Gorilla trekking is available for tourists in two national parks in Uganda. Among these are the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the Mgahinga National Park. Still, most hikers enjoy passing through Bwindi since it has the highest population of mountain gorillas and has affordable, visually appealing hotel alternatives. However, as there are no appreciable variations in the cost of the trekking permit, a customer is free to hike in any park, no matter which is closest to them or where they are coming from.

Uganda has got two seasons and that is the low season and the high season also referred to rainy and dry season. During the months of march to May, there are always high rains and therefore the clients for trekking the mountain gorillas are always very few because of the conditions in the park. such as the sliding grounds in the jungle, very cold and rainy weather and so many others. However, the best time to do gorilla trekking in uganda is during the months of October to November, the rains are very limited and therefore this is sometimes referred to as a dry season.  These months attract a lot of clients who come for trekking in the jungle because the weather is always conducive and therefore there are limited number of accidents in the jungle while hiking in search for the gorilla families.

The cost of gorilla trekking permits in uganda  are at a fixed price so far of 700 dollars however recently Uganda Wildlife Authority raised the price by $100 which will be $800. This will start with effect on 1st July 2024. For someone who would like to secure himself or herself a gorilla permit, should do that both in low and high season because this time round there is no more discount on gorilla permits. However, the permits are sold very highly during the peak months and that is the months of January to February and then June to August. This is because the parks have a conducive climate together with the weather that enables the clients to do their trip well and take the pics clearly without any disturbance. More so, during these months, the jungle is not slippery it is rather very dry and hence enables the clients to perform their activities well without falling down because of the sliding surface.

Keep in mind that fear is transient, but regrets last a lifetime. Due to the challenging times and circumstances that make trekking challenging, many individuals are afraid to travel to any country where gorilla families reside.

The following are the factors that make trekking difficult.  

 The cost of gorilla trekking.

Going on a gorilla safari  in Uganda, you need a permit which costs $700, but going to Rwanda for a gorilla trekking safari, the permit  costs $1500.This increases people’s fear of the expensive gorilla permits. However, effect from 1^st July, 2024, trekking gorillas in Uganda will cost $800

Location of the mountain gorilla family.

It can be very difficult to allocate the mountain gorillas at times because they graze over such large regions. such as the Mubare, the Bwindi gorilla family Habinyanja, and numerous others. Thus, this occasionally makes it impossible for the clients to complete their gorilla trekking experience.

The time, year and season of trekking mountain gorillas.

Trekking with mountain gorillas is possible throughout the year in national parks. It is advised, therefore, that clients travel and hike from December to February or from June to September. This is because these are reliably dry months, which provide easier and more trouble-free climbing for tourists. For instance, they don’t slide  and fall in the bush while tracking gorillas or encounter bad weather when they visit volcanoes. Because the paths are constantly very dry, clients may move through the jungle without any problems.

The age limit of the mountain gorilla trekker.

In order to locate the gorilla families, the tour requires hiking, thus participants must be fit, responsible adults who are at least 15 years old. Youngsters under the age of fifteen are not allowed to go gorilla trekking since there’s a chance they could get lost or even faint. As such, this adds to the overall challenge of hiking with gorillas.

Fitness and the ability and health of gorilla trekkers.

People with health issues find it tough to trek because it takes hiking in order to see the primates. More so, it gets difficult for the elderly to climb up and traverse these primates since they have grown too big and their bones are too weak. Thus, in order to walk with gorillas, one must be physically strong, enthusiastic, and free of health issues in order to climb the mountain.

This is a very important aspect for clients to know what to wear when going for  gorilla trekking in  uganda and arrange prior to beginning their adventure through the park. You must always pack heavy jackets and sweaters to stay warm in the well-known frigid primate parks, particularly Bwindi. In contrast, the weather varies greatly amongst parks. It thus relies on the particular circumstances you have encountered there.

Below are the clothes to wear in the park depending on the weather.

• Water proof gumboots and shoes that will help you even move in the rainy time without feeling any water.
• Shirts which are long sleeved to help you from the itching leaves and the branches in the jungle.
• Trousers which are somehow lighter to give you freedom while moving and peace.
• Remember to carry rain coats and umbrellas.
• Remember to also carry gloves to help you from the thorns and the cutting grass in the jungle.

The rules and regulations of gorilla trekking.

Below are the rules and the regulations of trekking the mountain gorillas.

