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Top Best Gorilla Parks to Go Gorilla Trekking
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Top Best Gorilla Parks to Go Gorilla Trekking

Top Best Gorilla Parks to Go Gorilla Trekking

Wondering  Where to go Gorilla Trekking in Africa? Discover the most incredible parks where to see mountain gorillas and unforgettable gorilla trekking tours.
Where To Go Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda and Uganda? The most debatable question that has kept lingering in the minds of tourists today is where to go gorilla trekking? It is the right of a traveller to be offered a quality product that highly gains them the value for their money and leaves them with that pure imagination of adventure experience in a lifetime.
The critically endangered species the mountain Gorillas are estimated to be about 1063 individuals still surviving and are only found in three countries of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Top National Parks Where to Go Gorilla Trekking

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Uganda
Located in Southwestern Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the best places to go gorilla trekking in Uganda. This impenetrable forest is a World Heritage Site thanks to its remarkably diverse ecosystem with hundreds of rare animal, birds and plant species found nowhere else on Earth.
Gorilla trekking experiences in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are led by experienced park rangers and provide a unique chance to witness these gentle giants up close.

Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.

Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is another home to the critically endangered Mountain Gorillas, consisting of different gorilla groups living in the dense tropical forests on the slopes of the Virunga Mountains. Trekking through these mountain jungles is an incredible experience and is sure to be a highlight of your Rwanda safari tour

Virunga National Park, Congo.
Virunga National Park is home to some of Africa’s last remaining Mountain Gorillas and lowland gorillas, making it a unique and special destination where to go gorilla trekking in Africa.
Set against the stunning backdrop of the Rift Valley Mountains and amidst lush rainforest, Virunga national park provides visitors with an unforgettable African experience. Embark on a magical trek through the mountains with experienced gorilla guides, who will lead you safely up to the mountain gorillas in their natural settings.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is smallest park where to go gorilla trekking in Uganda. Besides its size, Mgahinga is a stunning natural beauty that offers a range of adventures such as gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking and captivating cultural experiences. There are over 350 bird species living in Mgahinga, making it a wildlife paradise like no other in Uganda. Gorilla trekking tours here provide not only an up close and personal experience with our closest relatives, but also insight into the vibrant culture of the region and an unforgettable safari adventure.
Uganda and Rwanda offer a higher population of the mountain gorillas due to years of stability serenity. This means that nature is kept peaceful as habitats for the high-quality range of wildlife products are maintained stable to offer pure adventure experience that is inspirational and emotional in life.
The spark of this experience in the senses of the traveler is worth sharing! Unlike on the side of the Congo forest where insecurity has driven away the endangered species passed borders.
Mountain gorillas are great African Apes enlisted as endangered species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red Data Book hence environmental effort is highly observed by conservation authorities to protect these goldmine species for the client’s current and future satisfaction.
Uganda offers half of the population of the mountain gorillas and they are inhabited in Bwindi Impenetrable Conservation Area (BICA) while a larger portion also remains in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Because of insecurity in the Democratic Republic of Congo, tourists can go for gorilla trekking either in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP), Mgahinga Gorilla National park or in the Volcanoes National Park.
However, it has been discovered that some clients have tracked mountain gorillas in both national parks and often try to compare them in terms of quality of experience provided and the value for their money for the product they paid for. Comparing the two national parks is ideally good but it feels amazing when the client participates in person on gorilla trekking in one or two of the parks.
The comparison between Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the Volcanoes National Park is based on the distance and accessibility of the National Park, tourist pre-tracking experience, the price of gorilla permits, the accommodation facilities around the park, gorilla experience and the people around the two National Parks.

Best Gorilla Trekking Tours you can Book;

 

best time to visit Uganda
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What is the best time to visit Uganda?

Uganda is a destination that can be visited all year round but also depends on what you are going to do on your Uganda Safari adventure.
Uganda lies on the equator and has a warm sub-tropical climate, day time temperatures average between 25 and 29c, night time temperatures frequently drop below 20c offering a nice reprieve on hot days.

Uganda is a fast-growing African safari destination that’s lately getting significant attention from the leisure travel world. Equatorial Uganda has a pleasantly warm and tropical climate with significant seasonal variations.

There are wetter months that make certain plans and activities difficult which need prior planning before you come to Uganda.
The other factor making Uganda a better travel destination throughout the year is Lake Victoria and its unique weather patterns.

Uganda has mainly two rainy seasons normally the long season which starts from mid-March to the end of May and the short season which starts from October to November.
The average temperatures of Uganda are 21.5C and 71 C and these also drop at night time to around 54 F which affects the altitude.
Rainfall in Uganda ranges between 1000-2000 mm every year. However, throughout the year the skies in Uganda are clear which makes it the best safari destination for your perfect Uganda holidays.

