Month: August 2022

Budget Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Rwanda- Gorilla trekking- Habituation- Book a gorilla trip to Uganda and Rwanda.

Budget Gorilla Trekking Uganda and Rwanda- The first thing that comes to people’s minds every time gorilla trekking is mentioned, is that it is extremely very expensive and the fact that the gorilla trekking permits come at a very high cost. There are only three gorilla trekking destinations in East Africa and that’s Uganda with the Highest population of them, Rwanda and the Democratic republic of Cong. All of these destinations have different costs for their gorilla trekking permits. A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda goes for 700 us dollars and Rwanda goes for $1500. The destination you choose for gorilla trekking highly determines whether your gorilla trekking will be budget friendly or luxurious.

Budget Gorilla Trekking Uganda and Rwanda

With the fact that Uganda is home to almost half of the remaining population of mountain gorillas, its therefore considered to be the best destinations for Gorilla trekking in East Africa. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and in Mgahinga Gorilla national park all in western Uganda. A gorilla trekking adventure can take any time between 1 to 4 hours depending on where these gentle giants were last seen the previous evening. The Uganda gorilla trekking permit costs $700 at the moment. With this permit you get to experience at least one hour with the gorillas but if you want more than one hour, there are habituated families where you can spend close to 4 hours while enjoying the company of the gorillas. Uganda offers one of the best, most secure and budget friendly gorilla trekking experiences for tourists in the region.

Rwanda gorillas are the most accessible by land in the entire East African region. The gorilla trekking permit goes for $1500 per person per trek and this has not yet changed to date.

Budget Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Rwanda- There are a few ways in which you can minimize the cost of A gorilla trek trip in Uganda and Rwanda and these are choosing a budget friendly accommodation facility and reducing on the number of days spent on the safari. Instead of spending three days, you can do one or two days. The downside about this is that you can get to take on three days gorilla trekking in either Uganda or Rwanda and the cost of the entire trip goes down.

The Cost of a Gorilla Trekking trip in Uganda and Rwanda.

The cost of an entire gorilla trekking safari depends on your choice of a trekking destination, that is Uganda, or Rwanda. The cost of a gorilla trekking safari starts with the cost of the gorilla permit, opted for accommodation(either budget, mid range of high end/ luxury), transport and other miscellaneous costs. The two countries that offer gorilla trekking have different trek permit costs with Uganda at $700, and Rwanda at $1500.

Top Budget Accommodations in Uganda and Rwanda for Gorilla trekkers.

Gorilla trekking starts very early in the morning and you need to be as close as possible to the gorilla families indicated on your permit Budget accommodation facilities are booked according to the gorilla families that have been assigned to you. Some of the top budget accommodations that are found around the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park include the Buhoma community rest camp, the Bwindi view Bandas, Ruhija community rest camp, Ruhija gorilla friends resort, Gift of Nature lodge, Nshongi camp, Wagtail Eco safari camp, Nshongi Gorilla resort and the Trekkers’ Tavern cottages.

Bwindi Backpackers Lodge

Bwindi Backpackers lodge is located at the edge of the Bwindi Park and offers accommodation that ranges from budget to mid-range rooms to tourists heading to the park for Gorilla trekking. The rooms offered are categorized into cottages, self-contained rooms and rooms with shared room facilities. The rooms range from single, double and twin rooms and there is also a large room that is used for camping for all those that are interested in self-camping. The lodge offers free breakfast, they have a minibar and restaurant where all meals are served and you also have a clear view of the primates that live within the National Park.

Buhoma Community Rest Camp

Buhoma Community Rest Camp, also known as the Buhoma Haven lodge, is located near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s entrance. It is a mid-range accommodation facility and is the best and safest to use if you are on a budget. The Buhoma community rest camp has 6 dormitories which can be used for self-camping, 6 furnished self-contained safari tents, double, twin and single self-contained rooms and 3 self-contained cottages.

Gorilla Valley Lodge

Gorilla valley lodge is located just right at the border of the Bwindi Impenetrable Park, making it a unique place where you can watch the primates from the comfort of your veranda as they move around the park. The gorilla lodge has 12 en-suite spacious rooms which were constructed on a steep slope with one of the best views of the Bwindi and each one of the rooms has twin beds with each of them having unique decoration.

Top Accommodations in Musanze

Musanze district is the best place for tourists heading to the Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking to get their accommodation facilities. The district has accommodation from budget friendly, mid-range and luxury facilities and it will be your budget to determine which one to use. The top accommodation facilities that you should check out in Musanze include Five volcanoes Boutique Hotel, Villa Gorilla, Red Rocks Rwanda campsite and Guest house, Da Vinci Gorilla lodge and Volcano view Bed and Breakfast to mention a few.

