Uganda gorilla tours
Uganda gorilla tours involve exploring the natural habitats around the country in search of the mountain gorillas.
There are two destinations in Uganda where gorilla tours can be done and these include Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and also in Mgahinga national park which are located in the south western part of the country.
Gorilla tours in Uganda can be organized for groups and also individuals visiting Bwindi national park or Mgahinga national park. Other destinations where gorillas can be seen include Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and also Virunga national park in Democratic Republic of Congo.
These tours can be planned for a single gorilla trekking experience or a double gorilla trek in Uganda. Gorilla tours can also start in Uganda and continue to other countries such as Rwanda via the Gatuna border or the Cyanika border.
The starting point for gorilla tours in Uganda can be either Entebbe international airport or Kigali international airport in Rwanda. From any of these airports, tourists can fly or drive to Bwindi national park or to Mgahinga national park.
When the search for the gorillas in their natural habitat starts after a briefing at the park headquarters, the duration for the gorilla trek is unpredictable because of the gorilla movement. Sometimes gorilla trekking takes a short time and can also take over 6 hours.
Getting through the thick vegetation in search of the mountain gorillas in Uganda can also be another challenge encountered. However, the ranger guides who accompany tourists during the gorilla trekking experience know their way around the forests and lead the way when searching for the gorillas.
The best time to engage in gorilla tours in Uganda is during the dry season around December, January, February, June, July, August and September. Tours can be done around the destinations for gorilla trekking in Uganda throughout the year although due to the nature of the habitat of the mountain gorillas which is in high altitudes, tourists avoid the wet season because of the slippery trails.
Gorilla tours in Bwindi national park
Bwindi National Park has the biggest population of mountain gorillas and the activities to do during gorilla tours in the park include gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation.
Gorilla trekking allows tourists to spend about 1 hour with the gorillas in their natural habitat in Bwindi national park and observe their behavior and take videos and photos with them while the gorilla habituation experience allows tourists to spend about 4 hours with the mountain gorillas. Gorilla habituation in Bwindi national park is done in the Rushaga sector.
When visiting Bwindi national park, gorilla tours can be done in the different sectors of the national park such as Nkuringo and Rushaga sector in the southern part, Ruhija sector in the eastern part of Bwindi and Buhoma sector in the northern part of Bwindi.
Different gorilla groups are found in Bwindi national park and are about 21 in number. Tourists during the gorilla tours in Uganda are divided into groups of 8 and each group gets to spend time with 1 gorilla family per day. The gorilla groups in Bwindi include Rushegura, Muyambi, Habiyanja, Nkuringo, Bweza, Oruzogo, Busingye, Mishaya, Mukiza, Mucunguzi, Muyambi, Katwe, Christmas, Nshongi among others.
Gorilla tours in Bwindi national park can be combined with bird watching, photography tours, Batwa community tours, hiking, guided nature walks as well as visits to other national parks around Uganda like Queen Elizabeth national park.
Gorilla tours in Mgahinga national park
Gorilla tours in Mgahinga national park involve visiting the Nyakagezi gorilla family which is the only gorilla group that tourists encounter while visiting the destination.
Mgahinga national park is also home to the golden monkeys in Uganda and the Virunga volcanoes can including Mount Gahinga, Mount Sabyinyo and Mount Muhabura can also be seen at the destination.
Cost of gorilla tours in Uganda
Uganda gorilla tours are inclusive of different costs such as gorilla permits, accommodation costs, park fees, guide fees, transportation costs and also meal costs.
Gorilla permits in Uganda costs 700 USD for visits to Bwindi national park and Mgahinga national park which are the destinations where the gorillas can be seen in their habitat. The gorilla permit cost in Uganda is often compared to the 1500 USD gorilla permit costs for Rwanda and 400 USD gorilla permit cost for Congo.
Accommodation costs during Uganda gorilla tours vary depending on the type of accommodation where the tourists stay which can be budget (about 120 USD), midrange (about 200 USD) or luxury accommodation (over 350 USD). These hotels or lodges can be on sharing basis or on single room basis providing bed and breakfast, half board or full board meals.
Park fees are also charges incurred during Uganda gorilla tours in Bwindi national park or Mgahinga national park. Gorilla permit fees include guide fees and also park entrance fee which is 40 USD for foreign nonresidents, 30 USD for foreign residents and 20,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans.
Guide fees can also be an independent cost during Uganda gorilla tours and can range from 30 USD to 100 USD per day. This guide fee does not include tips and gratuities during gorilla trekking tours in Uganda.
Transportation costs incurred during Uganda gorilla tours vary depending on the type of transport used to get to the gorilla trekking destinations which can be private forms or transport or public means of transport. Private car hire can cost about 150 USD per day or more depending on the type of vehicle hired while public transport is cheaper.
Meal costs can be part of the accommodation cost for gorilla trekking in Uganda or an independent cost ranging between 10 USD to 40 USD per meal.
How to book a gorilla trekking tour in Uganda
Gorilla trekking tours in Uganda can be booked though licensed tour operators who book the gorilla permits from Uganda Wildlife Authority and are very knowledgeable about the different aspects of the tour including the best time to visit, how to get there and also where to stay.
