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Why Uganda Is Still The Best Place To Go Gorilla Trekking

In the tropical rainforests of central Africa and East Africa in the countries of Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda is where one can find the critically endangered mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking tours are one of the most selling and expensive tours in these countries but still thousands of tours flow in Uganda, Rwanda and D. R. Congo for gorilla tracking.

Mountain gorillas are very rare, fascinating primates and their conservation status has put them in lime light that every traveler to Africa has developed a feeling of interacting with these gentle giants in their natural habitats. However despite being threatened, the recent release from the last gorilla census show that they have increased in number up to 1000 individuals.

Of the three countries, Uganda is the best country for tracking the mountain gorillas and they can be found in Mgahinga National Park, which is part of the Virunga Ranges, and in the hilly areas of Bwindi Impenetrable national park in Southwestern Uganda.

Uganda gives the best advantage for gorilla tracking and these are the reasons as to why:

Uganda’s national parks that have gorillas provide the best experience of tracking gorillas not only because of the numbers of families but also because of what it takes to get to the gorillas. The hikes in these parks make the activity more adventurous. The challenging terrains of the parks that shelter gorillas require hard work if one is to reach the gorillas through walking (Hiking) on foot inside the jungle but at the end it is rewarding.

Security wise, Uganda is a free, friendly and safe country. This makes it a more secure place for gorilla tracking where you can view the gorillas in a serene surrounding compared to Democratic Republic of Congo, which is not usually recommended because of political instabilities and insecurity.

Uganda has half of the remaining mountain Gorillas in the world. About 500 individuals are found in Uganda’s Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga national park. The rest are shared by Rwanda and Congo but Congo has the least numbers. This makes Uganda a great option for gorilla tracking as it will be quick and easy to locate the mountain gorillas due to high numbers despite the challenging terrain of the national parks but they are experiential and ultimate.

Tracking gorillas in Uganda is cheaper compared to Rwanda. In 2017, Rwanda Development Board doubled the price of a gorilla trekking permit to 1500 US dollars which is almost three times the price of a gorilla permit in Uganda which is at 600 US dollars. D.R. Congo remains the cheapest option where a gorilla permit goes for 400$, however due to insecurity it is not highly recommended for gorilla trekking tours.

The gorilla habituation experience that is only offered in Uganda gives you another option to spend more time and study at least the behaviors of these gentle giants. Unlike the one hour gorilla tracking experience, visitors can spend four hours with the gorilla family after winning their trust and the experience that is not for mass people where only four individuals are allowed to go for this experience each day with a knowledgeable and experienced ranger guide.

Trek through the lush and ecologically rich rainforests of Uganda and enjoy the experience with these creatures. The reward of seeing these gentle giants more than makes up for the effort of reaching them. Uganda will offer a guarantee to see the gorillas up-close and in a relaxed mood.

What To Expect On Gorilla Trekking In Uganda

Going on a gorilla safari in Uganda ? Here is what to expect.
Trekking to view a gorilla group in their natural habitat in Uganda is best described as magical experience of a life time. Mountain gorillas are Africa’s and second largest apes in the world. In Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are the two options for you to realize your dreams in the wild. Over half of these critically endangered primates all call Uganda their home. The parks are located in the misty valleys of Kabale Southwestern Uganda at the border to Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Usually, the actual trek begins at designated briefing points and there are four main trail heads in Bwindi-Buhoma sector, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo sector where trekking begins from, each of these tracking areas feature gorilla groups. The early morning briefing begins at 7:00am and the actual trek starts at 8:00am. Mountain gorillas are our second closest living relatives in the wild that share about 98% of their DNA with humans. For visitors who want to strike their imaginations with these fascinating apes, the best time to visit Uganda is usually in a dry season also known as the peak season in Uganda and starts from June to September and from December to February. For those who want to visit during the low season, they can travel in months of March, April, May and November.

Below is what you should expect on your gorilla trek in Uganda.

You will be divided into small groups of a maximum of eight persons per group to trek one habituated gorilla family. There are about 12 habituated gorilla groups in Uganda but only one will be allocated to you to track. Gorilla families are assigned based on visitors’ physical fitness and age and given that there is no one who knows about your fitness, it is advisable that you communicate in advance such the park management allocates you less demanding families to track.

Concerning the length of trek, the tour guides may not know the length of the trek since these apes keep roaming around the forest. These large apes live in higher altitude of about 2500 meters and this means, your trek can take about 2 to 8 hours and you have to be physically well and be prepared with adequate food and water. Though people don’t like long hike, those who encounter this get rewarded with stunning sceneries of the park and by the time you meet a huge silverback gorilla, that will be a magical encounter in your life. Given the fact that these species are wild animals what may seem easy to find may not necessarily be the case as they keep roaming looking for food and this may not guarantee a 100% to find and even those who choose to track the challenging groups may also track these apes easily and at the end of the day, the whole experience becomes unpredictable and amazing. If you are not sure of your fitness level, you are advised to hire a porter around the park which costs about $15 to $20. The porter will help you carry the heavy luggage and you only concentrate on looking for these charismatic creatures.

