Uganda gorilla tracking, gorilla tracking experience is not be compared to any other African adventure experience; gorilla tracking is done through the impenetrable jungles of Africa which is unbelievable experience reward of meeting the remaining mountain gorillas in the world. Gorilla tracking is only done in three countries and in four national parks, the countries are Uganda, Rwanda, and DR-Congo while parks are Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park both parks are located in southwestern Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in DR-Congo. Gorilla tracking has been confirmed as one of the most fascinating and exciting experiences in all of the East African safaris. Over the years mountain gorilla number has been increasing as per the 2018 mountain gorilla census the total number of mountain gorillas in the wild had reached 1,063 and more than of this total population of gorillas lives in Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park in Uganda
WHY GO FOR GORILLA TRACKING IN UGANDA
Mountain gorilla tracking in Uganda is a guided walk into Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park or in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in search of the habituated gorilla family that you have been allocated to trek, tracking involves hiking up and down through the bush of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or in Mgahinga, on Uganda gorilla tracking you will be guided by an experienced local ranger guide who knows the area well and the history of each individual gorilla which leaves tourists with an unforgettable story to narrate in life. Apart from having the highest number of Mountain gorilla in the world also has two gorilla national parks, it is a big advantage for Uganda above Rwanda and DR-Congo because this means there are more permits issued daily since there is a limit on a number of gorilla permits issued per day.
WHEN TO GO FOR GORILLA TRACKING
An exciting day of gorilla tracking begins at an appointed meeting area the sector headquarters where the tourist has to show up at 7:45 am for a gorilla briefing with the Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger guides and after that, the tourists will be divided into groups of 8 members and they are assigned to different gorilla families/groups. Each habituated gorilla family can only be visited by 8 people per day through the year and gorilla tracking is only done once a day in the morning. Currently, Uganda has 20 habituated gorilla families/groups while Rwanda has 10 habituated groups and DR-Congo has about 7 habituated families, this makes Uganda the number one gorilla trekking destination in Africa and in the whole world.
STARTING POINT FOR UGANDA GORILLA TRACKING
Uganda has 5 starting points, this is because Bwindi forest is divided into 4 sectors and also Mgahinga which makes it 5 Uganda gorilla starting point, among them includes Buhoma sector which is also Bwindi forest park headquarters, Ruhija sector, Nkuringo sector, Rushaga sector and Mgahinga which is a park headquarters of Mgahinga gorilla national park, each gorilla permit issued indicts the sector you are supposed to trek in so please take note that you when booking your accommodation you have to remember to book a lodge that is within the sector of the gorilla permit you purchased, for example, you cannot sleep in Buhome sector and trek in Nkuringo sector or Rushaga sector.
After finding the mountain gorillas in its natural habitat, tourists and other visitor are allowed to observe, ask questions, take photos and videos of the mountain gorilla feeding, drinking, young ones jumping for the tree to tree, getting this opportunity of interacting with mountain gorillas is indeed a once in a lifetime experience, secondly, tourists and all other visitor have to maintain seven meters away from the gorillas because they are highly considered to be susceptible to human diseases including COVID-19, this is to ensure that mountain gorillas remain safe, after spending one fuel hour with gorillas tourists and other visitors will trek back through the forest.
WHEN IS BEST TIME TO FOR GORILLA TRACKING
Gorilla tracking in Uganda can be done any day throughout the year and Uganda gorilla permits can be booked, purchased, and issued daily. The best time to go for gorilla tracking in Uganda, most tourists prefer to trek during the dry (season) in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January, and February, most people prefer to come to Uganda for gorilla during above months because it is easier to walk through the forest while during the wet (season) months of March, April, May, and November, during those months it is well known as rainy season making it muddy in the forest which makes it hard for the tourists rainy season to trek through the impenetrable forests of Africa.
UGANDA GORILLA PERMIT PRICE
Uganda gorilla permits cost only $700 per person and Uganda gorilla habituating experience permit cost $1500 per person. Uganda gorilla tracking permits are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority, for those who want to book can easily book through a local tour operator like us Kisoro Tours Uganda or directly from Uganda Wildlife Authority head office in Kampala.
It is the same procedures if you want to trek in Rwanda, Rwanda gorilla is one of the most expensive, in May 2017 Rwanda doubled its gorilla permit price from $750 per person to $1500 per person while DR-Congo gorilla permit cost $500 making Congo the cheapest gorilla tracking destination in Africa but due to Congo political instability which resulted to different civil wars near Virunga national park which makes it possible to trek gorillas in Congo so currently, we don’t recommend any tourist to go to Congo for gorilla tracking but you can always the first contact us so that we can check for you the security situation before you book.
HOW TO ACQUIRE GORILLA TRACKING PERMITS
As we mentioned above it is very easy, the only thing you have to do is contact local tour company or book directly from Uganda Wildlife Authority headquarters and this is the same procedures for acquiring gorilla permit in Rwanda and Congo but all in all the easier way and convenient way of acquiring gorilla tracking permit is by booking through a local company like Kisoro Tours Uganda.
