Ultimate Gorilla Watching Holidays in Uganda and Rwanda

Uganda, Rwanda and Congo gorilla trekking offer you a great opportunity to have a close interaction with not only mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) but also the Eastern Lowland gorillas (Grauer’s gorilla) while in their natural habitat.

This is an ultimate on-foot-walk primate adventure introducing nature or primate lovers to Africa’s jungles to have in-depth learning on how these great apes behave, take pictures and also have a chance to enjoy sight of other dwellers within the gorilla habitats.

It is possible to organize a combined Uganda, Rwanda and Congo gorilla trekking with our experts and for years that we have been in this field, our clients have never been disappointed.

All our Uganda, Rwanda and Congo gorilla trekking safaris guarantee our visitors about 99 percent sightings of mountain gorillas and lowland gorillas in the wild.

Booking your gorilla holiday safari with us guarantees you an experience of a lifetime in Africa!

Mountain gorillas.

Mountain gorillas are a few most humble creatures in the wild and being unique attractions in Africa, it is no doubt that thousands of holidaymakers find themselves in this beautiful continent mainly to strike their imaginations with these massive apes.

While on African safari, never can you see mountain gorillas in the zoo except only in the wild.

According to the 2012 mountain gorilla population census, these great apes were estimated to be 880 and they included 400 in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Uganda.

Today, of the 1063 mountain gorillas, over 459 of them are believed to live in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest while the remaining portion lives in the 3 Virunga Conservation Area (VCA).

The VCA is composed of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Southwestern Uganda, Volcanoes National Park-Northwestern Rwanda and Virunga National Park in the Eastern D.R. Congo.

Mountain gorillas are the rarest among the Eastern gorilla sub-species, existing only in Uganda, Rwanda and D.R. Congo. The existence of these apes gained popularity in the western world around 1902.

Description of the Mountain gorillas.

Mountain gorillas are generally massive apes with thicker and longer fur on their bodies unlike the Grauer’s gorillas.

They are species with distinct trait especially their ability to thrive in montane areas with colder temperatures.

Also, each of the mountain gorilla features distinct nose prints and this is one exceptional characteristic that is very unique across all individual gorillas in the wild.

A male gorilla is heavier than female, estimated to be 2 times. When male mountain gorillas reach their maturity/adult stage, they grow silver like hair on their backs and they are described as silverbacks.

A silverback mountain gorilla in the wild weighs up to about 200kgs compared 100kgs for females.

But when compared to lowland gorillas, mountain gorillas weigh less despite the fact the lowland gorillas have small bodies.

Silverback mountain gorillas are estimated to be 4 times stronger than man. They have dark brown eyes but long hands and short legs.

Mountain gorillas can rise up and move upright. These large apes mostly knuckle-walk and fingers are used to perform several duties in the wild.

They spend most of the day feeding (these are generally vegetarian species), playing, grooming each other and these behaviors can be witnessed while on Uganda, Rwanda and Congo gorilla trekking safari.

Each day, mountain gorillas make new nests on tree branches for them to retire for the night.

While most people consider mountain gorillas as humble creatures, they can also mean to be aggressive depending on the situation in their natural habitat.

These apes can display their aggressiveness in distinct ways and notably, they chest beat, slap or tear vegetation, throwing leaves, thumping the ground.

Incredibly, they have over 25 distinct ways of communicating to each other and sounds mainly classified as grunts and barks.

Communication helps them pass message to each member in their families when attacked or threatened, time to move in search of areas with palatable forage.

Life cycle of Mountain gorillas.

In average, the female mountain gorillas become sexually active when they reach the age of about 7-8 years.

However, breeding starts after some years and compared to males, a male mountain gorilla takes a little longer to be sexually active.

Males are capable of breeding at 15 years and female gestation period takes about 8-9 months.

Female mountain gorillas produce one baby mountain gorillas although they are capable of giving birth to twins, however, this is rarely experienced.

Mother mountain gorillas can stay with baby gorilla for a period of 4-6 years and they are capable of giving birth to 3 to 4 babies in their entire reproductive cycle.

In average, mountain gorillas can live up to 40 to 50 years and like humans, they exist in families which is why trekking to see them, visitors are allocated to a habituated gorilla group family.

In every mountain gorilla family has a composition range of 2 to 40 individuals, each under the leadership of silverback.

Each group of mountain gorillas has got females, black backs, infants and it is silverback’s responsibility to ensure that they are all safe and secure from danger, attacks and also, to search for areas with plenty of food to feed on each day.

