When Is The Best Time To Do Gorilla And Chimpanzee Trekking In Uganda

The best time to do a combo of gorilla trekking and chimpanzee trekking safari in Uganda is in the dry season. Note that both gorilla and chimpanzee trekking tours in Uganda are open all year. Having a gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permit is key in confirming this Uganda safari.

In Uganda, gorilla trekking tour can be done from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park in South Western part of the country. Chimpanzee trekking safari in Uganda is done from Kibale National Park, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kaniyo Pabidi forest in Murchison Falls National Park, Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and others.

Both gorilla safaris and chimpanzee tours in Uganda are done by trekking in the forested area in there natural habitats. Even through these forests are dense most of the time, during the dry season there is generally less precipitation and the dense network of rivers flow within normal course. Even the rest of the forest dwellers are quicker to spot in the dry season as they move around search for a meal.

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A Guide to Planning The Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trekking Safari in Uganda

Identify Dates For The Gorilla And Chimpanzee Trekking Tour In Uganda

Choose dates for both gorilla and chimpanzee trekking tour in Uganda they can be confirmed or tentative dates. Identify the number of Uganda safari permits you hope to book according to the people you are travelling with.

This background work helps with finding availability of both gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits from the list of Uganda Wildlife Authority when you enquire about this Uganda safari. The number of gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits open to the public restricted to maximum 8 gorilla trekking permits per days or 6 chimpanzee permits per troop for conservation reasons.

Book the gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permit

When you find availability of gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits, it is best to reserve them as soon as you can. This is to prevent chances of missing the permits because first come first served basis is used to sell the gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits.

No Uganda gorilla or chimpanzee permit is booked without payment yet there status changes any time without warning. It is better to book both Uganda tour permits as early as the time there availability is availed.

Gorilla trekking permits for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are booked according to the areas under which the park is divided that is Buhoma, Rushaga, Nkuringo and Ruhija. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was divided into these sections because of its vast size that made administrative matters quite challenging

Those who book earlier both gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits in Uganda may have the chance to pay for them in instalments terms and conditions apply.

Reserve Accommodations To Use During Uganda Gorilla And Chimpanzee Safari

Book accommodation to use during gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari in Uganda as soon as you confirm availability of gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits. This is to avoid chances of finding the right option for your budget and comfort while in Uganda safari holiday.

All destinations where gorillas and chimpanzees safaris in Uganda are done have accommodations in different categories that is luxury, mid-range and basic. It is better to reserve the accommodations earlier and closer to these Uganda safari destinations because both gorilla and chimpanzee trekking tours start early morning with briefing which is compulsory for every tourists.

During the peak season which is normally June to September and December to January, the demand for accommodations to use on a tour to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Kibale National Park during the gorilla and chimpanzee tours is high creating scarcity for those who book at the last minute

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park accommodations Gorilla forest Camp, Silverbacklodge, Clouds lodge, Bwindi View Bandas, Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge, Nshongi Camp, Rushaga Gorilla Safari lodge

Kibale National Park accommodations Primates lodge, Ndali lodge, Chimpanzee Guesthouse, Chimps Nest, Kyaninga Lodge

Book Transport To The Gorilla And Chimpanzee Safari Destinations

Reserve transport to use when getting to the gorilla and chimpanzee safari destinations in advance. Two means of transport are regularly used to get to these Uganda Safari destination that is road transport and air transport. During the high tourism season in Uganda, competition for transport to the different safaris destinations in Uganda is high so it is safer to reserve it in advance.

By Road the distance from Kampala to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is about 530 Kilometers to 540 Kilometers taking time of about 8 to 9 hours drive.

By Road the distance from Kampala to Kibale National Park is about the 336 Kilometers via Fort Portal road. An alternative route to Kibale National Park is via Mbarara.

Scheduled domestic flights from Kajjansi airstrip or Entebbe airport to Kihihi airstrip or Kisoro Airstrip then Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and to Kasese airstrip then Kibale National Park

Charter flight services are available from Kajjansi or Entebbe airport but you need to make advance preparations.

Pack The Right Gorilla And Chimpanzee Trekking Gears

Both gorilla and chimpanzee trekking tours in Uganda are done from the natural environment where these primates live with no rules. During the adventure, tourist are expected to dress in a way that is comfortable and suits the wilderness.  During the planning for the gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari to Uganda, this packing must be considered. The jungle is rough with some surfaces like the stinging nettles that may cause some skin reactions.

Some of the items to include in the gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari packing list include safari boots, rain proof gears, long sleeved shirt and trouser, garden gloves, insect repellant and others.

Practice Some Exercises Before The Gorilla And Chimpanzee Trekking Tour

Before the gorilla and chimpanzee trekking tour, try to do some exercise to keep fit because exploring the forest requires some strength. The mountain gorillas and chimpanzees are not stationed in one location in the forest all the time but freely move searching for a meal to take them through the day and night.

