Uganda gorilla safaris starting from Rwanda in 2024-25

Uganda gorilla safaris are starting from Rwanda in 2024-25. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is one of the significant safari activities carried out in Bwindi and Mgahinga, and it can be tailor-made starting from Kigali. Gorilla trekking has high costs, but despite all this, one has to at least go for gorilla trekking in Uganda on their safaris to the country. For travelers who are willing to gorilla trek starting from Rwanda, we are here to help you organize the safari starting from Kigali.

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 Traveling from Rwanda to Uganda for gorilla trekking is relatively easy since there is an East African Visa to access both countries and fly into the country from Kigali International Airport or drive through the land border between Rwanda and Uganda. Driving is relatively easy, and the tour operator can easily organize a shorter route and transportation from Rwanda.

There are a few steps that you can follow as you book a gorilla trek safari from Rwanda, and these include:

Securing a gorilla permit: Securing a gorilla permit from Rwanda to trek gorillas in Uganda is easy once you have the best and most genuine tour operator to help you purchase the gorilla permit. However, this has to be done in advance because the gorilla permits sell out fast, and you wish to take advantage of the safari. There are two types of permits sold in Ug: the gorilla trekking permit and the gorilla habituation permit.

Once you have identified the tour operator to use and contacted them, you will be asked to provide some information from your passport and the trek dates you want. A compromise can be made by searching for other dates in case the ones you want are unavailable. After confirming the availability of the permits, you have to make payment online, and the permit purchase will be made after confirmation of the payment. A scanned copy will be sent after purchase, and you have to be with it when traveling from Rwanda to Uganda for gorilla trekking.

The gorilla permit costs $700 for foreign residents, $800 for foreign non-residents and 300, 000 UGX for East African citizens. The gorilla habituation permit costs $1500 and will give you 4 hours with the gorillas. The cost of the gorilla safari includes a guide, an armed ranger, and a certificate of appreciation for participating in the gorilla trek and supporting the local community, and part of it is used to protect and conserve the gorillas. The cost, however, does not include meals, accommodation, transport, and personal purchases.

Choose the gorilla safari destinations: Uganda has two gorilla trek destinations you can choose from to go for the gorilla trek: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. You can go for gorilla trekking in Bwindi or Mgahinga after looking at what you wish to do after gorilla trekking within the national parks.

Mgahinga National Park is the best destination for tourists who want to trek gorillas with fewer crowds. Mgahinga has only one gorilla family and eight permits are printed per day. This is more reason as to why you need to book the permits early enough. Other activities that can be carried out in Mgahinga include:

• Golden Monkey trekking.
• Cultural trips to the Batwa people.
• Primate walks.
• Enjoying the Batwa trail, among others.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a good gorilla trek destination with 19 habituated gorilla families, giving tourists a chance to have a wide range of gorilla families from which to trek. The national park has half the remaining population of gorillas in the world, and these are found in the four Bwindi sectors, which include Buhoma, Nkuringo, Rushaga, and Ruhija. Several other activities are to be done in Bwindi, including bird watching, the Batwa trail walk, wildlife viewing, and guided primate walks.

Booking accommodation for the gorilla trek safari: After selecting the trek destination and purchasing the permit, you also have to consider the accommodation you will use during the trek. Mgahinga is a small national park, and the accommodation is found outside in the nearby towns. In contrast, Bwindi has a wide range of accommodations, and you should use facilities within the sector to which you have been assigned.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has a variety of lodges that you can check out, ranging from budget to mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities. Some of the lodges include Rushaga Gorilla Haven Lodge, Buhoma Lodge, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Kiho Gorilla Lodge, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Gorilla Forest Camp, Nshongi Camp, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Four Gorillas Lodge and Buhoma Community Rest Camp among others. The gorilla habituation process experience is an adventure that tourists can participate in, and it is carried out in the Rushaga sector in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Gorilla habituation studies and trains the gorillas to be less aggressive and get used to the trekkers moving around the national park. The habituation process takes about 2 to 3 years, sometimes taking a shorter period, and the gorilla families will only be trekked when they are ready. Gorilla habituation gives you four hours with the gorillas and can be carried out any time of the year.

The age limit for gorilla trekking in Uganda

The trekking age limit for gorilla trekking in Uganda is 15 years, although it was previously 15 years. The change was made in early 2023 by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to include more people in the trekking exercise. The age limit is to protect the gorillas and children because it is known that children have short attention spans and cannot adhere to all the rules and regulations set for trekking. So tourists 15 years and above are the only ones who can enjoy a gorilla trek in the country. Tourists who are old but wish to trek can hire the sedan chairs, which go for $500 and above per person. These are carried by porters so that senior tourists also enjoy the trek.

