Gorilla Trekking in Uganda takes place in two different national parks namely Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park all situated in the Southwestern part of the country, Uganda mountain gorilla trekking is one of the most demanded activities by many tourists coming to Africa. Mountain gorilla trekking is a thrilling activity that is worth every penny spent in purchasing your safari in Uganda. When it comes to mountain gorilla trekking safaris in Africa, Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park are the top destinations in Uganda.
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Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is set in Kanungu district in the southwestern part of Uganda. Bwindi impenetrable forest national park accommodates over 459 mountain gorillas, with that it makes Bwindi break the worlds’ record as the only national park with the highest population of mountain gorillas.
Bwindi impenetrable forest national park provides a mountain gorilla trekking experience to visitors who are above 15 years of age and who move into the dense tropical rainforests on foot while searching for the mountain gorillas. Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park can be done in four different sectors that are Buhoma sector in the northern part of Bwindi, Rushaga sector in the southern part of Bwindi, Ruhija sector in the Eastern part of Bwindi, and Nkuringo sector in the Southern part of Bwindi.
Mountain gorillas belong to the endangered primate species that can only be viewed in different four national parks in the world that are located in three different countries including Mgahinga Gorilla national park in Uganda, Bwindi impenetrable forest national park in Uganda, Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, and Virunga national park in Congo.
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Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest and Mgahinga
Gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park is majorly done in four different sectors. Visitors interested in mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park are kindly advised to sleep near any of the sectors for quick accessibility to Bwindi headquarters.
Gorilla trekking experience in Uganda commences with an early morning briefing in any of the park headquarters in either Bwindi impenetrable forest national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park. Visitors are welcomed and categorized into a group of 8 people per mountain gorilla family. Each mountain gorilla family is visited by a maximum of 8 people. Grouping people are done at the park headquarters depending on travelers’ physical fitness and interests.
After a traveler has been given a mountain gorilla group, you will enter the jungle and start trekking with an experienced park ranger guide who is so knowledgeable about trekking trails to follow while moving on foot, the guide will give you all the required information about the endangered mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking experience in these national parks takes approximately 2 to 7 hours in the forest depending on the location of these giant apes, visitors are required to carry packed lunch and energy-giving drinks. Once your allocated gorilla family is spotted visitors are permitted to spend an hour with the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat where visitors are allowed to take photos without flashlights, record the wonderful moments with the mountain gorillas and see how mountain gorillas feed and play among others.
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How many mountain gorilla families are in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga gorilla national park?
Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park in Uganda protects over 19 habituated mountain gorilla families which are located in four different sectors of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park namely Rushaga sector which accommodates over 8 mountain gorilla families including Nshongi gorilla family, Kahungye gorilla family, Busingye gorilla family, Mishaya gorilla family, Bweza gorilla family, Rwigi gorilla family, Bikyingi gorilla family and Mucunguzi gorilla family, Buhoma sector of Bwindi harbors 4 mountain gorilla families namely Mubare gorilla family, Habinyanja gorilla family, Rushegura gorilla family and Katwe gorilla family, Nkuringo sector of Bwindi harbors 3 mountain gorilla families namely Bushaho gorilla family, Christmas gorilla family and Nkuringo gorilla family and Ruhija sector of Bwindi harbors four mountain gorilla families namely Bitukura gorilla family, Oruzogo gorilla family, Kyaguliro gorilla family and Mukiza gorilla family,Mgahinga gorilla national park protect one mountain gorilla family called Nyakagezi gorilla family.
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However, the Mountain gorilla habituation experience only takes in Uganda at Bwindi impenetrable forest national park in the Rushaga sector. Gorilla habituation experience is the process where mountain gorillas are trained by a team of researchers, guides, and game rangers to get used to human presence in their natural environment to be ready for trekking. The gorilla habituation experience process takes approximately 2 years and offers travelers a greater opportunity to spend more time with these mountain gorillas. Travelers who participate in mountain gorilla habituation experience have more time to observe gorilla behaviors and habits and enjoy them as feeding themselves, breastfeeding, juveniles while playing How much is gorilla trekking permit sold in Uganda?
To entertain their family among others.
A gorilla trekking permit is a legal document that is issued to every visitor who is above 15 years of age that allows them to trek a mountain gorilla family in any of the four sectors located in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. A single gorilla trekking permit in either Bwindi impenetrable forest national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park costs 250000 UGX for East African residents, $700 for Foreign Non-Residents, and $600 for Foreign Residents.
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When should a tourist book their Gorilla Trekking Permit in Uganda?