Feel free to contact us for budget gorilla trekking safaris through Uganda and Rwanda.

Shoebill stork. Amazing facts- Uganda Birding Safaris- Bird tours. 

shoebill-stork-Amazing facts – Uganda Birding Safaris– Bird tours. If you have only seen pictures of it, it might look a little unreal until `you have jumped onto that canoe boat with your amazing camera and encounter this rare bird species first hand.

With its big ‘shoe-like’ bill, the shoebill a marvel to see. The shoebill looks mean and a little prehistoric compared to other species in the same bird Shoebill stork. 

Shoebill stork. Amazing facts – Uganda Birding Safaris- Bird tours.

• . Unique Physical Appearance.

Shoebill – stork-Amazing facts – The shoebill can be as tall as 4.5 feet and weigh up to 7 kilograms. Its most outstanding feature is the shoe-shaped bill and its greyish colour. The beak of the shoebill is curved at the tip and has very sharp edges with which the bird uses to cut through its food. The beak is almost 10 inches long, deadly and used for both feeding and protecting itself. The legs are slender and black in colour, very long, with such very large feet. The shoebill wings can spread up to 2.5 meters (8 feet) and can flap about 150 times per minute. This means that when a shoebill spreads its wings, it has a bigger wingspan.

Although it is called a shoebill stork, it is a member of the taxonomic order of Pelecaniformes. These are a family of medium to large-sized water birds. This means they are more closely related to the pelicans, anhingas and gannets than to the storks.

• Social Habits of the shoebill.

Shoebill stork. Amazing facts -The shoebill stork can live for more than 35 years in the wild. A shoebill stork becomes sexually active at 3 to 4 years of age. It’s such a very quiet and solitary bird. It usually only comes together for mating, building the nesting area and incubating the eggs.

The chicks of a shoe bill are known for being insanely competitive. It is the real survival for the fittest in the shoebill’s nest. They fight each other off until the weakest chick is pushed out. The bigger chicks often pick on the smaller ones especially when the mother is way, and this often drives the defeated bird to live outside of the family.

It is a quiet animal and can go for days without making any noise or sounds except for the flapping of its wings. However, when it does make a sound, it is indeed ground shaking.  This is most evidenced in the mating season when the male adult picks out its mate. It will make a resounding clapping-like sound attracting the said female while simultaneously scaring away any competitors and other small animals. The male and female bow to each other as a display of their courtship.The shoebill can fly but not for a long period of time considering it can only flap its wings 150 times a minute (Slowest rate of any bird). It can only fly up to 500 metres. A shoebill spends most of the time standing, hidden and watching out for its prey. It is said that a shoebill can stand motionless for hours while holding their bills close to their necks. Such a meditative and yet cunning hunter.

• The shoebill Natural Habitat. Shoebill stork. Amazing facts 

Shoebill stork. Amazing facts – The Shoebill is endemic to East and Central African, countries of Uganda, DRC, Kenya, Botswana, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zambia and South Sudan. The shoebill tends to inhabit around freshwater swamps, wetlands and marshlands.

In Uganda, you can see these rare birds in Murchison Falls National Park, Mabamba swamp, Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary, and Lake Mburo National Park. Shoebill stork. Amazing facts 

• . The Conservation Status of a shoebill.

The population of shoebills is estimated to be around 5000 in the entire world. Although, it is hard to have the exact number of living shoebills because of their mysterious and elusive nature since they set up nests in hard-to-reach areas for humans. According to the IUCN Redlist, shoebill storks are considered as a vulnerable species. The available data indicate that the population of the shoebill is decreasing. The biggest threat to this interesting bird is humans. The constant encroachment on wetlands for human economic activity is a continuous threat to these birds. Shoebill stork. Amazing facts 

• . Food and Diet of a shoebill

Shoebill stork. Amazing facts -The Shoebill is a carnivorous bird that mainly feeds on fish and aquatic features and that explains why they mostly found in wetlands. Shoebills prefer to feed on lungfish but supplement this other assortment like water snakes, frogs, turtles, and occasionally baby crocodiles when the young one’s parents are not around. The bird is known for being a fierce hunter and a patient predator.  The shoebill will wait out its prey especially in the shallow ends of wetlands or any floating vegetation to stake out its meal. At the right moment, it strikes promptly and deadly possibly killing its prey in one swift move. Its beak is a fundamental instrument in eating. It is used to catch and kill the prey, as well as to chop off the heads of the prey for ease while swallowing. 

