Wild Uganda Safaris offers an affordable cost of gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest, Volcanoes national park and Virunga national park. We help you plan budget gorilla tours guided by our team of expert local guides offering you a lifetime safari with gorillas in Africa. A chance to see mountain gorillas in the wild offers a magical experience that many tourists cherish and highly recommend visiting the gorillas in the wild. It’s absolutely worth it!
Visitors can ably visit gorillas in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable national park and Mgahinga national park part of the Virunga conservation region sharing a geographic location with Volcanoes national park Rwanda and Virunga national park Congo. All 4 places for gorilla trekking border each other that it’s easy to visit each location to see gorillas in the wild. Each destination is unique and each gorilla family comes with different characteristics.
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda costs usd1500 per person a gorilla permit, Uganda gorilla permits and the Democratic Republic of Congo costs usd400
With a less price for gorilla trekking in Uganda, many tourists opt to visit Bwindi Forest which is affordable and guarantees seeing mountain gorillas in the wild. We offer gorilla tours in Rwanda and try to cut down the price of accommodation and other logistics to offer you an affordable tour to the gorillas in Rwanda.
We do travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo for gorilla trekking in Virunga national park and normally advise out clients to go for mount Nyiragongo hiking to maximize the tour in Congo. All Congo safaris set off from Kigali through Gisenyi to Goma and to Virunga national park. We care about clients’ safety and only confirm tours when we are sure about political situation in Congo.
Ultimate Guide to Gorilla Trekking in Africa
Mountain gorilla trekking offers one of the most unforgettable and once in a life time adventure only done in Uganda, Rwanda and DRC Congo in the Virunga conservation areas shared by the 3 named countries. Treks to see gorillas in the wild bring tourists 7 meters away from groups of habituated mountain gorillas accompanied and guided by local trained park guides.
The trackers are familiar with the nature and behavior of each gorilla family and can help you decide on the best gorilla group to visit depending on the type of gorilla adventure your looking for. In addition, the park guides know exactly where to locate each gorilla family as they monitor the groups movements all night long before the tourists head-out for trekking in the morning. On your visit to trek to the gorillas be sure to ask your guide the nature of the gorilla family you will be hiking to.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda
Uganda has all the bragging rights in the gorilla trekking world since it was the first country to open up its national parks for the experience. More to that Uganda is home to almost half of the total population of the mountain gorillas offering about 21 habituated gorilla families for gorilla trekking daily all year round. Uganda is a perfect place to see gorillas in the jungle to travelers who wish to have more time or days and adventure on a safari.
The drive to Bwindi national park and Mgahinga national park is 9 – 10 hours with several stopping points for rest. There is an option of flying to Bwindi from Entebbe International airport by a number of local charter flights. The journey to the gorilla parks offers the traveler lots of adventure and fun from the lashing greenery seen from far and near, sighting the remote and urban towns along the way to encountering great global points like the equator. To make most of the gorilla trekking experience in Uganda, a traveler has to spend a minimum of 3 days on the safari.
The gorilla trekking experience appeals to all sorts of people from budget to the high end people but when you compare it to the other two countries is the ideal gorilla destination for middle class people with the gorilla permit rates going to 700$ per person and travelers stay in relatively less expensive safari lodges.
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda
Rwanda has tried to place itself as a luxury destination and it offer a leisurely and a relatively relaxed gorilla trekking experience. The gorillas in Rwanda are found in volcanoes national park 2 hours’ drive from Kigali the capital of Rwanda which is where almost each and every safari trip starts and ends from.
Rwanda has put better infrastructures compared to its counter parts for instance the roads are in very good conditions, the lodges are world class in both structures and service delivery. The security and safety of the traveler while on the safari is also top notch. It has a pricy gorilla permit which goes for 1500$ per person.
Gorilla trekking in DR Congo
Congo should have been the best gorilla trekking destination since it has two subspecies of gorilla to trek (the mountain gorillas and eastern lowland gorillas) but its security lets it lag behind. The mountain gorillas in Dr. Congo are located in Virunga national park and the Grauer’s gorillas are found in Kahuzi Biega and Maiko national parks.
DR Congo is a cheaper gorilla trekking destination as its gorilla permit only costs 450$ per person but the instabilities and lack of proper organization makes it a risky destination and this is why it is the least visited gorilla destination among the three countries.