Mountain Gorilla trekking permits should be booked before your travel date for example 6 months in advance before your trekking date. Bwindi impenetrable forest national park alone harbors 18 habituated mountain gorilla families in four different sectors which means there are over 144 gorilla permits issued daily hence visitors should book their mountain gorilla trekking permits early enough to avoid disappointments and mis arrangements. Mountain gorilla trekking permits are so competitive and always get sold out faster than you may think mostly in the peak season or in the dry seasons. mountain gorilla trekking permits can be booked from either Uganda Wildlife Authority directly or through your trusted tour operator like Devine African Safaris. Booking with a tour operator is the best option because the tour company will plan your whole safari for you such as the activities that you will engage in, accommodation facilities, and all the necessary transportation needed for the mountain gorilla trekking safari in Uganda.
How to access Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga gorilla national park
Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park can be both reached by either air transportation or by road.
Road transportation means
Tourists can be driven from Entebbe international airport or Kampala city via the equator in Kayabwe Mpigi, Masaka town, Mbarara town, and kabala then proceed to any of the four sectors or Bwindi impenetrable forest national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park where mountain gorilla trekking experience takes place. The whole journey from Entebbe or Kampala takes approximately 9 to 10 hours to drive on a tarmac road. Bwindi impenetrable forest national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park can as well be accessed from Queen Elizabeth national park Uganda’s second-largest national park via the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national park. Tourists can be able to view the famous tree-climbing lions relaxing on the fig big tree branches within the Ishasha sector and the journey from Queen Elizabeth national park takes between 3 to 4 hours meaning you are free to combine your mountain gorilla trekking Safari in either Bwindi impenetrable forest national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park with unlimited game drives, boat cruise on the Kazinga channel and the tree climbing lion tracking experience in Queen Elizabeth national park.
Air transport to either Bwindi impenetrable forest national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park
Visitors going to Bwindi impenetrable of Mgahinga national park can be scheduled or chartered flights through your trusted tour operator. The domestic flight can schedule from Entebbe Airport international Airport or Kajjansi Airfield to either Kayonza or Kihihi Airstrip which is just close to all the four sectors of Bwindi as well as Mgahinga gorilla national park. After landing in either Kisoro, Kayonza, or Kihihi airstrip, then your driver in a private vehicle to your booked safari lodge, and in case you had not booked your safari with a tour company you can still hire a private safari vehicle to transfer you to your private booked lodge in one of the sectors chosen by you.
When is the best time to visit Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga gorilla national park?
The best time to visit either Bwindi Impenetrable national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park is in March, April, and May, or from October to November. However, tourists can always visit Bwindi impenetrable forest national park or Mgahinga national park throughout the year. The rainy seasons in these national parks are good for bird watching offering plenty of food for many bird species, these birds include forest birds, water birds, and the migratory birds that can be spotted within the forest breeding.
Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park experiences the dry seasons in June, July, August, and mid-September and from December, January, and February. During the dry months Bwindi forest and Mgahinga gorilla national receive lesser rainfalls therefore the gorilla trekking trails are passable and mountain gorillas can easily be seen because the grass and shrubs are shorter. The dry season is always the best time for go for mountain gorilla trekking and most visitors visit Bwindi, Mgahinga, and all savannah national parks in Uganda during the dry seasons. However, Bwindi and Mgahinga are located in the montane and tropical rain forests rain can be expected anytime in these national parks even in the dry season hence visitors should also focus on the packing list for gorillas trekking to make their gorilla trekking successful.
Accommodation facilities near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga gorilla national park
Bwindi impenetrable forest national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park offers a variety of up to standard lodges ranging from budget lodges to mid-range, and luxury lodges, these lodges in Bwindi Impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla lodge include silverback safari lodge, Buhoma lodge, Gorilla resort, Gorilla forest camp, Engagi lodge, Lake Kitandara Tented camp, Bakiga Lodge, Mahogany springs lodge, clouds mountain gorilla lodge, Nkuringo gorilla lodge, Chameleon lodge, Gorilla safari lodge, Ichumbi gorilla lodge, Nkuringo campsite, Buhoma community rest camp, Ruhija gorilla safari lodge, Cuckoo land lodge, and Buhoma haven lodge, among others.
Conclusion:
Gorilla trekking in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park offers an experience worth spending your penny on especially for those travelers interested in viewing the rare endangered mountain gorillas in their natural environment. Gorilla Trekking gorillas in either Bwindi impenetrable forest national park or Mgahinga Gorilla national park is much cheaper than Rwanda’s mountain gorilla trekking experience in Volcanoes national park where gorilla trekking permits cost $1500 per permit per person and only Gorilla habituation experience is done in Uganda’s Bwindi impenetrable forest national park in the Rushaga sector in the whole world.