep you warm during gorilla trekking as the forest is receives low temperatures. Sometimes the temperatures drop to 7 degrees centigrade
A pair of tracking boots comfortable to hike the ridges and to the slopes of plateaus where the gorillas spend there day. This is more experienced during the rainy seasons when the ground is so boggy.
Long trousers and sleeved shirt in colors favoring your trek in the wilderness.
Insect repellants to protect your vulnerable body from stinging insects.
Energy bites to nibble at while trekking to locate the mountain gorillas.
A sound-proof camera with good lens to keep memories of your gorilla trekking Christmas experiences.
An extra fully charged battery to replace with when one runs low
A poncho or rain proof gear to cover you from getting when it rain. The forest receives rain abruptly which may go on till end of day.
Garden gloves to protect your palms from scratches and biting nettles when you slide and fall.
A large brim hat or cap to protect your head from dripping water off the leaves.
Water bottle to carry drinking water in during gorilla trekking when you get thirst.
How Safe Is Gorilla Trekking In Africa
Gorilla trekking is safe in Uganda and Rwanda because of the active participation of the top security agencies in both countries. No one is allowed to move into the forest without the escort of an armed ranger guide with constant communication with the park authorities in case of any attack.
The gorillas are serene animals that have been habituated to be in the presence of humans for atleast an hour. You do not need to worry about them charging at you unless you provoke them. They are rarely aggressive
