Where to See Mountain Gorillas

Mountain Gorilla trekking is done in Uganda and Rwanda plus few treks in Congo –Democratic Republic of Congo .Mountain Gorilla trekking is a unique adventure experience that you can do if you love traveling. Uganda is blessed with naturalforests that form natural habitat for these gentle giants of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga National Park. All these parks are famous formountain gorilla trekking in Uganda.

Thus to see mountain gorillas will be visting these parks in Uganda. In order to have a secure gorilla treking will need to book a gorilla trekking permit with tour operator like Travel Hemispheres who have arranged mountain gorilla trekking safaris for the last 20 years with Fred Bukenya a tour consultant. Also can trekk and see mountain gorillas in Rwanda at Park De volcanoes National Park and also to a limited extent in Congo because of insecurity and trekking of mountain gorillas is done at less extent. Gorilla terkking and seeing is done inside the parks in their natura habbitat . Thus will need permit to enter the park . Permision is given when you pay or buy a gorilla trekking permit issued by the park authorities in Uganda or Rwanda, In Uganda , a permit cost US $ 700 while in Rwanda a permit cost US $ 1500 per visist on single day. If you haven’t already booked your tour ahead of time, flying into the capital city of Kampala, Please email us at Travel Hemispheres we shall do it for you. Our email is : info@travelhemispheres.com you’ll be able to find plenty of tour options from our site: www.travelhemispheres.com that would love to do with us. Remember that a permit is needed so it is better if you purchase a tour as soon as possible so is the gorilla trekking permit can be acquired also in time (gorilla permits do run out as there are a limited number of permits available- first come first serve basis) Every visitor coming to Uganda would wish to get into contact with these gentle giants moreover our distant cousins( over 98$ DNA). Uganda should treats gorilla tracking as the pinnacle of the tourism industry in the country. Seeing and trekking mountain gorillas continue attracting more numbers of tourist visiting the country Uganda the Pearl Of Africa which has celebrated her 61st Independence from the colonial Master the British. This has increased passes tourist coming from UK to see these gentle giants of Bwindi.

What is Gorilla Trekking Experience

Gorilla trekking started in 1993 in Uganda at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Then the company I was working for was the first to arrange clients to go and trek mountain gorillas of Bwindi national park. Gorilla trekking as requirement you need a gorilla permit and in Uganda a permit today cost US$700.00. You need to have slept near as trekking and briefing start at 8.00am form park offices. Originally gorilla trekking started from Buhoma where the original park offices were established to oversee all activities going in the park. Today the park has many points of starting from as many gorilla family groups have been habituated to allow many tourists in single day to trek mountain gorillas in their natural habitat of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park. Other than Buhoma , Ruhija, Rushaga, Kisoro, Nshongi Have been established and are starting points for gorilla trekking safaris. What is gorilla trekking experience? Gorilla trekking involves walking and hiking hills and valleys of the Bwindi terrain that make Bwindi park as you follow the foot steps of gorillas in their natural habitat with park rangers. Gorillas live in family groups and after each day’s work and feeding they make nests where they will sleep and spend the night. By following them it means that will first reach where they slept and then follow their footsteps as the feed until you come close to them. Usually you are allowed to leave few meters away from them and are give 1 hour to watch them as the feed and juveniles play while the Sliverback is taking a close watch on the new comers if you are likely to cause any harm of if your friendly. You are allowed to take photos and record videos but do not use flash cameras as flash my disrupt the peace of gorillas and tempt them to behave differently. Bwindi is dense tropical forest with different canopies and with lots of undergrowth. Hence impenetrable forest. Just for fun I remember in our course of arranging gorilla trekking expeditions then , some tourists would ask us if they can carry torches in their packaging to help them again in daylight to enter into Bwindi impenetrable forest and then there torches would help them to provide the flash lighting in order to recognized and see properly mountain gorillas in their habitat . However we allayed their fears that by being impenetrable meant that there were thick undergrowth that makes it impenetrable and did not need light but some tools like pangas , slashers to create way so that you can easily reach where gorillas are foraging at that particular day and spend an hour to have nice views while taking snaps video taking photo shooting. So Bwindi Forest by Nature has got many canopies that will not allow sunlight easily penetrate to reach the ground where mountain gorillas could be. Iworked for the company which arranged 1st gorilla trekking safaris at Buhoma Bwindi in 1993. after i ccme up with Travel Hemispheres Uganda safari company. Travel Hemispheres started in 2004 and we have lots of experiennce to handle you let it be budget, mid range, upmarket or luxury safaris .Our niche in safari arrangement experience is unsurpassed

How to do Gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda

 

Gorilla trekking in Uganda  is and Incredible experience. You need to arrange tour with us - Travel Hemispheres Uganda Safari company and we arrange for you a best safari holiday with us. Uganda safaris combine as many  as you may think that it is just a walking, driving, trekking, name it. . But gorilla trekking is carried out in an impenetrable forest of Bwindi forest that has existed for thousand years and is among the African tropical forests that are still intact and exist in south western  Uganda as a country. You will be trekking hills up and down as the topography  of the area is hilly and  with wide valleys . The day begins with briefing from rangers post or park headquarters. The assembling will be  composed of rangers to guide you, trackers and guides. Also strong Bakiga men who work as porters whom individual trackers will hire their services to  help them carry their back packs and even can support you to give you push if will get tired before getting out of the forest.   Will also need good walking shoes  and a jacket call it rain coat as rain may not be ruled out on every day while still deep in the forest. At times this real African rain forest because you may not miss rain almost on daily basis what a blessing. Gorilla trekking takes place under the canopies of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park.

