Where can one see mountain gorillas in Uganda?
Where can one see gorillas in Uganda? Do you intend to visit Uganda to see mountain gorillas? The two gorilla parks in southwestern Uganda are Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Out of the two gorilla parks, the largest population of mountain gorillas worldwide is found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The primary reason why nature enthusiasts travel to see these mountain gorillas is that they are close relatives of humans, sharing 98% of our DNA. Uganda’s mountain gorilla parks are open year-round, so visitors can visit at any time of the year.
Additionally, the only subspecies of gorillas found in Uganda are mountain gorillas, which are restricted to Bwindi and Mgahinga gorilla parks. Mountain gorillas can also be seen at Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga National Park. However, people over 15 must get a gorilla trekking permit from the Uganda Wildlife Authority to have a close encounter with mountain gorillas.
Starting with a briefing at the sector headquarters, trekkers are instructed on the guidelines for trekking or habituating mountain gorillas. It takes 2-7 hours to trek around the park’s many paths under the direction of armed ranger personnel. Trekkers’ speed and the location of the gorilla group typically determine how long it takes to find mountain gorillas. However, once the family has been found, trekkers are given a maximum of one hour to spend with the group, observe members going about their daily lives, take pictures, and learn about their habits.
Where can one see gorillas in Uganda?
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Following the only two places where one can see gorillas in Uganda, the finest spot to watch mountain gorillas is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. There are more mountain gorillas in the national park than anywhere else. There are around 21 mountain gorilla groups and over 600 mountain gorillas in Bwindi Gorilla Park. There are four areas in Bwindi Gorilla Park where one can observe mountain gorillas, which contain a distinct family of mountain gorillas. The mountain gorilla families Kutu, Mishaya, Kahungye, Bweza, Bikingi, Mucunguzi, Nshongi, and Busingye are found in the Rushaga sector, which is situated in the southern part of the park. Nkuringo, Bushaho, and Christmas gorilla families in the southern section of Bwindi Gorilla Park’s Nkuringo sector.
Mubare, Habinyanja, Rushengura, Muyambi, and Katwe are the gorilla families found in the Buhoma sector, which is situated on the park’s northern edge. On the park’s eastern side is the Ruhija sector, which is home to mountain gorilla families such as Bitukura, Kyaguliro, Oruzogo, and Mukiza. encountering mountain gorillas in each of the Bwindi Gorilla Park’s sectors offers the same experience, and there is a 99% chance of encountering them in the wild. The only location where visitors can see mountain gorilla habituation is Bwindi Gorilla Park. The Rushaga and Nkuringo parts of the park, both in the southern section, are where the unique experience is conducted. The Bushaho and Bikingi gorilla families are the only two reserved for habituation.
Mgahinga National Park
The second location in Uganda to see mountain gorillas is Mgahinga Gorilla Park. The national park, which spans 33 square kilometres, is situated in the Kisoro district in the southwest of the nation. Some of the Virunga volcanoes, including Mount Gahinga, Mount Muhabura, and Mount Sabyinyo, are located within the national park. The national park lies on the border between the DR Congo and Rwanda, close to Virunga National Park and Volcanoes National Park. Along with Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mgahinga National Park is a part of the Virunga conservation region.
The bamboo vegetation and the slopes of Sabyinyo, Mgahinga, and Muhabura are home to a few mountain gorillas in Mgahinga National Park. There is only one habituated mountain gorilla family in Mgahinga National Park, the Nyakagezi, which has nine members and is headed by a silverback. Only eight people can hike with the gorilla family in a single day.
Gorilla permits in Uganda
People over the age of 15 can purchase gorilla trekking permits from the Uganda Wildlife Authority for both Bwindi and Mgahinga gorilla parks. The cost of the trekking permits is $800 for non-foreign residents, $700 for foreign residents, and UGX300,000 for East African citizens. In Bwindi Gorilla Park, gorilla habituation permits cost $1500 for foreign non-residents, $1000 for foreign residents, and UGX 250,000 for East African citizens.
How to book the gorilla permits for Uganda?
The only locations in Uganda where mountain gorillas may be found are Bwindi Gorilla Park and Mgahinga National Park; hence, these are the places where gorilla trekking is conducted. A reputable local tour operator or the Uganda Wildlife Authority is the direct source of gorilla permits. Sending an email to the Uganda Wildlife Authority or your preferred local tour operator will allow you to reserve gorilla trekking permits. The email must include the year you wish to trek, the month you like to visit, and the national park you wish to visit. You will receive an email with your banking information as soon as the trekking permits are available, which will be determined using this information. Your permit will be booked as soon as the payment is received.
What to pack for a gorilla safari in Uganda?
A light backpack, a camera, binoculars, a hut, sunscreen, long-sleeved shirts and pants, a rain jacket, a sweater, a pair of gaiters, waterproof hiking shoes, cotton socks, insect repellents, sanitizer, energy-boosting snacks, and a drinking water bottle are among the items to bring for a gorilla safari in Bwindi Gorilla Park or Mgahinga National Park.
What is the best time to see mountain gorillas in Uganda’s gorilla parks?
There are two dry and two wet seasons in Bwindi and Mgahinga Gorilla Parks. In Uganda, the best time to see mountain gorillas is during the two dry seasons, which run from June to September and December to February. They are distinguished by the roads going to the park being passable, the foliage being short and dispersed with good views of the mountain gorillas, and the hiking trails being dry due to little to no rainfall.