If you didn’t see the mountain gorillas in their natural wild, you haven’t yet gone to Uganda. Gorilla Trekking is the most popular of all adventure activities done in Uganda. This interesting adventure can be done in two national parks; Bwindi impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Gorilla trekking is a very captivating activity. Every year hundreds of visitors visit Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national to visit the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat – an activity referred to as gorilla trekking or gorilla tracking.
Gorilla tourism was introduced in Bwindi Impenetrable National park in 1993 and the Mubare gorilla group was the first habituated family for gorilla watching to tourists in April 1993. Currently there are 18 habituated gorilla groups habituated for tourism, and one group for research. These groups are distributed over four sectors that are Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo.
From the middle of the 1990s, Bwindi has been the number-one place to go gorilla tracking in Africa attracting all kinds of tourists including the celebrities like the world’s richest people like Bill Gates, Singer Akon, and more. The popularity and reputation of the park suffered a little setback after the murder of eight tourists in March 1999 by the Interahamwe rebels from Rwanda, but the government of Uganda swung in to beef the security along its borders. Today Bwindi is the most safe destination in the world for gorilla trekking.
Mountain gorillas of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park are Uganda’s main tourist attractions. And visiting gorillas is a great safari on which to hang your travel stories and fully comprehend the pearl of Africa Uganda’s must do wildlife experience.
Despite gorilla trekking being the main highlight of any safari to Uganda, some travelers mind about other attractions. Because there are lots of adventures to do on a safari such as chimpanzee tracking, golden monkey tracking, mountain climbing, rafting, birding, it can be hard to remember that you did not see the gorillas.
But believe it or not at the end of the gorilla trekking safari, you’ll feel like your visit to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park was much worth than the rest of trips you’ll ever take in Uganda. For all you’ll live to remember are the life changing memories of spending one hour with habituated gorillas in their natural habitat often seen feeding, playing and grooming each other.
Go Gorilla Trekking
Over the past 10 years, gorilla trekking has become a popular adventure activity attracting travelers from different walks of life all over the world. In order for a visitor must view the gorillas in Uganda as he/she is required to obtain a gorilla permit. Obtaining a gorilla permit in advance is the only way through which one can get a chance to see the gorillas in the impenetrable forest of Bwindi.
Gorilla permits in Uganda can be obtained from Uganda Wildlife authority at their offices at US$800 and it is advisable to book your permit months before your tracking date. Alternatively you can easily secure a gorilla permit by booking a fully inclusive gorilla safari to Uganda with a reliable tour operator. For travelers planning to travel during the months of June, July, August and September, it is advisable to book these gorilla permits in advance to avoid. There are very many tour operators and travel agents that can help visitors from overseas to obtain these gorilla permits. The prebooked gorilla permit will enable you visit one of the habituated gorilla groups in either Bwindi Forest or Mgahinga National Park. The same organization applies to Rwanda and the Democratic Republic, the only two other destinations where travelers take gorilla treks.
Though there are many gorilla groups at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, found in the southwest of Uganda, it is not obvious that one must see the gorilla without knowing how to trek them. Meeting a gorilla in this thick forest requires a tourist to be physically feet to trek through the forest till you find the gorilla family. Upon reaching the family, you are advised to listen to your guide and get to know about how these elegant primates behave and spend their day. Visitors are allowed to spend only an hour with the gorillas, so that to reduce the impacts of human interference on the gorillas.
The Hike from Bwindi Park Headquarters
Upon reaching the park headquarter at Bwindi Forest, the local destination guides stationed at the park will group you into groups of six people and each group will take a different direction. This is done so as to avoid overcrowding at the paths which can irritate the mammals in the forest.
- While in the forest, avoid making noise because it can scare away the Gorillas.
- Sometimes seeing these gorillas becomes a hustle especially at mid-day (12:00 PM) when they are looking for food. But in order to be the first to see a gorilla while trekking, keep your eyes up in the trees. These gorillas often hide in the leaves while feeding and they only come down when its evening. Apart from feeding on leaves, they also play on the trees jumping from one tree to another.
- In case you meet the Gorillas on your trek, don’t scare them away. Always keep about 10 meters away. You can take photos with them but make sure that the flash is off.
- It is advisable that you avoid direct contact with the Gorillas unless if you are sure that it is treated and pest-free.
Apart from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, mountain gorillas can also be found in Mgahinga National Park but the biggest number is found at Bwindi. While planning for a gorilla safari to Uganda, you can extend the adventure to Rwanda where these primates can also be found. In Rwanda, mountain gorillas are found in Volcanoes National Park, located in the Virunga Mountains.