View Golden Monkeys at Mgahinga park in Uganda

 

 

Uganda is ranked among the best wildlife safari destinations in African safaris offered by many African countries. Mgahinga Gorilla national park does not only offer mountain gorilla trekking but also offer Golden Monkeys trekking a rare activity in Africa. Golden Monkeys are fascinating creatures and stay together with mountain gorillas in this park. In Uganda Golden Monkeys are viewed here only. https://www.travelhemispheres.com/uganda/mgahinga-gorilla-national-park.html. Apart from this will enjoy viewing volcanic views of volcanic mountains of Muhavura, Sabinyo and Mt Gahinga. Also will get to know or do Batwa trail giving you an experience of batwa people and their lifestyle.

 

Travel Hemispheres offer many safari packages   of different tastes and Mountain Gorilla trekking is the gist of Uganda safaris and tours taking place in Uganda. will enjoy over 12 species of primates in Uganda viewd at different parks. Chimpanzees ranked second to Mountain Gorillas in viewership. Will experience walking safaris in primates parks and will carryout game drives in wildllife national parks viewing the Big five lion, elephant, buffalo, rhinos,  and many more. Uganda offer variety of attractions- mountain trekking of the Rwenzoris, Mount Elgon, all give special mountain climbing challanges.

 

When is the best time to trek mountain gorillas in Uganda?

The best time to trek Mountain gorilla in Uganda all depends at time  you would wish to  have your holiday. Mountain gorilla trekking takes place throughout the year around .  In Uganda and Rwanda we experience 2 rainy seasons and  may be it’s the time your can postpone gorilla trekking. The months of June July and August are  dry seasons . Also the months of January and February  experience less rains.  June, July August and September receive less rains and are the best to to track and book gorilla safari with : https://www.travelhemispheres.com  .All these months are good for mountain gorilla trekking experience.

During  the  dry season months of  January , February, June, July- and  August   usually receive many tourists wanting to track mountain gorillas. Its advisable to book early some good months before your trekking date  because at timed gorilla permits on some days get sold out before. Its better you book in time and avoid disappointments  or missing out.

Other months of the year gorilla trekking also takes place but this time there is less traffic of people trekking. May be its better to book during this months as will be assured of  gorilla permit availability and congestion is limited while trekking . Bwindi offer the best gorilla trekking followed by Volcanoes park of Rwanda.

The months of months of  January , February, June, July- and  August   remain are the best time of the year even to visit other  national parks in the country when visibility is very good and have less overgrown bushes thus allowing viewing wildlife easily in the wild. Also animals tent to concentrate in one place for water, security and pasture and when other predator animals also will be closing on them for prey.

The best time to trek the gorillas in Uganda and ad Rwanda  the nearby countries that have the same activity  and DR Congo. Although in both counties, the activity is done all year round. But knowing the best time and the season would be of an advantage since it may help to cut the costs of the travelers like during the higher and the lower seasons where by some discount is offered to travelers during the lower seasons.

Uganda has  the best climate in East Africa  due to its location along the Equator and surrounded by the great water bodies like the mighty river Nile with its climatic changes. In Uganda, there are two seasons that’s the dry and the wet seasons of the year. The rainy seasons start from march to May and from October to November.

In Uganda,  climate is hot and wet  with cool  days regulated by diverse forests, Rivers lakes and altitude throughout the years. Temperature will always range from 20.5c to 28 degrees these results to variation in altitude. The rainfall received in Uganda ranges from 1000-2000 mm and it received throughout out the year causing changes in the climate and weather in the country thus making it difficult to predict th best times of the year to carry out the gorilla trekking exercise in Uganda.

 Uganda safaris can still be visited throughout the year but the most appropriate time to visit the gorillas in Bwindi and Mgahinga national park is from June. July, August and September and  there is reason to postpone your gorilla holiday trip due to weather issues. We usually advise our visitors to carry warm Jackets because evenings and nights during rainy seasons can be cold. , hiking shoes  are also good to carry  all these will help you to keep warm during rainy seasons.

 

What is a Mountain Gorilla Sliver Back ?

 What  is a Mountain Gorilla Sliver Back ?

