Meeting those searching, big eyes in a face that seems to reflect your own. A meeting with mountain gorillas on gorilla trekking is a moving experience.
Visiting these giant beautiful creatures in their natural habitat once in your lifetime is worthwhile. Led by a trained guide and the Bwindi national park rangers, уоu’ll trеk through dеnѕе rаinfоrеѕt in search оf a gorilla family to meet and greet. As you see the уоung gоrillаѕ playing, thе female gorillas cooing over thеir bаbiеѕ, аnd thе brash posing оf a ѕilvеrbасk, уоu’ll bеgin to undеrѕtаnd how amazing these аlmоѕt humаn сrеаturеѕ are.
But before embarking on your top-of-the-bucket-list trip to gorilla hiking/trekking, there are a few things you need to know. Read our pointers below carefully before you schedule your trip to meet these gentle giants.
1. In Uganda, where to see and find mountain gorillas?
Bwindi National Park and its misty hills are home to most of the Uganda mountain gorillas. They live in the dense vegetation of the park. You can trek from four different areas in Bwindi: Rhujia, Buhoma, Nkuringo, and Rushaga. Each of these areas has reasonable accommodations close by the trekking area.
2. Is gorilla trekking in Bwindi safe?
This trekking trip in the Bwindi National Park is entirely safe. The forest is protected with dedicated rangers and staff who take care of these apes and are the reason for them not going extinct yet.
3. What is the age limit for gorilla tours in Uganda?
Only those older than 15 years are permitted to go gorilla trekking. As gorillas are prone to human-related diseases, sickness and people suffering from cold are also not allowed to trek.
4. What is the apt time to buy a gorilla trekking permit for Uganda?
We recommend you to apply for a permit six months prior to your tour dates. Permits from February and December and June-August tend to sell out quickly, so it’s better to pre-book in order to avoid disappointment.
5. What is the price of a mountain gorilla trekking permit?
The four-hour gorilla habituation experience permit is $1500.
6. What are the chances of meeting gorillas on trekking?
The chances of gorilla encounters on the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park tour are 100%. If mountain gorillas have been located, but it’s too hard or late to get to them, you will either get a 50% refund or will be swapped to see another gorilla family.
7. Is it recommended to hire a porter?
Hiring a porter (around $15) to carry your bag is a way to help local people because mostly they are students and locals trying to earn extra. Porters will stay with you on the hike and carry your stuff.
8. Mountain gorilla trekking rules
While it’s all fun and adventurous, there are some rules to follow as well:
- Keep your voice low
- Don’t litter
- Maintain a distance of about 7 meters from gorillas
- Don’t run away if gorillas get aggressive; be calm, no panicking
- Don’t do flash photography
There are endless opportunities for fun and thrill on your gorilla trekking trip to Uganda. We recommend you to opt for a fun, responsible, and experienced safari guide like ourselves who just wants you to have the best possible time in the wild.
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