Gorilla trekking with Encounter Africa Safaris

Encounter Africa Safaris is the best tour operator that has decades of experience when it comes to gorilla trekking services in Uganda and Rwanda. Encounter Africa Safaris has experience and specializes in organizing gorilla trekking safaris to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Encounter helps in handling the permit processing and purchase, booking accommodation for the clients, organizing transportation and ensuring that clients have a hassle-free and fun-filled gorilla trip. Encounter Africa Safaris provides affordable, unique and reliable gorilla safaris in Uganda and Rwanda.

What is gorilla tracking?

Gorilla trekking is an authentic once-in-a-lifetime experience that takes you through the dense forests of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Mountain gorillas can be trekked in their natural habitat and the exercise is led by a well-trained and experienced guide. It involves trekking with a guide through the forests which are sometimes cleared by a machete in search of the rare and endangered Mountain gorillas. During your trek, you will encounter different terrains, from muddy and slippery trails to insect bites, but this is all worth it the moment you lock your eyes on the giant beasts.

The types of gorilla trekking

Encounter Africa Safaris organizes two types of gorilla trekking and these are the standard gorilla safaris and gorilla habituation experience safaris.

The standard gorilla trekking: The standard gorilla trek is the normal trek where tourists get an hour with the mountain gorillas after trekking and finding them. The standard trek differs in terms of time spent with the gorillas after finding them and the cost of the gorilla permit. Unlike the habituation permit, the standard gorilla trek permit for foreign non-residents is $800, $700 for foreign residents, $500 for citizens from other African countries and UGX300,000 for East African citizens in Uganda. The trek can take 1 to 6 hours but after finding the mountain gorillas, you have an hour with them. The number of people per gorilla family is limited to eight.

Standard gorilla trekking in Rwanda is slightly expensive compared to Uganda, especially with the cost of the gorilla permit and accommodation. Rwanda is a luxury safari destination and this is why the permit is slightly higher at USD200 for East African citizens, USD1500 for foreign non-residents and USD500 for foreign residents and African citizens. Rwanda does not have the habituation experience.

Many tourists who come to Uganda and Rwanda participate in the standard gorilla trek because of the cost of the safari, but awareness of the habituation has been created, and tourists participating in the exercise have increased the traffic of tourists in Bwindi.

Gorilla habituation experience: This is where tourists with a group of researchers and guides take on the trek through the Rushaga sector, following and studying the behaviours of the semi-habituated gorillas. The time spent with the gorillas during habituation is 4 hours and this is why the cost of the permit is higher than the standard gorilla trek. The habituation permit for citizens from other countries on the African continent is $1000 f$1000 for foreign residents, UGX750 000 for East African citizens and $1500 for foreign non-residents. Only 4 people are allowed to participate in the exercise per session.

Where to go for gorilla trekking

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: Situated in southwestern Uganda with a unique biodiversity and dense forests, Bwindi is home to the mountain gorilla, and these are found in the different sections of the park, including Buhoma region in the northern region and Ruhija, Nkuringo and Rushaga are in the south. Each region in Bwindi has habituated gorilla families making each of them accessible for gorilla trekking. When planning a gorilla track safari to Bwindi, you have to be specific with the region you want to explore or have been assigned upon purchase of the permit because the choice given influences the accommodation facility that you will stay in. For more information, you can reach us at Encounter Africa Safaris to provide guidance putting your preference and budget into consideration.

Volcanoes National Park: This is a conservation area found in the northern part of Rwanda known for protecting the endangered Mountain gorillas. Volcanoes National Park (Parc De Volcans) is part of the Virunga ranges, made up of a chain of volcano mountains crossing through Rwanda, Uganda and DCR. As you plan your gorilla trek to Volcanoes National Park, note that there are sections where gorilla trekking is done and these are Sabinyo, Kinigi and Bisate. You have to take these sectors into consideration when planning because they will influence your transport, permit details and accommodation during your safari. We at Encounter Africa Safaris help give an insight on how to plan your Volcanoes National Park safari.

When to book and purchase the gorilla trekking permit in Uganda or Rwanda

We at Encounter Africa Safaris recommend that you book your gorilla permit in Uganda or Rwanda at least 3 to 6 months in advance, particularly in the peak/high season. This is to ensure that the permits are available on your preferred trek dates in both Uganda and Rwanda. Please get in touch with Encounter Africa Safaris with your intended trekking state,e, and we will assist you in the planning of your safari through the permit process to ensure that you have an unforgettable experience.

Note that gorilla trips with Encounter Africa Safaris are only possible if you have secured a gorilla permit. The gorilla permit gives you a unique one hour with the primates and covers security, park entrance fees and an experienced guide and armed ranger.