• Avoid mimicking the mountain gorillas while next to them.
• Avoid feeding the mountain gorillas.
• You should not put on the flash of the camera while taking the photos of the gorillas. This is because this scares them and hence end up getting angry and aggressive.
• Avoid throwing rubbish in the trekking area for the gorillas.
• Avoid coming next to the mountain gorillas because you might cause them a cold in case you have. These animals can quickly be attacked by diseases.
• You must keep a distance of over 7 meters far away from the mountain gorillas.
• Avoid overcrowding when you come next to the gorillas.
• Avoid making noise when you reach these gorillas. This is because this might make them angry and so aggressive hence making them to attack you.

As per now the gorilla sightings are not guaranteed.  Therefore, you have a task of hiking up into the jungle to trek yourself and look for the mountain gorilla families.

Finding the mountain gorillas is sometimes luck because they graze too far into the jungle. However, no one has ever failed to find them. If you fail to re allocate the gorillas, Uganda Wildlife Authority is ready to refund 50% of your money.

The truth of the fact is that gorilla trekking is a very impressive experience all-round the years since it happens throughout the year.  However, the biggest number of people who trek the gorillas is always in dry seasons because there are no incidences of accidents and falling down while in the jungle.

Gorilla trekking in Africa is done in the countries of Uganda, Rwanda, and the republic of Congo.

The trekking begins very early in the morning at 7 am with a briefing at the pack headquarters about the rules and regulations of trekking the gorillas. From there, you are divided into a group of 8 members in each group who then enter into the jungle to start off the trekking. Once you get these primates, you are given ample time to relax with them, take photos and then have fun.

 Hiking, drinking water, gloves, the sun glasses to also help you from the direct sunlight, the Umbrera   and rainfall jacket to help you from the rains while in the jungle trekking and so many others.

Hiking in the wild to search for the gorilla families.

After having your morning tea, you will get to the park headquarters to have a briefing and then get to the park to start the trekking. The expected real time for trekking should be 30 minutes but however it sometimes the trekking extends up to one hour or more because of the gorillas going into the jungle to start the trekking.

An encounter with gorillas in Africa.

This is a period of time when the clients are ready to move with these primates and interact with them, take photos and then have fun. During this time, the clients are required to keep their voices low, keep a distance from them to avoid infecting them with diseases, avoid direct looking into their eyes, keep calm incase attacked by the gorillas, avoid the disposal of human wastes and lastly avoid feeding the gorillas.

Awarded tracking certificates.

This is usually offered to trekkers as proof that they have spent time in the jungle with the mountain gorillas, following an hour-long trip.

The commonly  asked question is that what is the best country for a client to trek? The truth is that this is usually a tricky question to answer because all the countries say Uganda and Rwanda all have gorillas and have accommodations where to stay while trekking. Therefore, all countries are ready to welcome you and book with you for trekking. However, most people prefer Uganda because it provides prices which are quite lower than those of Rwanda and that is Uganda pays 700 dollars for the gorilla permit and Rwanda charges 1500 dollars. This price makes most clients to go and book with Uganda hence leaving Rwanda.

NOTE: Clients are asked to keep calm and not to complain about the high price of gorilla trekking because some of the money is used to keep the population of the mountain gorillas growing so that you find them next time. More so on the other hand, after trekking and having spent an hour with the gorillas in the jungle, you are given a certificate to thank you and to prove that you have been in Uganda trekking.

It is believed that there are many tour companies and very many tour operators in Africa that you can use to get the gorilla permits and book for gorilla trekking uganda trips. However, a client chooses a company to use depending on the price offered to him or her, the availability of the gorilla permits in plenty, the marketing on websites, the customer care given to the client, and the reviews plus comments made on that company by different people who normally use it

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is the most profitable and done activity that every client who ties to book it’s the only activity he or she does. The trekking in Uganda is done in the parks of Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga national park. All the gorilla permits are at the same price and that is at 800 dollars in Uganda and in both parks. These permits are got by booking with a trusted tour operator in one of the companies in Uganda such as Activie African Vacation. The permits are booked in advance, say 6 months before the trekking time to avoid inconvenience and overcrowding while looking  for the permits.

NOTE: A client is advised to book the permit from a specific company and a tour operator to get an advice on which gorilla family is available to trek to avoid booking of a gorilla family which is too far and will give you hard time  to trek and look for hence end up not seeing the family and incurring a lot of money.

More so the other advantage is that when you book with these operators, they help you get rangers who will help you find the gorilla families because they always know where they are located and they are also trained to do that.