Uganda is a home to approximately half of the world’s remaining endangered gorilla population found in the southwestern region of the country within the Virunga Mountain slopes in Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda is a guided adventure into the misty canopies of impenetrable Bwindi forests and the mountain slopes in Mgahinga National Park.
Gorilla trekking begins with a briefing conducted by Park rangers at the Park headquarters highlighting the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking including safety guidelines after which groups of eight individuals are assigned each a habituated gorilla group that they will go trekking after.
Encountering these gentle giants in their natural habitat lasts for about 1 to 6 hours depending on how far they could have moved and the state of trekking trails. An hour is allowed just meters away from the gorillas while having a face-face encounter with these magnificent gentle giants in their natural habitat which is undoubtedly a life-changing experience.
Why Uganda is a premier destination for gorilla trekking
Uganda has the highest number of habituated mountain gorillas spread across two distinct National Parks namely Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. This implies that one has higher chances of encountering these majestic apes in their natural habitat in Uganda that elsewhere in the entire world. Uganda has over 26 habituated gorilla families readily available for trekking with 25 of them residing in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the other one found in Mgahinga National Park. Uganda has diverse gorilla trekking sectors each offering different trekking experiences and challenges, unique landscapes, gorilla families and many more.
These sectors include Buhoma gorilla sector, Rushaga gorilla sector, Ruhija gorilla sector, and Nkuringo gorilla sector in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Ntebeko gorilla sector in Mgahinga national park. These National Parks have rich biodiversity beyond the mountain gorillas which include diverse wildlife and a myriad of bird species. Animals that are often encountered during a gorilla trek include forest elephants, golden monkeys, leopards, forest buffaloes to mention but a few. Gorilla trekking in Uganda occurs in a rural setting where one can immerse him/herself in pristine cultures of a true African community setting.
The cost of a gorilla permit in Uganda
A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda costs 800USD for foreign non-residents which is budget-friendly compared the neighboring country Rwanda that charges 1500USD for gorilla trekking. This gorilla permit can be obtained through a reputable tour operator like Omangwa Safaris that will plan your trip right from the inquiry to the last dot when you encounter the mountain gorillas.
Accessibility of gorilla trekking destinations in Uganda
There are specifically two gorilla trekking destinations in Uganda namely Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. Both National Parks can be accessed by either road or air transport. Bwindi Impenetrable National Can be accessed by driving form Kampala to Mbarara and Mbarara-Kabale road then connecting to Kanungu and then Buhoma which lasts for about 6hours.
Another route gets you through Kampala-Mbarara and Mbarara-Kabale-Nkuringo which lasts for about 6 to 7 hours. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can as well be accessed by air where one can easily fly from Entebbe airport or Kajansi airstrip to Kihiihi or Kisoro airstrip and then proceed with a drive to Buhoma and Ruhija in the north Nkuringo and Rushaga in the south.
The Park can also be accessed from Queen Elizabeth National Park in the north which is just a 2 to 3 hours’ drive. Mgahinga National Park can be accessed by road through Kampala-Mbarara and Mbarara-Kabale-Kisoro and then driving to Ntebeko which lasts for about 8 to 9 hours.
By air, Mgahinga National Park can be accessed by booking a flight from Entebbe International Airport or Kajansi airstrip to Kihiihi or Kisoro airstrips and then proceeding with a drive to Mgahinga National Park. These two National Parks can also be accessed through Kigali international airport and drive through Cyanika border for Mgahinga National Park and through Katuna border Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Best time to track gorillas
Mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda is possible all year round though the best time for gorilla trekking is during the dry season in the months of June to August and December to February which offer the best and comfortable trekking conditions.
