What is Gorilla Trekking?

What is Gorilla Trekking?

Gorilla trekking is an
activity done in the Central-East African countries where travelers embark on a
challenge to take long walks in the thick forests to be able to discover the
amazing endangered species in their habitats. In the Central East African
countries, gorilla trekking is done in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic
Republic of Congo in what is known the Uganda gorilla trekking, Rwanda gorilla
trekking and congo gorilla trekking respectively.

What
are Gorilla Trekking Permits?

Gorilla Trekking permits
are the legal identification that each traveler must be able to purchase before
they embark on this tourist activity in the park. Without a gorilla trekking
permit or gorilla tracking permit, one cannot be allowed access to the forests
to engage in the gorilla trekking activity.

What
is the Cost of Gorilla Trekking Permits?

In Uganda, a gorilla
trekking permit goes for USD 700 per person. In Rwanda, gorilla trekking
permits cost USD 1,500 and in Congo gorilla trekking permits cost USD 450 being
the cheapest of all countries.

Does
Uganda or Rwanda offer gorilla permits at a discounted price?

Gorilla trekking permits
in Rwanda are offered at a discounted price but in Uganda, it was abolished in
2017. In Rwanda discounted gorilla trekking permits are offered at a price of
USD 1500 per person per trek if a tourist is also going to tour in other three
national parks in Rwanda apart from Virunga national park. A tourist can choose
to tour parks like Akagera National Park, Nyungwe forest park, and Kahuzi-Biega
National Park.

Does
Democratic Republic of Congo offer gorilla permits at a discounted price?

Gorilla trekking in the
thick forests of Virunga national park is offered at a discounted price
effectively from 2018 in the low season, like other gorilla permits this permit
allows you one hour with the mountain gorillas which are habituated. The low
season of gorilla trekking in Democratic Republic of Congo happens in the
months of March to May and in this period gorilla permits are offered at a
price of USD 200, it is advisable to book your permits months before as there
is a lot of demand for these pictures.

What
are the chances of seeing mountain gorillas?

Mountain gorillas in
Uganda’s Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga forest national park,
volcano national park of Rwanda and democratic republic of Congo’s Virunga
national park live in families/ groups. These big primates are less wild since
they went through the habituation process making them used to human presence
and yes with a professional tour guide leading the trek the chances of mountain
gorillas are high since tour guides know their location.

In Bwindi Impenetrable

National Park there are 4 gorilla sectors harboring 14 gorilla families i.e.
Buhoma sector with mubare, Habinyanja, and Rushegura gorilla families. Ruhija
sector with Oruzogo, Bitukura and Kyaguliro gorilla families, Rushanga sector
with Nshongi, Mishaya, kahungye, Busingye, Bweza, and Nkuringo gorilla family.
Mgahinga national park only has one gorilla family that is Nyakagezi Gorilla
Group and the newly habituated Christmas in the Nkuringo sector and Katwe gorilla
family in Buhoma sector. Volcano national park of Rwanda has 10 habituated
gorilla family that is Sabyinyo, Susa, Karisimbi, Umubano, Amahoro, Kwitonda,
Hirwa, Bwenge, Agashya, and Ugyenda. Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga
national park hosts Kabirizi, Humba, Rugendo, Mapuwa Gorilla Group, Lulengo,
Munyaga, Nyakamwe, Bageni Gorilla families. Trekking in the gorilla families
you are guaranteed to see mountain gorillas in any of these families of your
choice.

Rules
and regulations for gorilla trekking.

For a wonderful
experience of gorilla trekking, there are a number of rules and regulation
which are drafted by the wildlife park’s authorities for the safety of both the
mountain gorillas and the tourists. These rules and regulations include.

Always
keep your voices low when you are in presence of mountain gorillas

Do
not litter rubbish in the forests

Ill
tourists are not allowed to take park in the trekking

Always
stay in the group

Do
not make unnecessary movements while in the presence of the mountain gorillas

Stay
at a distance of 7-8 meters while in the presence of mountain gorillas

Do
not smoke or drink in presence of mountain gorillas

While
taking a picture do not use cameras with a flashlight on as it scares the
gorillas

Do
not mimic the gestures of the gorillas as you cannot tell what they mean

What
is gorilla habituation experience?

Gorilla habituation
experience is the best way tourists get an up-close view of the mountain
gorillas in their nature habitant. Unlike mountain gorilla trekking this
activity takes 4 hours were tourists actively take part in the habituation
process of mountain gorillas. For tourists with interest in taking up-close
pictures, mountain gorilla habituation experience is the best safari to take
part in.

Note: mountain gorilla
habituation is only offered in Uganda.

How
much does gorilla habituation experience permit cost?

