Luxury Gorilla Trekking Tours in Africa : Africa is a home to the only remaining population of endangered Mountain Gorillas and a Luxury Gorilla Trekking safari offers you a great chance to come real close with these unique apes while in their natural habitat. Immersing yourself into the lush Tropical Rain-forests of Africa to see Mountain Gorillas or Eastern Lowland Gorillas is undeniably a mesmerizing experience that comes once in a lifetime.
Gorilla Trekking is undeniably a once lifetime wildlife experience best enjoyed only in Africa. In Africa, there are a few places to immerse yourself to experience the best of this primate adventure. Gorillas are a main highlight on most of Africa safari travelers’ packages – with focus to see Mountain Gorillas and Eastern Lowland Gorillas in the wild. When it comes to Gorilla Trekking, notable places not to miss a visit include Uganda, Rwanda and the D.R. Congo.
Gorillas are without doubt the closest relatives to humans, sharing 98% of their Genetic DNA. An encounter with these apes during Luxury Gorilla Trekking is incredibly mind blowing! Gorilla Trekking is by far the most exhilarating adventure mostly taking Gorilla Trekkers on a hike along the African Tropical Forests to see a family of Gorillas. There are four sub-species of gorillas to see but the most sought after sub-species to explore while on Luxury Gorilla Trekking are two mountain gorillas and eastern lowland gorillas.
In order for a luxury gorilla trekking trip to take place, a valid gorilla permit must be obtained. Everyone must have a permit no matter the Luxury Gorilla Trekking destination you plan to visit in Africa. Trekking Gorillas is one of kind experiences taking Gorilla Trekkers on a walk rather than using 4WD vehicle like it is a case with normal game drives in the savanna parks of Africa. Gorilla Treks in African Tropical Rain forests often take between 2 and 8 hours with trekkers guaranteed up to 1 hour of magical interaction with a family of gorillas in the wild.
Uganda Luxury Gorilla Trekking.
Uganda offers the best of both Budget and Luxury Gorilla Trekking experiences to visitors. While in Uganda, visitor Gorilla Trekking options are; Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Uganda shelters only the endangered Mountain Gorillas, a sub-species of the Eastern Gorilla.These are protected in the country’s 2 parks of Bwindi & Mgahinga National Park hosting about half of the 1063 of the world’s Mountain gorillas.
Uganda is among the 3 African destinations where Mountain Gorillas are protected and the 2 others include Rwanda & D.R. Congo. In Uganda, Luxury Gorilla Trekking holidaymakers track any of the 21 habituated families and each group/family is allocated to 8 visitors. There are 5 regions to begin Luxury Gorilla Trekking adventure in Uganda; Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, Nkuringo and Ntebeko. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP), one of Africa’s splendid Tropical Rain-forest parks lies in Southwestern Uganda, founded in 1991 and later, designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. This compact rain-forest conservation areas lies on an area measuring 331sq.kms and adjacent to it is Mgahinga Gorilla National Park a home to not only Mountain Gorillas but also the Golden monkeys. The two important parks are 8-9 hours’ drive starting from Entebbe/Kampala in Central Uganda and only 3 to 4 hours’ drive from Kigali.
Uganda is generally an ideal gorilla destination worth visiting for Luxury or Budget Gorilla Trekking. As of 2021, a gorilla permit in Uganda is US Dollars 700 for all foreign non-residents on Luxury Gorilla safaris, $600 foreign residents and for citizens in East Africa Community it is shs. 250,000. Gorilla habituation which is only is done in Bwindi, also requires participants to have valid permits and they cost USD 1500 per person for non-residents, USD1000 foreign residents and shs. 750000 East Africa citizens.
Note, Luxury gorilla trekking permits can be booked using two options; you can contact the ground tour operator or deal directly with Uganda Wildlife Authority but the best and quickest option is through a reliable tour operator like us. Please, endeavor to have your Uganda Luxury Gorilla Trekking permit booked 2-6 months earl, that is whether you are heading to Bwindi or Mgahinga.
Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park easier to reach to enjoy your Luxury Gorilla Trekking using 2 options; by road or by air. By road, a fully serviced rental car is essential for your connectivity to enjoy Luxury Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi or Mgahinga National Park. The road distance from Kampala to Bwindi or Mgahinga is estimated to take up to 8-9 hours’ drive. Other essential options exist starting from Queen Elizabeth National Park which is approximately 3-4 hours. En-route to Bwindi for your Luxury Gorilla Trek, expect great Tree climbing lions sightings at Ishasha area of Queen Elizabeth N/P. From Kigali it is also easier to connect to Bwindi/Mgahinga, about 3-4 hours’ drive and you get to enjoy your Luxury Gorilla Trekking. Or take a Luxury flight from Entebbe Airport/Kajjansi airfield to Kihihi or Kisoro.
Rwanda Luxury gorilla trekking
As of May 2017, Rwanda doubled her Gorilla Trekking permit price and presently, each of the Rwanda Gorilla Permits cost USD1500. It positioned itself as a high-end Gorilla safari destination which sets it from Uganda and D.R. Congo. All tourists on Luxury Gorilla Trekking Rwanda visit only Volcanoes National Park, notably the most reached park away from the city center-Kigali. It takes Gorilla Trekkers to drive to Volcanoes N/Park 2-3 hours, Luxury Gorilla Trekking Tours in Africa
Unlike Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks, The Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park sits on land area measuring up to 160sq.kms but shelters about 30% of all the world’s Mountain Gorillas and 13 families all ready to be trekked while on Luxury Gorilla Trekking. Book your Luxury Gorilla Trekking safari to Rwanda and experience the best of Mountain Gorilla adventure. Contact our team and let us plan your Luxury Gorilla Trekking trip together.
Luxury gorilla trekking in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The D.R. Congo is perhaps the least explored Gorilla safari destination but it offers amazing encounter for both Mountain Gorillas & Eastern Lowland Gorillas while in the wild. On Luxury Gorilla Trekking Congo, Mountain Gorilla sightings are only possible while in the Virunga National Park which has existed since its establishment as a Congo National Park in 1925.
Luxury Gorilla Trekking to see Eastern Lowland Gorillas is possible only in Kahuzi-Biega National Park and though they also exist in Maiko, they aren’t yet habituated/open for Gorilla Trekking. Virunga National Park-VNP is another lush African Tropical forest, sitting on 7800sq.kms and shelters 8 families of Mapuwa, Nyakamwe, Rugendo, Lulengo, Bageni, Humba, Munyanga and Kabirizi. Treks to see Mountain Gorillas in Virunga begin from Bukima Ranger Post but only for visitors with valid Gorilla Permits and each of the permits cost USD 450. The USD450 per Gorilla Permit also applies to visitors on Luxury Gorilla Trekking in Kahuzi-Biega National Park a home to Eastern Lowland Gorillas. The 6000sq.kms Rainforest Park presently has about 5 already habituated groups including Nganwa, Chimanuka, Mugahuka, Bonnani and Moungwe, Luxury Gorilla Trekking Tours in Africa .
While on Luxury Gorilla Trekking, we find the best Luxury Lodges for all our visitors’ stay. The easiest way to reach Congo’s Virunga & Kahuzi-Biega N/Park for a Luxury Gorilla Trekking trip is by road or by air. By road, traveling to Virunga is possible through Kisoro connecting via Uganda border with D.R. Congo that is Bunagana border, about half an hour’s drive trip to Bukima. Or drive 4 hours through Gisenyi to Goma Town then drop off to a lodge at Virunga. By flight, fly from Kigali International Airport then land at Goma Airport in D.R. Congo.
Best time to visit for luxury gorilla trekking.
Luxury Gorilla Trekking in Uganda, Rwanda and D.R. Congo is best done during dry season from June to September or December to February. During these long and short dry seasons, gorilla safari parks experience the most favorable weather & climatic conditions. This is not a case with the Low/wet/rainy season which is characterized by heavy rains which render the ground slippery/muddy and makes it a little challenging to undertake a trek to see Mountain Gorillas or Eastern Lowland Gorillas