Also, the climatic changes have brought about changes in the weather patterns hence making it hard to predict the best travel times to Uganda.
Therefore, the best times of the year when you should visit Uganda are in the dry months of June, July, August, September as well as January and February. Like the rest of Africa, It’s important to put it in mind that the country has two dry seasons and two wet seasons. Each of these seasons has its own charm and offers visitors a unique experience of the natural beauty of the country.
Another factor in planning your vacation is the particular tours and safari activities you wish to participate in.

Most travellers choose to travel from May to September and February since in these months the amount of rainfall has reduced and it is sunny in most destinations.
December is one of the busiest months of the year for both international and domestic tourists. This is the month of festival seasons so the majority of the people are getting their holidays and honeymoons hence making many tourist destinations busy.

It is advisable to book your accommodations and activities on time to avoid disappointments.
Visiting in low seasons is also ok for many tourists since accommodations are cheap and not Congested, and the transport wages are not too high as compared to high seasons. Visiting in this season also means that you will enjoy the jungle and its attractions with relatively low crowds.
February and September are also recommended months for a safari vacation in Uganda since there are few travellers coming and the lodges are not fully booked compared to the high seasons.

The rainy season: The rainy season affects people’s travels but doesn’t mean that they don’t travel. They travel because the season is also combined with rainfall and sunshine. This means the sun comes out immediately after the rain stops, the tourist activities like game drives, nature walks, and boat cruises among others are able to be carried out without any disturbances.
Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking tours can as well go on during the rainy season and the National parks are fully in operation.
Also, during the rainy season also known as the low season, the lodges reduce prices to attract more travellers to book with them which is an added advantage. The gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits also are reduced to attract more visitors to Uganda.

The dry season: Uganda has got raised topography, which means that its climate is cool making it easy to plan your Uganda safari vacation all year round. However, if you are planning to come for your Uganda gorilla trekking tour, it’s important to notice the easiest trekking conditions despite the low rates in the low seasons. So, this means the best time to come for gorilla trekking is during the two dry seasons of January and February and from June to September. Game viewing, hiking and nature walks in all National parks of Uganda are best done in the dry season from February and March, June to August and the beginning of September. This is because around this time, the wildlife species are concentrated around the water bodies within these parks.
Bird watching is also best carried out between November and April for the birders when the migratory birds are present in the country but can also be done throughout the year to enjoy their safaris in Uganda. Additionally, if you are thinking about visiting other National parks and game reserves in Uganda like Queen Elizabeth National park, Murchison Falls National park, and Lake Mburo National park you might want to choose the shorter dry season of January and February or the longer best dry season of June, July and August. The vegetation in these parks is sparse during this time of the year, locating wildlife is easier and the roads are less muddy making travelling to these areas less time-consuming.

However, if you are planning to visit the urban areas for a Kampala city and slum tour experience or Entebbe City tour, you will find the weather having minimal effect on your city tour activities and you can continue with your excursions at most times of the year.
In contrast to the rest of Uganda, Kidepo valley National park has one long dry season from July to February and one wet season from March to June. Each of these seasons offers a unique aspect of superb beauty of this region. In the dry season, most of the wildlife gathers near the watering holes of the Narus River valley system, making it easy to locate the animals during your game drive safaris. There are also great opportunities to see the seasonal Kidepo River flowing before it seems to disappear during the dry season.
Some key takeaways to note as you plan your next tour to Uganda;
Mountain gorillas tend to be on lower elevations during the wet seasons since they do not have to travel far looking for food while during the dry season, they traverse higher elevations in search of food. Temperature variations across the country depend on locations and altitudes. High land temperatures tend to be lower all through the year, with nighttime weather getting even cooler. Having your travels in the wet season is typically more economical than during the dry season.

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Guide to Filming Gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda & DR Congo

If you have ever been in Uganda, Rwanda or the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for mountain gorilla trekking, you realize that the one hour of magical encounter with the rare mountain gorillas was not enough for you to explore the behavior of these dramatic wild creatures and also capture some videos or take photos. With mountain gorilla filming which features as a new and extra ordinary experience, you certainly have a reason to hit on the African jungle to make your documentary or shoot a film with these most critically endangered apes while in their natural habitat.

If you are looking for this unique adventure, look no further than Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Southwestern Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Northwestern Rwanda and the Virunga National Park in Eastern DRC. There are fewer than 900 mountain gorillas that are still thriving in the entire world and only found within the jungles of Uganda, Rwanda and DRC.

