What happens if I don’t see gorillas on the day of trekking in Uganda?

When we talk about gorilla trekking, many tourists are left with a lot of questions one of them being what happens in case they don’t get to see Mountain gorillas during a trek. This is not likely to happen and has not happened before from the time trekking gorillas started in Uganda and there is a 99% chance of seeing gorillas on a trek day in Uganda. Hypothetically, if you don’t get to see gorillas in Uganda, the Uganda Wildlife Authority is ready for such instances and gives tourists an extra day to trek gorillas in Bwindi and Mgahinga.

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Gorilla trekking is one of the most organized safari activities in Uganda and all tourists get a chance to see the endangered species on the trek day all year round. In this article we are going to look at the chances of seeing gorillas in Uganda, where to go for gorilla trekking, what you need, the cost of gorilla trekking and what to expect.

Where to go for gorilla trekking

Gorilla tracking in Uganda is offered in two destinations and these are Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga National Park. The two national parks are found in southwestern Uganda and are two of the three gorilla trekking destinations in the world. From the time gorilla tracking started in the national parks, there has not been any incident of not seeing Mountain gorillas, even during heavy rain downpours.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the top gorilla trekking safari destination in Uganda with four sections where gorilla trekking is carried out. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi is carried out in the Ruhija sector, Nkuringo sector, Buhoma sector and Rushaga sector. These four sectors are open throughout the year, and you not only get to see Mountain gorillas, but there is also a chance to see over 350 bird species, 120 mammal species, 51 reptiles, and other primate species, including L’hoest monkeys, baboons, red-tailed monkeys and black and white colobus monkeys among others.

Bwindi has over 1064 Mountain gorillas and 24 habituated gorilla families that are open throughout the year for trekking. This is also the only national park where gorilla habituation takes place and this is where gorillas are studied and trained to get used to the presence of humans.

Mgahinga National Park: Mgahinga National Park, sharing a border with Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, is also a good gorilla trekking destination in Uganda in southwestern Uganda. This is the smallest national park in Uganda with one habituated gorilla family that tourists get to trek all year round known as the Nyakagezi gorilla family. Led by a dominant male, the Nyakagezi family, which used to migrate to Rwanda and sometimes DRC, is now permanently living in Mgahinga and tracked by a maximum of 8 people per day.

The trekking experience

Trekking gorilla in Uganda starts with an early morning briefing at the park headquarters and this is led by a trusted and experienced guide. After breakfast, the trekkers head to the park headquarters, where guides will be waiting for them to take them through the rules that are to be followed during the trek and when with the gorillas. This is also the time when trekkers are divided into groups of 8 to track each available habituated gorilla family.

After the briefing, the separated groups of 8 head down to the start of the trek trail and trekking begins. The time spent tracking gorillas depends on the location of the gorilla family you are tracking and your physical fitness and this can range from 30 minutes to 6 hours. After locating the gorilla family, each group gets to spend an hour with the primates before trekking back to the park headquarters where each person is rewarded with a certificate of participation in gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. For more information, please contact us.

How to book a gorilla tracking safari

The chance of seeing Mountain gorillas in Uganda entirely depends on when one books the safari, and the earlier, the better. The first step in seeing gorillas in Uganda is by purchasing a gorilla trekking permit. Gorilla trekking permits are in high demand and need to be booked 6 months before the trekking date through a trusted tour operator like Encounter Safaris.

Gorilla permits are legal documents issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority that are given to trekkers of legal age (12 years and above) to trek gorillas in Uganda. The easiest way of purchasing permits is through a tour operator; however, they can still be purchased directly from the Uganda Wildlife Authority website. Get in touch with the tour operator with details of your name, passport, the number of permits you wish to purchase and the trek dates. Our travel advisors will then check for the availability of the permits on the chosen trek dates before getting back to you with an answer.

If the permits are available on the trek dates, you are then requested to make payments for the permits before they are purchased. After receiving the payments, the permits will then be purchased on your behalf, and a copy will be sent for records.

Cost of gorilla trekking in Uganda

The cost of gorilla tracking in Uganda is affected by a lot of factors, and these include the cost of the gorilla trekking permit and habituation permit, season of travel, accommodation, size of travel group, means of transport and other safari activities.

Cost of gorilla permit: The cost of the gorilla permit is set by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and foreign non-residents pay $800, foreign residents $700, $500 for African citizens and UX300,000 for East African citizens. The cost of the habituation permit on the other hand is more expensive with foreign non-residents paying $1500, $1000 for foreign residents and African citizens and UGX750, 000 for East African citizens. Note that Uganda does not offer gorilla permit discounts during the low and dry seasons.