Mountain gorillas in Uganda.

While on safari to see mountain gorillas in Uganda, the 2 places to expect to visit are; Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (MGNP).

These are compact gorilla destinations with Bwindi occupying only 331sq.kms of land area and Mgahinga that spreads to cover 33.7sq.kms of land area.

Uganda protects the sub-species of Eastern gorillas “mountain gorillas” in the 2 conservation areas.

Over half of all the world’s 1063 mountain gorillas are distributed in the 5 gorilla regions in Uganda; Ntebeko in Mgahinga; Ruhija region, Buhoma, Nkuringo and Rushaga gorilla trekking areas of BINP, Southwestern Uganda.

A total of 21 habituated gorilla groups are in the 5 gorilla regions, 20 of these, are available for tracking in Bwindi National Park representing 160 gorilla permits and 8 permits for the 1 habituated family in Mgahinga.

Uganda mountain gorilla safaris must be planned early and essentially, never forget to have your gorilla permit booked 2-5 months prior your actual gorilla trek in BINP or MGNP.

Each of the 168 Uganda gorilla permits can be booked by visitors at US $700 so long as you are a foreign non-resident, US $ provided that you are a foreign resident and shs. 250,000 per East Africa Community citizen.

All valid Uganda gorilla permits can be obtained easily from a reputable ground safari/tour company or operator; or contact Uganda Wildlife Authority reservation team at the department of tourism.

Provided that you are above 15 years, then you stand a great chance to get to Uganda to track mountain gorillas with the rest of the holidaymakers.

Access to Uganda gorilla destinations.

Bwindi and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks are lying along the edge of rift valley, Southwestern Uganda. Getting there for mountain gorilla holiday is possible by road or air.

By road, there are 2 options to reach to the 2 parks-one option is starting from Entebbe/Kampala and the other begins from Kigali in Rwanda.

Beginning your trip from Entebbe or Kampala will take you little longer hours, about 8-10 to drive up to Mgahinga or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The commonly used routes take holidaymakers from Entebbe/Kampala through Masaka to Mbarara and connect to Kisoro which gives you easy access to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park or drive from Mbarara to Kabale to have access to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Uganda being a true Pearl of Africa, setting off from Entebbe/Kampala to Bwindi/Mgahinga National Park by road can be interesting.

Your road trip won’t be boring because, there are interesting spots to make stopovers while en-route for instance at the Equator crossing in Kayabwe, Mpambire Drum Makers, Igongo Cultural Centre not only for lunch but also to explore more about Ankole cultures.

The other alternative route takes holidaymakers from Kigali Rwanda through Chanika border where you cross to Kisoro or Katuna border in which you can cross to Kabale district.

A smooth road trip to Bwindi or Mgahinga can be achieved while in a comfortable 4×4 car hire in Uganda.

The 3rd option is the fastest; scheduled flight services are available setting off from Kajjansi airfield Kampala and Entebbe Airport-Entebbe city to Kisoro or Kihihi airstrips in Southwestern Uganda.

These are closely located to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi National Park.

Mountain gorillas in Rwanda.

Other than Uganda, a portion of 1063 Gorilla beringei also lives in Rwanda and only in Volcanoes National Park/Parc National des Volcans.

This is part of the Virunga Conservation Area is strategically situated in Ruhengeri region of Northwestern Rwanda.

This is the second most compact park after Mgahinga within Virunga Conservation Area, spreading to cover 160sq.km area.

Parc National des Volcans’ mountain gorilla conservation efforts began way back to Dian Fossey’s era when she visited the area for research purposes.

Though she was mysteriously killed, the plight of these rare apes in the wild had already been captured globally.

Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park tops on the list of the oldest parks in the African continent. This park was founded in 1925 and hosts an estimate mountain gorilla population of about 350.

Presently, this ancient gorilla conservation area has 13 gorilla groups already undergone through habituation including among others; Bwenge, Sabyinyo, Amahoro group, Agashya or Group 13, Umubano, Susa B/Karisimbi, Hirwa, Susa A, Kwitonda, Ugenda.

These translate to 104 Rwanda gorilla permits set for booking while on gorilla trekking holiday.

How much are the Rwanda gorilla trekking permits?

If you are looking for an ultimate luxury gorilla destination in Africa then Rwanda has you sorted.

There exist 104 gorilla permits for reservation, each of the permits is issued by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) at US $1500.

Contact our team and we shall make the process of reserving your Rwanda gorilla permits easier and faster and you just wait till the actual date of tracking.

