Reason to visit or trek Uganda mountain gorillas through Kigali Airport instead of Entebbe
Reason to visit or trek Uganda mountain gorillas through Kigali Airport instead of Entebbe Airport
Trekking Uganda mountain gorillas through Kigali Airport of Rwanda, especially those taking road transport, is common of late. The drive time from Kigali Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park for mountain gorillas trekking is about 6 to 7 hours. The drive time from Entebbe Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park is about 8 to 9 hours on the road.
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This difference in time taken on the road is one reason why some tourists prefer to do gorilla trekking in Uganda through Kigali Airport.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda happens in two national parks: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park.
The distance from Entebbe Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable national park is about 530 kilometers on a bumpy, dusty road providing African Massage. The drive from Entebbe Airport to Mgahinga National Park is about 540 kilometers through winding roads.
One needs to book a Ugandan gorilla trekking permit in advance to enjoy this experience. It is best to book an East African tourist visa because it allows you entry into one more East African country. This reduces the bureaucracy you have to go through at immigration while applying for a visa to Rwanda.
What Is Gorilla Trekking?
Gorilla trekking is an adventure where you meet fully habituated mountain gorillas in there natural habitat. You have just one hour allowed in there presence so that you can let them go about there day today life grooming the infants, feeding, reproduction and so much more.
How Much Is a Uganda Gorilla Trekking Permit?
The cost of a Uganda gorilla permit is about $700 per person per trek for foreign nonresidents, $600 per person for foreign residents and 25000shs for East African Residents.
This cost of Uganda gorilla permits includes ranger guide fees, one hour with the mountain gorillas, security, gorilla conservation fund support and park fees.
This gorilla permit cost excludes porter fee, transport to the destination, drinks, energy bites and any other items of personal nature.
Why Do Gorilla Trekking In Uganda Through Rwanda?
The Drive Time to Bwindi Impenetrable national park or Mgahinga National Park
As mentioned above, the drive from Kigali Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park is about 6 to 7 hours. This is about three hours less than the drive from Entebbe Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park.
When driving from Kigali airport, you enjoy the lash green vegetation cover; the road is scenic as you go through rolling hills of this country of a thousand hills. You can cross into Uganda through Gatuna or Cyanika border.
The Difference in Gorilla Permit Cost
The Rwanda gorilla trekking permit costs $1500 per person per trek, while the Uganda permit costs $700 per person per trek. This permit cost difference is what makes tourists opt for gorilla trekking in Uganda through Rwanda. They get to save about $800 off the gorilla permit, which can be used to facilitate other safari amenities like accommodation, vehicle hire, and so much more.
The cost of the Rwanda gorilla trekking permit, where you have only one hour in the presence of the mountain gorillas, is equivalent to the cost of a gorilla habituation permit for Uganda, which allows you four hours in the presence of the mountain gorillas.
Optional activities To Combine with gorilla trekking
Uganda is endowed with a number of natural attractions that you can combine with gorilla trekking. These include chimpanzee trekking, game drives, visit the source of River Nile, cultural experiences, white water rafting, launch cruising, bungee jumping and others.
Rwanda is limited with safari destination options although it maximizes them by through advising like the visit Rwanda Campaign on the Arsenal team shirts. Rwanda tourism potentials are limited but government is keen with protecting and advertising what they have. You can do game drives in Akagera National park, chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe National Park, Cultural experiences, visit the museum and other.
Feel The difference Between Rwanda And Uganda Safaris.
Although you may not do safari activities in Rwanda, when you drive through the country, you get a glimpse into the life of the local people of Rwanda. Even when you go gorilla trekking in Uganda, you may get to meet the local people and get the difference between the people of both countries.
By driving through Rwanda, you enjoy its scenic views and environs, and when you drive through the countryside of Uganda’s southwestern part, you enjoy the warmth of the people. They are ready to wave at you as you pass them even when you are not known to them.
How Can I Book A Gorilla Trekking Permit For Uganda?
The Uganda wildlife Authority is the gorilla permit-selling and regulating body of Uganda. You can book the gorilla permit through the Reservation office or Use a licensed tour operator. Encounter Africa Safaris is a fully licensed tour Operator with over ten years of safari preparation experience.
We lift the burden of securing a gorilla permit from the shoulders of our tourists and organize other safari amenities on their behalf. We pride ourselves in our great work relationship with safari service providers, which has helped us plan some of our clients’ best African tour experiences.
Procedure For Booking Uganda Gorilla Permits
Select the date when you hope to do gorilla trekking and the number of permits you wish to book. You can do gorilla trekking as many times as you wish to as long as you book a gorilla permit for each time.
When you enquire from us, our safari consultant check gorilla permit availability from the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Encounter Africa Safaris is an approved company that gets access to the gorilla permit list.
In case the gorilla permit availability status is positive, we advise our clients to purchase there permits as soon as possible especially for the period of June, July, August, September and December. These are peak tourism months in Uganda.