Season of travel: There are two seasons of travel the dry/peak season (June to September) and the rainy/low season (March to May and late October to November) the season that you choose to travel determines the cost of the safari. If you are planning on travelling during the dry season, note that it is more expensive as compared to the rainy season.

Accommodation: Accommodation in Uganda during a gorilla trekking safari is categorized into three categories budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities and with the help of a tour guide; you will be able to choose an accommodation facility that fits your budget.

Transport: Two ways in which you can get to Bwindi and Mgahinga for gorilla trekking and these are by use of either road or air transport. Road transport is the most commonly used mode of transport because it is a cheaper option and offers better scenery. Air transport, on the other hand, on the other hand is better and faster to use, it is, however, however an expensive way to travel.

Size of travel group: travelling solo is a lot more expensive as compared to travelling in large groups where some of the service costs can be shared like transport and accommodation costs.

Other safari activities: Besides gorilla trekking, there are several safari activities that you can combine with gorilla tracking and the more activities you combine with tracking like bird watching, game drives and cultural trips among others, the more money you are to spend on a safari.

The gorilla trekking rules in Uganda

When you visit Uganda for gorilla trekking, you will be asked to follow rules that were set by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and conservationists to protect not only the endangered Mountain gorillas but also the trekkers. These rules and regulations are a must to be followed and failure to do so has consequences for all those that are involved like being stopped from trekking and banned. Below are the rules that are to be followed by all trekkers in Uganda.

• The trekking age limit in Uganda is 12 years and above
• A maximum of 8 people are to trek a gorilla family per day
• All groups of trekkers spend a maximum of an hour with the primates
• Trekkers have to keep low tones while communicating so as not to distract the Mountain gorillas
• Flashes on a camera have to be turned off before taking photos
• Keep a distance of 7 meters from the gorillas When you find them
• All sick tourists are not allowed to trek gorillas
• When sneezing or coughing, turn away from the gorillas to avoid infecting the primates
• Touching, feeding and eating are prohibited when in close contact with the gorillas
• Never run away from the gorillas but follow the instructions that the guides give you in such a scenario

What to pack for a gorilla safari

This is one of the things that you need to put into consideration when packing for a gorilla tracking safari and below is a list of the essential things to pack.

• Two pairs of lightweight trousers
• Long-sleeved shirts and note that all clothes should come in neutral colours
• Garden gloves
• A hat and sunglasses
• Strong ankle-length hike boots and if possible, they should be waterproof and well-fitting to avoid bruises.
• Socks, these are used during the cold weather and the trek, trousers are tucked in socks for protection from bug bites
• Warm sweaters, ponchos or any warm jacket
• Waterproof rain jacket
• Camera with extra lenses, batteries, memory cards and a waterproof camera bag.
• Binoculars
• Insect repellent
• Gaiters
• Blue clothes are a danger because they attract tsetse flies.
• Sunscreen
• Refillable if possible foldable water bottle
• Snacks

Where to stay during a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda

Accommodation can be seen in three categories which are budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities. When choosing accommodation, make sure that it is not far away from the trekking destination. Below are some of the accommodation facilities that can be used when gorilla trekking in Uganda.

Bwindi accommodation: Icumbi Gorilla Safari Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Nshongi Camp, Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge, Agandi Eco Lodge, Broadbill Tented Camp, Trekkers Tavern Lodge, Lake Mutanda Resort, Gorilla Valley Lodge, Buhoma Community Rest Camp and Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge among others.

Mgahinga accommodation: Lake Muhele Lodge, Gahinga Lodge, and Lake Chahafi Lodge among others. Because of the small nature of the national park, all the accommodation facilities are found in the neighbouring district of Kisoro and around the National park. You can also use accommodation near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park when gorilla trekking in Mgahinga.

Accommodation is a key to having the best gorilla tracking safari in Uganda which means that it needs to be booked in advance for better options especially if you are travelling during the dry/peak season. Talk to your tour operator to help you get the best options with your budget being put into consideration.

When/best time  to go for gorilla trekking in Uganda

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is possible throughout the year however the best time is during the dry season (June to September and December to February) and this is because the gorilla track routes during the dry season are easier to use because they are dry and the thinned out vegetation makes it easy to see the Mountain gorillas. The rainy season on the other hand is not impossible but harder because of the heavy rains, and slippery and muddy trek trails. Note that Bwindi and Mgahinga tropical rainforest destinations and rains can be received at any time of the year including the dry season.

In Conclusion, it is impossible not to see gorillas in Uganda during a gorilla trekking safari because the government of Uganda has done its best to ensure that gorilla trekking is one of the most organized activities in the country.  Get in touch with our travel guides to help you plan your gorilla trekking safari to not only Uganda but also Rwanda and other safari destinations on the African continent.