Uganda gorilla safaris or Uganda gorilla trekking tours offers a memorable encounter with the endangered Mountain Gorillas. Imagine coming face-to-face with a wild gorilla.
Costing up to US$1,500 for one hour’s viewing in some countries, gorilla trekking in Uganda is unquestionably one of the more costly wildlife experiences in the world. Yet anyone who has scaled the slippery slopes of volcanoes or squeezed through a dense rainforest jungle to spend time with some of our closest living relatives will tell you it is money well spent.
Besides, a gorilla trekking tour in Uganda is half the price of what it would cost in neighbouring Rwanda. And almost 50% of the world’s population of mountain gorillas reside in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
That equates to around 500 individuals, according to the last official census in 2019, with 24 mountain gorilla families currently habituated for tourism — more than in any other area that offer gorilla trekking tours in Africa!
What Is Gorilla Trekking?
Gorilla Trekking is a wildlife activity that involves hiking through dense rainforest to see habituated wild gorillas in their natural habitat.
The activity entails trekking on steep hills, through thick forests with tangled vines, rivers and water streams before finally encountering a family of gorillas.
The day of gorilla trekking in Uganda starts at the Park Offices, where guests are allocated their gorilla families and guide before being briefed on vital rules that help protect both gorillas and people. Gorilla shares 98% of our DNA. They are extremely vulnerable to our diseases (a common cold could kill them) so visitors are requested not to trek if they are ill.
Not more than 8 visitors are allowed to track each gorilla family, staying for just one hour in their presence. Gorilla trekking rules also requires you to stay 7 meters away from of giant apes, but sometimes the gorillas will cross this limit and approach you to almost stroking distance. However, don’t be tempted to touch them.
Some gorilla families takes a short walk to reach them but others can take as long as 6 hours to reach. However, the reward of seeing a wild gorilla more than makes up for the effort of reaching them. Being with these incredible gentle giants is indeed a moving experience.
What Is Gorilla Habituation Experience?
Gorillas are not always so calm in the presence of humans – It takes effort and time to achieve this relaxed attitude in a process known as habituation. Uganda’s new gorilla experience allows you to participate in this process by tracking a a semi habituated gorilla family.
During the process, trackers visit wild gorilla families each day for around 3 years, slowly getting closer and spending longer in their company.
At the stage of semi-habituation, the gorillas are familiar with trackers but not strangers, so this new experience can now help them get used to seeing different people. In traditional gorilla trekking tours, trackers have already found your gorillas and they take you directly to them.
But, this 4-hour experience starts from where the gorillas were last seen the previous evening.
You hike with the trackers, learning the tell-tale signs that eventually lead to the primates’ nests, such as knuckle prints in the mud, bent and broken vegetation and discarded food.
It is when you encounter the gorillas that the real adventure begins. The point of gorilla habituation is to follow the family of gorillas and stay in their sight as they move, ultimately getting closer to reach that magical 7-meter cut-off point.
But unlike fully habituated families who patiently mooch around during your permitted one hour, these gorillas move fast to feed, through dense rainforest, storming up and down slippery slopes, with you and the tracker team in hot pursuit. Gorilla habituation experience is like a rainforest boot camp, and it is not for the unfit or fainthearted.
Where Do Uganda Gorilla Safaris Take Place?
Uganda gorilla trekking safaris take place in Virunga Volcanoes slopes in Mgahinga Gorilla Park and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. These two Uganda gorilla safari parks are located about 8 to 9 hour drive or a short 1 and 45 minute flight transfer from Entebbe/Kampala.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an undisputed highlight of a safari to Uganda. This popular Uganda national park covers an area of about 321km2. It protects a magnificent range of forested hills on the edge of the Albertine Rift Valley in the southwest of Uganda. It was gazetted a national park in
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is located in the far south western corner of Uganda on the borders of Democratic Republic Congo and Rwanda. This scenic little of park 33.7 square kilometers protects the vital protect part of the Virunga Mountains, a chain of 8 volcanoes, of which 3 are in Mgahinga. All
Interesting Facts About Mountain Gorillas
- There are 2 gorilla species on Earth – the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla. The mountain gorilla is a subspecies of the eastern gorilla.
- Mountain gorillas are endangered with an estimated population of 1,063.
- Mountain gorillas only live in east-central Africa in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo (DRC).
- We share 98% of our DNA with gorillas which means that exposure to human illnesses can have detrimental impacts on them as they are so genetically similar to us.
- Mountain gorillas are one of the biggest and strongest primates. Adult silverback gorilla can weigh up to 220kg.
- Mountain gorillas spend about a quarter of their day eating, mainly plants.
- At night, mountain gorillas sleep in nests on the ground, or in trees, that they make from foliage.
- Gorillas have 16 different types of call. To intimidate rivals, male gorillas strut with stiff legs, beat their chests, and use vocalizations like roars.
- Most mountain gorillas live in stable family groups of around 5 to 30 individuals, with one dominant male and several females.
Looking for The Best Gorilla Trekking Tours and Safaris In Uganda?
Our selection of the best Uganda gorilla trekking tours also include combinations with other Uganda best safari destinations as wells Tanzania, Rwanda and Kenya’s most popular safari destinations: why not combine a Uganda gorilla trek with safari in the Masai Mara, Serengeti or even a relaxing holiday at Spice Island of Zanzibar?
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Are you honeymooners seeking a bit of adventure? A gorilla trek in Uganda might be the perfect choice for you. It will be a memory to treasure together for the rest of your lives. When spending some precious time with them, you will be in no doubt of who our closest relatives are. These great apes live in dense forest, and being in this pristine habitat is a special experience in itself. Read more about a safari honeymoon in Uganda.
