Gorilla Safari: To many, its been the up-close and personal encounter with the endangered mountain Gorilla, to others its been the time through the thick natural forest but to all its been the actual time looking into the eyes of the silverback mountain gorilla, the wide red-brownish eyes reluctantly staring at you. Has it been an up-close and personal with the endangered mountain gorilla you have been dreading for and wondering where you want to go for do it? I mean the once in a lifetime gorilla safari? Then this is the right guide for information about the two best destinations to see the mountain Gorillas in East Africa.
What is Gorilla Trekking or Gorilla safari? Remarkably one of the best wildlife encounters that involves ascending and descending on foot with ranger guides into the old natural rainforest jungles searching for human closest relatives – the Endangered Mountain Gorillas.
Gorilla safari experience involves trekking through the Rainforests, some being Bamboo, scaling little hills on the small tracks meandering through the forest on foot in accompaniment of a ranger guide and escorts until you find the gentle giants. One of the Gorilla safari trekking options is the normal Gorilla trekking that allows you one hour with the gorillas and the Gorilla Habituation that allows you 4 hours with the gorillas. The difference lies in price and time spent with the Gorillas. Gorilla habituation on the other hand involves an early start descending into the jungles of Bwindi impenetrable national park starting day with the gorillas when they wake up from their nests, follow them for about 4 hours as a practice of habituating the wild gorillas for human Presence. Normally the Gorilla habituation experience takes 2 years. This costs USD 1500 a little higher than the normal USD 700 for gorilla safari trekking experience.
Gorilla safari and trekking experience starts with a briefing at the Uganda wildlife authority headquarters where you are briefed and guided on the do’s and Don’ts of Gorilla safari trekking then later a ranger guide and escorts are assigned to you in a group of max 8 persons for a particular family of the group. You can always hire your self a porter at an extra $15 who comes in handy for push or pull on gorilla trekking safari experience inside the jungles.
The terrains where Mountain Gorillas live is a hilly area considering High altitudes where mountain Gorillas find homage. The Walking terrain for some Gorilla Families is passable and manageable while some tracks are not passable but the rangers will always create a way to the Gorillas. The Right Clothing is required when you opt for a gorilla Safari including good walking shoes, long pants and shirts.
Recommended to Read: WHAT TO PACK FOR A GORILLA TREKKING SAFARI IN UGANDA OR RWANDA
Gorilla Safari In Uganda Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Uganda is a land of contrasts, From the snow caped Rwenzori mountains descending into the rift valley with pristine landscapes that lie beneath the eastern side of the beautiful mountains of the moon, Fresh water lakes equally populated in the country with Vibrant wildlife, home to Old rainforests where Chimpanzees call home equally harbouring the Endangered mountain Gorillas.
Gorilla Safari experiences can be done in Bwindi impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga national Parks located on the south western Uganda corner. Out of a slight above 1000 endangered mountain gorillas that live in the world, Half of these Mountain Gorillas call Bwindi impenetrable national park home. There are 5 groups, 20 families with 1650 permits every day available for gorilla trekking by guests while each family is allowed a maximum of 8 visitors per day (this is in addition to ranger guides taking you for the gorilla trekking experience).
Bwindi impenetrable national park or mgahinga national park for gorilla safari experiences can be accessed through Entebbe international park which is a -/+ 9 hours drive or take an option for taking a 2 hours domestic or charter flight to airstrips near Bwindi forest. Bwindi can also be accessed through kanombe international airport and through cyanika or Katuna boarders by road which is much closer than the long drive from Entebbe Uganda.
A gorilla safari in Uganda and top gorilla safari destination can be combined with spectacular wildlife viewing in Murchison falls national park, Kidepo National Park, Kibale National park for chimpanzee trekking or the Queen Elizabeth national Park. A circuit program can be tailor made and designed just for you.
Gorilla safari lodges available are top notch and carry great affordable choices. You can opt for budget lodges like broadbill forest lodge in Ruhija for as low as $50 per person per night to midrange lodges like Mutanda lake resort, 4 Gorillas Lodge, Nkuringo Lodge and the Havens lodge Buhoma costing between $150 to $300 per person per night. There are also high-end lodges if you would like to treat yourself a little more like the Clouds Mountain lodge, Gahinga Lodge, Bwindi Lodge and Gorilla Forest camp super taste of luxury with costs ranging between USD 450 to 1500 per person per night.
Gorilla safari In Uganda has 5 locations for Gorilla trekking safari. The buhoma sector group, The Ruhija sector group, The Rushaga Sector Group, Nkuringo Sector group and The Mgahinga sector group that is shared with Rwanda.
Gorilla Safari in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda.
Profoundly the country of thousand hills and absolutely the cleanest and fast developing country in Africa. Gorilla Safaris in Rwanda are done in the northern Kinigi Musanze mountain areas and in the Parc Volcanoes under the Virunga mischief. There are 12 families with 8 visitors allowed per gorilla Family and roughly 96 permits are available for gorilla trekking each day in Rwanda volcanoes national Park.
The best part about Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is the feeling of hiking some of the Virunga volcanoes in search for the great apes, Upon Finding the great apes, they shall always be a big and huge number of Gorillas waiting and looking at you with their fluffy hair, Red-brownish eyes and that brings our saying “there is no mistaking the bond that exists between man and the mountain Gorillas”
The gorilla safari trek briefing at the kinigi park headquarters is done at 7am and later a short drive to the beautiful ever green foothills of the virungas. There are also chances that during the gorilla safari trek, you will come across different mammal species like the Buffalos and the golden monkeys accompanied by the Different singing birds of the bamboo montane forest.
