Safari to see gorillas or Gorilla trekking is an activity where tourists/people go searching for gorillas in the jungle. Gorilla trekking is currently available in three African countries of Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic republic of Congo. The process of trekking gorillas involves hiking or trekking in search for the rare mountain gorillas. For one to be able to see gorillas one needs to acquire a gorilla permit for Bwindi National Park, Mgahinga, Volcanoes NP or Virunga well in advance.
The process of gorilla trekking normally starts with an early morning briefing at respective park head quarters, then a hike or walk into the forest following the trail used by mountain gorillas and once found, you spend only one hour with the mountain gorillas. You will then return to the starting point and be offered a certificate. The trek itself may take up to 30 minutes or three quarters of the day but once you find gorillas, you are allowed to spend only one hour with them.
Gorilla habituation experience is a new gorilla trekking experience only taking place in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Gorilla habituation is a four hour gorilla trek which was introduced in 2014 to cater for tourists that have less time but want to spend more hours with mountain gorillas. This four hour gorilla trek only utilizes gorilla families under habituation and tourists are able to see gorillas while participating in activities geared to making these wild mountain gorillas get used to human beings.
A gorilla habituation permit costs USD1500 and gives you four hours with mountain gorillas. Only four people are allowed to see these gorillas in Bwindi National Park. We do organize gorilla habituation experience safaris at affordable prices.
Every client wants to get the best out of the fee paid for gorilla tracking Uganda safaris in either Bwindi or Mgahinga and the first question that arises is-When is the best time for gorilla trekking? While mountain gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda can be trekked throughout the whole year, drier months of June, July, August, and early September then December up to February are the most preferred.
There is no guarantee that it won’t rain as Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a tropical rain forest and its climate is influenced by micro conditions of the area. During high season gorilla permits to visit gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi National Park is at USD1500.00 and USD700.00 per person respectively.
A gorilla permit is a document/card that is obtained from Uganda Wildlife Authority for the case of Uganda and Rwanda Development Board in the case of Rwanda to allow you spend one hour with the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Volcanoes National Park respectively. Currently Rwanda gorilla permit costs USD1500.00 for Non residents. Uganda gorilla permits to visit mountain gorillas in Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga cost USD700.00 (Non residents) USD700.00 for Foreign Residents.
Bwindi Impenetrable National park is located in south western Uganda and is divided into four regions. Buhoma region in the North, Ruhija region in the east, Rushaga and Nkuringo in the south. Each region has given habituated gorillas families for gorilla tracking. If you are to trek gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, then you need to mind about a specific region where you are going as this will affect the Lodge to be booked, gorilla permit as well as your transport. Contact Safari to see gorillas on details about Bwindi gorilla treks and gorilla holidays.
You are advised to book your gorilla permit at least three months in advance to shortage most especially during high season. Please contact Safari to See gorillas with the date when you intend to book gorilla tracking Uganda holidays and we will advise availability of permits on that day.
A gorilla permit allows you one hour with mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga or Volcanoes National Park. Included in the cost are park entry fees for the respective parks, services of National Park guides/rangers who will escort you to the forest. Safari to see Gorillas will ensure that you secure permits in advance
Mountain gorilla trekking exercise can take from twenty minutes to three quarters of the day so one needs to prepare for both. This depends on several factors that include, mountain gorilla movements, where the gorillas stayed the previous night and the mood of the gorillas. It may also depend on the people in your group since the guides/rangers move following the slowest person in the group. Gorilla Tracking Uganda trading as Safari to see Gorillas is happy to provide all relevant advice
The most asked question about gorilla trekking is the chance one has to see gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda. We can gladly confirm that chances of seeing gorillas either in Bwindi National Park or Volcanoes is 99%. Many tourists tend to book two or more gorilla treks in the fear that they may fail to see gorillas on the first trek and therefore may be lucky with the second trek. The truth is gorilla trekking in Bwindi, Mgahinga and Volcanoes in Rwanda is so organized in a way that there is an advanced team of trackers who wake up every morning to find where these gorillas are.
