Gorilla Trekking Tours in Bwindi Gorilla Park
Gorilla Trekking Tours in Bwindi Gorilla Park: Mountain gorillas are undoubtedly the main reason why so many people travel to Uganda, making gorilla trekking the highlight of any destination in the country. “Gorilla trekking” refers to the act of moving on foot and hiking into Africa’s dense tropical forests in search of the great apes (gorillas) in their natural habitats.
Gorilla trekking tours are carried out in Bwindi gorilla Park, a UNESCO Heritage site with over 19 gorilla families found in different sectors of the park, say, the Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija, and Nkuringo gorilla sectors. Each sector of Bwindi offers a unique gorilla trekking experience. Whereas Mgahinga Gorilla Park is another gorilla destination where gorilla lovers can go for a gorilla safari to trek the only Nyakagezi gorilla family.
Visitors are allowed to encounter mountain gorillas for one hour in Uganda after purchasing a trekking permit from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, an agency overseeing all protected areas and wildlife of Uganda. A gorilla permit costs 800$ for foreign non-residents, 700 for foreign residents, Reat of Africa 500 and 300,000 UGX for East African Citizens
Caracal Explorers has been at the forefront of making mountain gorilla encounters unforgettable for our clients for the past decade, and we continue to take pride in this million-dollar achievement by taking our guests through the thick, misty, wet, and impenetrable jungles of Uganda’s Impenetrable National Park and Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park to spend those special sixty minutes with our mighty giant cousins.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Bwindi Forest is a large tropical forest that stretches to the border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Virunga Mountains in the Kanungu district in southwest Uganda, along the edge of the western Albertine rift. The indigenous term Mubwindi, which means darkness, is whence the name Bwindi originates.
The world’s largest population of mountain gorillas is found in Bwindi Forest. Elephants, buffaloes, duikers, bush pigs, chimpanzees, olive baboons, blue monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, and birds are among the creatures that call the forest home. There are 120 species of mammals, 10 species of primates, 348 species of birds, and 220 species of butterflies in the forest.
There are around 1000 plant species in Bwindi Forest, including 104 fern species and 160 tree species. African brown mahogany trees, Newtonia buchananii, cecropia trees, Aningeria adolfifriederici, ceiba trees, Symphonia globulifera, Podocarpus, and ebony trees are among the tree species found in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
The following plant species may be found in Bwindi: Xymalos, Neoboutonia macrocalyx, Monospora, Teclea nobilis, Newtonia, Strombosia schefflera, Symphonia globulifera, Myrianthus holstii, East African yellow wood, and Allophylus abyssinicus.
Gorilla trekking sectors in Bwindi
Gorilla Trekking Tours in Bwindi Gorilla Park: In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, gorilla trekking takes place in four sectors of the park. These sectors include Buhoma sector and Ruhija sector, the two are located in the northern part of Bwindi, while Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors are located in the southern part of the park. All these sectors offer unique and exceptional unforgettable gorilla trekking experiences, hence the pride of
In the Bwindi Forest, gorilla trekking is the most popular tourist activity, where thousands of tourists visit Bwindi Impenetrable Forest because it is home to the greatest number of mountain gorillas in the world. To trek any of the 22 gorilla groups in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, you must get a gorilla trekking permit or permission from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).
Gorilla trekking begins at a separate park headquarters where rangers instruct the trekkers on the many rules and regulations of the trekking activity. Only 8 persons are grouped together and guided by armed ranger guides over several park trails in search of these great apes.
Trekkers spend 2 to 7 hours in search of gorillas, and along the way they may encounter various park species of birds and vegetation. After trekkers locate the gorilla family, they get an hour to spend with them, during which they will observe their daily routines and learn about their habits as they snap pictures.
Other mountain gorilla trekking destinations
Besides Bwindi Impenetrable National Park being the leading mountain gorilla trekking destination with a population of over 459 individuals, mountain gorilla trekking can also be witnessed in the famous Virunga mountains. These volcanoes are located in the Virunga Conservation Area, which is shared by the three countries of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Therefore, gorilla trekking in the Virunga volcanoes is carried out in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, Uganda’s Mgahinga National Park, and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
