Why Track Bwindi Gorillas in the Dry Season?
Why Track Bwindi Gorillas in the Dry Season: Trekking mountain gorillas in Bwindi Gorilla Park is a dream for many travelers. For one to have a memorable experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you need to know the best time for tracking these mountain gorillas. Therefore, the best time to visit Bwindi is during the dry season, which runs from June to September and December to February.
During these months, there is little or no rainfall, making the trekking trails dry, the vegetation short, and the roads accessible. The dry season is popular among travelers, attracting many visitors. There are both advantages and disadvantages to trekking during this time, which will be discussed in the article.
Why Track Bwindi Gorillas in the Dry Season
The first reason to trek mountain gorillas in the dry season is that you will experience little to no rainfall in the park. Most of the days, there is no rainfall in the park, but since it’s a tropical rainforest, it can rain anytime. The little and no rainfall in the park keeps the ground dry and easily passable, which doesn’t affect the speed of the trekkers.
The dry season is the best time to trek mountain gorillas in Bwindi because the vegetation is very short and thin, which gives good views of the mountain gorillas. The vegetation is dry, which means you leave the jungle the way you went, and the vegetation won’t cut you because it’s easily passable. During the dry season, the roads leading to the park are passable.
For travelers out there intending to visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the dry season, we advise them to book the gorilla permits, accommodation, and transport 3-4 months in advance to avoid last-minute booking disappointments. The gorilla trekking permits tend to sell out quickly, and therefore you should look for a trusted local tour operator early to help you with all that’s needed to do a gorilla safari in Bwindi.
Challenges of trekking gorillas in the dry season
There is scarcity of gorilla permits in Bwindi Gorilla Park. The gorilla permits during the dry season are very scarce since a lot of travelers always want to visit the park. There are 152 mountain gorilla trekking permits in Bwindi, but they can all get booked in the dry season. Travelers that are intending to visit Bwindi during the dry season are normally asked to book the gorilla trekking permits in advance of 3-4 months to avoid inconveniences.
Trekking mountain gorillas in the dry season comes with the challenge of lack of permits as well as failure to trek from the region of your choice. There are over 152 mountain gorilla trekking permits in Bwindi, but during the dry season, they tend to sell out quickly since they are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis.
There are also situations where a traveler can get a permit, but it’s not for the sector they wanted, and therefore that’s another challenge. During the dry season, travelers also miss out on the best accommodation facilities since they get booked faster, and also these lodges increase the prices, which makes gorilla trekking in the dry season expensive.
The gorilla trekking experience in the dry season
Gorilla trekking in the dry season is done in all four sectors of the park, which are Nkuringo, Ruhija, Buhoma, and Rushaga. Gorilla trekking starts early in the morning at all head offices of the different sectors. The activity starts with a briefing from the park wardens, where trekkers are taught about the rules and regulations of the gorilla trekking activity. The park wardens are responsible for the allocation of the gorilla family and checking if the permits are available.
Why Track Bwindi Gorillas in the Dry Season: Trekkers are grouped not exceeding 8 people, and armed ranger guides lead them into the jungle till they meet the mountain gorilla family. The search for mountain gorillas in Bwindi is a bit longer because mountain gorillas tend to move to high altitudes.
When the trekkers meet the mountain gorillas, armed ranger guides give them 1 hour to be around the apes, learn about the habits, take photos, record videos and watch them, and do daily activities such as nesting, coupling, eating, grooming, playing, and much more.
The price for gorilla trekking permits in the dry season.
The gorilla permit price in Bwindi Gorilla Park has always been the same from January to December. The gorilla permits for Bwindi go for $800 for foreign non-residents, $700 for foreign residents, and UGX300,000 citizens of East Africa. The gorilla permits to enable you to trek mountain gorillas in the dry season should be booked in advance from the tour operator or Uganda Wildlife Authority.
What to Pack for Bwindi gorilla trekking in the dry season?
For you to enjoy Bwindi gorilla trekking in the dry season, you must pack the right equipment, and these include a light backpack, long-sleeved pants, long-sleeved shirts, a rain jacket, gardening gloves, long cotton socks, waterproof hiking shoes, a pair of gaiters, a camera, a pair of binoculars, insect repellent, a drinking water bottle, and energy-giving snacks, among others.