Once they find them, they will then communicate to the park head quarters and your ranger guide of the day of the where abouts of these gorillas. You will then start your trek from where the gorillas would have slept the previous night up to when you find them. The advanced team will keep communicating with you guide to make sure you don’t get lost. If the gorilla family in question keeps moving very fast, communication will be made and should they feel that you cannot cope with the speed, UWA may decide to take you to another family. Please contact Safari to See Gorillas for more details
The age limit for gorilla tracking (Uganda and Rwanda) and golden monkey trekking (Uganda) is 15 years. The authorities are very strict on this, so kindly make sure all clients and children are 15 or older in order to avoid any sad incidents like guest(s) kids being refused to track. We ensure that before you book our Gorilla tracking Uganda safari holidays, you have all details concerning age!
The age limit for trekking chimpanzees in Uganda is 12 years old and children 10 years and older are allowed to trek golden monkeys in Rwanda as long as they are accompanied by an adult. Children under 15 years are allowed to Dian Fossey’s tomb – although the latter hike is a stiff one so we do not recommend that either to children under 12-13 years. For more information about Gorilla tracking Uganda age limit, contact Safari to See Gorillas.
You need to prepare very well for your gorilla trek, we advise trousers, long sleeved shirts or blouses, long socks to enable you tack in your trousers, garden gloves, a hat, sun glasses, hiking boots, insect repellents and some energy giving foods. More about packing list and gorilla trekking gear
Gorilla habituation experience is an activity in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where tourists are allowed to stay four hours with mountain gorillas after paying USD1500.00 for a gorilla habituation permit. Gorilla habituation safaris are currently taking place only in Rushaga located in south.
It is now possible to trek Uganda or Bwindi gorillas through Rwanda by flying through Kigali International airport. By flying through Kigali International Airport, one is able to reduce the drive time to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to 5-6 hours compared to if one uses Entebbe International Airport where the drive time is 8-9 and sometimes 10 hours from Entebbe to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. With the introduction of the East African tourist visa, one can now visit both Uganda and Rwanda without hassle.
The good news also is that one can now apply for Rwanda Visa upon arrival something that is making the process of obtaining Rwanda visa easy. East African tourist visa costs USD100.00 and allows you to visit three east African countries of Uganda, Rwanda and Uganda. Contact us for details about Bwindi gorilla safaris through Kigali Airport.
Democratic Republic of Congo is yet another destination in the whole world that is home to the endangered and rare mountain gorillas. The other countries with mountain gorillas are Uganda and Rwanda. A normal gorilla permit to trek mountain gorillas in Congo’s Virunga National Park is USD400.00 and includes park entry fees, watching gorillas for one hour and services of a ranger guide during your trek. Congo offers discounted gorilla permits at USD200.00 only and can be booked for you if you book with us an all-inclusive tour. For more details about Congo discounted gorilla permits and affordable congo gorilla safaris
Only a maximum of 8 people are allowed to trek or visit a given gorilla family in Bwindi, Mgahinga and Volcanoes National Park. Bwindi has about 14 habituated gorilla families and thus each family is allowed only 8 people per day per hour. Sometimes park management is forced to have more than 8 people depending on circumstances on ground. If such happens, the park authorities will explain. When it comes to gorilla habituation, its only 4 people that are around to spend four hours with mountain gorillas under habituation.
Gorilla permits are sold up to 2 years ahead and tend to sell out quickly so it is always advised to book your gorilla permit in advance. At Safari to See Gorillas we advise you book your gorilla permit at least 6 months and at most 2 years in advance to avoid short notice disappointments. Gorilla permits tend to run out during high seasons of June, July, August, September, December, January, and February each year. Please contact Safari to See Gorillas for details about availability and cost of securing gorilla permits.
