Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Gorilla Trekking
Bwindi impenetrable national park gorilla trekking : Gorilla trekking is an adventurous and the major activity in the park that involves moving on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of the habituated mountain gorillas and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. Bwindi impenetrable national park is located in southwestern part of Uganda at the rim of the rift valley in Kanungu district. Bwindi impenetrable national park harbors the highest number of mountain gorillas which is half of the world’s mountain gorilla population.
Bwindi impenetrable national park gorilla trekking
The park is a home of more than 21 habituated gorilla families which are found in four sectors namely Rushaga sector in the south, Buhoma sector in the north, Nkuringo sector in the south and Ruhija sector in the East. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi starts early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations at the park headquarters. After the briefing you will be divided into groups of 8 people where each group will be allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek. Allocation of gorilla families in Bwindi impenetrable national park is done according different factors such as age, physical fitness and personal preferences therefore in case you are not physically fit you can communicate with your driver guide so that they allocate you a gorilla family that is easy to trek. Mountain gorilla trekking in the park takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be rewarded with views of different plant and tree species, variety of bird species, view other primate species like l’hoest monkeys, chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys among others. Once the mountain gorillas are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn about their behaviors, watch the carry out their daily activities, take photos and record the incredible moments to show people back home after the safari.
Bwindi impenetrable national park also offers gorilla habituation experience where the wild mountain gorillas are trained to get used to human presence for trekking. The habituation process takes a period of two to three years to be complete and the experience allows visitors to spend four hours with the mountain gorillas.
Cost of a gorilla trekking permit
A gorilla trekking permit is a card that is issued to any visitor above the age of 15 years allowing him or her to visit a habituated gorilla family in the park. A gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi impenetrable national park costs 700 USD per person for foreign nonresidents, 600 USD per person for foreign residents and 250,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
How to book a gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi impenetrable national park
There are two options of booking a gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi impenetrable national park for example booking directly through Uganda Wildlife Authority by contacting the head offices through email or telephone calls. The other option is booking through a tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris by contacting us with the dates when you wish to visit the mountain gorillas in the park. After contacting us, we will check for permit availability and if there are permits that match with your date you will be asked to make a deposit for your permit. Once we receive the payment we will purchase the permit on your behalf and send you a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation.
Gorilla trekking permits in Bwindi should however be acquired 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because the permits are competitive and get sold out quickly especially during the dry season in the months of June to September and December to February. Therefore in order to avoid last minute inconveniences, you are required to book the permits in advance.
Best time to visit Bwindi impenetrable national park for gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking can be done anytime throughout the year though the best time is during the dry season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February. During the dry season the park receives less rainfall therefore vegetation will be thin which helps you to clearly see the mountain gorillas and other wildlife species, access roads and gorilla trekking trails will be dry and passable compared to the wet season when the trails are muddy and slippery which makes trekking difficult.
Where to stay during your gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi impenetrable national park
Bwindi impenetrable national park has a wide range of accommodation facilities where travelers can stay during the gorilla trekking safari. The accommodations range from budget, midrange and luxury including Buhoma Lodge, Four Gorillas Lodge, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Wagtail Safari Lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Trekkers Tavern Cottages, Ruhija Gorilla Mist Camp, Gift of Nature Lodge, Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge, Cuckooland Tented Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Bwindi Jungle View Lodge, Bwindi Guest House, Bwindi View Bandas, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Eco Marvels Gorilla Lodge, Engagi Lodge, Gorilla Resort, Lake Kitandara Bwindi Camp, Nshongi Camp, Mahogany Springs Lodge, Buhoma Haven Lodge among others.
How to get to Bwindi impenetrable national park
Bwindi impenetrable national park is located in southwestern region and can be accessed by road transport means whereby you will drive from Entebbe or Kampala using Masaka-Mbarara road to Bwindi impenetrable national park which takes about 8 to 9 hours’ drive in a 4 WD safari vehicle.
When using road transport means, Bwindi impenetrable national park can also be accessed from Kigali Rwanda whereby you will fly to Kigali international airport and then connect to the park headquarters via Cyanika border in Kisoro or Katuna border in Kabale which takes about 4 to 5 hours’ drive.
The park can also be accessed using air transport means whereby you will book charter or scheduled flights from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi airfield to Kihihi or Kisoro airstrip.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park is a fascinating and unforgettable activity that can be combined with wildlife viewing in Lake Mburo national park. For more information do not hesitate to contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website for interesting and affordable gorilla trekking packages.
