
How to choose a gorilla family to trek in Uganda
How to choose a gorilla family to trek in Uganda? Many questions have been asked by tourists who are planning to visit the mountain gorillas of Africa, and the common question is how to choose the easiest gorilla family to trek so that they can fulfill their dream of trekking with mountain gorillas. Rwanda is one of the countries with the most expensive gorilla permits, which goes for $1500 per person on that very trek, while the one for Uganda costs $700 per person, but their interest is to trek the easiest gorilla family.
On the tracking day, every tourist is allocated to a single habituated gorilla family in a small group of 8 people. There are different factors considered when allocating gorilla families. Even though a tourist chooses a gorilla family he/she wants to visit, the park management is the one responsible for allocating which gorilla family a tourist can trek and enjoy an unforgettable experience.
Gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park are tracked in four sectors: Nkuringo and Rushaga in the south, Buhoma in the north, and Ruhija in the east. These sectors together make up the amazing Bwindi Forest. On the day of trekking, park rangers are the ones to allocate a gorilla family in the early morning during the period of briefing.
Why is a mountain gorilla family trek allocated on the day of trekking?
On the trekking day, every group of 8 people is assigned to gorilla families to trek. Mountain gorillas are used to moving deep into the forest searching for food. This makes it difficult to allocate a gorilla family before. Every evening, park rangers or trackers go deep into the forest to mark where different gorilla families will sleep, and then the next day, they go very early in the morning to check on them, and they go back to the park office to tell them about where to find mountain gorilla families on that day. This helps park management to know a gorilla family one can manage to trek with, but it depends on the location of the gorilla family, physical fitness, and others. These are factors one should consider while choosing a gorilla family to trek with, as below:
Physical fitness
Although every tourist above 15 years of age can do gorilla trekking in Africa, there is a certain level of physical fitness that is needed when allocating you a gorilla family to visit. This is one of the reasons why tourists are advised to reveal their physical fitness to their tour guide or park management so that everyone gets a chance to see mountain gorillas by allocating a gorilla family he/she can manage to trek. Some mountain gorillas are used to moving around near the starting point and are easy to meet in a short time, while others go deep into the forest; therefore, they are difficult to trek. Tourists with disorders and those who are not physically fit are assigned to short gorilla treks, while those who are physically fit are assigned to long gorilla treks, but there is no guarantee because these primates move from one location to the next. This is important to note: a tourist has a chance or right to choose a long or short gorilla depending on his or her interests. Therefore, it is very important to reveal your physical abilities to the guides so that they can allocate you a gorilla family that you can manage to trek with and complete your dream of seeing mountain gorillas in Africa.
Mountain gorillas’ habitat
It is also important to know the location of the gorilla family you wish to trek depending on your interest. There is much information about the mountain gorilla families and some of them are for Volcanoes national park of Rwanda and that one for Bwindi Forest of Uganda, so most of the travelers make a mistake and mix mountain gorilla families of all gorilla national parks. While planning a gorilla tour, it is good first to understand which gorilla families are in Uganda or Rwanda. Also, for those who prefer to do gorilla trekking in Uganda, you still need to know which gorilla families live in all four sectors of Bwindi Forest, such as Ruhija in the east, Buhoma in the north, Rushaga, and Nkuringo in the south of the park.
Lodges and hotels in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Tourists also have a part to play so that they can enjoy their gorilla trekking experience by booking a hotel or lodge near the gorilla tracking destination they want. This helps to reach the starting point in time on your trekking for a briefing where you will get to know the dos and don’ts for a trek. Tourists who plan to do gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park are advised to book a lodge depending on the sector they want to trek. Good enough, all of Bwindi Forest’s tracking sectors are surrounded by a variety of accommodation options ranging from luxury to mid-range to budget. They all offer restaurants which serve delicious meals, sleeping services and so on.
Availability of the gorilla permit.
If you choose a gorilla family to trek in Uganda, you also need to consider the availability of gorilla permits. Since a permit is a document that allows you to visit and spend time with mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, every day, a group of mountain gorillas is visited by only 8 people. If you find that all 8 permits are booked, you cannot trek with a gorilla family on that day. Tourists are recommended to ask if gorilla permits are available before choosing a gorilla family. Each gorilla destination in Africa has its own costs for gorilla permits. Like in Rwanda, it goes for $1500, while in Uganda it costs $700.
Mountain gorilla trekking is one of the amazing experiences in the whole world. One is to choose a gorilla family that he/she wants to trek with; it offers an unforgettable gorilla tracking experience. Now you can book your gorilla tour in either Uganda or Rwanda with Africa Adventure Vacations and get a great opportunity to meet one of the few remaining unique creatures on earth.
Reasons for booking with Africa Adventure Vacations
Traveling to a new place is so exciting and it is one of the greatest experiences one can ever encounter. You get a chance to encounter the food, culture, and natural resources of the area. Africa Adventure Vacations is the best tour operator that can help you experience all the amazing cultures in Africa plus the authentic wildlife. Africa Adventure Vacations can help you to save money and restless nights trying to look for where to go. We are experienced, well-informed, and passionate about what we do. Africa Adventure Vacations is locally raised and has got a business license. We are quick to respond to any kind of question from our clients. We have got the best tour packages and pricing. Our company can afford the group size that you would like to come along with. To choose a gorilla family to trek in Uganda can be done all year round.