Gorilla holidays Uganda are exciting experiences which take place in the famous Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and also in Mgahinga national park. Bwindi national park is said to have half the population of mountain gorillas and when visiting the destination during gorilla holidays, these gorillas can be seen during gorilla trekking in the different sectors of Bwindi.
The different sectors of Bwindi national park where gorilla holidays take place include Rushaga sector, Buhoma sector, Ruhija sector and Nkuringo sector. There are different gorilla groups in each sector which can be visited during gorilla trekking in Bwindi.
In Mgahinga national park gorilla trekking the gorilla family which is trekked is the Nyakagezi family. This national park is also home to golden monkeys and other attractions to see during safaris in Mgahinga national park include the Virunga volcanoes (Mount Muhabura, Mount Mgahinga and Mount Sabinyo).
Gorilla holidays in Uganda are carried out in the south western part of Uganda in Bwindi national park and also Mgahinga national park. Both these destinations offer a unique gorilla trekking experience and have a unique landscape.
A typical gorilla trek in Uganda starting from Kampala or Entebbe takes at least 3 days. However, the gorilla trekking tour can also be combined with a safari to other destinations in Uganda such as Queen Elizabeth national park, Kibale national park among others.
The process of gorilla trekking in Uganda starts with a briefing at the park headquarters by the park rangers very early in the morning. After the briefing is complete, the tourists are grouped in 8 and each group is allocated a ranger guide who will accompany them during the trek to search for the gorillas. The timing for the gorilla trek can be short or it can go for as long as a day depending on the location of the gorillas in the forest.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda is an exciting experience through the impenetrable forest of Bwindi where different bird species can be spotted as well as other primates. The amount of time spent with the gorillas after finding them is 1 hour during gorilla trekking.
During gorilla holidays in Uganda, another activity which is carried out is gorilla habituation which is done in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi national park. This activity involves getting the gorillas used to the presence of humans for purposes of research and conservation. Gorilla habituation in Bwindi takes 4 hours which is a long time to spend with the gorillas as compared to time spent with the gorillas during gorilla trekking.
For successful completion of a gorilla holiday in Uganda, tourists are awarded certificates at the park headquarters. Many other optional activities can also be done after gorilla trekking including cultural tours such as visiting the Batwa community.
However, there are certain restrictions put in place during gorilla holidays in Uganda and they include that children below the age of 15 years are not permitted to engage in gorilla trekking or habituation. Use of flash photography is also discouraged when visiting the gorillas, keeping a distance of at least 7 meters from the gorillas, avoiding littering, avoiding noise, avoiding touching the gorillas, staying with the group during the search for gorillas and many others. These rules are communicated during briefing of gorilla trekking.
Cost of gorilla holidays in Uganda
The cost of gorilla holidays in Uganda depends on different factors. However, the cost of a gorilla permit in Uganda (Bwindi national park and Mgahinga national park) is 700 USD for foreign nonresidents, 600 USD for foreign residents and 250,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans.
Gorilla habituation permits in Uganda cost 1500 USD for foreign nonresidents, 1000 USD for foreign residents and 750,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans. This activity can only be done in Bwindi national park making it a unique worthwhile activity when visiting Uganda.
Other destinations where gorillas can be seen include Volcanoes national park in Rwanda (Parc national des volcans) and Virunga national park in Congo. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda costs 1500 USD while in Congo gorilla trekking costs 400 USD.
Best time to see gorillas in Uganda
Gorilla holidays in Uganda can be done at anytime of the year however some months are better to engage in gorilla trekking and other activities during tours in Uganda.
The dry season which takes place from December, January, February and also in June, July, August, September and October is considered the best time to see gorillas in Uganda. This time of the year is also the high season or peak season for tourists visiting Uganda especially from June to October.
The rainy season is also a time when tourists can visit Uganda for gorilla holidays is around March, April and May and also around November. It is also considered a low season and fewer tourists visit destinations around Uganda.
How to get to Bwindi national park for gorilla trekking
Bwindi national park is located in south western Uganda and the different ways to access the national park include driving and also flights.
The national park is about 8 to 9 hours drive from Kampala or Entebbe using the Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara-Bwindi route. Flights to Bwindi national park can be got from Entebbe international airport to Kihihi airstrip or Kisoro airstrip.
How to get to Mgahinga national park for gorilla trekking
Mgahinga national park during gorilla trekking tours in Uganda can be accessed by road and also by flight.
By road, Mgahinga national park can be accessed by driving from Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara-Kisoro. Another way to get to the national park is by driving from Rwanda via the Cyanika border. By flight Mgahinga national park can be accessed from Kisoro airstrip and from there a short drive to the park.