Gorilla trekking is an activity that involves travellers hiking through the mountainous and dense forested tropical rainforests searching for the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. The gorilla activity is a very thrilling and informative activity that has travellers learning more about gorillas and other park animals that they may come across, birds and plant species.

Gorilla tracking experience

The gorilla tracking experience starts with you being at the starting point of gorilla trekking for your specific gorilla sector or gorilla national park you are visiting. You shall be briefed about gorilla trekking, what to expect and rules and guidelines to follow during gorilla trekking. After, you shall be placed into groups of 8 and then allocated a gorilla family to track. Clad with your hiking stick and in a company of park rangers, you shall file and start your search for gorillas in their own space. You shall be shown a number of important to know or note items by the guides, and when you are almost reaching the exact location of gorillas, you shall be notified. You shall spend only one hour with the gorillas, as you watch how they interact with each other and humans. Take pictures and videos if you may want for keeps. After, you shall trek back to the starting point and then proceed with your guide for your next in the itinerary activity. Gorilla trekking can take anything from 30 minutes to 6 hours or more depending on the location of the gorillas and the terrain. 

GORILLA HABITUATION IN UGANDA

Gorilla habituation in Uganda is among the top tourism activities in Uganda that tourists interested in having an amazing gorilla trekking experience in Uganda. Over the years, Uganda has been famous for gorilla trekking given the fact it is home to approximately half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas that can be seen when you participate in gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park ad gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National park which is among the most rewarding wildlife safaris in Uganda.  

A standard gorilla trek involves tourists spending one hour with the habituated gorilla families in Uganda which will give you the chance to spend time with the gorillas observing a number of rewarding features of the primates in the wild for instance their co-existence of the primates with the other primates in the wild for instance the dominant silverback in the park, who has all the mating rights with the adult females in the park, during gorilla trekking in the park you will get to see how the infants of the gorilla group that can be seen clinging onto a mother’s fur until they can be able to walk on their feet among other interesting features of the primates in the wild that will make the activity quite memorable which has been made possible for gorilla habituation.

Gorilla habituation on the other hand involves travellers spending more than one hour to be precise 4 hours with the gorillas to get them accustomed to human presence for gorilla habituation to be carried out. It should be noted that for gorilla to be trekked, there are slowly introduced to human presence which can take between 2- 5 years to get used to the human presence and this also involves being in the company of the rangers and a team of researchers that help to train the gorillas.  Currently, gorilla habituation in Uganda can be carried out in rushaga in Bwindi impenetrable national park which is among the four sectors in Bwindi impenetrable national park where you can access the habituated gorilla families in Uganda.

Price of gorilla habituation in Uganda

For tourists interested in gorilla habituation in Uganda they can book online from the Uganda wildlife authority or from a trusted tour company in Uganda at a fee of 1500USD which is quite costly compared to a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda which is 700USD but because the activity gives you the chance to spend more time with the habituated gorilla families.

While participating in gorilla habituation in Uganda, you should put in mind the fact that the gorilla undergoing the habituation process are less accustomed to human presence which makes them quite unpredictable therefore you should always follow the lead of the ranger and the researchers to ensure that you have a safe gorilla habituation experience in Uganda however it should also be noted that the activity is quite safe in case you disrupt their peace in the park.

Best time for gorilla habituation in Uganda

Gorilla habituation in Uganda can be carried out all year round because of the favourable climate in Bwindi impenetrable national park. I t should be noted that the temperatures in Bwindi impenetrable national park can be vary from 20-25 degrees throughout the year therefore the perfect clothes should be packed to have a safe a comfortable activity in the park.

The best time to visit Uganda to take part in gorilla habituation in Uganda is during the dry months of June to august and during the months of December to February which are the dry months. You can also participate in gorilla habituation during the wet season in the months of March to May  and this is very much wanted by the  photographers because the rains  help to clear the mist which makes it better to take clear pictures of the gorillas to avoid the mist getting in the way of taking nice shots of the gorillas because Bwindi impenetrable  gorillas.

Packing List For Gorilla Trekking 

Travelers planning for your Gorilla safaris either in Uganda and Rwanda, this draws you to pack the right clothing in order to protect you from coldness, thorn pricks, nettles or insect bites like solder ants and flies.

Below is the recommended packing list for a gorilla trekking Safaris in Uganda and Rwanda;

Long Trousers

You need to wear a long sleeved shirt and long trousers, in fact if you can get waterproof trousers wear those. Both long trousers and long sleeved shirts help to protect you from branches, nettles, thorns or you can choose something else that can prick you.

Cotton undergarments are recommended and to the ladies ensure to wear comfortable bras since the hike can be tough.

To some travelers ignore this advice and wear shorts and t-shirts and truth is that at the end of the day the exposed skin has scratches. For that case, ensure   you follow this advice.

Wear waterproof hiking sturdy boots

The hiking trails can be slippery when it rains, therefore a pair of waterproof hiking boots is required. The hiking shoe should be comfortable for you, in fact Rangers and Trekkers are recommended to wear comfortable rubber boots or gumboots.

Along this activity, you can’t see any one wearing white snickers, sandals or any inappropriate foot wear.

