Mountain Gorilla Trekking In Rwanda And Uganda

An adventure in the tropical rain forests of Uganda and Rwanda trekking for gorillas is the most outstanding part of travel to any of these destinations. Do you want a majestic gorilla trekking experience? Book for your gorilla safari to Rwanda or Uganda with Adventure in the wild safaris.

Rwanda and Uganda are currently the only destinations with organized and more developed gorilla trekking tours with maximum safety and security of tourists. Our company will advise you on the best time to visit depending on your convenience, best places to stay and other activities to do after the awesome trek.

Mountain gorillas live in the tropical rainforests of Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga national park in Uganda and Volcanes national park in Rwanda. DRC as well has a number of mountain gorillas in Virunga national park though gorilla tourism is still fledging due to the previous political unrest.

Best time to go for gorilla trekking

Most people prefer to go for gorilla trekking from June to September and December to February because they are the driest months of the year. This is regarded as the high season for gorilla trekking. In Uganda, there are normally rains from March to May and October to November and it makes trekking somewhat challenging because of slippery trails. Rwanda receives rain in the months of March, April, October and November.

You do not have to worry about crowding in these gorilla destinations during the high season because visitors that go for gorilla trekking are always minimized and therefore you are advised to book early for your gorilla trekking permit. Those who visit the gorillas during the low season may experience slippery trails but have chances of easily spotting the gorillas because they roam around the lower slopes of the volcanoes since there is plenty of food and friendly temperatures. Guests will also enjoy lower rates facilities at lodges near the parks in the low season.

Where to stay when you go for gorilla trekking

There are many lodges around the parks where gorilla trekking takes place. They are well located overlooking stunning landscapes and the forests housing the primates. Depending on your affordability, you have a choice to make from luxury, midrange and budget lodges around the parks. In Uganda, the choice of the lodge you make also depends on the location of the sector where you’ll go for gorilla trekking since Bwindi is divided into 4 gorilla trekking sectors.

Luxury lodges; Buhoma lodge, Mahogany Springs lodge, Clouds lodge, Silverback Lodge, Gorilla Forest Camp, rest, Chameleon Hill lodge, Volcanoes Safari Bwindi lodge, Gorilla friends lodge and more.

Midrange lodge; Ruhija Gorilla Mist camp, Ichumbi Gorilla lodge, Bwindi Volcanoes lodge, Buhoma Haven lodge.

Buddget lodges; Rushaga gorilla camp, Gift of nature lodge, Buhoma community Rest camp, Ruhija gorilla friends lodge.

What is the best country for mountain gorilla trekking?

Comparing the trekking experiences of the major destinations Rwanda and Uganda is quite tricky since these are all gorillas moreover living in the same region, sharing their mountainous habitat-Virunga volcanoes. We choose not to compare the two countries because of the different complementary activities that tourists participate in after gorilla trekking. As Rwanda’s gorilla permit goes for US$1,500 for each person, Uganda’s gorilla permit is at US$ 700. The gorilla destination in Rwanda is much more easily accessed on good roads. On the other hand, if you trek in Uganda, you have a range of other adventurous activities you can choose to do; wildlife viewing in all other national parks in the country, watching the world’s most powerful waterfalls in Murchison, canoeing at Lake Bunyonyi, white water rafting and chimp tracking in the world’s primate capital-Kibale, but the list is really long.

In both Rwanda and Uganda, trekking starts in the morning, you must have booked for it in advance. Guests are led into the forest by an armed ranger guide and the duration for spotting the primates only depends on how far they have moved around the forest. A minimum of an hour is given for you to interact, observe, learn about and take pictures with the gorillas. This is the most thrilling part of your safari.

 How to obtain a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda

Gorilla permits in Uganda are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority, the body managing all national parks of Uganda including the gorilla destinations-Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks. Most of the permits that the body issues are for Bwindi national park because the group of gorillas in Mgahinga is not reliable since it sometimes roams up to Uganda’s border with Rwanda. A gorilla permit in Uganda costs US$ 700. There are 13 gorilla families in Bwindi and a group of a maximum of 8 people is allowed to visit each family. Depending on the kind of experience you wish to have for the trek, we advise you on which gorilla family is appropriate; for example if you want long treks, treks that involve higher altitude hikes and more.

Ease the process of obtaining the gorilla permit by booking with us.

• Inform us of the dates you plan to travel to Uganda and the specific date you wish to go for trekking
• We shall get back to you after finding out if your preferred date for trekking can be obtained
• Bank details will be sent to you so that you’ll transfer money so your permit can be obtained, there’s an alternative of paying by credit
• You’ll receive an acknowledgement email for transferring the money
• You are required to send a copy of your passport for detailed used when registering for your permit
• We shall register your name and pick your gorilla permit

Since the gorillas live in their natural habitat and have free movement around the forest, it is not a guarantee to see them thought the chances of spotting them are as high as 98%.

Appropriate clothing for the trek

When preparing to travel to Rwanda or Uganda Gorilla Trekking, remember that you are going to trek for the primates in their natural habitat. Just like their name implies, mountain gorillas live at higher altitudes on slopes of the extinct Virunga volcanoes. The forests have tall undergrowth and the place sometimes receives rain even in the dry season. Pack the following; strong hiking boots, long sleeved t-shirts and shirts, long trousers, a rain jacket and a sweater and other thick clothes to warm you when it is cold.

Other important things to carry are a camera (flash cameras are not allowed for gorilla trekking) and binoculars.