Gorilla trekking holidays in Uganda and Rwanda

Gorilla trekking holidays in Uganda and Rwanda are one way tourists can visit the two countries and participate in the gorilla trekking exercise. Rwanda and Uganda are two of the only three countries which are home to the Mountain gorillas with DRC. The trekking exercise in Uganda is done in Mgahinga National Park, which has one habituated gorilla family, and Bwindi impenetrable National Park, home to 21 habituated families. Rwanda, on the other hand, has 12 habituated gorilla families, and all these destinations can be visited all year round.

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The best/recommended time for gorilla trekking holidays in Uganda and Rwanda is during the dry season (months) from December to February, and June to September. However, you can still go at any time of the year, depending on your preferences. The rainy season, March to May is a good time to go for tracking when you wish to travel on a budget. We are going to be looking at gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda for proper planning of the safari. Get in touch for assistance.

Gorilla trekking holidays in Uganda:

Uganda is known as the Pearl of Africa and the best place to visit for a gorilla trekking holiday because it has the highest population of the remaining Mountain gorillas in the world (more than half the population). Trekking holidays in Uganda are carried out in two destinations and these are Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You will be going through the thick forests of Bwindi and Mgahinga tracking down the habituated gorilla families. Gorilla trekking in Uganda starts with booking a gorilla permit through a trusted tour operator by sending in your details, especially the dates you wish to take your gorilla trek, a copy of the passport with the passport number, photo, country of origin and full name are available. The tour guide will then check for the availability of the permits and once it has been confirmed that the permits are available, they will be pre-booked for you temporarily.

You will then be sent an invoice with bank details about where to send the payments, and when the operators confirm that the payments have been made, the permit will be fully purchased on your behalf. A copy will be sent with all your details. The permits are always in high demand, and tourists are advised to book the permits 6 months in advance. Contact us for assistance.

Gorilla trekking holidays in Rwanda

Gorilla trekking holidays in Rwanda can be carried out all year round depending on when you want to visit Rwanda for gorilla trekking. Rwanda is a luxury safari destination and is known to give the best luxurious gorilla trekking holiday safari in the world. Offered in Volcanoes National Park, gorilla trekking in Rwanda is only possible after the purchase of the gorilla permit which is easily bought from the Rwanda Development Board through a tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris. Contact a tour operator with the dates for trekking and after checking for the availability of the permits on the said dates, you are required to make the payments for the permits as soon as possible so that the purchase is fully made. After confirming that you have made the payment, the permit will be purchased, and a copy will be sent. Permits are highly sought after by tourists and the earlier they are bought, the better. Contact us for more information.

The cost (price) of gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda

The cost of gorilla trekking is higher as compared to other wildlife adventures in the country and one of the most frequently asked questions about gorilla trekking is why it is so expensive in Uganda and Rwanda. Gorilla tracking is the most thrilling experience in the country, and it is expensive to protect the Mountain gorillas in a way that few visitors get to see the gorillas in their natural habitat per day, reducing the human-primate interaction, which has increased the population of the gorillas. Some of the things/factors that contribute to the cost of gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda include the following:

The cost of the permit: If you are planning a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda and Rwanda, you will need to first purchase a gorilla permit which will give you access to the Mountain gorillas in the parks. Uganda gorilla permits cost UGX300,000 for East African citizens, $700 for foreign non-residents, $500 for African citizens and $800 for foreign non-residents. The price of the habituation permit is $1500 for foreign non-residents, $1000 for African citizens and foreign residents and UGX750, 000 for East African citizens.

The cost of the gorilla permit in Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda) foreign non-residents is $1500, for foreign residents is $500 and for East African citizens is $200. Rwanda offers discounts during the low season; however, this is only eligible if you are spending at least two nights in Akagera National Park and/or Nyungwe Forest National Park after trekking Mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. You will get a 30% discount on the permit if you pre-book to go on a safari to either of the two mentioned national parks.

Transport cost: Transport costs include plane tickets and hiring of the safari vehicle. When you are through with purchasing the permit, the next step is to discuss transportation with your tour guide. Note that the cost of the air ticket is entirely on you and is not covered by the trekking cost sent by the guide. The cost of the air ticket depends on your country of origin and when you get to Uganda and Rwanda, you can decide to use road or air transport depending on your budget.

Accommodation: This is one of the things that you need to consider when planning a gorilla safari to Uganda and Rwanda, and it affects the cost of the gorilla safari in the two countries. There are three categories of accommodation and these are budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities. The choice you make will determine the cost of the safari and depends on your budget. All you have to do is make sure that the accommodation chosen is closer to the trailhead or in the section assigned if you are trekking in Bwindi.