Mountain gorilla
habituation experience in Uganda is priced at USD1500.00 which is purchased at
the offices of Uganda wildlife authority. You can directly purchase it or you
can use your tour agent and trusted tour company. As you are planning to
include gorilla habituation on your Uganda Safari Tour it is advisable to book
your ticket 2 months prior to the day your safari begins. 

How
many people are permitted to engage in gorilla habituation experience?

Gorilla habituation
experience is a very interesting safari activity which is highly demanded by
many tourists, unlike mountain gorilla trekking/ gorill trekking only a group
of 6 people is permitted to participate in the breath-taking habituation
experience which allows you only for hours with the critically endangered
mountain gorillas.

Rules
for gorilla trekking habituation experience

For a wonderful safe
mountain gorilla habituation experience, the safety of tourists and for the
mountain gorillas Uganda wildlife authority has put out rules and regulations
which includes;

Always
stay in a group while on the habituation experience, avoid leaving your group
mates behind since you might get into harm with one of the jungle animals.

Tourists
below the age of 15 are not allowed to take part in the habituation experience

Only
6 people per group are allowed to participate in the habituation experience

Tourists
are emphasized to keep a distance of 7 meters away from the gorillas

Use
cameras with a flashlight on are prohibited

Do
not touch the mountain gorillas

Always
listen to the instructions of researchers

Insight
of Bwindi impenetrable national park

The popular Bwindi
impenetrable national park is mostly known for hosting the critically
endangered mountain gorillas, the beautiful densely forested Bwindi
impenetrable national park is located in south western Uganda. This park is a
home to the world’s largest population of mountain gorillas approximately 400
by 2011 statics, these mountain gorillas live in groups which a situated in the
four sectors of the group that is Buhoma in the north region, Ruhija in the
east region, Rushaga and Nkuringo in the south region of the parks.     

When
to book gorilla trekking/ gorilla tracking and gorilla habituation experience
permits

Both gorilla trekking and
gorilla habituation experience safaris activities are very interesting and
offer unforgettable memories that is why it is high demand.  These tickets always sell out in a short
period of time thus many tourists missing out on this golden opportunity. As
achieve global safaris we advise a tourist intending to participate in these
amazing activities to book 3-4 months before the actual day the safari
activities begin.

Getting
to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Bwindi Impenetrable
national park is the world’s best destination for a gorilla safari hence it was
declared a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site in 1994. Bwindi Impenetrable
national park is located in the southwestern Uganda on the edge of the rift valley
close to Rwanda and Congo borders. The two countries Rwanda and Congo also
offer Gorilla tours given that they are also homes to half of the remaining
mountain gorillas in the whole world. Bwindi Impenetrable national park covers
an area of 321km squared with an altitude of approximately 1,160 to 2,607
meters above sea level. It is mist-covered hillsides blanketed by one of
Uganda’s oldest and most diverse rainforests of over 25,000 years and contains
about 400 species of plants.

Getting to Bwindi Impenetrable
National Park can be done basically in mainly 2 ways, by road and air. Bwindi
Forest National Park can also be reached through the nearing countries Rwanda
and Congo which are the closest to the park. Bwindi is divided in 4 trekking
sectors and they are all accessed at different times. That is Buhoma sector,
Ruhija sector, Rushaga sector and Nkuringo sector. By Road from Entebbe
International airport, Uganda’s main entrance, it is a 36km driving to Uganda’s
Capital city – Kampala and 474 km to connect to Bwindi Impenetrable national
park. Visitors need an early arrival in Uganda because it is 8 to 9 hours’
drive by road depending on which sector you are allocated to trek. Accessing
Bwindi from either Entebbe or Kampala involves driving via Masaka – Mbarara
road; connect to Kabale district where you branch off to Kanungu district where
you will find the 2 sectors of Ruhija and Buhoma.

From Kabale district, you
proceed to Kisoro districts where you will find the other 3 sectors of Bwindi
gorilla trekking including Rushaga, Nkuringo and Nyakagezi. While on a Uganda
Safari, Bwindi Forest can be accessed from Queen Elizabeth National Park for 3
to 4 hours. From Lake Mburo national park, Bwindi can be accessed within 5 to 6
hours on road. By air, Bwindi Impenetrable national park can only be accessed
from the Entebbe airport and Kajjasi airstrip. There are daily flights with Aero
link Uganda limited from Entebbe airport to Bwindi and from Kajjasi airstrip to
Bwindi. These flights land in airstrips closer to Bwindi and those are Kihihi
airstrip for sectors Buhoma and Ruhija and Kisoro airstrip for Rushaga,
Nkuringo and Nyakagezi sectors. A flight to Bwindi takes 2 hours. These
packages are available for visitors depending on your budget and time.