Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Gorilla Destinations in Uganda.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is a thrilling wildlife adventure and a lifetime moment where visitors from across the globe spend some time with the majestic mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. It is without doubt that among the only a few mountain gorillas remaining in the wild, Uganda is home to almost half of that number. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is one of the most popular and exciting tourism activities making it one of the leading tourism destinations in the world.

Other gorilla trekking destinations include Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This makes Uganda among the only three mountain gorilla hosts in the world. Gorilla trekking in Uganda involves long nature walks and guided hikes through dense and heavy forests in search of the giant primate species of mountain gorillas. Mountain gorillas can only be tracked in three countries including Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is carried out in only two gorilla tracking destinations. These include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park the leading gorilla tracking destination and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Bwindi carries pride as one of the leading gorilla tracking destinations harboring almost half of the remaining mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi is one of the most breathtaking tourist activities that tourists find exciting and thrilling yet they always yearn for more. Given the availability of many mountain gorillas in Bwindi, gorilla trekking in this destination is made easier and time-saving. This is because it is less challenging to track and locate these primate species.

Over 19 habituated gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. About 400 mountain gorilla individuals are trapped in this spot making it a perfect gorilla tracking destination. While at Bwindi, visitors are given options of 4 gorilla tracking regions to track and locate the mountain gorillas. These include the Buhoma tracking region in the north, Ruhija tracking region in the east, Rushaga in the southern part of Bwindi, and Nkuringo southwestern part of the park.

Some of the habituated gorilla families that visitors shall bump into while at Bwindi include, the Habinyanja family group with about 17 gorilla individuals, Rushegura with about 19 gorilla individuals, Mubare group with 8 individuals, Bitukura gorilla family with 14 gorilla individuals, Oruzogo family group as one of the largest with 25 gorilla individuals, Kahungye gorilla group, Nshongi group, Mishaya group, to mention but a few.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park on the other hand is the second leading gorilla tracking destination in Uganda. Its proximity with the master host has made it yet the best second alternative for exciting gorilla tracking activities while on Uganda gorilla safari tours. Considering its small size, there is only one habituated gorilla group in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. The habituated family group in this destination is also known as the Nyakagezi family group. Situated in the Virunga mountains, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is also part of the Virunga conservation area.

Gorilla trekking in both of the vibrant gorilla tracking destinations kicks off in the morning hours around 7-8 am with a simple briefing. This briefing aims to guide guests on what to anticipate and how careful their movements should be while on trails. The briefing can take about 30 minutes before the tour guides and park rangers get to lead the way to the tracking sections. The tracking process can take about 5-6 hours depending on the location of the mountain gorillas. During the dry season, the vegetation cover tends to dry up leaving out no food and limited drinking water. This forces these majestic primate species to move for longer distances making gorilla trekking an all-day tourism activity.

How possible it is to trek Uganda gorillas from Australia?

There is no doubt that mountain gorillas in Uganda can be tracked from Australia most conveniently if dealt with by a trusted tour operator like Standard Safaris. We at Standard Safaris can organize a Uganda gorilla safari to fit your budget. From picking you up from Entebbe International Airport upon arrival to accommodation, transport, and tourist attractions, we have you covered.

The journey to Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks takes about 7-8 hours by road. These parks are located in the same region of the country hence their proximity makes them very easy to access for double gorilla trekking. However, these parks can also be accessed by air. Domestic flights are scheduled from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Kihihi or Kisoro Airfields with an hour’s drive to either of the parks.