Mountain gorillas differ from lowland gorillas (Western Gorillas). At first scientists thought there was no difference between these gorillas.  The sliver back  gorilla is from the  is Mature male mountain gorillas of about 12 years that have grown a sliver grey hair on its back. A saddle of grey hair grows on its back after attaining sexually maturity age. Gorillas are very social animals and each group call it a family may have 4 up 30 or 50 members headed by 1 sliver back mountain gorilla.  A such group will have a sliver back or two of them heading the family. Other members of the group may contain females who are wives to the sliver back thus sliver back gorillas are polygamous in nature. Others are Juveniles and infants. The dominant sliver back commands the family and gives protection and other young sliver backs take orders from the head. Orders may include the directions to take while searching for food and if threatened who should fight first . A silver back enjoys the center of attraction at any time in the group or family. The Sliver back gorilla take in-charge of the group. The gorilla family call it a gorilla group is equally answerable to the head gorilla called Sliver back.

Mature Mountain Gorilla Sliver Back

Mountain Gorilla Sliver Back

 This Sliver back prepare young male Juveniles  how to defend the group and leadership skills  and  incase the head is no long active mainly when it gets old , the young one who will take over. At times when sliver back gets misunderstanding with young sliver backs , will fight and chase the old Sliver back out of the family or get killed  after winning him.  Here is the time when the group breaks into other groups thus forming New Gorilla families and groups. People or tourists  who  carryout Mountain gorilla trekking safaris enjoy mostly the  presence of a Sliver back  leadership skills displayed and command showed in presence of new visitors who actually are human beings.. Missing encountering Sliver Back  when tracking mountain gorillas remain incomplete not until you visit again and encounter this forest Gentle Giant- the Mountain Gorilla Sliver Back of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.  

How Much is Gorilla tracking Permit?

 

How Much is Gorilla Permit?

One can ask himself or herself this question. What is a gorilla permit?  Before we get to know how much is gorilla permit cost , one need to know what is this gorilla permit all about?  A gorilla permit is paper print or virtual/card   document issued by Government body and  in Uganda by  Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and in Rwanda by ORTPN   authorizing the holder to visit the gorillas in the their natural habitat in this case in Uganda gorilla trekking or call it tracking takes place at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga National park. While in Rwanda gorilla tracking take place at Volcanoes National park and IN DRC Congo at Virunga National park.

Effective 1^st July 2020 a gorilla permit in Uganda will cost US $ 700. While in Rwanda the cost of Gorilla permit has been and is still costing US $ 1500. A gorilla permit is a one day visit to the gorillas . A gorilla permit is usually booked  and paid in advance say for some good months or a year before coming. This is done because gorilla permits at time are sold out and to avoid missing out on trekking mountain gorillas it better booking and paying for in advance. Travel  Hemispheres as a ground tour operator in Uganda , Rwanda and DRC Congo will help you to book and secure for  your gorilla trekking permit in time .

 

8 people are allowed to visit one gorilla family . Mature people are allowed to Trek gorillas  and minimum age is 15 years of age allowed to trek mountain gorillas. 1 hour is allowed to view and stay with gorillas  once gorillas are sited.  Trekking can take many or few hours and all depend on the family trekked. Remember gorillas move inside the parks and are not stationed in one place. Your guides  will help you to  lead all the way through until you are out of the forest back to your Lodge.

Covid19 lockdown a look into how to promote domestic tourism in Africa.

As we fight Covid 19 lockdown in Africa , we are yet to fight another  economic pandemic of no activity in tourism fraternity.  Africa will be experiencing financial problems revenue that used to be generated from tourism. Generally all tourism in Africa depends on foreign tourists who come from other continents mostly America and Europe.  These continents are being hit harder by Covid19 . What does this one mean it means that even their economies are facing difficulties and jobs are being lost.  People loosing jobs are potential tourists in Africa. For example in America it  is being speculated that only in fuel industry , about 6 million jobs have been lost  or affected.  Where does this one leave Africa. It means we shall be experiencing few  or little business of levels of inflows of tourists we were receiving in African safaris.

Here in Africa our tourism industry has been surviving on foreign tourists.  Now the future is unpredictable of the inflows. Many tours packages that were booked and confirmed are being called and few are being rescheduled. What does this one mean , it tells us that some hotels and lodges will go with empty rooms for quite some time and future is unpredictable. 

Tour and safari handlers call them tour operators  survive on commission what these tourist spend and the difference help tour operators to survive. Tour operators packages are all designed to attract foreign tourists. At any no time have tour operators targeted domestic tourism. 

Uganda countryside

Murchison falls in uganda

Its high time African  safari tourism stake holders meet and consolidate how to harness domestic tourism as we wait for the foreign tourism to come back in full swing. It’s the onus of Park /wildlife authorities call them those who look after national   parks come together with hotel and lodge owners and tour operators call them tour agents  meet and deliberate the way forward. Many countries have tourist boards that are in charge of marketing each country destination . Its high time to promote domestic tourism to fellow country men.