15 Questions About Uganda Gorilla Safaris
If you would like to know more about Uganda gorilla safaris, here are some answers to the most common questions about gorilla trekking in Uganda.
1. How much does it cost to go gorilla safari in Uganda?
The Uganda gorilla safari price is relatively determined by your travel style, accommodation choice, transfer comfort, tour operator and mainly the gorilla permit which cost US$ 800. Roughly, an all-inclusive 3-day gorilla trekking safari in Uganda costs between US$1,300 and $2,900 per person sharing. See our Uganda gorilla safari cost guidelines.
2. Is gorilla trekking cheaper in Uganda or Rwanda?
Uganda offers by far the cheapest gorilla trekking tours. Uganda gets all the budget travellers as Rwanda’s gorilla trekking permits cost US$1500, even though the experience is much the same in both countries. Read more:Gorilla Trekking Uganda vs Rwanda.
3. How do Book a gorilla trekking permit In Uganda?
Your gorilla trekking permits are usually included in the cost of Tulambule Uganda safari trips and we will secure them for you once you pay your Uganda safari tour deposit. At this time, all we need from you are your passport details.
4. Is Gorilla Trekking Worth The Money?
Gorilla trekking is worthwhile because you’ll have the chance to encounter your close relatives in their natural habitat. Mountain gorillas also cannot be seen in zoos as they can’t survive in captivity. They are also high endangered, with estimated world population of around 1063 individuals. The income derived from Uganda gorilla safaris is crucial to secure their future.
5. How safe is gorilla trekking?
Gorilla trekking in Uganda is generally considered safe. Treks are only conducted within ‘habituated’ families of gorillas and it takes a period of about two years for a gorilla family group to become accustomed to human presence.
To ensure that travellers are safe while trekking gorillas in Uganda there are set rules and regulations that everyone must observe at all times. You will be briefed on these before you depart in search of your allocated habituated gorilla group.
While on the gorilla trek, the armed park ranger guide who accompanies you and will be there to ensure everyone follows the rules.
Read More: Is Gorilla Trekking Safe?
6. How Difficult Is Gorilla Trekking?
Gorilla trekking in Uganda requires a moderate level of physical fitness. The trek may involve anywhere from 1 hour up to 7 hours of hiking up and down hills, in hot and humid conditions and through tropical (and at times thick) vegetation.
There may be mud underfoot which will make the trekking slippery. But don’t let this put you off, because the end result is worth it. Read more about the gorilla trekking difficulty.
7. Can I hire a porter to help me?
You are expected to carry your own personal items for a gorilla trek including drinking water, a rain jacket and cameras. But you can definitely enlist the help of a local porter. Travelers of all ages and abilities frequently hire a local porter while on a hike to see gorillas.
Besides carrying your bag, the porters will guide you through some of the most difficult or steep portions of the hike. It not only makes the journey easier for you, but it also gives the locals a much-needed source of income. Hiring a porter for a gorilla walk in Bwindi costs at least USD20, or USD10 in Virunga, plus any gratuities you decide to provide.
8. Is there a chance I won’t see the gorillas on my trek?
It is not 100% guaranteed that you will see mountain gorillas, but it is extremely rare not to. Every day at dawn, gorilla trackers set out to locate gorilla families and radio the co-ordinates back to park offices. So, even before you start your trek, trackers have a good idea of where your gorilla family is or will be.
9. How long do I get to spend with the gorillas?
Once you find your allocated gorilla family you will spend one hour with them. This is to reduce the likelihood of disturbance or transmission of disease to the gorillas. No more than 8 visitors per day can visit any one habituated gorilla family.
You may also like: Is Gorilla Trekking Ethical?
10. Can I opt to trek a second time on the Gorilla trip?
On our Uganda gorilla safaris there is often the chance to take an optional additional mountain gorilla trek. Only a limited number of permits are issued for each mountain gorilla family group every day, so we advise that you pre-book your trek and permit advance to avoid disappointment – especially in peak season.
10. Can I request to trek with a specific gorilla family?
Yes, you can request to trek with a particular gorilla family once you are at the gorilla trek briefing, but this cannot always be guaranteed.
12. What if I’m not feeling well on the gorilla trekking day?
Your guide will give you basic gorilla trekking guidelines and rule before you trek. If you are not feeling well, or you are carrying a contagious disease, we suggest you stay behind and an alternate visit will be arranged for you. Mountain Gorillas are highly endangered and vulnerable to the transmission of germs and diseases and you could put them at risk.
13. What is the age limit for gorilla trekking in Uganda?
As per gorilla parks regulations, you required be a minimum of 15 years old to trek to see the mountain gorillas in Uganda. Read more about gorilla trekking with children.
You may also like: Gorilla Trekking for the Very Old.
14. What is the best time of year to see gorillas in Uganda?
Uganda gorilla safaris are available all year-round. The dry season is usually June to early September and from December to February, while the rainy seasons is considered March to May and October to November. In the rainy season, gorilla trekking can be more challenging, so many people choose to trek during the dry season.
However, you should not forget that you are trekking in tropical rain forests and it is common to have rain throughout the year irrespective of which season it is.
Read More: Best Time To Visit Uganda.
15. How far from Kampala are the gorillas?
If you are planning to visit Bwindi for gorilla trekking, the driving distance from Kampala is approximately 500km and the drive time is 8 to 9 hours.
You can also get to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by a flight transfer of approximately 2 hours coupled with a short drive of about 1 ½ hours. The flight can either be taken from Entebbe International Airport in Entebbe City or Kajjansi Airstrip in Kampala.
questions About Gorilla Trekking?
If you still have any questions about gorilla trekking in Uganda, feel free to CONTACT US. We’ll answer your questions as soon as possible and help you design a Uganda gorilla tour with a comfortable itinerary. For quick information, you can WHATSAPP US.