The gorilla permits are demanded highly yet they are limited to about 152 Uganda gorilla permits. Only maximum 8 persons are allowed to go gorilla trekking. This is for conservation reasons as crowding the forest may lead to trampling on the vegetation on which the mountain gorillas feed. These primates are vegetarian with bamboo as there favorite.
Later, you are required to provide some personal details like the fully names as indicated on the passport, nationality, date of birth, passport expiry date and others.
How Much Is Gorilla Trekking Safari in Uganda Through Rwanda?
The cost of gorilla trekking safari in Uganda through Rwanda is packages according to luxury, Midrange and Budget. These safari categories have one common cost which is the gorilla permit. At the moment the uganda gorilla permit costs $700 per person per trek.
To Form the Gorilla Trekking Safari Quotation Some of these are considered
The number of people you travel with for gorilla trekking where by as more people join gorilla trekking party, the less the per person cost.
The time taken on gorilla trekking tour as you spend more days on safari, the higher the cost.
Additional activities combined with gorilla trekking. When you combine gorilla trekking with other activities like chimpanzee trekking, game drives , white water rafting and others, the higher the safari cost.
The safari package you chose for gorilla trekking. Gorilla trekking tours are quoted according to luxury, midrange and budget. Each has different inclusions and exclusions.
The gorilla trekking safari timing. When you book gorilla trekking in the peak season, which is June through September and December to January, the costs of all services are high. The low season, which is normally March to May and November, chances if getting discounted safari costs are more open.
Is Gorilla Trekking in Uganda through Kigali Worth?
The cost of the gorilla trekking package is hefty but worth every penny. The feeling you get when standing before some of the only leftover mountain gorillas in the world is unmatched. For a while, you forget about all you may have gone through trying to plan your gorilla trekking safari.
When you purchase the gorilla permit, you contribute to the conservation of mountain gorillas. They are some of the most highly endangered primates in the world. At the moment, about 1000 mountain gorillas are existing in the world. All gratitude goes to the mountain gorilla conservation groups and tourists who year after year do gorilla trekking.
Gorilla trekking is one of Africa’s top wildlife safari activities that can only be done in three countries in the world: Uganda, Rwanda, and D.R.Congo. The mountain gorillas are only living in the Virunga area and nowhere else.
Is Gorilla Trekking in Uganda Safe
The gorilla trekking adventure in Uganda is very safe because of the vigilance of the Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers and other Uganda security agencies.
You must also pay attention to personal security by not entering Bwindi or Mgahinga forests without an escorting ranger guide. The forest has other forest dwellers that are not habituated for human presence.
Try not to eat street food that can cause you stomach upset.
How Challenging Is Gorilla Trekking in Uganda
The topography of Bwindi Impenetrable national park or Mgahinga National park is volcanic so expect to hike some ridges and plateaus to get to the mountain gorillas.
You need to keep up with the rest of the group you are allocated to do gorilla trekking with so that you are lost in the forest. You may hire a porter after briefing. A porter is a person who assists you carry your belonging or give you a push when tired while searching for the mountain gorillas.
Having some level of fitness protects you from getting so tired before completing the gorilla trekking adventure. Sometimes you have to creep under thick tangled plants in order to trace the mountain gorillas. The ranger guides normally use machetes to make a way for you.
Carry insect repellants to keep away stinging insects that can cause some harm to your skin. Even pack the right safari boots that can go through soggy and slippery ground without causing a twisted ankle.
How Long Is Gorilla Trekking In Uganda
The time of locating the mountain gorillas is unknown because of there unpredicted movements. They are free wild animals that have nothing to bar them from enjoying the free space in the wild.
Locating the mountain gorillas may take between 2 hours to three quarters of the day depending on the factors prevailing in the forest .
Some timed the mountain gorillas have to relocate to another feeding ground in case they have exhausted what they are feeding on. The dominant silverback has the mandate to search new feeding grounds which may not be quick to access.
In case of a tough fight with another mountain gorillas, the loser may be forced into the deeper ends of the forest. Tracing such a gorilla family may be challenging too.
The pace of the gorilla trekkers you are allocated with also determines how long you may take to ln the forest. When the party you are trekking gorillas with is slow, you may take long to find the mountain gorillas.
What Can I Pack For Gorilla Trekking Safari in Uganda?
- A pair of stockings to tack in your clothes so as to prevent insects from creeping in.
- A poncho or rain coat in case it rains while gorilla trekking
- A sweater or any warmers because this area have low temperatures that can drop as low as 7 degrees centigrade.
- Binoculars to get a better look at interesting far ranging objects.
- A camera to capture the lovely moment with the mountain gorillas.
- Safari boots to protect your feet from dangerous objects in the jungle.
- Long sleeved shirt and trousers in colors like Khaki or tan
- Insect repellant to protect your skin from stinging insects,
- Foldable safari hat to protect your hair.
- Garden gloves
- Toiletries.
- Foldable water bottle
- Waterproof backpack
- Flip-flops
- Extra fully charged batteries.
