Are you guaranteed to see gorillas in Uganda in 2024 to 2026?

Are you guaranteed to see gorillas in Uganda in 2024 to 2026? Yes, gorilla sightings are guaranteed in Uganda from 2024 to 2026, and this is because of the rising population of gorillas. Gorillas are being protected at all costs, and measures have been set up to ensure that the gorillas are conserved, like the gorilla trekking rules and regulations.

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Mountain gorillas love living in high-altitude areas, so as you plan your gorilla trek, you must prepare well for the different terrains within the park. In cases where you do not get to see the gorillas, UWA will refund 50% of the gorilla permit cost; however, this is unlikely because, from the time gorilla trekking started, there has not been any incident where gorillas were not sighted even during the wet season.

Fredrick Robert Von Beringe discovered mountain gorillas after he shot two of them along the slopes of Mount Sabinyo in 1903. Locals poached the gorillas, almost leading to their extinction. Still, after Dian Fossey came into the picture, she advocated for the conservation of the gorillas till a poacher killed her. Her grave can be visited in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. The restricted environment for gorilla trekking was set up to protect the gorillas, which has slowly increased the population of gorillas worldwide. They can be found in three countries. Uganda has the world's highest population of remaining gorillas: Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.  

Gorilla trekking destinations

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is carried out in two national parks: Mgahinga National Park, the smallest park in the country, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Gorillas can only be trekked in their natural habitat, and Bwindi is considered the best place for gorilla trekking.

Bwindi National Park has four sections where gorilla trekking is carried out: Ruhija, Buhoma, Nkuringo, and Rushaga. Each of these four sections has gorilla families that have been habituated and are trekked throughout the year. Still, habituation is only carried out in the Rushaga sector, and Bwindi has about 19 gorilla families distributed among the four sectors.

Mgahinga National Park has only one gorilla family, the Nyakagezi gorilla family. Mgahinga National Park is more secluded than Bwindi and the best place for gorilla trekking for tourists who prefer fewer crowds. Since there is only one family, only eight permits are printed daily and must be booked in advance. Mgahinga can be accessed from Rwanda through the border of Uganda and Rwanda. Apart from gorilla trekking, there are other activities that you can carry out in Mgahinga, and these include golden monkey trekking, bird watching, and taking on the Batwa trail, among others.

Bwindi and Mgahinga are located in the southwestern part of Uganda, and it takes about 8 to 9 hours to drive from Kampala to the national parks. Some tourists fly to the national park from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip; the flight takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes to get to Kihihi or Kisoro Airstrip, which is the closest to the national parks. However, You will have to drive to the national parks for the rest of the journey.

Gorilla trekking 

Gorilla trekking starts early in the morning with a briefing and verification of the trekking permits. The briefing is to remind the tourists about the rules to follow when gorilla trekking. It is also the best time for tourists who have issues with the trail to request a trekking trail they can handle, and this is also the time when tourists are assigned gorilla families.

Tourists walk to the trailhead after assigning the gorilla permits, and the trek starts with groups of 8 trekking a gorilla group daily, which can take between an hour and 6 hours. You need to make sure that you are quiet or communicate in low tones during the trek, stay with the trek group, do not wander off in the forest, and follow all the rules and regulations the guides give you.

The trek goes through the dense foliage, sometimes cleared by the wielding machete guides. After making contact with the gorillas, you must keep a distance of 7 meters between you and the gorillas. You also need to stay silent because the moment they notice that someone is watching them, they get curious and start moving around cautiously about you, so you need to follow the rules so that they keep up with their usual and natural behaviors. When you locate the gorillas, you have an hour with the primates, taking photos, studying their behaviors, and recording videos.

Securing Gorilla trekking permits

Gorilla permits are the tickets to trekking gorilla permits in Uganda, printed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The permits were put in place to reduce the number of tourists that trek the gorillas per day, and this is to protect the gorillas. The gorilla trekking permit is to be purchased early on or in advance, at least 6 to 9 months because they are always in high demand and can be sold out. For the peak and low seasons of gorilla trekking, the cost of the gorilla permit comes with no discounts. Since few permits are printed daily, you need to purchase them when you decide to go for a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda.

The gorilla trek permit costs $800 for foreign non-residents, $700 for foreign residents and 300, 000 UGX for East African citizens. For tourists who plan on participating in the gorilla habituation process, the cost is $1500 per person per day.

Gorilla trekking permits are non-refundable and can only be used on the dates printed on the permit, and in case you do not get to see the gorillas, you will be refunded 50% of the permit cost, although this rarely happens.

What to wear for a gorilla trek in Uganda?

