Uganda Mountain Gorilla Trekking Safari From Nairobi

Is it possible to book Uganda mountain gorilla trekking safari from Nairobi? Tourists in Nairobi that do want to trek mountain gorillas can now visit Uganda and enjoy a 1 hour around these gentle apes. Uganda is one of the luckiest countries to be hosting the endangered mountain gorillas in the whole world and in the country, they are found in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga national park. these national parks are homes to over 20 habituated mountain gorilla families that have found their homes in the thick vegetation covers of the park.

The national parks can be accessed by birth air transport and road transport and trekking is done at any time of the year with valid gorilla trekking permits. What the people from Nairobi need to do first is to get a gorilla trekking permit which can be gotten direct at the Uganda Wildlife Authority or from any trusted local tour operator like Africa adventure vacations limited.

How to book Uganda mountain gorilla trekking safari from Nairobi?

One of the main things you need to do while organizing a safari in Uganda from Kenya is to first book a gorilla trekking permit. After booking the gorilla permit you can go further to book accommodation and transport because you will be rest assured of meeting these beautiful apes. Africa adventure vacations limited is here to help people from Nairobi first secure gorilla trekking permits.

We are one of the best tour operators in Uganda with a license to carry out tourism activities from the Uganda wildlife authority. Once you have chosen us as your tour operator, all we do expect from you is an email containing the dates that you would want to trek the mountain gorillas and we shall use them to check for the availability of the permits with the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Once the permits are available, we shall go ahead and send you an email containing details of how you can pay us money and once we have received t we shall book a permit for you. After booking the permit, we can book accommodation and transport.

Where to trek mountain gorillas in Uganda from Nairobi?

Tourists from Nairobi to Uganda can trek mountain gorillas in 2 national parks of the country. These national parks are located in the southwestern part of the country and include Bwindi impenetrable forest national park as well as Mgahinga national park. There are over 19 full habituated mountain gorillas open for trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and 1 in Mgahinga national park.

Mountain gorilla trekking is the most done activity in both national parks and for the case of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, Nairobi people have 4 sectors available for them to trek the mountain gorillas. The 4 sectors of Bwindi are Ruhija in the east, Buhoma in the north, Nkuringo and Rushaga in the south.

Trekking mountain gorillas in Uganda from Nairobi

On the final day of gorilla trekking, trekkers including those from Nairobi ae asked to wake up early in the morning from their lodges and move to the briefing point where they are to meet the rangers. The rangers do teach trekkers about the rules and regulations of the mountain gorilla trekking activity after which grouping of people not exceeding 8 is done.

The armed ranger guides do lead the different trekking groups in different trekking trails of the park while looking for the mountain gorillas. while searching, they are likely to see different park animals such as hyenas, buffaloes, elephants, giant hogs, duikers, birds, and different plant species. When the trekkers meet the apes, they are given 1 hour to be around them, and during the 60 minutes, they are able to learn something new about their habits, watch them do daily activities, and take photos.

How much are gorilla trekking safari permits in Uganda from Kenya?

People from South Africa buy the gorilla permits the same money that people from any other part of the world do pay. Uganda wildlife authority sells the trekking permits at a fee of $700 foreign non-residents, $600 foreign residents, and shs250,000 East African citizens. These permits are sold to children above the age of 15 years and they come with 1 hour of being around mountain gorillas, paid park entrance fee, and ranger guider fee.

If you are in Nairobi and planning to trek mountain gorillas in Uganda, we advise you to do the booking of permits 3-4 months before coming to Uganda so as to be rest assured of spending time with these endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitats. The other reason as to why we advise early booking is that the permits do sell out quickly and are sold on a first come first serve basis at the Uganda wildlife authority.

What is the most appropriate time to visit mountain gorillas in Uganda from Nairobi?

Travelers intending to trek mountain gorillas in Mgahinga national park and Bwindi impenetrable forest national park can do so at any time of the year the fact that parks are always open. However some months being better than the rest, we advise travelers from Nairobi to visit these parks in the dry season because that is when there is little or no rainfall, the trekking trails are less slippery and not muddy increasing speed of trekkers, the vegetation is thin with clear views of animals, and the roads leading to the parks are passable.

Tourists in Nairobi can still visit Uganda for mountain gorilla trekking in the rainy season and during this time they will benefit from huge discounts on accommodation facilities. However during the rainy season, the trekking trails are muddy and slippery reducing the speed of trekking, the vegetation in the park is thick giving unclear views of the mountain gorillas and other park animals, and the roads leading to the park are impassable.

Accommodation on a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda (Mgahinga and Bwindi) from Nairobi

Mgahinga national park accommodation – Mount Gahinga Safari Lodge, Amajambere I’wacu Camp, Lake Chahafi Resort, Kisoro Tourist Hotel, Ikoro Hotel, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Nkuringo Safari Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Mountain Gahinga Rest Camp, Traveler’s Nest Hotel, and Mountain Gahinga Lodge among others.

Bwindi impenetrable forest national park accommodation – Jungle View Lodge, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Jungle View Lodge, Gorilla Heights Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge, Buhoma Lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Safari Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Engagi Lodge, Silverback Lodge, Gorilla Heights Lodge, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Bakiga Lodge, Ruhija Safari Lodge, Bwindi View Lodge, and Volcanoes Safaris Bwindi Lodge among others.

Accessing Uganda national parks for mountain gorilla trekking from Nairobi

Travelers from Nairobi will have to take a flight to Uganda’s Entebbe international airport and from there they can either use flights to the park or road transport. When they use flights to the park, they will have to have booked in advance with their tour operator and the flights do start from Entebbe international airport of Kajjansi airstrip to Kihihi airstrip inside Bwindi impenetrable forest national park or Kisiro airstrip for those visiting Mgahinga national park and the southern sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park.

By road transport tourists from Nairobi can get to start their journey to the park from Kampala/Entebbe via Masaka – Mbarara – Kabale or Kisoro to the parks and this journey takes 8-9 hours. if the tourists from Nairobi use Kigali international airport they can cross to Bwindi or Mgahinga using Katuna border in Kabale or Cyanika border in Kisoro.