Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park –Uganda Primates Safaris
Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park : Gorilla tracking is renown as an emotional life time experience ,where one shouldn’t miss on Uganda safaris .However ,Bwindi Impenetrable national park is famously known for its Mountain Gorilla populations and gorilla tracking ,located in southwestern region of Uganda in Kanungu district ,approximately 9 to 10 hour drive passing through scenic landscape with rolling hills ,banana plantations ,tea plantations ,Kagenzi highland as well as nature is rewarding .Along your drive to the southwestern region ,you will have a chance of stopover at the Equator in Kayabwe to view water experiment and memorable photo shooting ,then after proceed to the final destination.
Bwindi Impenetrable national park is one of the leading tourist’s sites in Uganda, since it harbors the highest population of endangered mountain gorillas that still exist in the wild. There are a total of 1063 individual remaining in the world. Therefore ,Bwindi being a great location for gorilla tracking ,these are the tracking sectors where one can enjoy the view of gorillas ;Buhoma sector ,Ruhija sector ,Nkuringo sector and Rushanga sector .The four locations had a total of about 18 families as of December 2018 and currently the number is told to be 21 habituated gorilla families .So we advise travelers to book their tracking permits before their time of arrival directly with the reservation office at the Uganda Wildlife Authority ‘’UWA’’ Headquarter or by help of reputable tour agent .Gorilla permits can be paid for up to two or three years in advance.
Gorilla tracking experience starts early in the morning after visitor’s breakfast served at the lodge, your driver-guide will drop you at the meeting point with in the park to be briefed about gorilla tracking rules. Then after, you will be grouped 8 individuals only, who are allowed to view the gorillas for one hours per day and participants must be aged 15 years and above. You will be accompanied by ‘’UWA’’ guides in search for gorillas. Tracking the gorillas can last from 30 minutes to 8hours, depending on how far the group has moved since it was last seen the previous evening nesting up. Once gorillas are seen one hour will be given to the trackers to observe the assigned in gorilla group ,learn about their life style and photographing the gorillas .Return to back to the lodge .
Gorilla Habituation Experience
You can choose to do Gorilla habituation experience which can only be done in Bwindi Impenetrable national park , where gorillas are taken under habituating process for a period of two or three years training them, on how to develop eye contact with humans .Only 4 visitors are allowed in this whole day activity ,you will be briefed about it and after you will be accompanied with the researches ,doctors ,journalists and park guides who leads you through tracking trailhead within the forest to meet the habituating gorilla group .Once you meet them ,you will be able to collect samples from them for study purposes ,take photographing and view Gorillas .Gorilla habituation experience can be done in Rushaga sector one of the four sectors in Bwindi Impenetrable national park.
Uganda gorilla tracking can also be done in Mgahinga Gorilla national park that also lies in southwestern Uganda on the border with Congo and Rwanda, covering a small area of about 33.7 square kilometers, a home a habitat for man’s closest, the mountain gorillas are room about the whole forest in search of food.
Mgahinga gorilla national park is one of the few places in the world where the great mountain gorillas live and it attracts travelers from different countries to come to Uganda on a Gorilla Safari. You may wonder why gorilla safari should be done in Mgahinga, the secret behind it is that it has a thick rain forest with a wide variety of tree species and gorillas are vegetarian species. This is the reason as to why some even migrate from Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo to this place. Gorillas in Mgahinga can easily be seen in their natural habitat and this makes tracking easier much compared to other parks.
Tracking in Mgahinga Gorilla national park, it’s a welcoming atmosphere filled with natural beauty, a day trek through the forests of the park with a well-trained guide who knows much more about the gorilla behaviors along the way since it is a lifetime experience.
Cost of Gorilla tracking in Uganda
Gorilla tracking in Uganda is at fee of USD700 per person per track, compared to Rwanda’s Gorilla tracking activity that goes USD1,500 per person in one-hour experience to Uganda ‘s gorilla habituation experience ‘’ a full day activity’’ four hours provided to the trackers at cost of USD1,500 per individuals per track.
When is The Best Time to Track Mountain Gorillas –Uganda Safaris
The best time to visit the place for tracking is during the dry season when the park can easily be accessed. During the dry season it’s when the thick forest can be penetrated easily and when the tracking trails are not as muddy as it is in the rainy season. The best two dry seasons for Gorilla safari are Mid- December to February and June to October. However, gorilla tracking experience is possible all year around.
How to get there;
By road, one access Bwindi or Mgahinga Gorilla national park by use of car from Kampala to kanungu or Kisoro. Both tourist’s destination can take about 9 to 10 hours.
Alternatively, you can choose to use a flight from Entebbe to Kisoro or Kihihi airstrip which is near the park. This is the quickest mode of access and it takes about 1:15hours. There are daily scheduled flights that must be booked in advance with your local Uganda safari Operator.
Accommodation-Bwindi & Mgahinga Gorilla national park
With on worry, Bwindi Impenetrable national park has got various lodges suitable for your comfortable overnight stay ranges from Luxury to Budget such lodges include; Bwindi Lodge, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, Buhoma Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Mahogany Springs, Engagi Lodge, Silverback lodge among others.
While at visit in Mgahinga Gorilla National park you can sleep in, Volcanoes Mount Gahinga safari lodge, Amajambere Iwacu Camp, or else you can sleep in lodges in Mutanda just closer, such lodges are Lake Mutanda Chameleon Hill Lodge, Kisoro Traveler’s Rest Hotel and River Mucha Hotel.
