Why Do Gorilla Trekking And Game Safaris In Uganda

Why you need to do gorilla trekking and game safaris in Uganda is because all these activities happen in one boundary with chances of options of destinations. There is no need to cross another border or apply for another visa to do either gorilla trekking or game safaris in Uganda. Contact Us

For gorilla trekking adventure in Uganda, you can choose to visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park. Uganda hosts the largest number of mountain gorillas in the world as over 1000 mountain gorillas were registered as the only ones living the world and residents of the Virunga area. At the moment about 450 mountain gorillas are residents in Uganda of which more than 20 gorilla trekking families and so far 4 gorilla habituation experience families are open to the public.

For game safaris in Uganda, there are about four game parks you can visit that is Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Mburo National Park and Kidepo National Park. When you take a Uganda safari to do a game drive in either of these destinations you may get the chance to find animals including herds of elephants, buffaloes, impalas, zebras, elands, waterbucks, bushbucks leopards, giraffes, cheetahs, aardwolf, caracals, hyenas and many others.

The number of people allowed to go gorilla trekking in Uganda is minimized to maximum 8 per gorilla family and maximum 4 for gorilla habituation experience as a conservation measure so donot expect to meet crowds. Even on the game safari tracks during the game drives in Uganda, donot expect so many vehicles giving you an opportunity to have ample time viewing the wild animals you come across.

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How Much Is The Cost Of The Gorilla Trekking And Game Safari In Uganda

The cost of the gorilla trekking and game safari in Uganda is determined by factors including number of days on safari, people travelling with, the game park you choose, Uganda safari package you choose and others.

The universal costs for this gorilla trekking and game tours in Uganda include gorilla permit cost which is currently $800 for international nonresidents, $700 for international residents, $500 for other Africans and 300,000shs for East Africans. Consider the cost of Park entrance fees to the Uganda National Parks which is compulsory for every tourists no matter the package that is currently between $40 to $45 per person.

There are some additional costs of amenities that support tourism that is accommodation costs, transport costs and more.

Our team of safari consultants is available to help organize Uganda safaris according to your preference and with in your budget. At Arch Safaris And Tours we offer free advise about the Uganda safari destinations where we operate when you request for the information. We have prepackaged Uganda safaris and can tailor an itinerary according to your needs. We offer pocket friendly safari quotations of all categories.

Is The Cost Of The Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari Worth The Money And Time

The cost of the Gorilla trekking and game Uganda safari is worth the money and time as it is an opportunity to be a few meters from the only few mountain gorillas left in the world. The Uganda game parks are not only wildlife rich but offer a wide range of other safari activities that keep you busy other than the cardinal activities for which the park is known.

When you participate in gorilla trekking and game safaris in Uganda, you get to contribute to the wildlife conservation campaign. Part of the money collected from the sell gorilla permits and park entrance fees is used to support park maintenance, research and others.

In case you support the communities around these Uganda National Parks, you get to contribute to community sensitization and more campaigns need to carried to help these people understand the importance of existence of wildlife.

What to Do And See on Gorilla Trekking And Game safari in Uganda

Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

During the gorilla trekking safari in Uganda, expect to find a fully habituated gorilla family but time of finding them is hard to determine. On the way to find the mountain gorillas you may get the chance to find other primates including olive baboons, black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey and others.

In Uganda, gorilla trekking happens in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park in western Uganda. Most of the trails within Bwindi forest and Mgahinga forest are crossed by a dense network of rivers which sometimes flood leaving the ground soggy most of the time. Both Bwindi and Mgahinga forests receive untimely rains that leave them moist most of the day.

No matter what you may go through during the search for the mountain gorillas when you finally face them, it’s a moment filled with mixed feelings of both anxiety and excitement. The majestic appearance of the mountain gorillas as they emerge from the thick vines or munch on foliage especially the bamboo delicacy

Game Safaris in Uganda

Uganda National Parks are game rich and during the game drives on the tracks you may get the chance to see animals including lions, cheetahs, leopards, bushbucks, reedbucks, elands, zebras, caracals, herds of elephants, buffaloes, hartebeests, giraffes, hyenas and others. Note that all these animals are not found in all the Uganda National Parks. 

Some of the Uganda National Parks include Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park. Uganda has several Wildlife reserves where you may get the chance to find a number of animals too.          Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park. Uganda has several Wildlife reserves where you may get the chance to find a number of animals too.

