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3-day Uganda mountain gorilla trekking safari starts in Kampala and ends at Entebbe international airport in Uganda. It involves meeting eye to-eye with the magical mountain gorillas

How much time can I spend with mountain gorillas in Bwindi?

How much time can I spend with mountain gorillas in Bwindi?: The time trekkers spend with these apes depends on the activity they are doing

How much time can I spend with mountain gorillas in Bwindi?

How much time can I spend with mountain gorillas in Bwindi?: The time trekkers spend with mountain gorillas depends on the activity they are doing. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park has two ways how tourists can meet the mountain gorillas. There is gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The time taken around mountain gorillas depends on the gorilla permit purchased.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Kisoro district southwestern part of Uganda is home to mountain gorillas. More than half of those still surviving in the world are living within the impenetrable forest. Uganda Wildlife Authority manages and controls all activities within this park. The armed ranger guides have played a very important role in protecting these mountain gorillas and making some get used to human presence.

Gorilla trekking was the first activity introduced in the park to allow travelers to see mountain gorillas in the wild. As many gorilla families got habituated to gorilla trekking the government introduced gorilla habituated. Currently, there is gorilla habituation in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park carried out in the Rushaga sector southern part of the park.

Gorilla trekking allows trekkers to spend 1 hour with the mountain gorillas and gorilla habituation allows trekkers to be around mountain gorillas for over 4 hours. Tourists spend time with the mountain gorillas based on the gorilla permit purchased. While booking a safari to the park, tourists should be able to tell the tour operator whether they want gorilla trekking or habituation.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a normal activity that allows trekkers to just be around the mountain gorillas and watch them as they carry out daily activities at a distance. Gorilla habituation allows tourists to be with mountain gorillas at a very close distance and tourists get an extra opportunity of being part of the activities that make the apes get used to human presence around them.

Spending time with the mountain gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

To spend time with the mountain gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, tourists need a gorilla trekking or habituation permit. This is presented at the park headquarters to the rangers to prove that you have been allowed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to trek mountain gorillas.

Gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation start early in the morning at different park headquarters. The rangers teach all tourists going trekking or habituation about the dos and don’ts while around mountain gorillas. Later grouping is made and armed ranger guides are assigned to lead trekkers into the jungle.

Tourists are driven to the starting points of trekking and left with armed ranger guides to go into the jungle and search where these apes could be. The search takes 2 to 5 hours and the time taken depends on the speed of trekkers, the nature of trekking trails, and the location of the mountain gorillas. Hours after searching, the trekkers get to see mountain gorillas.

Gorilla safari comes with 1 hour around mountain gorillas and during that period, the trekkers are allowed to watch the apes carry out daily activities, take photos, record videos and as they do so they are able to learn about their habits. For gorilla habituation, trekkers get an opportunity to be part of the activities that allow mountain gorillas to get used to human presence around them and this is done for 4 hours.

What is the cost of gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation?

Gorilla trekking permits are the cheapest and very affordable to all kinds of tourists who really dream of seeing mountain gorillas in the wild. They permit trekkers to be around mountain gorillas for a maximum of 1 hour. Gorilla trekking permits cost $800 for foreign non-residents, $700 for foreign residents, $500 Rest of Africa and UGX300,000 citizens of East African member states.

Gorilla habituation permits come at a high fee but they are always worth the money since tourists get to have 4 hours of interacting with the mountain gorillas. Only 4 gorilla permits are available in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park a day. They come at a fee of $1500 for foreign non-residents, $1000 for foreign residents, and UGX750,000 citizens of East African member states.

When to go see mountain gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park?

Tourists can go see mountain gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park at any time of the year for the park is always open. The driest months of the year are however the best times to see mountain gorillas of Bwindi. These occur from June to September and December to February a time when the region is receiving a lot of sunshine and little rainfall.

The best time to see mountain gorillas is the dry season for several reasons. The trekking trails are dry and easier to walk through which eases the movement of trekkers while in the jungle. The vegetation is short and scattered during the dry season allowing tourists to have a clear view of the different attractions in the jungle including the gorillas. Roads leading to the park are also in good condition allowing tourists to get there on time.

Tourists can still go see the mountain gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in the rainy season of March to May and October to November. Tourists should know that this period receives plenty of rainfall and little sunshine. The trekking trails are muddy and slippery, vegetation is tall with bad views of the apes and the roads are muddy and slippery.

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