Best Places To Visit Mountain Gorillas In Africa

Best places to visit mountain gorillas in Africa. Mountain gorillas in Africa live in only three countries: Uganda, Rwanda, and D.R.Congo. Note that the entire world is currently hosting about 1000 mountain gorillas as per the recent population census from the 1980s census, where about 300 mountain gorillas existed per the census carried out then. All credit is attributed to conservation teams, the local community, and tourists who support the existence of the mountain.

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5 Day Gorilla Habituation & Chimps

The Virunga area is the home to the mountain gorillas in the entire world living in parks like Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Virunga National Park in D.R.Congo.

To gain access to do gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and D.R.Congo, you need a gorilla permit. A gorilla permit is a document that gives you access to see the mountain gorillas in the wild. You can do gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience to meet the mountain gorillas.

Gorilla trekking safari is an adventure where tourists follow a fully habituated gorilla family to have one hour with them in Uganda, Rwanda, and D.R.Congo. Seeing the mountain gorillas is restricted to one hour for conservation reasons as human presence is an interference to the running of the day today life of the mountain gorillas.

Gorilla habituation experience is a safari where tourists follow a team of researchers to find a semi-habituated gorilla family and have four hours with them. At the moment, gorilla habituation experience is happening in Uganda the southern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

For security concerns, Uganda and Rwanda are the best destinations to visit mountain gorillas in Africa. In recent years, the insecurity in D.R.Congo has made it a risky destination to visit mountain gorillas.

Where to visit mountain Gorillas in Rwanda?

Volcanoes National Park in the Northwestern part of Rwanda is the only home to the mountain gorillas in the country. At the moment, Volcanoes National Park has 15 gorilla families ready for public visits, some of which include Karisimbi, Sabyinyo, Hirwa, Amahoro, Umubano, Agashya, and others.

The topography of Volcanoes National Park is composed of five of the six Virunga Volcanoes, including Karisimbi, Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Bisoke, Mountain Sabyinyo, and Mountain Muhabura.

The Rwanda Development Board currently opens 96 gorilla permits per day and has the mandate to sell and regulate the Rwanda gorilla permits.

Other than the mountain gorillas, Volcanoes National Park is home to other primates like black and white colobus, red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, olive baboons, blue monkeys, and other primates.

Over 300 bird species, including more than 13 Albertine rift endemics, are residents of this park that you may have a chance to spot while searching for the mountain gorillas. Some of the birds you may spot during the gorilla safari include Rwenzori Turaco, Archer's Robin-chat, Shelley's Crimsonwings, and others.

From Kigali, the drive is about 3 hours to Volcanoes National Park.

Where to visit mountain gorillas in Uganda?

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the largest homes to about half the total number of mountain gorillas in the world. Bwindi, a vast forest separated by different physical features, is divided into four areas: Buhoma in the north, Ruhija in the East, Nkuringo, and Rushaga in the southern part.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has two gorilla safari activities you can participate in. Gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation experience can be enjoyed in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. At the moment, this forest has about 20 gorilla trekking families distributed in the four areas of the park. Gorilla habituation experience is only done in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National park with so far 2 gorilla habituation families present.

When you book a gorilla trekking permit for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, it is reserved according to area. You must note the area where your gorilla permit is booked before securing the logistics that support gorilla safaris, such as accommodations.

More than 325 bird species are residents of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, including Albertine endemics and about 7 bird species on the red list of IUCN. Some of the birds you may spot in Uganda include Handsome Francolin, Western Green Tinkerbird, Rwenzori Batis, Collared Apalis, and Mountain Masked Apalises.

From Kampala or Entebbe airport, the drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is about 530 kilometers for about 8 to 9 hours, excluding stops.

Mgahinga National park

Although Maghinga National Park is the smallest Uganda National Park, covering about 33.7 square kilometers, it is home to mountain gorillas. At the moment, one gorilla trekking family called Nyakagezi is living in Mgahinga National Park. The Nyakagezi gorilla family has a history of wandering into Rwanda, which made it hard to pre-book the gorilla permits for this park in the past.

At the moment, the mountain gorillas are steadily living in Uganda and are available for pre-booking. 

Other than the mountain gorillas, Mgahinga National Park is home to golden monkeys. These monkeys are charming and endangered primate species. They have golden brown hairs on the lower bottom and a larger body structure than other species.

More primates are residents of Mgahinga National Park, including blue monkeys, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, and blue monkeys. Birding in Mgahinga National Park is incredible, with over 115 bird species present, and the list is expected to expand, according to ornithologists.

Excursion mountaineering is possible in Mgahinga National Park, hiking Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhavura, and Mountain Sabyinyo.

When Is The Best Time To Visit Mountain Gorillas In Africa?

Mountain gorillas are open for a visit any time of the year; however, the dry season is most preferred. The dry season is the peak of Uganda and Rwanda's tourism season: June, July, August, September, December, and January. Whoever wants to visit the mountain gorillas this season must have a pre-booked gorilla permit.

It is best to book the gorilla permit in advance for this season atleast 6 months to a year up front. When you book the gorilla permit, you need to secure accommodation for this adventure, as they also sell out, and options run out as the season breaks in.