Age limit for gorilla trekking
There is no discrimination in gorilla trekking as long as someone acquires a gorilla permit, one is allowed to meet the gorillas in the wild. However age limit is considered and one is meant to be 15 years and above. The age aspect is considered because gorillas are huge and scary animals in appearance but gentle in behavior. Therefore by their dubious appearance they might impose fright in persons under the age of 15 years who are regarded as infants. With the panic and fear from infants, they might end up screaming or run away of which gorillas might take the action for danger and end up becoming violent. People also with a contagious disease like cold, flu or any virus are not allowed for gorilla trekking.
When is the best time to trek the gorillas?
Conservationists or the management of these natural habitats recommend any time of the year. Gorillas can be trekked through the year. Though some tour operators advise their clients to go gorilla trekking during the hot seasons of the climate (January-march, June-mid October, and December). This is because of the nature of the terrain in these national parks which makes it somehow hard to trek on when wet.
How much is the cost of the gorilla permit how to get it?
The gorilla permit in Uganda costs 700$ for foreigners, 500$ for foreign residents and nationals ugx 250000. In Rwanda the gorilla permit rate is at 1500$ per person and Dr Congo at 450$
How buy your gorilla permit
Direct booking: a client can make a reservation of the gorilla permit on his/her own by simply contacting the responsible authorities in the three countries. In Uganda, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) issues the gorilla permit, in Rwanda, the Rwanda Development Board (tourism department) (RDB) and Congo, Virunga Foundation (VF).
Through local tour operators: this is one of the most convenient way of getting a gorilla permit. All you have to do is contact the tour operators and submit in your request and make payment then the safari company will do all the ground work of acquiring the permit for you.
Chances of seeing the gorillas and how long it takes
It is 98% of meeting the gorillas in their natural setting. In essence the travelers has all chances of seeing the gorillas only that the 2% is for the unforeseen calamities like very heavy rainfalls and maybe an epidemic outbreak at that time. However, even if you don’t see the gorillas on that very day, a reschedule on another day will be done for you free of charge to see them.
The mountain gorillas are nomadic animals who keep moving from one place to another and also live in very dense forest, this makes it a challenge but an adventure to track them down. Henceforth it normally takes 2-8 hours to find the gorillas in their exact locale.
Packing list for Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla trekking is jungle activity where tourists trek into the impenetrable rain forests searching for family of mountain gorillas, hence the tourists must pack all the recommended items in order to be ready for the trek.
- Insect repellents; this is to alleviate any insect bites through the jungles
- Rain coat: it will always help in case the rain drops. In the jungle conventional rainfall sometimes chips in so you need a coat to cover you.
- Hiking boots; these gorillas live in very hilly areas so you need boots to have a steady grip while trekking.
- Long sleeve tops and trousers: there are lots of thrones and shrubs in these jungle so a traveler has to cover him/herself to protect his/her body from getting hurt.
- Drinking water and snacks: since trackers walk for long distances in search of gorilla, hunger and thirst always crop out and you will always need something to put into the stomach.
- Camera: gorilla trekking is an adventure where a traveler has to capture every moment in the jungle and with the gorillas.
- Sunscreen and hat: natural habitats lie in the tropics where the sun shines almost every day. Therefore a tracker needs a sunscreen to protect him/herself from it.
- Walking sticks: since the area is sloppy and hilly, the tracker always needs a walking stick to support him/her.
- Hire a porter: trackers always carry lots of tools in the pack. They will always need a helper to carry to ease themselves off the load.
The Hour with the Gorillas
The interaction with the gorillas is the moment of truth, this is where expectations meet reality. This is the time to be wowed by how mountain gorillas are just like man with their sad look, mannerism and way of living. This is the main highlight of the gorilla trekking safari with the interaction or meeting the gorilla trekking does not make sense at all.
The interaction has some rules and regulations, let me list them quickly below:
- There should be a 7metre gap between the trackers and gorillas
- Always keep your voice so low while with the gorillas
- Avoid as much as possible to squeeze or cough around the gorillas
- Do not litter around the habitats of the gorillas
- The flash light of the cameras should be removed
- Do not mimic the gorillas at any time
- Do not move unnecessarily around the gorillas.