Trekking through Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park as you search for the Mountain gorillas can be bearable and an enjoyable safari if you have the proper clothing set-up. Since Uganda is located along the equator, expect wet and dry seasons with rains at any time of the year, regardless of the seasons. The trek can take between 1 to 6 hours, and you need to be comfortable throughout. Below are the essential clothing recommended for a gorilla trek in Uganda.

• Long-sleeved shirts protect your skin from thorny plants, critters, and insect bites.
• Good, strong, waterproof, and knee-length hike boots. They should be well-fitting to avoid blisters and discomfort during the trek.
• Long, thick socks. These are pulled over the pants during the trek to protect your skin from bugs.
• Trekking trousers. If possible, get lightweight, waterproof pants and avoid wearing jeans because they will slow you down when they get weight.
• Waterproof adjustable gaiters.
• Waterproof rain jacket or coat to be carried during the dry and wet season.
• Gardening gloves protect the hands against thorn scratches and bumps because you do not know what you will hold onto during the trek.

The gorilla trekking rules in Uganda

Before you start gorilla trekking, you will be given a simple briefing about the rules and guidelines to follow when trekking gorillas. It would help if you listened closely to the rules and regulations laid out because they protect the already endangered Mountain gorillas so that they can still be available for trekking for other tourists to participate in the activity. The trekking rules and regulations include:

• You will all be given an hour with the gorillas once you make contact. The one hour might seem like limited time, but it is one of the ways the gorillas are protected. If you wish to spend more time with the gorillas, you can opt for the habituation process, which takes about 4 hours.
• Under no circumstances is flash photography allowed.
• If you feel unwell, you will not be allowed to trek, so you should only volunteer to trek.
• You are to keep a distance of 7 meters between you and the gorillas at all times.
• The national parks must be kept clean throughout, and all the rubbish must be disposed of properly in the bins.
• Ensure that as you go to the toilet, you dig a hole 30 cm deep, cover it up properly, and use a biodegradable toilet.
• Noise should be limited when trekking and with the gorillas to avoid disrupting the peace of the primates.
• The minimum trek age in Uganda is 15 years. Anyone above 15 years can trek gorillas as long as they are fit.

Is gorilla trekking difficult?

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is an activity that is done using different terrains within the national parks, and the gorilla family you have been assigned will determine the amount of time spent trekking. It is not a very difficult exercise; however, you need to be physically fit and mentally prepared to enjoy gorilla trekking. Gorillas prefer the highlands, so the higher the gorilla family is allocated, the more complex the trek.

The trek is more accessible during the dry season because the routes are easy to use and not as slippery or muddy as they usually are during the wet season. You should, however, note that the rains will come in at any time of the day, even during the dry season, and you should be ready for them.

Accommodation options when gorilla trekking in Uganda

There are many accommodation options for a gorilla safari within Bwindi and near Mgahinga National Park, ranging from budget to mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities. Below is a list of accommodation facilities you can use while on a gorilla trek safari in Uganda.

Bwindi: Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, Buhoma Community Bandas, Four Gorillas Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge, Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge, Bwindi View Bandas, Buhoma Lodge, Engai Gorilla Safari Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Cuckooland Tented Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Resort, OPTH Gorilla Conservation camp, Gift Nature Lodge, Gorilla Valley Lodge, Gorilla safari Lodge, Mutanda Lake Resort, Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge, Lake Kitandara Tented Camp, Mahogany springs Lodge, Ruhija Gorilla safari Lodge, Nshongi camp, Silverback Lodge, Ruhija Gorilla Friends Resort, Ruhija Gorilla safari Lodge, Trackers safari Lodge, Crested crane Bwindi Hotel, Trekkers Tavern and Bwindi Lodge among others.

Mgahinga: Mount Gahinga Lodge, Community campground, Mount Gahinga Rest camp, Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge, Sky Blue, Mucha Hotel, 3 Way Gorilla Resort, Kisoro Taverns Lodge, Landmark Guest Hotel, Muhabura Hotel, and Montana Guest House, among others.

When is the best time to go for gorilla trekking?

Uganda has two seasons, the rainy/wet and dry, consistent throughout the year. The rainy season, March to May and October to November, is a good time for gorilla trekking; however, there are a few minor things that you should consider: the muddy routes, slippery terrain, and the rains. It is, however, a good time to travel for tourists with a low budget.

The dry season: June to September and December to February is the best time to travel for gorilla trekking in Uganda because, despite the rains that are received during this period, the trek routes are easy to use, and the gorillas are more accessible to spot because the vegetation is not as thick as it is during the wet season.

Gorillas can be seen throughout the year; however, planning should be done in advance to prevent the inconvenience of getting dates you did not want.

We will help you purchase permits and organize the best gorilla trekking safari in Uganda today and in the coming years (2024 to 2026) because you can book as early as now for your safari. Get in touch with us through our website and email to help.