In case you need to involve yourself in this long process then you will deal directly with Rwanda Development Board (RDB) Rwanda.

Don’t be part of the group that books gorilla permits or arranges gorilla holiday safari last minute.

Ensure you have everything booked including permits at least 2-5 months prior your actual trek in Parc National des Volcans.

Getting There

Rwanda Volcanoes National Park/Parc National des Volcans (PNV) sits within Ruhengeri in the Northwest. Getting to this park is simple using 4×4 rental car in Rwanda and expect to spend 2 to 3 hours of driving.

Alternatively, you can spend 3-5 hours of drive, crossing the border via Katuna border in Kabale or Cyanika border in Kisoro, just in case you want to connect through Uganda.

The mountain gorillas in D.R. Congo

The Congo mountain gorillas are available for tracking only in the country’s Virunga National Park in the Eastern region near Goma and north of Lake Kivu.

This UNESCO Heritage Site is 7800sq.kms and also features among the oldest, founded in 1925.

The mountain gorillas in the Congo make up a total population of 300 individuals and about 8 gorilla families can be visited during gorilla trekking.

The set rate for Congo gorilla permits is US $450 per holidaymaker per day, so long as you are above 15 years.

The Grauer’s gorillas/Eastern Lowland gorillas in D.R. Congo

Tracking to view the Grauer’s gorillas in the D.R. Congo is only possible in Kahuzi-Biega National Park regardless of the many other destinations.

The Grauer’s gorillas are also the sub-species of the Eastern gorilla species-this is in addition to mountain gorillas in Bwindi, Volcanoes National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Virunga National Park.

Besides Kahuzi-Biega, the Gorilla beringei graueri also live within the spectacular jungles of Maiko National Park, Tayna Gorilla Reserve and Itombwe Massifs.

About 250 grauer’s gorillas are estimated to be in Kahuzi-Biega N/Park Congo and 5 habituated gorilla families can be tracked in this 6000sq.kms expansive conservation area.

Kahuzi-Biega N/Park Congo is a UNESCO designated site taking its name from the nearby Kahuzi and Biega Volcanoes.

Like Congo mountain gorilla permits, the grauer’s gorilla permits also cost US $450 per person.

Though it is safer to track the Lowland gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega, accommodation facilities are only available in Bukavu Town including L’Orchids Safari Club, Coco Lodge and Exodus Bukavu Hotel.

Best time to go for gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda and D.R. Congo

All the 3 premier African gorilla destinations welcome trekkers to enjoy gorilla trekking adventure at any month of the year.

But not to make mistakes when planning your gorilla trip, 2 dry seasons are considerably the best when it comes to gorilla tour in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo.

The 2 dry seasons you must mark in your travel calendar are; June to September or December to February. Why these are the best is because it is when very low or no rains occur in any of the 5 gorilla destinations.

Planning your gorilla holiday during dry season doesn’t restrict any holidaymaker because trips to see gorilla beringei and grauer’s gorillas can be planned during the wet or rainy season.

This also occurs twice a year and the months to mark on your calendar range from March to May and October to November.

The negative side about wet or rainy seasons like the way they sound, all the 5 parks experience heavy rains and as a result, you can find challenges navigating through the dense vegetation, muddy ground and slippery steep slopes during the 2-6 hours of searching for Gorilla beringei or Grauer’s gorillas.

Uganda, Rwanda and Congo gorilla trekking packing list

The right gear must be considered for your Uganda, Rwanda and Congo gorilla trekking holiday.

First time trekkers may think of bringing the whole house but no need to have such stress-the following should be a must-have; trousers, waterproof-light weight and comfortable hiking boots, long-safari shirts, valid visa, passport, a rain jacket, camera that doesn’t have flashlight, medical/first aid kit, extra camera batteries, fitting gardening gloves, daypack, bottled water, insect repellents, snacks, sunscreen, toiletries, safari hat, pair of socks but preferably cotton made, a sweater, enough cash, mask and find a hiking stick during briefing or at your lodge.

Uganda, Rwanda and Congo gorilla trekking dos & don’ts.

Use of flashlight cameras when photo taking of gorilla beringei or grauer’s gorillas is totally not accepted.

Eligible trekkers should be 15 years and above to be allowed to track the grauer’s gorillas or gorilla beringei.

If you aren’t in a mask and you need to sneeze, please cover your nose or when coughing, cover the mouth.

When you finally come across the gorilla beringei beringei or grauer’s gorillas, the guide allows only 1 hour to have face to face encounter with these magical creatures.