When it comes to gorilla filming adventures, Rwanda and Uganda should not miss out in your itinerary. Uganda is credited with about 60% representing half of all the mountain gorillas that live on earth while Rwanda and DRC share the remaining percentage. Due to the huge numbers of these endangered species that are confined in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda is exceptionally a must to visit destination for mountain gorilla filming in Africa. In addition, there over 12 habituated gorilla groups in Uganda this also gives it an upper hand for you to shoot your film.

For tourists who are willing to par take this exceptional experience, Uganda Wildlife Authority a government organ that is responsible for the conservation and protection of all the 10 national parks in Uganda and the rest of tourism activities, encourages you to secure your gorilla trekking permit or filming permit from their offices which will allow you to go to shoot video of these charismatic creatures in the park. The cost of filming permit in Uganda is $4200 for each day. Rwanda which features 10 habituated gorilla groups sells gorilla filming permits at $5000 and $2000 for security although you can get back $2000 at the end of the trip especially when you give copies of the film to Rwanda Development Board. Like Rwanda, you will also be required to give a copy to Uganda Wildlife Authority.

The cost of gorilla filming permit comprises of the application fees filming permits though still you will incur an extra cost when it comes to clearing your filming equipment, accommodation and transport. The film crew’s members, TV production and the rest of companies’ filming in Uganda and Rwanda are required to reserve their filming tickets about six months earlier. As well, you also reminded that local clearing agents are available to help you clear your filming gear in Uganda at Entebbe International Airport and in Rwanda at Kigali International Airport customs.

Among other requirements that you will be told to present include the filming equipment or kit procedure. That perfect equipment that you feel can shoot the best film may not be in Uganda and tourists are advised to import for perfect video, clips, pictures or photos. This can be cleared at Entebbe International Airport or Busia border. The item name, value, country of origin, serial number, bar code, the weight is some of the basics needed in the process of clearing.

If you are planning for this experience, you will also need filming media cards and your name, organization, purpose of visit, intended days, scanned copy of your passport, passport photo, origin, birth place, home address that are useful in making the cards are vital and such details will be obtained from you.
You will also need logistical support and flexibility which means you will need that reliable and trust worth tour operator to help you book for you the filming permit, translators, accommodation and many more things that you not have knowledge in the destination.

In conclusion, gorilla filming is intended to market and boost protection of the critically endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC. This means televisions, radios, film makers or documentary productions or photographers are always part of this experience and your tour operator will help you organize that safari to any mountain gorilla destination in Africa.

Mountain Gorilla trekking in Africa
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What You Need to Know about Gorilla Tracking in Africa?

Gorilla tracking is exceptionally one of the most sought after adventures by most trekkers on a safari to Africa. An encounter with these dramatic apes in the wild is such a magical experience that you won’t get anywhere in the world except only in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Southwestern Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Northwest Rwanda and the Virunga National Park in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Mountain gorilla adventure is all about hiking through Africa’s thick forests, a few of which still remain in this continent that offer refuge to these critically endangered species. Usually, a team of conservation trackers are sent to the field to ascertain the location of these species before tourists are set off for their trek. This is intended in making visitor work simpler while in the forest.

Like any wild primate, these creatures also roam around the forest in search for food which prompts tourists to also move to trace where they can be in the course of the day and this requires some physical fitness in you. For that matter, you need to be prepared for this fascinating adventure in that you will need enough bottled water, hiking books that are light weight, long sleeved shirts, rain jackets, gardening gloves, walking stick, porter to help you carry the heavy load and other equipment that can facilitate your hiking adventure in the jungle. You are required to follow the rules and regulations for gorilla trekking so as to have a memorial experience in the forest some of these dos and don’ts will be explained later.

However, gorilla trekking is at a boom in Uganda and Rwanda due to the peace and stability that the two destinations have enjoyed for years compared to the DRC which is still recovering from the instabilities. In the entire world, there are fewer than 900 rare mountain gorillas left, half of which can be sighted in the jungles of Uganda while the rest of the population is shared between Rwanda and DRC.

Gorilla permits

Gorilla trekking permit is a must to have when it comes to tracking these endangered species while in their natural habitat. That said, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), a government organ that is in charge Uganda’s national parks and the rest of tourism like attractions, issues gorilla trekking permits at $700 per visitor per day for foreign non resident, $600 for foreign residents and shs.250000 for East African residents. For visitors who are interested in extending their stay in the country, they can engage in Gorilla Habituation Experience which in done only in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and it costs $1500. This allows such a visitor to strike his or her imaginations with these apes for about four hours while in the wild.