Volcanoes National Park can be accessed through Kigali a 2 hours drive from Kanombe international airport or preferably through southern Uganda as a combination trip from Uganda. Major airlines from Europe or Africa land at Kanombe international airport while you can transfer to Volcanoes national park for Gorilla safari experience by road or preferably you can charter a helicopter to Kinigi – Musanze more faster and avoiding traffic.
Gorilla Safari in Rwanda can be combined with other wildlife experiences in Kagera, Nyungwe, Kibuye for a package experience in the land of a thousand hills.
Rwanda has a wide selection of Safari lodges from Budget to high-end lodges, however the country in the last years has branded itself as a luxury destination and so are the many luxury international chains of hotels offering luxury experiences in the volcanoes neighbourhood ranging between $450 to $1500 per person per night.
Gorilla safari in Rwanda presents 12 habituated gorilla groups open for tourists to visit. These include Umubano, Karisimbi, Kwitonda, Isimbi, Igisha, Susa,Amahoro, Sabyinyo, Muhoza, Hirwa, Agasha, while Kwisanga is the last addition to the group of Gorillas in Rwanda.
The Gorilla Experience: Gorilla safari experience normally starts at 8am for the general briefing experience whereafter you are allocated a family depending on your fitness level. There are gorillas in a distance of Easy, Medium and long treks in the forest. The easy treks are reserved for the very old and the unfit persons. You are led with a ranger guide into the forest on foot in search for the mountain Gorillas in the forest. Through the small tiny trails with bird or insect sounds accompany you as you find your way to the gorillas.
Normally for Gorilla safari trekking, there is an advance team sent earlier to find the gorillas before you are led by a ranger guide into the forest. The rangers communicate with the advance team to find the gorillas. Due to the rugged terrain and walks, You require good walking shoes and you can always hire a porter at US $ 15 who come in handy giving you a push or a pull and surely very helpful.
One of the best moments about Gorilla safari experiences is the time taken walking and trekking within the forest. There are chances coming across other mammal species like forest elephants, duikers, Wild chimpanzees, endemic bird species and old tree species within the forest. The ranger guides are always informative in sharing such useful information with you while on Gorilla safari experience.
When you finally find the Gorillas, You are allowed an hour with the gorillas and all the information provided, take pictures and get learning more about the gentle giants. Due to the uncertainty on time to find the gorillas and back, the Lodges offer a lunch box for you and shall always have your lunch in the jungles either before or after the Gorilla safari Experience.
Recommended Read: Why Gorilla trekking In Uganda Is a Bucket List Adventure
Conservation and Sustainability. Gorilla safari Conservation and community sustainability are the core values of Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda. The two close countries sharing boarders in the south and north respectively have developed a common agenda in sustaining the livelihoods of people around the Gorilla safari destinations of Bwindi impenetrable national park Uganda and Volcanoes national Park Rwanda. Uganda and Rwanda still Rank as the top Gorilla safari destinations because a given percentage of each Gorilla permit purchased in either country is directed to the conservation of Both endangered mountain Gorillas and the sustainability of Communities living around the Mountain Gorillas.
Booking a Gorilla safari in Uganda or Rwanda with Conservation Tour operators like Gorilla Walking safaris running and aiming at conservation and sustainability initiatives, are a strong reason to go for a gorilla safari in Uganda or Rwanda. You are rest assured your visit and travelling with sustainable destination management companies impacts the Gorillas and communities positively.
Best Time To Go Gorilla Safari In Uganda or Rwanda.
Gorilla safari in Uganda and Rwanda is good throughout the year with two different seasons offering different Gorilla safari experiences. Summer months of June, July, August and September are the dry seasons in Uganda and Rwanda. Gorilla safari Experiences are top notch as walking trails are dry and easy to navigate.
Months from end September until end November tend to have some seasonal rainfalls which is also the wet season. Gorilla safari Experiences are super good with less crowded destinations in the rainy seasons. The xmass December until march are more less dry with seasoned rainfalls while April and May are the biggest wet seasons of the year.
Gorilla safari trekking in the dry seasons comes in handy with smooth hiking pathways and no rains that would keep gorillas hiding in the thickets. The wet seasons offer a conducive atmosphere light in the forest and less congestion of tourists visiting. Can be that you are alone on the Gorilla trekking safari.
If rain is something you don’t like while hiking or its effects, Then the dry season is the right time for you. Roads to the Bwindi Forest get so slippery in the rainy seasons and sometimes landslides, however the Legit tour companies like Gorilla Walking safaris have off road 4×4 Safari vehicles that are good to maneuver these off roads.
Safari Lodges tend to hike their rates in peak seasons and are on high demand while you can have good rates in the low seasons of travel. If you plan on travelling and doing a gorilla safari experience in Uganda or Rwanda during the peak or high seasons, we recommend booking in advance to be sure you have space.
Securing Gorilla Permits In Uganda or Rwanda
Gorilla permits is the ticket purchased from Uganda wildlife Authority or Rwanda development board personally or your destination management company can happily secure the gorilla permit on your behalf, normally it is included in the trip package price.
Uganda Gorilla permits cost USD 700 while Rwanda Gorilla Permit cost USD 1500 meant for the Gorilla safari trekking. Gorilla Habituation experience that offers 4 hours of Gorilla encounter is done only in Uganda and at $1500 same price as one hour Gorilla trek in Rwanda.
Endeavor to secure Gorilla Permits way in advance so you are sure to have the space and the right gorilla family on the particular day, next to the safari lodge or closer.