Why Is Gorilla trekking In Uganda Under Rated

Uganda gorilla trekking is still under rated in terms of costs, services, proximity because of a variety of reasons. The cost of a Uganda gorilla permit is $700 per person per trek. This cost is almost half the cost of the gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda which is $1500 per person per trek.

Bwindi Impenetrable National park and Mgahinga National park are the homes of the mountain gorillas in Uganda. Almost half the number of world celebrated mountain gorillas live in Uganda. At the moment about 18 gorilla families are open for tourists viewing.  These parks are located in a purely remote area with bumpy roads.

Most Popular Safaris

• 3 Day Fly in Gorilla Habituation
• 18 Day Ultimate Uganda Safari
• Fly in Safaris to Gorillas
• 11 Days Gorilla Tracking Tour
• 16 Days Primates, Game & Culture
• 11 Days Uganda- Rwanda Tour
• 6 Days Nyungwe & Lake Kivu
• 3 Day Rwanda Gorilla Tracking
• 4 Days Gorillas and Golden Monkeys
• 5 Days Gorillas & Nile River Source

The Bwindi impenetrable Forest national park gorilla permits are booked according to area because of the vast size of the forest. This was done to ensure that gorilla families in all sectors of the forest are visited because when not visited, the habituated families may return to being wild. The park has 4 gorilla trekking areas that is Buhoma area, Ruhijah area, Nkuringo area and Rushage gorilla area.

The Uganda gorilla trekking safari is still under rated because of

Highlights Of Why Gorilla trekking in Uganda Is Under rated

• Low Mountain Gorilla Conservation Funding
• Many Gorilla Families Present Compared To other counterparts.
• Distance from Entebbe Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
• Mountain Gorilla Research still going one
• Limited Government support to Mountain Gorillas Conservation Program
• Low advertisement for Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari
• Need to Increase the number of gorilla trekkers
• Low Uganda Domestic gorilla trekking Support
• Longer time taken to locate the mountain gorillas in Rwanda
• Need to allow Tourists to Visit other Uganda National parks
• Gorilla Park Proximity to Town Center

Low Mountain Gorilla Conservation Funding

A lot of funding is needed to support the research about the mountain gorillas in Uganda. There is currently less flow of funds for gorilla research in Uganda. Despite the fact that Uganda has many gorillas, the teams to do gorilla habituation are still small and yet they need to be supported. Increasing the cost of a Uganda permit to match with the Rwanda gorilla permit rate yet Uganda has less research done is not a smart move.

Many Gorilla Families Present Compared To other counterparts

Bwindi impenetrable National Park is the major gorilla habitat in Uganda has a growing number of gorilla families. In order for them to be visited regularly, the gorilla permit rate has to be lowered to an affordable price. However, the cost must not attract mass tourism.

Gorilla habituation is a way to get gorillas used to the presence of humans but when a gorilla family is not regularly visited, they become wild again. 

Distance from Entebbe Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

From Entebbe Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National park is long taking about 8 hours to 9 on the road for about 540 km. the roads in the countryside are quite impassable especially during the rainy seasons.

This calls for increment in gas cost for the entire Uganda gorilla safari package. Even when you book a fly-in gorilla trekking package, you need to hire a transfer vehicle from the air strip to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park.

Mountain Gorilla Research still going one

Unlike Rwanda mountain gorilla Research was started by a powerful conservationist Dian Fossey who set up the Karisoke Gorilla Research, the Uganda side of mountain gorilla research is still up coming. New university courses like Bachelors of Tourism and Conservation Biology are still evolving to back up wildlife conservation including the gorilla.

Also the mountain gorilla conservation program in Uganda started in 1990s when the Batwa pygmies were evicted from the Forest which was there sole provider. This is not so much time to accumulate enough data about the mountain gorillas putting gorilla trekking in uganda still under Research.

Low advertisement for Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari

Uganda advertisements for the gorilla trekking experience are still low attracting less people so in order to give chance to the few tourists to enjoy it, the price has to be lowered. This is why Uganda gorilla trekking is Under rated.

Limited Government support to Mountain Gorillas Conservation Program

The Uganda government’s will to fully support the conservation of mountain gorillas is still low. Most of the funding is backed by private funders who cannot take up all expenses. For this reason, the price of gorilla trekking in uganda is low to attract more tourists.