Gorilla trekking doesn’t come that cheaply, trekking permits in Uganda cost $600 per visitor and when you report at the park headquarters, on your trek, you will required to present your passport and gorilla permit for verification to certain if you are the right owner of the permit. This is a moment that you have to be really prepared with your packed lunch since the trekking time to see these primates in the wild is uncertain. You are advised to book your permit in advance at least four months before the actual trek.

What to wear

You will need rain jacket, waterproof hiking boots but they should be light weight, backpack, gardening gloves, rain pants, long socks, insect repellents, hat, sun glasses, water proof bag, snacks and bottle of drinking water.

Each gorilla trekking group is assigned tour guide and escorts who carry AK-47 guns, one will be in front and one behind. This shouldn’t scare much because this is for your safety in the forest against forest elephants or irritated gorillas. These guards are well trained to scare shot but it rarely happens in the gorilla habitat. There will also be a group of trackers who are always sent to the forest early in the morning to ascertain where the gorillas are found before the next group of visitors is set off to track them.

While with the mountain gorilla in the wild, you have only one hour to explore the behavior of these beautiful apes. You will be required to maintain a distance of about 7 to 8 meters while on a face to face encounter with gorillas. It is not bad for you to stare at these apes directly but the challenge comes in when they become irritated, here you need to stand still but lower your eyes to show that you have submissive. Photographing these apes is everyone’s dream but flash cameras are not recommended and if you happen to have one, it is advisable that you turn off the flashlight while taking your photos. Gorilla trek involves hiking through thick tropical rain forests and steep slopes but there are trackers to help you clear the vegetation using their machetes and the process will also make up part of your experience.

In conclusion, gorilla trekking has become one of the most sought after and breathtaking adventure. For visitors who are planning to par take this life changing adventure, you need to be physically fit to be able to hike through the jungles and steep slopes of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Top Tourist Attractions In Uganda

Uganda is known to be a country with wildlife natural beauties and most of the major attractions that are included on a traveler’s bucket list are natural wonders and resources and historical sites. Here are the top attractions in Uganda every traveler should encounter while a Uganda tour.

The mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable and Mgahinga gorilla national parks

Mountain gorillas are known to be one of the most sought after wildlife in the whole of Africa. Many people come to Africa to watch these amazing animals in their natural setting. Uganda is one those lucky places to have been embraced with these huge primates. These animals are endangered species and are put in the red list of International Union of Conservation for Nature (IUCN) and Uganda has half of the world’s population of the mountain gorillas which is 420 out of the 900 individual. This makes the pearl of Africa to rank as the best destination for gorilla safaris in Africa and the world at large. These are huge apes inhabit in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park both located in kigezi region southwest of Uganda. Interacting and coming close with the mountain gorillas is an exhilarating experience that can never be forgotten in one’s life.

Kampala city tour

Kampala city is not the biggest and commercial city of Uganda but also a top attraction. This wonderful city boosts historical, cultural and religious sites which include Kabaka’s palace and lake, Namugongo shrine, Namirembe cathedral, Gadaffi mosque, Bahai temple and Kasubi tombs amongst the special. The latter give visitors an insight of some of Uganda’s rich history. It also has fine Asian architectural marvels that are a beauty to watch as a visitor rides around. Kampala also has fine restaurants to dine in, hangout places like pubs and discotheques to blow someone’s mind off and also those who love window shopping there a chain of exquisite shopping malls and market placed.

The source of the Nile in Jinja

This is one of the most popular tourist sites in Uganda. There isn’t much about the source of the Nile but the history about it is worth to listen to and also the boat ride on river Nile is a breathtaking one. In Jinja, the Nile the longest river in the world bolsters lots of features that support tourism activities. It has very nice elevated cliffs that are used for bungee jumping and also has Itanda falls one of the most powerful falls in the world which harbors the most dreadful white rafting grade the 6^th grade. Still at the source of the Nile, a traveler has an opportunity to taste one of the most delicious and hugest fish type the Nile perch at one of the resorts.

Hike on top of Murchison falls

Here the Nile, the longest river in the world, is forced through a narrow gap in the rock (only 7 meters wide), before ferociously plunging down 43 meters into Victoria Nile basin. The rainbow water that sprinkles back looks so wonderful. This is also an ideal place for taking some nice pictures that can be posted on social media like facebook, instagram, snapchat, twitter and google plus among others.

Chimpanzees in Kibale forest

Kibale national park is known to be with the highest concentration of chimpanzees in Africa. Coming up-close with the chimpanzees is one of the most electric moment a traveler can ever have in his/her life. Chimpanzees are the closest relatives of mankind in the animal kingdom with 98.8% DNA. These small primates are so intelligent and some of the intelligence is evidenced with their ability to use tools like sticks and stones in the jungle to gather food, protection and also shelter. Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda is always a lifetime experience.