Are Day Trips Possible?
Uganda is one of the 3 East African countries that boast of having the mountain gorillas a feat that it shares with Rwanda and Congo. Mountain gorillas in Uganda are found and trekked from the great Bwindi impenetrable forest which lies in the western part of the country a whopping 560 km. So truth be told no one can drive this distance and go gorilla trekking in a single day. So a one day gorilla trekking in Bwindi only caters for people living around this forest in areas of Kisoro, Kabale or Kihihi especially volunteers.
Requirements for Gorilla Trekking
For one to go gorilla trekking, must first of all have a gorilla trekking permit attained from Uganda wildlife authority situated in Kampala at only US$700 USD in high season and $ 350 USD in low season. So if at all one wants to go gorilla trekking on a self-drive vacation already equipped with your permit and having already a hired car from one of the local car rental agencies.
A gorilla trek in Bwindi requires good prior planning. From the physical fitness levels of the trekker to proper planning of a gorilla safari, one needs to plan early enough in order to have a successful adventure through the impenetrable forest. Remember a gorilla trek involves walking in the wilderness, climbing up hills and sloping in search of these great apes that live high in the mountains.
Planning a Gorilla Trek in Bwindi
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable Forest can be a challenging activity, therefore ensure a considerable degree of physical fitness. Eight people are permitted to visit one gorilla family per day. There are twelve habituated gorilla groups available for viewing by tourists within Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and one gorilla group for research.
The gorilla family you are to trek is indicated on your gorilla permit and thus will automatically determine the section of the park where you will be residing. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has four sections located within the southern and the northern side of the park
If you are going to trek one of the following gorilla families of Nkuringo gorilla family on Nkuringo Side, Nshongi, Kahungye, Mishaya, Bweza, Busingye gorilla groups in Rushaga gorillas. All these families are found in the southern section of the park so you are expected to be residing in the towns of Kabale or Kisoro and if at all you are going to trek one of the gorilla families of Rushegura Gorilla Group, Habinyanja and Mubare gorilla families. Other gorilla families that can be trekked from Buhoma include Oruzogo and Bitukura,you need to be residing in the northern part of the park in areas around Kihihi or Butogota.
So on your trekking day irrespective of where you stayed, you will rise up very early in the morning and have your breakfast. Then armed with your packed lunch at exactly 6:00am you will drive your hired vehicle for a distance of over 50 km to the park headquarters for briefing and allocation of gorilla families. From here you will enter into the forest with the guides who will lead you in the search for these gentle apes beginning from where they were left the previous day.
The time you will spend in the forest will depend on how fast or how long you will take to find these primates. After finding these primates, you will be given one hour amidst them as you take your best shots of photographs with your flash switched off. After finding this search totally full of this life time experience, you will go back to the park headquarters for your gorilla trekking certificate.
By now you will be totally exhausted and it will be already evening whereby you will just have to drive back to your place and this will mark this one day gorilla trekking experience.
Physical Requirements and Fitness Level
While gorilla trekking does not require specialised fitness training, a moderate to high level of fitness is recommended due to the challenging nature of the hike. The trek can involve navigating steep slopes, thick vegetation, and muddy paths. For visitors who may have concerns about their ability to manage the trek, it’s possible to hire a local porter who can assist by carrying your gear or providing physical support during the hike. The porters, many of whom are from local communities, also benefit from this arrangement, providing them with much-needed employment.
Read about gorilla trekking in Bwindi
- Bwindi Gorillas
- Habituated gorilla groups in Bwindi Forest
- Gorilla Permits – How to Secure Your Gorilla Pass
- When to Go Gorilla Trekking
- Where to stay on a gorilla trek
Important Things You Should Know
- Gorilla tracking requires one to have some energy because of the long distance that is involved while searching for the endangered primates in Africa. It is advised that a prospective visitor should have enough breakfast in the morning before embarking on a gorilla safari in the Impenetrable Forest.
- For treks that take more than a day, visitors are asked to carry food with them before setting off to the forest. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a large park and therefore gorilla tracking takes many hours (a half a day – a full day).
- Though there have been many success stories of the gorilla trek tajing a few hours, it is not a guarantee that you will move less distances. The trek can take a full day hike in the forest given that the movements of the mountain gorillas are not controlled. However if you hike for a full day without meeting the endangered mountain gorillas, you will be given a chance to track another gorilla group the next day.