It is best to drive a 4×4 wheel drive vehicle in good condition during the game drives in Uganda safari because the nature of the terrain of the track in these parks is rough. During the severe rainy seasons, the ground may get extremely slippery.

Being in company of a professional and experienced driver guide during Uganda safari is an added advantage where you get the chance to better knowledge about the park and beyond.

How Safe Is Gorilla Trekking And Game Safaris In Uganda

The gorilla and game safaris in Uganda are safe as the security matters at these Uganda safari destinations is managed by the professional and experienced ranger guides from Uganda Wildlife Authority together with other Uganda security organs.

Each of the Uganda National Parks has guidelines that tourist are expected to abide by. Before the gorilla trekking adventure, tourists have to attend briefing at the ranger station first where they are taught in details about what is expected of you during the gorilla safari.

While on game safari in Uganda, tourists are expected to maintain a particular speed, not to drive off track avoid provoking the wild animals as this may cause the animal to charge.

For personal safety, tourists must not touch the wild animals, try to touch the wild animals no matter how adorable they may appear.

When is the best time to do the gorilla trekking and game safari in Uganda

The dry season is the most interesting time to do a gorilla trekking and game safari in Uganda. The dry season that is normally June to September and December to January is characterized with high temperatures and the grass is lower in most game parks allowing better visibility.

Most of the grassland plains where the wild animals in Uganda survive offer better chances to view a number of resident animals. In Bwindi or Mgahinga forest, the mountain gorillas spend most of there time closer to the ground because there is normally less food supply up in the trees.

Note that the dry season is normally the peak tourism season in Uganda where the demand for most Uganda safari activities is under high competition. For the gorilla trekking permits of the peak  season, they sell out earlier because they are sold according to per day and yet the gorilla permits are restricted

Even availability of additional logistics that support Uganda safaris including transport, accommodations and others is high competed for. Most of these safari logistics options run out of availability earlier so advance reservation is recommended especially for this season.

The wet season which is normally the low tourism season and wet season that is March to May and late October to November. There are lesser tourists taking Uganda safaris and even the grass in the game parks and forest is high which may slightly obstruct visibility of most wild animals but this must not stop you from spotting these animals. There are better chances of finding infants during the gorilla trekking and game safari in Uganda because there is plenty to feed on.

For those wishing to have less company while on Uganda safari activities, the wet season provides better chances to this. Even though with a limited budget but wishing to enjoy a Uganda safari may take advantage of the low season when chances of discounts may be possible.

Where To Go For Gorilla Trekking And Game Safaris On Uganda Safari

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park are home to the only mountain gorillas in Uganda. At the moment Uganda has about 20 gorilla trekking families open to the public. To gain access to a chance to do gorilla trekking in Uganda, one must have a gorilla permit and it is better to reserve it in advance.

Both Uganda gorilla safari parks are situated in the southwestern part of Uganda.

Game safaris destinations in Uganda

Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park are the only game parks in Uganda. These Uganda National parks host a wide range of wild animals but incase you wish to see a particular animal it is best to inform our safari consultant in advise so that you can be informed where best to view them.

Ensure to travel with a 4×4 wheel drive vehicle in good condition to use for a game drive in these Uganda safari parks.

How sure can I Be To Find The Big Five During The Uganda Safari

Uganda hosts the big five that is rhinos, elephants, buffaloes lions and leopards but these cannot be found in a single game park. During the game drives in some Uganda game parks, you may get the chance to spot at least three or four of the big five. Note that the Rhinos are being rehabilitated in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary enroute to Murchison Falls National Park at the moment. Another pair of these Rhinos is found in Uganda Wildlife Education center (UWEC)

Instead of focusing on finding particular animals during Uganda game safari, open your mind to seeing other inhabitant in order not to be disappointed.

How Sure Can I Be To Find The Mountain Gorillas On Gorilla trekking Uganda Safari

Finding the mountain gorillas during the gorillas trekking is a sure deal of about 98% chances. The mountain gorillas to be opened to the public are first habituated for a period until proved ready. Gorilla habituation is a process where a family of mountain gorillas is helped to get used to human presence without altering there nature.

Each day a team of trackers follows the gorilla families where they may have spent the night and may try to determine there possible go to direction to take during the day. The ranger guides leading the tourists to find the mountain gorillas normally follow the clues provided by the early trackers when searching for the mountain gorillas. The mountain gorillas normally stage there stay in a particular area for sometime until food is exhausted or is not enough for the entire gorilla family them they move. This means, it is very easy to find the mountain gorillas almost in the same spot where they were the previous day. Book Now