Tree climbing lions at the Ishasha sector in Queen Elizabeth national park

Lions are always fun to watch in their natural setting as these amazing creatures are so bossy, majestic and act like royals with predatory antics in the jungle. This is why they are called the kings of the jungle. Finding lions on top of the tree branches is very rare to encounter but at the Ishasha sector in Queen Elizabeth, lions always rest on fig tree branches to get rid of satisfaction after a successful hunt of prey.

The big five African animals

During the hunting age, there were five animals that were so hard to hunt down in the jungle and these were the lions, leopards, buffalos, elephants and the rhinos. Uganda is one of the safari destinations with these powerful animals. These animals are found in national park like Queen Elizabeth national park, Murchison falls national park and Kidepo national park other than the rhinos which are only found in Zziwa rhino sanctuary. Many travelers always embark on game drive in these national parks in search of these animals.

The watching the elusive shoebill

Uganda is the best birding site in the whole of Africa. It has over 1065 species of birds and over 35 species are endemic to the country. The elusive shoebill is the one of the most sought after birds in the world and it is every birders dream to lay a sight on the majestic bird. This bird can only be found in Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Sudan but Uganda is the best place to watch this bird since it has the highest concentration of it. The elusive shoebill can be watch in Mabamba birding site, Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls national parks.

Boat ride at Kazinga channel Queen Elizabeth national park

The unique 2-hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel and into Lake Edward is one of a kind. This trip passes through possibly the highest concentration of Hippos and many animals may be seen drinking at the water’s edge. This launch cruise offers an excellent platform for photography, bird watching and game viewing, ideal for the Uganda safari. The prolific bird life is colorful and stupendous with well over 550 resident species.

Amabere caves

Situated in fort portal municipality, Amabere caves are one of the most intriguing tourist sites in Uganda due to the breast like features in the caves and the rich history of the place. While at Amabere, there is also hiking up to see the two magnificent crater lakes at the top of the dormant volcanic

Untamed Wilderness Of The Kidepo Valley National Park

Located in the North Eastern region of Uganda, the Kidepo National park is an eminent conservation area sheltering over 80 species of mammals and numerous birds. The park was condoned off for game conservation in 1962 and grows parallel with the nation. Kidepo valley national park lies in rather the remote Karamoja region, Uganda’s semi-arid region that’s just about 700km from the bustle of Kampala. Karamoja is Uganda’s best kept secret and treasure chest as it holds years after the colonization, the region has remained pure and unadulterated preserving its rich cultural heritage.

This conservation area derives its name from the Kidepo River. This seasonal river is often a lifeline for animals during the wet season as they congregate to drink water and catch the predators look to get their next prey. “Kidepo”; in the local dialect of the Karimojong, Kidepo literally means ‘to pick’. Before the park was gazetted, the Karimojong used to come to the riverbanks to collect fruits. The banks favour the growth of tall coconut and palm trees that bear exceptional fruits.

The Kidepo Valley National Park today plays host to a variety of flora and fauna. While taking a wildlife tour in Uganda, a stop at the Kidepo allows you to catch a glimpse of the unique striped hyena, cheetah, hunting dog, bat-eared fox, aardwolf and caracal. It also offers you the opportunity to view elephants, bush pigs, warthog, eland, Rothschild giraffe, Burch ell’s zebra, reed buck, and Oribi. The king of jungle can also be spotted chilling on the rocks within kidepo’s undulating plains.

More fascinating about the beautiful wilderness of the Kidepo, it is a true birder’s haven; the best birding safaris in Uganda are conducted here with over 475 bird species and second to only Queen Elizabeth National Park in the number of host birds. The presence of the most sought after rare bird species make this park an interesting birding paradise; these include the Apallis and Black breasted Barbet found which are found here coincidentally with Abyssinian roller, Abyssinian scimitarbill, Black-breasted barbet, Carmine bee-eater, Chestnut weaver, D’Arnaud’s barbet, Fox kestrel and Golden Pipi. The prominent birders that visit Uganda look out for the famous ostrich in this park. This bird runs faster than any horse alive and offers a breathtaking sight as it’s the only place in Uganda where one can sight an ostrich in their natural habitats. Birding excursions in Kidepo Valley National Park can be done all year round however March to April offers the best time to see a variety including the migratory birds.

Cultural encounters in Kidepo valley national park

Nothing quite compares to the Pearl of Africa cultural tour experience with the Karamojong. They live in homesteads known as manyattas. Manyattas can be described as small hunt villages housing a particular country and clan. As the boys become men, they move into their own huts. The men are also required to wrestle the lady they wish to marry; and if he becomes victorious he is allowed to go ahead with the marriage but if unfortunate he becomes a disgrace and is asked to leave. Karimojong are also described by splendid art ranging from their hats and sculptures. They are nomadic pastoralists and worship there cattle. Today when planning a Uganda Safari Encounter, plan to include a cultural tour with the Karimojong as they reach for the skies during their interesting traditional dance.