This increases on the amount of proceed accumulated from gorilla trekking. Mass tourism however is not allowed in Bwindi National park for conservation reasons. Each Uganda gorilla trekking family is allowed to be visited by maximum 8 clients.

Low Uganda Domestic gorilla trekking Support

Local gorilla trekking in Uganda is still very low and so in order to attract domestic tourists, the price of a gorilla permit currently costs Uganda shillings 250000 per person per trek.

The need for taking holiday time in Uganda is just growing slowly and so dragging the number of local people who appreciate spending that one hour with the mountain gorillas.

Recently a few local people have gone gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest but numbers still low. To attract more, the cost of the gorilla permit was lowered.

Longer time taken to locate the mountain gorillas in Rwanda

The time taken during gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National park Uganda is believed to be longer than Rwanda or D.R.Congo. Bwindi forest is vast giving gorillas huge space to explore the forest to deeper ends. This calls for longer treks to locate the mountain gorillas. Its quite tiresome not knowing when to find the gorillas.

This gives other gorilla trekking parks like Volcanoes National park Rwanda an advantage over Bwindi Impenetrable Forest In Uganda.

Need to allow Tourists to Visit other Uganda National parks

Gorilla trekking is the gem of tourism in Uganda but the country is endowed with fantastic other parks like Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale National Park. With the low cost of a gorilla permit, the tourism Board of Uganda thinks someone is left with some money to spend elsewhere.

Uganda is the Pearl Of Africa and indeed taking off sometime to explore the beauties of the Pearl makes a great experience of your Africa Safari.

You can book Uganda Safari packages like

5 day gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari

6 day gorilla trekking and wildlife safari

8 day gorilla, chimpanzee and game safari

Gorilla Park Proximity to Town Center

Bwindi Impenetrable National park is very fur from the town center therefore limiting on the available accommodation choices to make. One may wish to do gorilla trekking and return to town or city the same day which is impossible in Bwindi Uganda. This makes people under rate Uganda gorilla trekking

How To Book Uganda Gorilla Trekking Permit

Baring at least a tentative or confirmed date when you wish to do the gorilla trekking, the number of people travelling with there ages is the best starting point for booking the Uganda permits.

Our tours consult has to check availability as per the day of your choice. Sometimes the permits for the day are over booked or a few are left so its best if you can turn around the itinerary. In case you don’t have a standing reason for booking that date.

When we get availability of the gorilla permits we request you to purchase your permits as soon as possible because they get sold out. No permit is reserved without payment because of few are sold yet demand is very high. Purchasing the gorilla tracking permit is the only way to show commitment to your gorilla safari

After reserving your gorilla permit some details are required that is full names on your passport, date of birth, nationality, passport expiry date and so much more. These are filled on your gorilla trekking card when collecting it from the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

What Accommodations To Book During Gorilla Trekking In Uganda

Accommodation to book for gorilla trekking in Uganda goes hand in hand with the area where your gorilla permit is booked. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is vast so for better management and ensuring that gorillas in all families are visited permits are booked per area.

The accommodation facilities here range from luxury, Mid-range and Budget accommodations.

Bwindi Accommodations include Clouds Lodge, Mahogany Springs, Gorilla Safari Lodge, Gorilla Forest Camp, Bwindi view Bandas, Trekker’s Tarven, Engage Lodge, Gorilla Resort, Silverback Lodge to mention but a few.

Mgahinga National park accommodations Volcanoes Gahinga Lodge, Traveller’s Inn, Kisoro Tourist Hotel, Mgahinga gorilla Triangle, Majambere Iwachu, Community Camp, Mountain Gahinga Lodge, Mutanda Lake Resort

When Is The best Time To Go Gorilla Trekking In Uganda

All year round gorilla trekking in Uganda is open but the most convenient is the drier months. June to September the sun rays may penetrate through the thick Bwindi Forest canopy and can dry the paths to give you a better way.

March to May and November generally receive heavier rains that make the trails soggy and slippery. Even the mountain gorillas feed from the slopes which means you have to hike to locate them.  this period however sometimes has discounted gorilla permits prices which are guaranteed by only Uganda Wildlife Authority