The nature of the terrain of Bwindi forest where gorillas trekking happens is craggy because of the serious volcanic actions that affected these areas ending in the formations of a number of highlands. Sometimes the mountain gorillas spend time on the slopes of these highlands and so you need to get to where they are at that moment.

Even the chimpanzees in Kibale National Park move into the deeper ends of the forest searching for new feeding grounds for the community. This necessitates trekkers to move deeper into the forest and yet time of finding them is not easy to determine because it depends on factors prevailing in the wilderness.

Secure Necessary Uganda Travel Documents Before The Gorilla And Chimpanzee Trekking Safari

Apply for a Uganda visa in advance in case you must have one before travelling to the country even though it is possible to acquire one at immigration. This is to reduce on the time you may spend at the airport on arrival yet you may have jet lag. In case your Uganda safari is starting on arrival, time wasted at immigration may antagonize the entire program.

Book the international flights to Entebbe Airport Uganda in advance so that you donot have to get disorganized at the last minute when you cannot find arrive in time. Missing your flight may end in missing the gorilla or chimpanzee trekking tour yet last minute permit transfer is not accepted in Uganda. A booked gorilla or chimpanzee permit not used is considered a no show and is invalid.

Do Heath Check-up before travelling for the gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari in Uganda

Being in good health before the gorilla ad chimpanzees trekking safari in Uganda is very important because you get to enjoy the entire experience. As a conservation rule, all tourists going on a gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari must be free from any communicable infection like flu, cough, Covid-19 and others. This is because you may not know the extent of the effects of this disease to these highly susceptible primates.

As a rule tourists are requested to volunteer to stay behind in case they have a communicable infection to protect the mountain gorillas or chimpanzees from catching it. Wearing a clean mask when with the gorillas and chimpanzees is advised as a conservation measure taken to protect them. When with the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, the recommended distance from them is about 8 meters to reduce on the chances of spreading an infection to them and them to you.

Book Other Uganda safari activities up front

Other than the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees Uganda is a land gifted by nature with a number of other activities available and can combine with the gorilla and chimpanzee safari. Some other Uganda safari activities include game safaris, birding in Uganda, water activities, mountaineering, cultural experience to mention but a few.

It is safer to reserve these Uganda safari activities in advance especially if you are destined to tour the country in the peak season. There is high competition for availability of these safari activities.

How much is the cost of a gorilla and chimpanzee trekking tour in Uganda

The cost of the Uganda gorilla and chimpanzee trekking tour is packaged according to luxury, mid-range and basic. The cost of the gorilla and chimpanzee permits is across all these safari packages. At the moment the cost of the Uganda gorilla permit is $800 for international nonresidents, $700 for international residents, $500 for other Africans and 300000shs for East Africans.

There are other logistics that support the Uganda safaris including accommodation, transport, driver guides, park entrance fees and others that must be included in this safari package.

At Arch safaris And Tours, our safari team is ready to work with you to tailor an itinerary that suits your needs and wants. They are ready to make for you a safari quotation within your budget and including your desired Uganda safari activities

Is The Cost Of The Gorilla And Chimpanzee Trekking Tour In Uganda Worth The Money And Time

The cost of gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari is worth the money and time because you get to see some of the endangered primates in there natural environment rather than confinement. These primates show off all there natural characters while in the wilderness where there are no rules.

The conservation of both the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees requires funding and one of the ways of getting these funds is by selling the permits. By traveling to do gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari, you contribute to the conservation of these primates.

Other than the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, the forests host other primates including blue monkeys, olive baboons, grey cheeked mangabey, black and white colobus to mention but few. Keen birders may take advantage of this Uganda primates adventure as these forests host a number of birds species including Albertine rift endemics and those om the red list of IUCN.

How Easy Or Difficult Is The Gorilla And Chimpanzee Trekking Safari In Uganda

Both gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safaris in Uganda happen in the wilderness where the environment may get rough sometimes. Along the way, your skin may get in contact with stinging nettles that may cause some irritation.

Sometimes the trails in these destinations are over grown and covered by creeper that may necessitate trimming or crawling beneath to get to the other side.

The nature of the terrain where the mountain gorillas live is ragged resulting from the different landforms because of the volcanic actions in this area. A number of highlands were formed where sometimes the mountain gorillas spend time. Tourists have to hike to where the gorillas may have spent the day which gets quite challenging.

During the severe rainy seasons, the mountain gorillas and chimpanzee spend most of the time in locations far from the ground especially in the canopy so you need a pair of binoculars to catch a better vision. Even the rivers sometimes flood over leaving the ground quite soggy and difficult to marvel.

No matter what you encounter long the way to the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, the joy of finally finding them is unmatched. It is possible to forget the hassle you may have passed through to finally find these primates.