A Guide To Uganda Gorilla Trekking Tours

The Ultimate Gorilla Trekking Guide!

Uganda gorilla tours are a must on a visit to the beautiful East African country. Mountain gorillas are rare and endangered but Uganda has the highest population of their remaining population. Their total population is currently estimated at 1100 individuals and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park alone has 450 of them. The rest of the population is shared in the Virunga Massif National Parks that Mgahinga Gorilla Park, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Virunga National Park in DRC.

Where To Go On Uganda Gorilla Trekking Tours

There are two Uganda gorilla trekking tour destinations. These include Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks. Both Bwindi and Mgahinga are located in southwestern Uganda about a 9 to 10 hour drive from Kampala.

Bwindi Impenetrable National is the largest of the two gorilla parks. It covers a land area of 321 square kilometers and has Four gorilla trekking sectors. They include the Buhoma sector in the north, the Ruhija sector in the east, and Nkuringo and Rushaga in the southern part of the park. Each of these sectors has habituated gorilla families that are open to tourism and offer remarkable experiences on Uganda gorilla trekking tours.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park has one habituated gorilla family called Nyakagezi. Uganda gorilla trekking tours for this family are even more exclusive and enjoyable. Only 8 people trek the gorillas a day. This limit applies even in Bwindi but the fact that Mgahinga has only one family limits the visitors to the park for gorillas to only 8 a day.

The Gorilla habituation experience

Mountain gorilla habituation is a process under which gorillas are accustomed to human beings’ presence. Even though mountain gorillas have about 95% DNA similar to human beings, they are still wild and have to undergo a habituation process to get used to human beings.

All the mountain gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga National Parks are fully habituated. There are still gorillas in the wild though and the gorilla habituation process still takes place. With this, you have an opportunity to go behind the scenes and get involved in the habituation process. You start the day early morning tracking where the gorillas spent a night. Mountain gorillas build nests every day and you track them early in the morning from their nests following their routine.

The gorilla habituation experience is more rewarding and insightful. By getting involved you are able to observe, monitor, and learn more about them. You even get to spend 4 hours in their presence which is more than the 1 hour of the normal gorilla trek. Important to note however is that this experience only takes place in Rushaga the southern sector of Bwindi. Only 4 Habituation permits are available and it is important to book them in advance.

Best time for Uganda Gorilla Trekking Tours

You can visit Uganda for mountain gorilla trekking any time of the year. For easy hiking through the forests and the best photography moments, it is however important to visit in the dry season. The dry season in Uganda spans from June to September and from mid-December to Early March. Here there are minimal rainfall disturbances and trekking is easy.

That does not mean that you can not go gorilla trekking in the wet season. Uganda gorilla trekking tours are very much possible in the months of April, May, and November. You just have to have the right rain gear and enjoy real jungle moments.

Accommodation Options

Each sector in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has accommodation options where you can stay. These sectors are even several kilometers apart and the accommodation you book has to be where you intend to track the gorillas from.

Notable safari Lodges in Buhoma include Mahogany Springs, Buhoma Lodge, and Bwindi Lodge among others. Nkuringo Bwindi Lodge, Gorilla Heights, and Clouds Gorilla Lodge are examples of lodge options in the Nkuringo sector.

Bakiga Lodge and Agandi Lodge are in Ruhija while Four Gorillas and Rushaga Gorilla Camp are options in the Rushaga Sector. These lodges’ availability matches with gorilla permits’ availability as they get fully booked during the dry season.

Packing List

It is important to pack the right items ahead of any safari adventure. Mountain gorilla trekking is done on foot in the forested mountains and you need the right outfit for the experience. Strong hiking shoes, gaiters, long sleeved shirts and trousers, and rain gear are essential.

Photography is now part of partial of safari and having extra camera batteries is recommended. You can have different lenses to adjust depending on the subject and moment being captured.

Other essential items to consider include sunscreen, antibiotics, chargers, swimsuit, open shoes and any other personal items.

Other Discovery Journeys trekking Tours

More than mountain gorillas, we organize other trekking tours that include chimpanzee trekking and eastern lowland gorilla trekking. Chimpanzee trekking tours mainly take place in Kibale National Park Uganda and Nyungwe National Park Rwanda.

You can have a Uganda Safari combining the two primate trekking experiences. Our 7-Day Uganda Wildlife Safari and 10-Day Uganda Discovery Journeys are examples of such itinerary adventures.

For Eastern lowland gorilla trekking adventures, you would have to take on our Journeys of Discovery to Kahuzi Biega National Park in Eastern DRC. The park is the only place where you can see lowland gorillas in the wild on epic gorilla trekking safaris. We have many sample itineraries for these including a 3-day eastern Gorilla Trekking tour and a 6 Days Tour that also includes chimpanzee trekking In Nyungwe.

In case you are looking for ultimate savanna experiences then northern Tanzania safari journeys are recommended. These feature the best of Serengeti, Tarangire, Ndutu Conservancy, and the Ngorongoro Crater. Contact Us for full details and custom-made itineraries.

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A Guide To Uganda Gorilla Trekking Tours

A Guide To Uganda Gorilla Trekking Tours