Hiking boots will support you for good stability, balance, traction and support to your ankles as well as   wearing comfortable thick socks. We advise you always tuck your trousers into your socks, may look funny but it will protect you against fire ants.

Sturdy Gardening Gloves

 This may seem to be useless not knowing also is a good essential for Gorilla trekking. These strong gardening gloves is also recommended for gorilla trekking safari. They will help you support yourselves on sharp branches or vines, the gloves also give you protection against nettles like that you don’t get scratched.

You can put them off when you’re allocate the Gorilla in order to take good photos.

A rain Jacket

Gorilla trekking is done in the rainforest and usually starts early in the morning hours. Therefore, rain might fall at any time whether it’s a dry season rain jacket must be packed, because in Bwindi rain might fall any time of the day.

A poncho can also be worn, trackers, rangers and porters. And always carry a light one which you easily fold and keep in your bag pack till you need it the next time.

Wear A hat

While trekking you need a good wide –brimmed hat on an expensive Tilley Hat, the hat protects your head and neck from rain or the much sun shine. You might choose to put on a baseball cap but it will not protect your neck form the scotching sun after the mist in the mountains has disappeared.

If you forget to carry one, you can buy one from any local craft shop in the country to do your gorilla trekking safaris.

Insect repellent

During the trek you must apply this on your body therefore to protect your exposed body parts.

For trackers who are on a Gorilla Habituation Experience, are advised to pack the insect repellent in their daypack.

A warm sweater

Since gorilla trekking destinations are cold, you to pack a warm sweater which you can worn in the early mornings and cool nights. During night the coldness is too much.

What to Pack for A Gorilla Trekking Safari Uganda & Rwanda

The Mgahinga Gorilla and Volcanoes national park the temperature is at 10 degrees Celsius and in Bwindi impenetrable at 11 degrees Celsius and sometimes it’s lower than this.

Due to the coldness in gorilla trekking destination, luxury lodges have fireplaces in cottages or room and other lodges give visitors hot water bottles for warms throughout the cold night.

GORILLA TREKKING IN RWANDA VS UGANDA

Uganda and Rwanda are the most rewarding destinations for gorilla trekking in Africa because of the fact that they have the highest populations of mountain gorillas in Africa which has attracted a number of tourists interested in trekking in tracking the mountain gorillas in the wild. For tourists interested in choosing the perfect destinations for gorilla trekking between Rwanda and Uganda, they might have a hard time to choose between the two destinations. Having participated in gorilla trekking in both the countries, will help you choose the perfect destination depending on a number of factors that will make the activity quite comfortable for you and quite memorable.

Double gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking in Uganda can be carried out in both Bwindi impenetrable national park and in Mgahinga national park and this will give you the opportunity to participate in the double gorilla trekking in Uganda by participating in gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park where you will access the habituated gorilla families in the four sectors of the park that is buhoma, nkuringo, rushaga and ruhija and during gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park you will get to access the habituated gorilla families in Rwanda by hiking the Virunga mountains like mount gahinga, mount sabyinyo and mount muhabura which is quite different from gorilla trekking in Rwanda where you can only access the gorilla families in Rwanda by hiking the Virunga mountains in Rwanda.

Permits

A gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda can be accessed from a trusted tour operator or the Rwanda development board and a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda can be accessed from a trusted tour operator or from the Uganda wildlife authority at a fee of 700USD which is quite cheaper compared to a gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda that can be accessed at a price of 1500USD, making the activity in Uganda much more affordable.   Interesting about the gorilla trekking permits in both Uganda and Rwanda is the fact that they will give to a knowledgeable guide who will give you all the information concerning the gorillas like their diet, mountain gorilla reproduction, gorilla strength, their social hierarchy among their interesting features. The permit will also give you access to a ranger who will offer protection as you take part in tracking the mountain gorillas in the wild, the permit will exempt you from paying the park entrance fees in volcanoes national park, Bwindi impenetrable national park and the park entrance fees for Mgahinga national park.

Ease access to the gorillas

The ease to access the mountain gorillas in the different national parks in Uganda and Rwanda will also help you determine the best destination for gorilla trekking in Africa. From Kampala city the distance from Kampala city to Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga national park will take you about 8-9 hours and the distance from Kigali city to Volcanoes national park it will take you between 3-4 hours making it quite easier for you to access the mountain gorillas in Rwanda compared to the gorillas in Uganda. However, although it will take you longer to access the gorillas in Uganda you will also get to see a number of attractions as you make the different stopovers in the country for instance you will get to see how people carry out their daily activities, at kayabwe, you will get to participate in the equator experiment to determine the northern and southern hemisphere which will make the distance to the national parks in Uganda not so challenging.

More permits

It should be noted that gorilla trekking in Uganda will give you the chance for more permits as compared to gorilla trekking in Rwanda.  In Uganda, you can access the gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park and Bwindi impenetrable national park which means more permits are issued because you can take part in the activities in two national parks as opposed to the gorilla trekking in Rwanda where you can take part in the activity in one national park. Therefore, for more chances for gorilla trekking, Uganda should be your number one choice that will give you more chances for gorilla trekking in Africa.