Gorilla trekking safari adventures tops the list of East African primate expeditions as people desire to meet mountain gorillas in their habitats. Mountain gorillas are rare primate species that live in the forested mountains of East Africa. Meeting these primates is unforgettable and many wonder the best time to go gorilla trekking. One’s interests and schedule determine this as you require a good time on gorilla trekking adventures combined with other Discovery Journeys.
The experience is doable throughout the year and there are several trekking destinations you can choose to visit.
Mountain Gorilla Trekking Destinations
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest tops the list of the best gorilla tour destinations. It is located in southwestern Uganda and covers a land area of 331 square kilometers. Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Nkuringo are the parks sectors with habituated gorilla families. Each has habituated gorilla families with 10 to 20 individuals. It is important to take note of these sectors if you are to go gorilla trekking in Bwindi. Mountain gorilla permit availability depends on this and one has to be at the right sector headquarters ahead of the adventure.
Mgahinga Gorilla Park is another Uganda safari destination with mountain gorillas. It is located in southwestern Uganda in the Kisoro district. Mgahinga is part of the Virunga Conservation with Volcanoes and Virunga National Parks. It is the smallest with only one habituated gorilla family called Nyakagezi. The park is also home to golden monkeys and other wildlife species including birds. Discovery Journeys here feature mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, birds, and the Virunga Mountains that can be hiked in a day’s excursion.
Volcanoes National Park Rwanda is the best gorilla trekking destination in the Virunga Massif. It has 12 fully habituated gorilla families with 96 gorilla permits available daily. The park is busy and these permits get fully booked months in advance. Book in advance if you are to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda.
Best Time To Go Gorilla Trekking
East Africa has two main climate seasons, the dry and wet season. The dry season starts from June to September and from December to February. This is the best time to go gorilla trekking in any of the above destinations. During the dry season, trekking trails are dry and easy to navigate. Minimal rainfall disturbances during these months make the primate experience more enjoyable.
December is a festive month when many people go on holiday. It is a busy month for all safari adventures including those primate trekking. Anyone intending to go gorilla trekking in December should book their trip in advance.
Wet season months from March to May and October to November have higher chances of rainfall. The rains favor the growth of lush vegetation and animal species that depend on plant vegetation including gorillas feed from nearby areas. Trekking to the gorillas becomes easy since they do not have to move far for fresh edible vegetation. Lower tourist numbers make gorilla tours during the wet season exclusive and enjoyable. We recommend one to go gorilla trekking irrespective of the season as each has its advantages.
Gorilla Trekking Packages
All our Discovery Journeys packages are customized based on one’s preference and convenience. Gorilla trekking requires time and we recommend on to set aside at least 3 days if they consider to go gorilla trekking. Our 3-day Rwanda Gorilla Tour features a visit to Volcanoes National Park for mountain gorillas and golden monkey trekking. The 4-day double gorilla trekking tour is ideal for those interested in tracking two gorilla families.
Gorilla tour adventures can be combined with other safari experiences like chimpanzee trekking, game drives, and boat cruises. Our 7-day Uganda Wildlife safari features a visit to Kibale National Park for chimpanzee trekking. From there you proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park for a game drive and boat cruise and then visit Bwindi for the anticipated gorilla trekking safari. Other notable gorilla packages include the 5-day Rwanda Tour, the 5-day Uganda Primates tour, and the 10-day Uganda Discovery Journeys.
Packing List
A successful gorilla safari adventure requires one to pack the right items. The experience is done on foot in forested mountains and strong hiking shoes are recommended. Rain gear including one for the camera is a must as rainfall can be unpredictable.
Long-sleeved shirts and trousers are ideal to avoid skin irritation when in contact with plants. Hand gloves, gaiters, binoculars, extra batteries, and energy bars are other items you should consider for your gorilla trekking adventure. Walking sticks are provided at the park but you can come with one depending on your preference.
Where to Stay
Gorilla tour destinations are facilitated by different accommodation categories ranging from budget to luxury options. Volcanoes National Park Rwanda has the highest concentration of luxury lodges. These include Bisate Lodge, Kataza House, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Bishops House, and Amakoro Songa Lodge. Deluxe options include Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Da Vinci Lodge, and Five Volcanoes Hotel.
The Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has luxury lodges including Bwindi Lodge, Mahogany Springs, and Gorilla Forest Camp. Rushaga, the southern sector of Bwindi is facilitated by Four Gorillas Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Camp, Ichumbi Lodge, and Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge. The Nkuringo sector is facilitated by Nkuringo Bwindi Lodge, Gorilla Heights, and Clouds Gorilla Lodge. These are luxury lodges strategically located near the park headquarters.
Lodges get fully booked during the peak tourist season and festive days. Ensure to book in advance if you intend to visit during that time.
English
Afrikaans
Albanian
Amharic
Arabic
Armenian
Azerbaijani
Basque
Belarusian
Bengali
Bosnian
Bulgarian
Catalan
Cebuano
Chichewa
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Corsican
Croatian
Czech
Danish
Dutch
Esperanto
Estonian
Filipino
Finnish
French
Frisian
Galician
Georgian
German
Greek
Gujarati
Haitian Creole
Hausa
Hawaiian
Hebrew
Hindi
Hmong
Hungarian
Icelandic
Igbo
Indonesian
Irish
Italian
Japanese
Javanese
Kannada
Kazakh
Khmer
Korean
Kurdish (Kurmanji)
Kyrgyz
Lao
Latin
Latvian
Lithuanian
Luxembourgish
Macedonian
Malagasy
Malay
Malayalam
Maltese
Maori
Marathi
Mongolian
Myanmar (Burmese)
Nepali
Norwegian
Pashto
Persian
Polish
Portuguese
Punjabi
Romanian
Russian
Samoan
Scottish Gaelic
Serbian
Sesotho
Shona
Sindhi
Sinhala
Slovak
Slovenian
Somali
Spanish
Sudanese
Swahili
Swedish
Tajik
Tamil
Telugu
Thai
Turkish
Ukrainian
Urdu
Uzbek
Vietnamese
Welsh
Xhosa
Yiddish
Yoruba
Zulu