Other factors that affect the cost of the gorilla safari in Uganda and Rwanda include the cost of food, visas and border crossing fees, tips on the safari, medical fees and items to being on your gorilla safari.

What are the rules for gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda?

When you go for gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda, it is important to follow all the rules and regulations set by the authorities. The rules aim at ensuring the well-being of the gorillas and to make sure that you have the best gorilla trekking experience in the world. Failure to follow all the rules and regulations leads to hefty fines and being banned from gorilla trekking. Rules that have to be followed when trekking gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda include the following:

Before meeting the gorillas:

• Always wash and sanitize your hands before the start of the trek
• A maximum of eight people visit a habituated family in a day. This reduces behavioral disturbance and the risk of exposing gorillas to human diseases.
• All trekkers have to attend the briefing that is set for early morning.
• Communicate to the guides about any health issues you might have before the trekking starts.
• The age limit when it comes to gorilla trekking in  Uganda is 12 years, and in Rwanda, it is 15 years.

During the trek:

• Always keep your voices low, as this will help you observe the gorillas with minimal interference, and you get to see the different wildlife species that live in the forests.
• Littering the national parks affects the gorillas and this is why tourists are advised not to leave any rubbish in the park. In case you find rubbish within the park, as a courtesy, please pick it up and properly dispose of it.
• Follow all the guidelines given by the guides because they know the forest more than you do.
• Never leave the group when trekking because there is other wildlife within the national park.
• After the briefing, the guides will take you to the last place where the gorillas were seen and from there, you will start tracking the gorillas following the guides.

With the gorillas:

• Keep a distance of 7/10 meters from the gorillas to ensure that you do not disturb the natural behavior of the gorillas and to prevent human-to-gorilla infections.
• Avoid surrounding the gorillas because they might assume that they are being attacked.
• Stay in tight or close groups when you are with the Mountain gorillas.
• You can ask any questions you have but keep the voices down at all times.
• Touching and feeding the Mountain gorillas is prohibited.
• Smoking, eating and drinking are not allowed when tourists are with the Mountain gorillas.
• When gorillas charge (this is a rare case), follow the guidelines like crouching down slowly in a submissive manner, waiting for the gorillas to pass by before getting up, avoiding looking at them directly in the eyes and never attempting to run away.
• Turning off the camera flash is a must when taking photos of the Mountain gorillas.
• The maximum time to spend with the gorillas is an hour for gorilla trekking and 4 hours for gorilla habituation.
• Tourists have to keep their voices down until they are at least 300 meters away from the gorillas.

What to pack for gorilla trekking holidays in Uganda and Rwanda

There are so many things that tourists would wish to bring for a gorilla safari in Uganda and Rwanda, but because of the luggage weight restriction, tourists always fail to know what to bring and what to avoid when it comes to packing. We have come up with a list of the items you can bring to your safari and these include the following.

Clothes: These are part of the essential items that you should bring on your safari, and if possible, all the clothes should come in neutral colors. Avoid bright colors; blue attracts tsetse flies and camouflage clothes are associated with the army in both Uganda and Rwanda. Some of the clothes that you should bring for your safari include long-sleeved shirts, undershirts, lightweight pants, and thick socks, and these are used to keep warm and to also tuck in trousers during the trek to avoid insects from crawling up your legs. Hiking shoes are a must and these should be comfortable, well-fitting and have ankle support. Gaiters help with keeping the mud/dust off your pants, and if possible, get the adjustable type garden gloves to keep your hands safe during the trek.

Warm sweaters to keep you warm and these can come with scarves and ponchos, a waterproof rain jacket because you are going to be visiting tropical rainforests and rain is expected at any time of the year and a backpack.

Toiletries: These are personal items and although you have preferences to bring with other items provided by the hotels you are using, some of the things that you can bring include biodegradable toilet paper, insect repellent, sanitary towels for the ladies, soap, sunscreen, deodorant, wet wipes, underwear, toothbrushes and toothpaste, floss, and any other item you might think is needed.

 Documents: The essential documents that are needed for the gorilla safari in Uganda and Rwanda include a passport, visas, medical documents like a yellow fever vaccination book any other vaccinations that might be required, and other travel documents.

Gadgets: A gorilla safari in Uganda and Rwanda is incomplete without a camera and binoculars. The binoculars help you to see wildlife that is afar and the camera helps in keeping all the safari memories alive.

Other essentials that you will need for your gorilla trek safari include snacks, a waterproof backpack, extra batteries, a flashlight, extra memory cards for the camera, extra lenses, a sunhat, evening shoes and a refillable water bottle.

Get in touch with us at Encounter Africa Safaris to plan your gorilla trekking holiday in Uganda and Rwanda via email or visit our website.