Organizing a short-notice Uganda gorilla trek through Kigali

Organizing a short-notice Uganda gorilla trek through Kigali, Rwanda. Gorilla trekking, also called gorilla tracking, is done in Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda. The two national parks are among the few parks where gorilla trekking is done worldwide, including Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Bwindi is one of the oldest national parks in the country and has half the remaining Mountain gorillas in the world. The national park is also home to about 350 bird species, 51 reptiles, 150 mammals, and primates, including vervet monkeys, baboons, and black and white colobus monkeys, among others. There are over 1064 Mountain gorillas in the world, half of which are found in Bwindi.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has four sections where gorilla trekking takes place, and these include the Buhoma sector, Nkuringo sector, Ruhija sector, and Rushaga sector. Gorilla tracking in Bwindi is done all year round in all sectors, and there are about 19 habituated gorilla families. Bwindi also offers a gorilla habituation process in the Rushaga sector, where the tourists spend more time with the gorillas, researching their character.

Mgahinga is the only other gorilla trek safari destination with the Nyakagezi family, the only gorilla family in the national park. This is the country's smallest national park, located near Uganda's border with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Other activities in Mgahinga include golden monkey trekking, taking a cultural guided walk on the Batwa trail, and bird watching, among others.

What to consider when planning a Uganda gorilla trek through Kigali

Planning a gorilla trek safari in Uganda from Kigali is easy and takes a few steps and considerations to have a successful safari. You can decide to use the tour operators in Rwanda, but we are the best at organizing a tailor-made safari for you. A few of the things that you need to consider when planning a gorilla trek safari include the following:

Gorilla trekking permit in Uganda

Gorilla trek permits in Uganda are documents that grant all tourists access to the mountain gorillas in the country. These can be purchased through a trusted local tour operator or the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Purchasing gorillas is done online and takes a few steps that include contacting the tour operator with your desired trek dates, receiving confirmation that the permits are available from the operator, after that making payments for the permit (the permit must be paid in full for the booking to be carried out). The last step after confirming payment is the purchase of the permit, which is made with a soft copy as proof sent to you.

For proper planning, Gorilla permits are to be bought in advance at least 6 months before the trek date. The permit cost is the same regardless of where you purchased it, and there are no discounts. The different types of tourists in Uganda pay different prices, and these are $800 for foreign non-residents, $700 for residents and 300, 000 UGX for East African citizens. Note that the gorilla permit cost does not include transport, accommodation, meals, and other safari services. The gorilla habituation process permit is $1500, which must be paid in advance. It will give you four hours with the gorillas, and only a maximum of 4 people are allowed to trek with gorillas during the habituation process.

Transport means 

Transportation is also essential when it comes to gorilla trekking through Kigali, and there are two means you can use, including air and road transport. You can decide to drive from Kigali through the land borders of Gatuna border andCyanikaborder to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park. The drive from the border takes about 4 to 5 hours compared to the drive from Kampala to Bwindi or Mgahinga, which takes about 8 to 9 hours. Driving is cheaper and the most commonly used mode of transport when gorilla trekking in Uganda. 

Air transport is the other mode of transport used when organizing a gorilla trek from Kigali to Uganda. The flights can be arranged from Kigali International Airport to Entebbe International Airport. Charter flights are also arranged from Entebbe International Airport to Kihihi or Kisoro Airstrip. After landing, a company representative will drive the rest of the way to the National Park. This is an expensive way to travel but the easiest and fastest. Note that flights must be booked in advance for easy and proper planning.

How to book for a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda from Kigali

Booking a Uganda gorilla trekking safari from Kigali involves purchasing a gorilla permit to confirm that you have booked the safari. The gorilla permit can bought at the Uganda Wildlife Authority using their website, although this might take a long time with the responses not made on time. The best way to purchase a gorilla permit in Uganda is through a trusted tour operator. They will help you check the permits' availability, buy them, and help organize the entire safari.

We recommend that you purchase the gorilla permits from Kampala, and for those traveling from Kigali, Rwanda, you can purchase them through the Uganda Wildlife Authority office branch in Kisoro. We are the best safari company to help plan your gorilla trek safari in Uganda from Kigali. Contact us via email about the dates you wish to trek gorillas in Uganda, and we will check for the availability of the permits on those dates.

After finalizing the dates, you must send payment for the permits, which must be done in full and on the company account. If you are ever asked to make payments for the license on an individual account, don't because they might be thieves. After you have made payments, the permit will be purchased, and a company representative will send a copy to you. This confirms that you have successfully purchased and booked the gorilla trek permit.

