Uganda gorilla tour experiences are highly recommended for anyone on Uganda Discovery Journeys. Mountain gorillas are rare and endangered primate species that live in the forested mountains of East and Central Africa.
The mountain gorilla population is currently estimated at 1100 individuals in the wild. It drastically reduced in the 1980s and 1990s when the region had a series of civil wars. These were guerrilla wars operated in ecosystems that are home to several wildlife species including mountain gorillas. Uganda has fortunately had a peaceful period for decades and this has seen a population increase of the different wildlife species.
The country currently has the highest mountain gorilla population of all the 3 countries with mountain gorillas. There have been several gorilla conservation efforts and with time, the current population will steadily increase. With this, Uganda gorilla tour experiences are a Must. It is always amazing to hike the forested mountains and meet mountain gorillas in their preferred habitats. Below is what you need to know about Uganda gorilla tour experiences if you planning your first gorilla safari tour.
Uganda Gorilla Tour destinations
Uganda has two mountain gorilla tour destinations. They include Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla Park. They are all located in Southwestern Uganda at the edge of the Albertine Rift Valley.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is the most prominent Uganda gorilla tour destination. It covers a land area of 331 square kilometers of Afro-Montane Forests with over 400 plant species, 120 mammals including mountain gorillas, and over 400 bird species. Such wildlife diversity makes Bwindi Impenetrable Forest an ideal destination for major nature bucket list adventures.
Uganda gorilla tour experiences in Bwindi are exclusive and unforgettable. The forested park has 4 major sectors each with habituated gorilla families. Buhoma, the northern Sector is the busiest of all. It was the first sector to be opened up for tourism. This was in April 1993 when the Mubare gorilla family had been fully habituated and opened up to individuals interested in gorilla trekking. The other notable Uganda gorilla tour sectors in Bwindi include Ruhija, Rushaga, and Nkuringo.
Mgahinga Gorilla Park is the other Uganda gorilla tour destination. It is located in Kisoro District and covers a land area of 33 square kilometers. The park is part of the Virunga Conservation Area along with Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and DRC’s Virunga National Park.
Mountain Gorilla Families
Mountain gorillas live in families that are led by a dominant male gorilla called Silverback. Uganda currently has 23 of these with the majority in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and 1 in Mgahinga Gorilla Park. Buhoma, the Northern and Oldest Sector of Bwindi has 6 habituated Gorilla families. They include Mubare, Habinyanja, Rushegura, Muyambi, Katwe and Binyindo.
Ruhija, the eastern sector of Bwindi has 4 habituated gorilla families. They include Bitukura, Kyaguriro, Mukiiza, and Oruzogo. Nkuringo has 4 habituated gorilla families as well including Christmas, Bushaho, Nkuringo, and Posho.
Rushaga sector in southern Bwindi has the highest habituated gorilla families. They are 8 and include Bikingi, Kahungye, Nshongi, Bweza, Mishaya, Kutu, Busingye, and one under habituation.
The Nyakagezi gorilla family is the only one in Mgahinga Gorilla Park. All these gorilla families are tracked by only 8 tourists a day. It is only the gorilla group undergoing habituation that is strictly open to 4 people.
The Gorilla trekking experience
The Uganda gorilla trekking experience starts with a briefing at the park headquarters of the respective sectors. You are expected to be there at 7:00 am for a briefing about the gorilla trekking rules and regulations. After this, you are guided to the forested mountains amidst sightings of other wildlife species. You hike for 1 to 4 hours or more until you get to the mountain gorillas.
While in the presence of mountain gorillas, you are required to keep at least a 7-meter distance away. Flash photography, noise, and any form of disruption are prohibited. For the normal gorilla trek, you stay in the presence of gorillas for an hour. During this time you observe, learn, and take photos of the mountain gorillas keeping your distance. An hour might seem short but it is magical as you face these rare apes and witness moments of truth between them.
After an hour has elapsed, you are then guided back to where you started and awarded certificates of Participation.
The Gorilla Habituation Experience
Gorilla habituation is strictly in the southern sector of Bwindi (Rushaga). This is more experiential and starts early in the morning as you follow the mountain gorilla routine. You start your gorilla trekking journeys right from the gorilla nests and follow and observe their behavior. On this Uganda gorilla habituation experience you stay up to 4 hours in the presence of mountain gorillas.
This experience is done on a gorilla family that is just undergoing habituation and you therefore participate in that. It involves observing the real-time behavior of the gorillas and knowing their daily routine. The habituation experience is led by a team of knowledgeable rangers who have habituated several gorilla families in Bwindi.
At some point, you might need to keep up with them as they are more familiar with the forest. This experience is among the best Uganda gorilla tour experiences you can ever have. It is ideal for researchers and people with a keen interest in primates and wildlife in general.
Gorilla Tour Packages
The only way to have an ideal Uganda gorilla tour experience is by choosing the right tour package. Uganda has several tour packages and many feature mountain gorilla trekking. The shortest is the 3-Day Uganda Gorilla Tour with one day of gorilla trekking. This is recommended for those with limited time but would love to visit the gorillas. It however involves long driving distances for those who opt to visit the gorilla parks by road. The two gorilla parks are all located about a 9 to 10-hour drive from Kampala Uganda’s Capital City.
Flying safari tours are the best options for getting to the gorilla parks. You can fly to Kihihi which is near the Northern Sector of Bwindi and then connect to the park by road. Those connecting to southern Bwindi and Mgahinga can fly to Kisoro Airstrip.
You can have Uganda gorilla tour experiences alongside other safari adventures like chimpanzee trekking. Our 7-day Uganda gorillas and wildlife safari is ideal for this. It features chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park, game drives, and a boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park, the gorilla trek is the safari highlight and it ends in Lake Mburo National Park.
All these gorilla tour packages can be customized further to include two gorilla treks or the habituation experience. Be part of these and our other Discovery Journeys to Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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