Gorilla Trekking is rated as among the best wildlife adventures that one can ever have in Africa. The magical hour spent with the gorillas is an experience that will not erase from your memory.
Though there is no guarantee to see the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Forest, the current success rate is over 95% and it is unusual to meet somebody who failed to see these great apes on a gorilla trek.
The gorilla trekking experience is the highlight of most Uganda safaris and few visitors miss visiting Bwindi Impenetrable National park in the south Western part of the country. You will be required to visit the park headquarters at the Uganda Wildlife Authority as early as 7:45 from where you will be allocated a guide before heading into the Impenetrable forest for the activity. Do not forget a walk stick which will be offered to you at the head quarters thus you should take this very useful because it will help you in slippery conditions. Porters to help you with your luggage are available at the park head quarters and these are very helpful during the rainy season.
If you are involved in the gorilla habituation group, it will take you a minimum of two years with daily visits which allow the gorilla group to tolerate your presence. It should be noted however that it is only when gorillas are happy with the presence of human beings that visitors are allowed to share the daily hour of contact with them and only a maximum of eight people are allowed to track each habituated gorillas and the walk to find these gorillas may be as short as two hours.
While tracking the gorillas, the park rangers and guides will clear the way and will assist you through the forest thus you will need very good fitness to make this walk a success though the walk may be slippery. Spending time, sitting with the mountain gorillas is one of the most amazing wildlife experiences one will ever have and dominant male silver back can weigh over 200 kilograms.
Planning a Gorilla Trek
Gorilla trekking is quite adventurous but something not to take for granted. It has its own challenges and you must be well prepared to discover them in their natural setting. As you plan to go for gorilla tracking in Uganda, don’t think about coming with your family for a luxurious moment. This kind of tour involves you walking through the dense forests, steep slopes, mud and the unexpected rain that can drop at any time. This is frustrating although fun filling at the discovery of the charming animals.
Is It Safe to Go Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi?
Tracking gorillas in Bwindi is very safe with the prolonged peace prevailing in the country and in the Bwindi area. Tracking the gorillas involves securing of the gorilla permit which is bought from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, a body charged with conservation and protecting of the national parks.
The gorilla permit costs USD600 with discounted rate in the months of April, May and November where the permit costs USD450 for the foreign non residents. The park currently has 12 habituated gorilla groups from the one group that were habituated in 1991 when the park was established. There was instability in the area, which threatened tourism in Bwindi area in the 1990’s, but with long stability since 2000, there has been improvement in tourism activity with over 20000 tourists visiting the park each year.
The park is divided into three sectors; Buhoma in the northern sector which has three gorilla families, Ruhiija in the central sector which has three gorilla families, Rushaga and Nkuringo in the southern sector with 6 gorilla groups.