Gorilla trekking in Uganda from Kigali is possible and one of the most memorable tours you can ever have. With about 1,063 mountain gorillas remaining in the world, Uganda alone has half of these endangered primates in their natural homes. This positions Uganda as a prime tourist destination for visitors craving to see these sought-after gorillas. Gorillas in Uganda live in lush dense forests especially in high altitude areas in southwestern Uganda. To trek gorillas in Uganda from Kigali, you need a valid gorilla permit, issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The gorilla permit costs US dollars 800 and can be acquired more efficiently through Monteero Safaris, usually 3 months in advance since they are on high demand among travelers.
Where to do gorilla trekking in Uganda
There are two destinations in Uganda where visitors from Rwanda can go for a gorilla trekking tour. These are,
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Found in southwestern Uganda and spanning about 321 square kilometers on rugged terrain. The lush ecosystem contains Afromontane forest, submontane forest and some deciduous and bamboo forests. These play a huge role in the survival of the endangered mountain gorillas. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is constituted of around 22 habituated gorilla families, each of which can be tracked once every day. The habituated gorilla families include Mucunguzi, Kutu, Busingye, Kahungye, Bweza, Nshongi, Bikingi, Mishaya, Katwe, Nkuringo, and Mukiza. Visitors with gorilla permits can track and spend an hour with allocated habituated gorilla families.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Found in southwestern Uganda and spanning almost 34 square kilometers in size, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in the Virunga Massif is another home to the endangered mountain gorillas. There are a variety of habitats within this biodiverse ecosystem to ensure the survival of these endangered mountain gorillas. Constituent habitats include the Albertine Rift Afromontane forests, bamboo forests, alpine and subalpine vegetation. These transboundary mountain gorillas can be found along the slopes of the volcanoes, which are Mount. Sabinyo, Mount. Muhabura and Mount. Gahinga. Visitors can track and spend an hour with only one habituated gorilla group called Nyakagezi.
Description of mountain gorillas of Uganda
A mountain gorilla has a muscular stature with a massive chest, broadened muscular arms and feet. Their hands a much longer than their legs and adapted for knuckle-walking. They are distinguishable from lowland gorillas by longer body fur and relatively shorter arms. The older male mountain gorillas however have a distinctive silver strip on their backs thus called silverbacks. Mountain gorilla heads are large and contain hairless face, prominent brows and a pair of small ears on either side. When fully erect, male mountain gorillas can reach an average height of around 1.7 meters while females can reach an average height of about 1.5 meters. In terms of weight, males often weigh 120 to 190 kilograms and females 70 to 90 kilograms.
How gorilla trekking in Uganda from Kigali is done
Visitors are expected to assemble at the park headquarters or trailhead at around 07:00. A session conducted by a park authority is done to equip the visitors with the rules and regulations followed while trekking gorillas in the dense forest. Each visitor is put in a group containing a maximum of eight others. Each group is assigned a gorilla family to visit, depending on their fitness level. Each group is accompanied by an experienced tracker and armed ranger to follow specific trails to track their gorilla family. The entire trek takes 4 to 8 hours depending on where the gorilla family spent the night during the previous day. After encountering the gorilla family, the visitors are allowed a maximum of an hour to observe and photograph the primates.
When to visit Uganda for gorilla trekking
A gorilla trekking tour from Rwanda is enjoyable throughout the year. But the experience is exquisite during the dry months, especially the first one running from June to August. Trekking during the second dry season is also worth it and occurs from December to February. Reaching Uganda from Kigali is by road via the Katuna border. The road trip covers a total distance of around 164 kilometers, and the time taken is 4.5 to 5 hours. You can hire a safari vehicle from a reputable tour operator like Monteero Safaris if you want a seamless transfer from Kigali to Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks. A knowledgeable driver guide from Monteero Safaris is also provided for the transfer to offer insight about Rwanda and Uganda.
What to pack for gorilla trekking in Uganda from Kigali
Come for a gorilla trek in Uganda from Kigali with the following important items to be certain of a thrilling and fun-filled experience,
- A pair of strong hiking shoes or boots and gaiters
- Light clothes constituting of a pair of trousers and a long-sleeved shirt
- Warm sweater
- Light rain jacket
- Sun protection (sunglasses, suncream and hat)
- Snack box to carry energy snacks
- Refillable water bottle to carry water
- Trekking poles
- Binoculars and camera
- Backpack
- Torch
- Insect repellent
- A basic first aid kit with personal medication if necessary
- A pair of garden gloves
- Cash for tipping or purchasing mementos