Rwanda’s discounted gorilla permits

Rwanda offers discounts on their gorilla permits, which is not the case with Uganda, and this is usually done in the low season from May to November. The discounted permits were introduced in 2017 and they are still being given to tourists who meet the criteria. Tourists who want to get discounted gorilla permits have to book three extra days to spend in one of the other two national parks in Rwanda that is the Nyungwe National Park and Akagera National Park. The price of the discounted gorilla permits is $1050 per person and it covers entry fees, security, an hour with the mountain gorillas and services from experienced guides and armed rangers.

The chances of seeing Mountain gorillas

The chances of tracking and seeing mountain gorillas on a safari is an impressive 99%. Tourists keep on asking whether they will be able to see the gorillas in one session and the answer is yes. Every single day before the trek starts, an experienced team of trackers is sent out to locate the mountain gorillas and find out their last seen location. Once they locate them, they use radio calls to communicate to the team of guides at the park headquarters together with your assigned ranger. The trek starts from the area where the gorillas spent the night and you track the family down until you locate it.

What to consider when booking a gorilla safari

Gorilla trekking with Encounter Africa Safaris is all about planning and having the best gorilla safari in the world.  The different factors that you need to consider when booking a gorilla safari include:

Planning in advance: Gorilla trekking is very popular, and this has made it a high-demand activity in Uganda and Rwanda. When you decide to come for gorilla trekking, we advise our tourists to always plan at least six months ahead by starting with the booking and purchase of the gorilla permits. Choose your preferred destination, read about gorilla trekking, the rules, what you need to pack and select the best time you think will suit you. After you have come up with all this, get in touch with Encounter Africa Safaris, and we will help you plan and organize your safari for you. Planning in advance helps you secure your place in the trekking exercise, plan transportation easily and get the best rates with accommodation facilities.

Your physical fitness: You will be trekking in foreign and hard terrain that keeps on changing the deeper you go into the forest. Do some minimal exercises before you come to Uganda or Rwanda for gorilla trekking so that you do not slow down the group and get health complications. The age limit is 12 and 15 in Uganda and Rwanda respectively, and for as long as you can still trek, there is no maximum age. Sedan chairs were also introduced to make inclusions for those who can’t hike but want to participate in the exercise. Do some jogging and breathing exercises in preparation for the gorilla trek safari.

Accommodation: Encounter Africa Safaris not only helps get the gorilla trekking permit, but it also offers its clients a variety of accommodation options ranging from budget, mid-range and luxurious facilities to include all types of tourists. We provide the different options to choose from and the choice to be made is yours. But note that accommodation is scarce during the peak season and therefore needs to be booked in advance.

Transport: Encounter Africa Safaris has a wide range of 4x4 safari vehicles that are in good condition and used to transport clients to the gorilla trek safari destinations. When you get in touch with us, we help you organize the best transport means that is comfortable and fits within your budget. In cases where you do not want to drive, we can help you book a domestic flight from Entebbe or Kajjansi in Uganda to different destinations. If you want to drive from Rwanda to Uganda for gorilla trekking, this can also be done by us.

The guidelines for gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking involves rules and guidelines that visitors have to follow during the trek and after finding the mountain gorillas. These rules were set up to ensure that the mountain gorillas are well protected and the natural habitat where they live. The rules to follow are similar in both Uganda and Rwanda, and the only difference is in the age limit, which is 12 years in Uganda and 15 years in Rwanda. The rules and guidelines to follow include the following:

Before the trek:

• Attend the briefing that is held at the park headquarters
• You have to be placed in groups of 8 before the start of the trek
• If you are not feeling well and have a contagious disease, volunteer from the trek because you will not be allowed to be able to protect the mountain gorillas.

During the trek:

• Minimize the noise by communicating in low tones. This helps you observe your surroundings carefully.
• Stay with the group at all times during the trek because the national parks are home to other wild animals.
• Do not spit on the vegetation that is found in the national parks because it is food for the mountain gorillas
• Littering the national parks is not allowed.

With the gorillas:

• A distance of 7 to 10 meters has to be kept at all times
• You are not allowed to touch and get close to the mountain gorillas
• You are not allowed to feed the chimpanzees
• The camera flash has to be off all the time when taking photos of the mountain gorillas
• The smoke greatly affects the health of gorillas; hence, it has been banned.
• Avoid making sounds like the gorillas. They might take this as a challenge and attack.
• You are limited to an hour with the gorillas taking photos and recording videos.
• Do not surround the gorillas, they will suffocate. Instead, form a curve to easily study them.

What to pack for the gorilla safari

As you plan your gorilla safari with us to Uganda and Rwanda, you need to thoroughly prepare for it and as Encounter Africa Safaris, we recommend that you pack neutral-coloured trousers and long-sleeved shirts, sunglasses, a sunhat, waterproof rain jacket or coat, garden gloves, socks, gaiters, toiletries, a camera, extra lenses and batteries, portable adapter, binoculars, comfortable hike boots, first aid kit, refillable and foldable water bottle, insect repellent, sunscreen, and snacks among others. When you are well prepared, it ensures that you have a comfortable and enjoyable gorilla trek safari.

Contact us for more information.