Why Go Gorilla trekking In Peak Season

Peak seasons for gorilla trekking safaris are normally June to October and December to January. Majority of tourists use the chance to visit the mountain gorillas in this season to enjoy there exciting presence.

It is so surprising that the mountain gorillas are shy and serene primates. By physical appearance, the mountain gorillas look scaring because of there dark hairy body, huge body size, use knuckle locomotion and have sunken brown eyes.

In the entire world, about 1000 mountain gorillas are existing living in three countries that is to say Uganda, Rwanda and D.R. Congo.

You must obtain a gorilla trekking permit as an entry ticket for safaris to either of the above countries.

Booking the gorilla trekking safari requires you to have a date when you wish to do the trek, the number of people you hope to travel with and others.

You must pack the right gorilla trekking gears in order to enjoy the entire experience. To get to the mountain gorillas, you have to walk in the jungle but you need to have some level of fitness to enjoy the entire experience.

Were to Do Gorilla Trekking Safaris In Africa

Volcanoes National park In Rwanda

This is the only habitat for the mountain gorillas in Rwanda located in the North Western Rwanda. Volcanoes National park currently hosts about 12 gorilla families that are open for tourism and there include.Susa family, Igisa family, Karisimbi family , Sabyinyo family , Amahoro family, Agashya family, Kwitonda family, Umubano family , Hirwa  family, Bwenge family, Ugyenda family and Muhoza family.

This national Park is home to other primates too including golden monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, red tailed monkeys and others.

Over 200 bird species have so far been recorded to be living in Volcanoes National park including Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Turraco, Acher’s Robin Chat, Dusky Crimsonwing, Shelley’s Crimsonwings and others. More than 13 albertine rift endemics are believed to be living in Volcanoes National Park.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park In Uganda

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a vast forested park located in South Western Uganda. The park covers an area of 327 square kilometers of land.  With a huge list of fauna and flora accumulated over a long period of time.

The makeup of Bwindi forest vegetation is tangled vegetation draped over deep fissured landscape of steep, slippery valleys and high draughty ridges. The vegetation of Bwindi impenetrable national Park slopes over a broad altitude range of 1447 meters to create habitats ranging from lowland forest at 1160 meters to rare Afromontane vegetation above 2600 meters.

A number of animals are residents of this pristine forest and this is attributed to the many years of existence. More than 25000 years of Bwindi forest existence have accumulated a long list of species including more than 10 primates, over 200 tree species, 51 reptiles, 88 months, 310 butterflies and others.

At the moment, Bwindi Impenetrable National park has about 18 gorilla families are open for tourism. The gorilla permits for this area are bought according to area compared to other national park where gorilla permits are sold according to gorilla family.

The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park gorilla trekking areas include Buhoma area and Ruhija area in the norther sector whereas Nkuringo area and Rushaga area are in the southern part of Bwindi.

In Africa, Bwindi forest has more than 350 bird species inclusive of Albertine endemics. Of these birds about 7 species in this park are on the red list of IUCN. You may have an opportunity of African Green Broadbills, shelley’s Crimmsonwing, yellow streaked Greebuls, Mountain Masked Apalises, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Rwenzori Hill babbler and others.

Mgahinga National Park

Mgahinga National Park is the smallest gorilla trekking habitat located in uganda. It covers an area of about 33.7 square kilometer of which part of it is mountainous.

Three volcanic ranges make up the topography of Mgahinga National Park of which Mountain Muhavura, Mountain Gahinga and Mountain Sabyinyo. .

Gorilla trekking is the main activity carried out in Mgahinga National park with currently one  gorilla family open for tourism. This family is called Nyakagezi but is known for being mobile. It used to move into Rwanda which made it hard to sell its gorilla permits. at the moment, this family is steadily living in Mgahinga National Park.

This forest is home to other primates like golden monkeys, blue monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, red tailed monkeys and others.

A number of birds are living in this forested national Park including Albertine endemics. You may have an opportunity of spotting Alpine Chat, Kivu Ground Thrush, Malachite Sunbird, Rwenzori Turraco and others.

Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National park is the only home of the mountain gorillas in Rwanda. This vast  forested National park lies in North Western part of Rwanda. Since Rwanda is a country of a thousand hills and so is Volcanoes National park composed of five distinctive volcanoes mountain Bisoke, Mountain Muhabura, Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Karisimbi and Mountain Sabyinyo. The mountain gorillas keep meandering through the forest enjoying the freebies like soft stems, fruits, leaves, branches, tubers and so much more.

The Rwanda Mountain gorillas currently have about 12 gorilla families open for tourism including Susa gorilla family, Igisha gorilla family, Karisimbi gorilla family, Sabyinyo gorilla family, Amahoro gorilla family, Agashya gorilla family, Kwitonda gorilla family, Umubano gorilla family, Hirwa gorilla family, Bwengye gorilla family, Ugyenda gorilla family and Muhoza gorilla family

This great National park is home to other primates like the blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, grey  cheeked mangabey, red tailed monkeys, olive baboons and others.

The rich bird life of Volcanoes National park make it one of the must go too for anyone interested in Rwanda birding. This forest hosts about 200 bird species including Albertine endemics. You may have the chance to spot Handsome Francolin, Alpine Chat, Kivu Ground Thrush, Malachite Sunbird and others.

