GORILLA TREKKING IN UGANDA

Why visit Uganda for gorilla trekking?

There is a bucket list of reasons why one should visit Uganda for the perfect gorilla trekking experiences. Uganda is the best destination in the African continent to view a numerous endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. In the world, mountain gorillas are found in four destinations and in three countries that is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla national park in Uganda, Volcanoes National park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in Democratic Republic of Congo. Of all these destinations, Uganda stands as the best option for this adventurous experience since it owns the highest number of the mountain gorillas in the whole world.

Mountain gorillas in Uganda

Uganda is a home to the world’s highest number of endangered mountain gorillas located in Bwindi Impenetrable national park and Mgahinga Gorilla national park. Meeting the mountain gorillas physically in the jungle is one of the most thrilling, adventurous and unforgettable experience for the travelers. This is so because it grants one a great opportunity of associating with the mountain gorillas and also gets a chance to know more about their life styles.

Bwindi impenetrable national park

Bwindi impenetrable national park is the only in the entire world where the mountain gorillas co-exist with the mountain gorillas. The park hosts almost half of the world’s population of the mountain gorillas which are about 400 in number. It is located in the southwestern region of Uganda along the borders of democratic republic of Congo next to Virunga National park on the edge of the Albertine rift. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is renamed after the thick rainforest of Bwindi Impenetrable forest which is the top attraction in the park.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

For one to trek the mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable national park, he or she should have a gorilla permit at a cost of $ 700 each person and per trek. Gorilla trekking involves hiking through the rainforests of the park to search for the endangered mountain gorillas in their habitats.

Bwindi Impenetrable national park has 19 habituated gorilla families that are free for tourism purposes and these families are grouped into four different sectors including Ruhijja sector in the east of the park which has 4 families, Buhoma sector in the north of the park with 4 families, Nkuringo sector in the south with 3 families and then Rushaga in the south with 8 habituated families.

Gorilla habituation in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

At a cost of $1500, gorilla habituation experience involves trailing through the thick rainforests of the park with the park rangers and guides so as to know more about the life styles of the mountain gorillas. In this experience, a group of only four people is allowed to visit each gorilla family and it takes place in Rushaga sector. After allocating the habituated mountain gorillas, the tourists are allowed to spend at least 4 hours with each family.

Mgahinga gorilla National park

Mgahinga gorilla National Park is a national park in Uganda situated in the southwestern region of the country.  The park is situated in the Virunga Mountains in and it sits on area of approximately 33.9 square kilometers. It encompasses three inactive volcanoes including Mount Muhavura, Mount Gahinga and Mount Sabyinyo. Mgahinga gorilla national park is comprised of different vegetation zones including the bamboo forests, Albertine rift montane forests, and the alpine zones.

Mgahinga gorilla national park is well known for encompassing a numerous primate species especially the mountain gorillas. Other primates include the golden monkeys, black and white colobus and others. The park is also a home to over 76 mammal species like the leopards, elephants, bush pigs, buffalos, black fronted duiker, bush bucks, and others.

Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park

This is the most done activity in Mgahinga gorilla national park. The park has got 2 gorilla habituated families that are free for tourism purposes. Gorilla trekking experience involves walking through the forests in search of the endangered mountain gorillas. The search takes about 2 to 4 hours or depends on the location of the habitats of the mountain gorillas. After allocating them, trekkers are allowed to spend about an hour with these mountain gorillas and they learn more about their life styles like feeding habits and others.