What to expect when trekking gorillas in Uganda

Gorilla trekking starts early in the morning at the park headquarters, with the lead guide telling you what to do and what to avoid during the trek, what to take, and a few things you should expect. If you have any issues with the trek or feel sick, this is the right time to air out your grievances so that they are considered. After the briefing, gorilla families will be awarded to the groups, taking age and physical fitness into consideration.

The trek time depends on the location of the gorilla family you have been assigned to, and it can take an hour to 6 hours. When you find the gorillas, you have an hour with the primates, and afterward, you will head back to the park headquarters to receive your certificate.

What to pack for a gorilla trek safari in Uganda

• Safari clothes that are wildlife-friendly and in neutral colors. You need to avoid camouflage, bright colors, and blue when packing. Pants and long-sleeved shirts are the best for the gorilla safari.
• A camera with extra batteries and storage to keep your safari memories.
• Strong hike boots, waterproof, should be light and ankle length
• Socks to keep warm
• Gaiters and adjustable ones are the best.
• waterproof rain jacket
• Wear warm clothing, especially during the wet season and in the morning and evening cold weather.
• A first-aid kit
• Insect repellent
• A day backpack to carry all your essentials needed for the trek day
• Sunscreen and a sun hat
• A foldable, refillable water bottle
• Garden gloves because of the thorns and scratches in the national parks.
• Toiletries
• Adaptors.

Is gorilla trekking safe in Uganda? 

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is a safe exercise with well-trained rangers who dedicate their time to ensuring that gorilla trekking is safe. However, guidelines and rules have been put in place to ensure the safety of the gorillas and the trekkers, including the following.

• The group of people who trek gorillas per day is 8, and this is to reduce the number of people trekking gorillas in the national parks. Gorillas are easily agitated and disease-prone, so the number was reduced to 8 to avoid all this.
• After locating the gorillas, you have an hour with them as you study them and take as many photos as possible. The one hour can be cut short, especially when the gorillas start acting up, and the guides solely make the decision.
• Another measure to protect the gorillas is by putting a distance of 7 meters between the gorillas and yourself. This rule must always be kept to protect you and the gorillas simultaneously.
• All tourists who feel sick should not trek the gorillas, and if you feel unwell on the trek day, you should inform the lead guide and volunteer from trekking the gorillas.
• Rubbish significantly affects the gorillas negatively, and that is why all tourists should carry their rubbish with them throughout the trek and take it with them after the trek. Leave the national park with everything that you came with.
• When with the gorillas, minimize the noise to keep the environment around the gorillas safe.
• Smoking in the national parks is not allowed because the smoke affects the gorillas.
• The flash on your camera should be turned off before you attempt to take photos of the gorillas.
• Gorillas might approach you, and in such cases, do not run but follow all the instructions given to you by the lead guides during that time. Listen to them closely because whatever they tell you to do will save their saves.
• Tourists are not allowed to touch and feed the gorillas.
• Sunglasses are not allowed because they show the reflection of the gorillas, which will be seen as a challenge for the gorillas.

How can I get to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park?

There are two ways you can travel from Kampala to Bwindi and Mgahinga National Park, either by air or road. The fastest way to get to the national parks for gorilla trekking is by air using local chartered flights from Entebbe International Airport and Kajjansi Airstrip to Kihihi or Kajjansi Airstrip. The flight will take about an hour and 45 minutes to get to the airport, but you need to book the flight in advance to match your travel dates and ensure that the flights are available and on time. If you are flying to the northern part of Bwindi to access the Buhoma and Ruhija sectors, the best airstrip is Kihihi. Alternatively, tourists traveling to the southern part of Bwindi should use the Kisoro airstrip.

Driving to Bwindi and Mgahinga is the most commonly used type of transport, and it takes 8 to 9 hours from Kampala, with a few stopovers at the equator monument and lunch. This is the cheapest way to gorilla trekking in Uganda, and you get to see the beautiful scenery as you travel through the different towns and cities. There is also an option of accessing Mgahinga and Bwindi from Rwanda through the border of Uganda and Rwanda, and it is a shorter ride, taking 3 to 5 hours.

The best time to go for a gorilla safari in Uganda starting from Rwanda

The tailor-made gorilla safari to Uganda starting from Rwanda can be carried out throughout the year. Still, generally, the best time is during the dry months of January, February, June, July, August, September, and October. It is easier to travel during this period and trek gorillas because of the routes that are easy to use, and gorillas are easy to spot since the bushes are not so thick. The wet months of March to May, October, and November are also good times to travel but beware of the muddy and slippery routes.

Contact us for more information and let us plan your safari today.