Why Book Gorilla Trekking Safaris For the Peak Season

The mountain gorillas are more active in the forest during the peak seasons when the forest is less humid.

The mountain gorillas feed closer to the ground so making the trek to find them less challenging.

Even other forest dwellers like monkeys, birds, butterflies and others are more active in the forest during the peak season. They move freely to enjoy the freebies of the forest.

Combining gorilla trekking with other activities like game drives, chimpanzee trekking, birding, visit source of River Nile in Uganda, forest walks is quicker in the peak season. This is because the roads are more passable when connecting from one National park to another. Most of the roads in the rural area are not in good condition making it hard to drive through.

Chances of meeting other people on safari are high in the peak season than the low season. you may travel alone for your gorilla trekking safari but meet other people with whom you get t share your experiences in case your reason for taking the gorilla trekking safari are not to be alone.

How To Book Gorilla permits For the Peak Season in Uganda and Rwanda

The Africa tourism peak season is normally from June to September and December to January. You can book your gorilla permit atleast 6 months in advance to avoid panic to obtain the gorilla permits in the late months towards the time you hope to do gorilla trekking.

The demand for gorilla trekking safaris in Africa is high during the peak season and so are the limited gorilla permits. Only a maximum of 8 gorilla permits per trek are allowed for every gorilla family.

You must note the date when you hope to do gorilla trekking and the number of people you hope to travel with. This is to avoid going back and forth with checking availability of the gorilla permits.

When you send us an enquiry, our safari consultant check availability an gets back to you as soon as possible.

In case it is positive, we advise our clients to book the gorilla permits as soon as possible so that they are not sold out. The demand for gorilla trekking permits in the peak season is high despite the limited numbers. The limited number of gorilla permits demanded is attributed to conservation reasons like protecting the mountain gorilla food from effects of mass tourism.

In uganda, after purchasing the gorilla trekking permit card, we require you to provide some personal details like the full names as indicated on your passport, nationality, passport expiry date, date of birth and others. These are for record keeping and some of there details are filled on your certificate after completing the gorilla trek.

Which Is The Best Country For Gorilla Trekking Of Uganda And Rwanda

Gorilla trekking is a dream come true Africa safari experience despite the challenges you may go through while preparing to for this activity or during the search for the mountain gorillas.

That moment the mountain gorillas come into view may stimulate some adrenaline but you catch a smile afterwards. The gentleness and calm look of the huge mountain gorillas digs deep into your heart.

When you meet the mountain gorillas, you will notice that they keep minding there business as if they are used to having visitors but the silverback may be watching closely from a distance. You must follow the rules of gorilla trekking keenly to enjoy every minute of your time before the mountain gorillas.

To get the difference between gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda, you must visit both countries to establish the difference. It also depends on what your expectations are about your encounter with the mountain gorillas. Below are some of those possible difference between gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda.

The number of gorilla families

Uganda has about 19 gorilla families open for tourism as of now while more two are set aside for gorilla habituation purposes while Rwanda currently hosts about 12 gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park.

Cost Of Gorilla Trekking Permits

The cost of gorilla trekking permit for Uganda is $ 700 per person per trek while the cost of gorilla trekking permit for Rwanda is $1500 per person per trek.

The distance and time to the Gorilla Trekking Destinations

The drive from Kigali Airport to Volcanoes National park is about 3 hours through winding road while the drive time from Entebbe Airport Uganda to Bwindi Impenetrable National park or Mgahinga National Park is about 8 hours to 9 hours

It is possible and shorter to do gorilla trekking in Uganda through Rwanda which is about 6 hours excluding boarder processing than drive from Entebbe airport or Kampala city to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National park

Uganda has a wider range of tourism activities that you can combine with gorilla trekking safari. some of the Uganda safari activities include chimpanzee trekking, game drives, visit source of River Nile, uganda birding, white water rafting and others. Rwanda is limited with other activities to combine with gorilla trekking which include game drives, chimpanzee trekking, visit Kigali city tour and others

How Difficult Is Gorilla Trekking In Uganda And Rwanda

The general topography of the gorilla trekking destinations is volcanic so expect some ragged ground surface.

Even the location where the mountain gorillas may be feeding from tells a lot about the challenges you may expect to go through during gorilla trekking safari. If they are feeding or lounging at the slopes, expect to do some hiking on ridges or plateaus .

In case the mountain gorillas are living on the slopes, you get to hike but remember to wear your trekking gears like safari boots, long clothes that you can tuck in to protect your body from stinging nettles and harmful insects in the wilderness.

To go through the thick vegetation, the ranger guide is advised to use a machete to cut through the tangled creepers so as to access where the gorillas may be seated or living.

How Safe Is Gorilla Trekking In Uganda And RWanda

Gorilla Trekking is safe in Uganda and Rwanda because of the vigilance of the ranger guides. They cooperate with security agencies of there countries. The military cooperation between Uganda and Rwanda also makes the safety of this area great.

Each day a group of rangers goes into the forest oi search for the mountain gorillas where they might have spent the night.

You also have to play a part in your security where by try not to carry precious items that you cannot protect. When you are counting large sums of money, do it out of the public eye to avoid attracting the wrong people. Using credit cards is rare in Africa but in case you have to use it, do not provide your card details to the wrong people.

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