On gorilla safari day, during the dry season, you realize that the trails are passable because the way is drier from the sunlight that penetrates through the dense canopy. The Virunga forests are known for receiving rain anytime without warning, but in the dry season, they may receive less. Even the trails have less water flowing into them from the dense network of rivers.

Prices for logistics that support gorilla safari in Uganda and Rwanda are high because of the high demand, yet they are few.

The wet season is also open for gorilla safaris: March, April, May, and November. However, despite the low demand for gorilla permits, you need to confirm gorilla permit booking in advance. The number of gorilla permits opened to public booking each day is limited to a maximum of 8 per gorilla trekking family and a maximum of 4 per gorilla habituation experience.

If you have a limited gorilla safari budget to Uganda or Rwanda, the low season may avail you chances to enjoy this adventure and even gain an upgrade in case discounts on logistics are availed.

What is the cost of a Gorilla Permit in Uganda and Rwanda?

Rwanda

Rwanda gorilla permits cost $1500 for foreign nonresidents, $500 for foreign residents, and $300 for East Africans.

Uganda

The Gorilla trekking permits cost $800 for foreign nonresidents, $700 for foreign residents, and 300000shs for East Africans.

Gorilla habituation experience gorilla permit cost is currently $1500 for foreign nonresidents, $1000 for foreign residents, and 750000shs for East Africans.

The cost of gorilla permits for Rwanda or Uganda includes park entrance fees, security on gorilla safari day, one hour of gorilla trekking or four hours of gorilla habituation experience, mountain gorilla conservation, government tax.

How sure can I be to see mountain Gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda?

There are about 98% chances of seeing mountain gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda. These mountain gorilla families are first habituated to help them get used to humans without altering the nature. They undergo mock tests, too, before opening them to the public. A gorilla family is opened to the public after it is proven ready for public visits.

When mountain gorillas live in a particular area, they stay and feed from there for as long as food is available. The gorilla family may move when they prove that food is insufficient for the entire gorilla family. For the time the gorilla family is living in a particular area, they do not move unless affected by unknown circumstances prevailing in the wilderness.

Each gorilla safari is led by ranger guides who follow the trail-head towards where the mountain gorillas were seen the previous day. The mountain gorillas rarely move far from their previous location because of their bulky size. A fully grown mountain gorilla weighs about 300 kilograms, while the female weighs about half. 

Every morning, a ranger guide patrols the forest to establish where the gorilla families may have nested and possible ways about it. These clues are some of what ranger guides in company of tourists use to trace where the gorilla family is.

Be sure to see the mountain gorillas on a visit to Rwanda or Uganda. It is not a probability Africa safari adventure. 

How Dangerous are mountain gorillas in Africa?

Mountain gorillas are not dangerous despite their intimidating appearance. Physically, the mountain gorillas have dark furred body and huge body. The mountain gorillas walk by knuckle style and, at a glance, may stimulate some adrenaline. 

When you realize the mountain gorillas are more afraid of you than you are of them, your heart melts. Naturally, mountain gorillas are calm, serene, and shy, so when angered, the mountain gorillas may run into hiding.

This, however, doesn't prove that you provoke the mountain gorillas because they have feelings, too. When agitated, the mountain gorillas thump their chests, hoot, pull closer by vegetation, and more drama. Whenever you see this, it doesn't mean you are the reason for their odd behavior. Wait for the ranger guide to establish the root cause of the matter.

Try not to panic because you may escalate the situation. Sometimes, the mountain gorillas have sibling fights for supremacy, which may be a way to tease visitors and much more. Follow what the ranger guides are doing to show that you have no bad intentions for the gorilla family.

What to do and not to do during gorilla safari?

• Gorillas are wild animals that must not depend on human provision but the forest for survival.
• Spitting on vegetation is forbidden as you may pass germs to the mountain gorillas. Mountain gorillas are highly susceptible to human communicable infections like COVID-19, cough, flu, and several others. 
• Keep a distance of about 8 meters from the mountain gorillas to avoid passing germs to them. 
• Littering the forest is forbidden as it alters the nature of the forest where mountain gorillas thrive.
• Only 1 hour of gorilla trekking and four hours for gorilla habituation experience are allowed with the mountain gorillas when you locate them during gorilla trekking adventure.
• The age limit for gorilla habituation is 15 years and above in Uganda and 15 years and over in Rwanda, as the wilderness may be rough for a child below this age. Sometimes mountain gorillas feed from deep in the forest which may not be easy to withstand.
• Stand in a tight group when you locate the mountain gorillas. They are highly sensitive to visitors around them as they may look suspicious. In case they come closer, stealthily retreat.
• Talk at a low tone or keep quiet during gorilla trekking so that you do not cause a stampede in the forest.
• Use a flash-less camera to take photos, and it should be soundproof.
• Wear a clean mask during gorilla trekking and when locating mountain gorillas.
• Do not surround the mountain gorillas when you locate them, as you may cause them to get agitated. 
• In case you catch a communicable infection, volunteer to stay behind because when mountain gorillas catch these infections, they may massively die, yet conserving them has taken a long time.

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