For those who are interested in visiting the Rwanda Volcanoes National Park for gorilla tracking, the permits are obtainable at $1500 per person and if you are willing to book for an entire gorilla group you pay $15000 which is termed as “exclusive” experience. This extra-ordinary experience also comes with exclusive tour guide services. For visitors whose interest is tracking the mountain gorillas in the Virunga National Park in DRC, permits are obtainable at $400. Your gorilla permits is a very important document when it comes to tracking mountain gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo. It allows you to be assigned one habituated gorilla family while in the destination. Obtaining a gorilla permit is done in two ways, one is through the local tour operator in a destination and this has been rated as the fastest. The other is through government agency responsible for conserving national parks and other tourism resources in Uganda you can book through Uganda Wildlife Authority; in Rwanda it is the Rwanda Development Board offices.

Interested visitors are therefore encouraged to plan their gorilla safaris in advance prior traveling to the destination for the actual trek. You need to contact the local tour operator earlier enough to help book for you the permit at least 4 to 6 months in advance. This will help you to find out the availability of gorilla permits and the speculated dates that you feel are convenient for you to go for gorilla trekking. The tour operator in a destination can also help you book for accommodation facility in park and your work will just be traveling because all the stress has been reduced by the local tour operator.

The best time to go for gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking adventures are undeniably the most sought after adventures in the world but also the most debatable. Most travelers who are planning their safaris to Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC for mountain gorilla trekking have been left with or with no clear picture of when it is best to visit the destination for this lifetime experience. Gorilla trekking is regarded as an all year round adventure however, for interested travelers, tracking these spectacular apes in the wild is best done during the dry season in any gorilla destination but this doesn’t mean that there is no tracking the rare mountain gorillas during the wet season! The dry season also known as the high season for gorilla trekking starts from the month of June to September and from December to February and this characterized by less rainfall amount and most importantly, tracking the mountain gorillas during this season simpler since the habitat is kept drier and the hiking through the terrain and thick vegetation is easier. Unlike the rainy season which is also termed as the low season, tracking the mountain gorillas in the wild tends to be strenuous especially where the habitat can be muddy and slippery making it a big challenge for trekkers to hike through the thick forest and the steep slopes. The advantage with the low season is that, some destinations offer discounted permits for instance in Uganda at $450 and DRC at around $200 in the month of April, May and November. However, due to unpredictable weather pattern, expect rains at any time whether it is a dry season or the wet season.

Where to go for gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking is usually conducted in habituated gorilla families. In Uganda, there are 12 habituated groups that have been set for both gorilla trekking and research. Depending on where your permit will direct you, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has 4 main tracking trails which include Buhoma sector in the North which features 3 gorilla families (Habinyanja, Mubare and Rushegura), Ruhija Sector in the East that features 2 families (Oruzogo, Bitukura, Kyaguriro), in the south-Rushaga (Kahungye, Busingye, Nshongi, Mishaya, Bweza) and Nkuringo sector that includes the Nkuringo gorilla group and Nyakagezi Group in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. In Rwanda, you will track one of the following groups- Susa A group, the Susa B, Ugenda, Sabyinyo, Kwitonda, Umubano, Amahoro, Group 13, Bwenge and Hirwa. The challenge with gorilla trekking is choosing which gorilla group is less strenuous and of which this is where the interest of the many trekkers and yet it is not easy to guarantee especially for Uganda or even Rwanda.

Rules and regulations for gorilla trekking

These are guidelines to make you have the best experience while in the destination with the rare mountain gorillas, they include;

– Do not leave litter in the park

– Strictly eight (8) tourists are allowed to track one habituated gorilla family each day

– You are advised to always clean your hands prior going to the forest to track the mountain gorillas

– Always keep the voice low while with the gorillas but where need to ask a question feel free and the guide will be there to explain to you

– Keep a distance of 8 meters away from the gorillas at all times

– You are allowed only one hour to be with the group of gorillas

– Do not smoke, eat or drink while you are close to the mountain gorillas

– When the gorillas charge against you, avoid eye contact with the gorillas or simply bow down to show sign of submission and always follow the guide’s instructions.

– While taking photos, flashlights are not allowed and for those with flashlight cameras, please turn off the flashlights while taking photos

– Avoid body contact with the gorillas

How you can know about your gorilla group

There will be tour guides and trackers to accompany you for the trek and while in the forest you are supposed to follow the trail where need be the guide will clear path for you. You will therefore search for the gorilla nesting sites while hiking through the forest. Once you approach the gorillas, your guide will let you know when to set your cameras for photo taking.

In conclusion, gorilla trekking is one of the most strenuous and exhilarating experiences that require you to be physically well. Besides tracking the mountain gorillas, you can also track the lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park whose experience is also captivating.