Trekking Rules and Regulations

One of the things that you need to know before organizing a gorilla trek safari in Uganda through Kigali is the rules and regulations that govern the trekking exercise. Set up by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the trek rules and regulations include:

• The age trekking limit for gorilla trekking in Uganda is 15 years. Limiting the number of gorillas is essential because not only does it help protect the gorillas by reducing the number of infections the gorillas from humans, but the low numbers are also easy to manage.
• There is also a need to keep a distance of 7 meters between you and the gorillas to reduce human-to-gorilla disease transmission.
• All sick trekkers will not be allowed to trek the gorillas. If you feel unwell, please inform your lead guide so that measures are taken to prevent infections in the gorillas since they are highly disease-prone.
• You have to turn away from the gorillas when sneezing and coughing, and your mouth must be covered.
• Only groups of 8 are allowed to trek a gorilla family per day. If you go for the habituation process, the number of people reduces to a maximum of 4.
• Eating will not be allowed when trekking the gorillas and can only done when the guide says it is okay during the trek and at specific sections within the national park.
• Littering of the national park with rubbish and other things is strictly prohibited.
• Smoking has also been prohibited since it affects the gorillas.

What to pack and wear for a gorilla safari in Uganda

The packing list is also essential to note when organizing a gorilla trek safari in Uganda through Kigali. Whatever you pack for a gorilla safari will determine whether you have a good or lousy safari. Packing also involves rules: you must be comfortable, pack less, and carry essential luggage. Below is a list of crucial things that you need to have for the gorilla safari in Uganda include the following:

Clothes: Clothes are essential for gorilla trekking, and you need to be highly comfortable when trekking gorillas in Bwindi and Mgahinga. The clothes should also be neutral, avoiding white, blue, and camouflage. They should also have extra layers to protect your skin from bug bites, the sun, and scratches. The right clothes to pack for a gorilla safari include:

• comfortable hike boots, ankle length, waterproof and lightweight
• Trousers/lightweight pants. Avoid jeans because they slow you down when they get wet.
• Shirts
• Adjustable gaiters
• Long socks
• Gardening gloves
• waterproof jacket
• warm sweater
• Other essentials for the gorilla safari include sunscreen, insect repellent, a sun hat, a refillable water bottle, a first aid kit, a day backpack, a camera, extra camera batteries, lenses, binoculars, and a flashlight.

A summary of the Uganda gorilla safari itinerary from Kigali:

Day 1: Kigali to Rwanda Border

Start your journey from Kigali using a 4x4 safari vehicle to one of the land borders, Cyanika or Gatuna, along the Uganda-Rwanda border. Depending on the journey's starting point, the journey can take you about 3 to 4 hours to a border of your choice.

After going through the immigration process and customs, you will gain entrance to Uganda and proceed with the journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Ensure you have all the necessary documents like visas, permits, other travel documents, and a valid passport. The travel time from the border to the national park depends on the sector within the national park where you will go for gorilla trekking, and this can take between 3 and 6 hours.

Day 2: Gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking starts early in the morning with a guide taking you through the dense forests of Bwindi after briefing and being assigned the gorilla family to track for the day. All sectors have starting points, and after finding the gorillas, you have an hour with them, observing and taking photos of the endangered primates.

Day 3: Departure to Kigali

After trekking the gorillas in Uganda, you can either go back to Kigali the same day or spend a night in Uganda. You will follow the same route you used and go through customs before re-entering Rwanda, which marks the end of the trip.

Where to stay during a gorilla trek in Uganda

Accommodation when gorilla trekking comes in three categories: luxury, mid-range, and basic facilities catering for all types of tourists planning on gorilla trekking in Rwanda. The accommodation also has to be booked in advance, and some of the accommodation facilities you can use include Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Lake Mutanda Resort, Gift of Nature Lodge, Broadbill Tented Camp, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Rushaga gorilla camp, Four Gorillas Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla camp, Ichumbi Gorilla safari lodge, and Gorilla Valley lodge among others.

When to organize a gorilla trek safari in Uganda from Kigali  

Gorilla trekking in Uganda, organized through Kigali, can be carried out all year round. Still, the best time is during the dry months: June, July, August, September, December, January, and February. It is a peak season and expensive, but it is the best time to see gorillas because it is easier to view them clearly. After all, the vegetation is thinner and not overgrown. The trekking routes are more accessible since they are not muddy and slippery. You can still organize the trip during the wet months: March to May and October to November, but there are a few things you have to consider, like the overgrown vegetation, muddy routes, which are sometimes slippery, and the rain. It is, however, a good time if you are on a budget and love bird watching.

Encounter Africa Safaris is a local tour operator in Uganda and takes pride in organizing tailor-made gorilla trek safaris in Uganda through Kigali and gorilla trekking in Rwanda as well. We have a well-trained staff to answer any queries that you might have about organizing a gorilla safari in Uganda from Kigali.

Our consultants will help you plan your safari. After getting all the answers to your questions, you must book in advance to avoid any circumstances that might inconvenience your safari. Feel free to contact us about booking a gorilla safari in Uganda from Kigali.