Gorilla trekking is a major tourist activity in Uganda highly anticipated by many tourists. In the heart of Africa lies a cradle of beauty nestled in the tropical escarpments, referred to by a great British explorer Winston Churchill as the pearl of Africa, Uganda. A cradle too spectacular is only fit for imagination where apex predators rule the savannah, as the chimpanzees circle the tropical rainforests however keeping off the radar of their cousins the mountain gorillas. The ever-flowing streams of water and rivers feeding and breeding life to this land, add sparkle and glitter to this pearl. Uganda’s beauty is surely unmatched with evergreen fields and flowing streams and rivers that form a base for the many lakes in the country. The country’s vast highlands and mountains harbor some of the most iconic species.
Uganda is part of the Virunga conservation area. This area is the only remaining place to encounter endangered mountain gorillas in their natural environment. These gentle giants face a huge problem of extinction as there are few left in the wild hence termed endangered. Gorilla trekking is one of the ways of encountering these primates in their habitat. Gorilla trekking involves maneuvering through the dense vegetation in search of these primates and having a chance in their presence for an hour. Trekking of gorillas in Uganda takes place in two places Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the best gorilla destination in the world. The park harbors approximately 459 mountain gorillas. This is equivalent to over half of the remaining gorillas in the world. Four gorilla sectors ease the location and trekking of these primates and they include the Buhoma, Nkuringo, Rushaga, and Ruhija gorilla sectors. All these combined host over 50 gorilla families with only 24 families habituated and ready for daily trekking.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the second gorilla destination in Uganda. It hosts over 100 gorillas that can be spotted on the steep slopes of the highlands in the park. Mgahinga accommodates only one gorilla family.
Discounted gorilla trekking prices
The discounted gorilla trekking prices rotate around the different services that come with the trekking experience. These services include accommodation, food, and transport. These discounts are in most cases offered during the low season. This is a period when there is a low turn-up of visitors. During this time, accommodation facilities cut down their rates to almost half the original price. The transport fares also tend to fall to accommodate for the low turn-ups of clients. Discounted gorilla trekking experiences offer visitors an incredible encounter with the endangered mountain gorilla primates at discounted rates. Budget traveling visitors should be kin to this discounted trekking safari as it favors them financially.
How to obtain a gorilla trekking permit?
A visitor seeking to encounter the endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda is required to have a gorilla trekking permit. This gorilla permit is only issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority a governing body in charge of all national parks in the country. To obtain a gorilla trekking permit, visitors can only purchase the permit through a local registered tour company. Visitors after confirming their preferred trekking date, the tour operator will book the date and when the money is received he buys the permit you the visitor’s behalf. The operator then sends a scanned copy to the visitor as confirmation of the purchase.
Cost of a gorilla trekking permit
The price for a gorilla permit in Uganda varies in region and nationality. Foreign non-resident permits cost USD 800, foreign resident permits cost USD 700, and East African citizens and Ugandans pay UGX 300,000. There is also a rate for the rest of Africa that goes for USD 500. The money obtained from the purchase of these permits goes to conservation efforts of these endangered species, paying the workers, and the rest to the community developments.
When to have a discounted gorilla trekking experience.
Uganda is open all year round for gorilla trekking safari experience. However, discounted trekking adventures are best done in the wet season. This is a period that runs from March to May and October to November. During this period there are heavy showers across the country, especially in areas around the equator. This triggers the low turn-ups of visitors to the parks for gorilla trekking in turn most services like accommodation, food, and transport rates are reduced.
