Gorilla Trekking Uganda from Germany

A gorilla trekking Uganda from Germany experience could be done just like any other tour experience in the Pearl of Africa. All tours that involve an encounter with the endangered mountain gorillas of Uganda occur in the wild. This is an experience where one has to track a habituated gorilla family with the guidance of a ranger. Inside the forest, gorillas form part of the numerous wildlife species that reside there. Other wildlife to see include chimpanzees, monkeys, giant forest hogs, bush elephants, forest buffaloes and a lot of species of birds.

Where to do a gorilla trek?

Gorilla trekking Uganda from Germany is done in 2 destinations, that also happen to be national parks. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park of 331 square kilometers and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park of 33.7 square kilometers. Both of these are forested ecosystems, and found in the southwestern part of Uganda. Combined, a half of the total population of mountain gorillas worldwide live here. This has obviously solidified Uganda’s position as a premier gorilla trekking destination on a global scale. The country is among the best places where to see gorillas.

Cost of a gorilla Permit?

Gorilla trekking Uganda from Germany is done only if you purchase a permit, issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority. The latter offers each permit for a German at $800 per person. However, 3 more categories of visitors exist when it comes to gorilla trekking. They include foreign residents, Rest of Africa and East African Community citizens. All Foreign Residents get their permit at $700 per person, while Rest of Africa need to pay $500 per person. Citizens from the East African Community need only UGX 300,000 for each permit.

However, in the low season, permits offered by Uganda Wildlife Authority cost quite less. Foreign nonresidents need to pay only $600 per person while every single foreign resident is charged only $500. This applies in April, May and November. To buy a permit, reduce the hassles and disappointments through a reputable tour operator. We exist to help in issues like this. You just need to contact us to get clarity of the steps involved in acquisition of a permit from UWA. It is also important to know that purchase of the permits is only through reputable tour operators.

How to do a gorilla trek?

Once you get the permit, the rest seems much easier than if you did not. In the morning after you present your permit at the park entrance, head to the trailhead. While there, the park staff that also include ranger guides and armed rangers meet and offer sufficient information on how to move in the forest. This is done in a very short session. These gorilla trekking tips make the adventure much more fun because your safety is guaranteed if you follow them. Now at around 8:00 a.m. the ranger guide leads you to search for a habituated gorilla family.

Once this family is finally seen, the rangers signal for you to stop, and observe the gorillas quietly. Their behavior in the wild is raw, and you expect to see them forage, play, mate, groom or climb a tree etc. To capture the gorillas in photos, wait for instructions from the rangers, because flashes could make them perceive something like a threat to them. Then, after an hour in the presence of this family, walk back to the start for debriefing. An award in form of a certificate is offered as you end your gorilla trek.

How to travel to Bwindi and Mgahinga?

Transportation to the gorilla destinations is either by road or air. If you love a scenic trip to southwestern Uganda, drive for roughly 500 kilometers to either destination. A 4X4 safari car is preferred because of their capabilities to drive on rugged terrain. But each drive from Kampala to either destination takes between 10-11 hours. Therefore, air transport might just work for some people who prefer to arrive much sooner than this. AeroLink Uganda at the moment operates domestic flights, scheduled daily to various national parks.

All flights to Mgahinga or Bwindi from Entebbe International Airport go to the nearest airstrips, Kihihi and Kisoro only. The duration taken with opportunities for aerial views is only 1 hour and 15 minutes. Regardless of their proximity to the national parks, your transportation is completed by road from the airstrip. Less than 2 hours is spent before you arrive at either park. This is achieved by picking up from your lodge or us. We urge you to relax because coordination of your travel experience is done seamlessly by our capable staff.

What is the Minimum Age of Gorilla Trekking?

Gorilla trekking Uganda from Germany is done by only persons aged 15 and above. You might wonder why this is so! There is a common consensus that children below this age create risky situations while on an intense activity such as this. For example, they might ignore some if not all the gorilla trekking rules. This might cause harm to themselves and the gorillas, since the latter are wild creatures that are so unpredictable in nature. Children can also wander off or make noise to disturb the peace of the forest wildlife.