African elephant, member of the big Fives- Wildlife safaris through Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania.

African elephant. member of the big Fives- Elephants are the largest land mammals on earth. They have distinctly massive bodies, large ears, long trunks. Globally, there are two elephant families and that’s the Asian elephants family and the African elephants, Uganda and most east African countries house only the African elephants. In Uganda, they can be found in, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park and in Murchison Falls National Park. African elephants look somehow different from Asian elephants according to their physical appearance. They have concave backs, large ears, large ear flaps, long trunks, long tusks, massive legs and tough but sensitive skin. The trunk is called proboscis and it is used for breathing, taking food to the mouth and grasping objects. Their tusks are derived from incisor teeth and they serve as weapon and as tools for moving and digging. The large ear flaps assist in maintaining a constant body temperature as well as in communicating. The pillar like legs support and carry their heavy weight.

The African elephant is the largest of all elephant species and weighs up to 8tons. Two genetically different African subspecies exist, the savannah and the forest elephants with a number of characteristics that differentiate them both.  Elephant tusks serve many purposes like they are used to protect the elephant’s trunk, lift and move objects, gather food and strip bark from trees, they can also be used for defense. During times of drought, elephants even use their tusks to dig holes to find water underground.

African elephant

Reproduction.

The courtship of elephants is short lived; the male and female elephants rub their bodies on each other and wrap their trunks. The female tends to run away from the males and he will tend to seduce her and this takes sometime before they actually mate. The male elephants tend to fan their ears more when they are ready to mate than at other times. This allows them to get their scent out there at wider distance than before and attract females.

There’s plenty of aggression among males for rights to mate. The younger ones though are usually no match for the strength of the older elephants which is why they don’t get to mate until they are much older. This is a fact though that tends to make it harder to increase the number of elephants out there. The males rarely hurt each other physically when they are fighting for the right to mate. Most of the time the younger males will back away from the older ones. There’s plenty of speculation that this isn’t out of fear but out of respect and admiration for elders. However, there has been a documented case of male elephants engaging in sexual activities on each other due to their urge to reproduce but not being able to do so for a lack of available females to them. Elephants hold the record of the longest duration of time for conception to when the offspring is born. This period is 22months, the young elephants are extremely cute with their long ears and long tails. You may not realize it, but they are blind when they are born. They are well cared for within the herd of elephants. Their own mother as well as the other females will ensure that the baby is well protected. The babies often allow right behind their mothers when the herd is on the move. To ensure they stay where they should keep their trunk wrapped around her tail. Other females that don’t have babies will care for the young as if they were their own. This is done so as the mothers can feed like they need to in order to produce enough milk for the young ones.

African Elephants can drink up to 10 gallons of milk every day. It is believed that the off springs of elephants don’t have the same high level of instincts for survival as other animals. That is why they are so reliant upon their mothers and other females in the herd. They are faster learners though, and pick up new skills through observation all the time. They are praised for doing well and can be scolded when they don’t perform well. There has been an attempt to create to create hybrid off spring between species of elephants in captivity. Most experts believe that with elephant’s numbers so low we need to focus on successful breeding programs and not experimentations. Elephants mature later than many other animals. Females reach sexual maturity at 10-12years of age, males at around 25years. A male doesn’t generally start breeding until the age of 30 when it has reached a sufficient weight and size to compete with other breeding males, at a point, it will start to seek out females in estrus.

Elephant breeding seasons

Males enter a state called musth once a year and older bulls tend to stay in musth longer than younger bulls up to 6months. During this period, they have increased levels of testosterone, they secrete a fluid from their temporal gland between the eye and the ear will actively seek a mate. Dominant males, which are older, tend to come into musth when a larger number of females are in estrus, and males exhibit physical behaviors such as flapping their ears and rubbing their heads on trees and bushes to disperse the musth scent. They also have a particular rumble, a low frequency vocal call used to attract females who are ready to mate.

Females sometimes respond with their own call indicating interest, while a cow can mate with any male, those in musth maybe more attractive to females in estrus. When a male approaches a female in estrus may first show wariness, but if interested she will leave the family group, walking with her head up and turned sideways to watch with the male as he follows behind. The male may chase the female if she retreats and will chase off any other males. Elephants may stroke each other with their trunks before the male mounts the female from behind, standing almost vertically as they mate. Elephants sex last for up to 2mins and afterward, he will stay near the female and guard her from other males. Females may mate with more than one bull in each estrus cycle, which lasts up to 18weeks, they don’t mate for life, a female may repeatedly choose to mate with the same bull and bulls are sometimes seen being protective of females.

True African elephant adventures can be under taken in all the countries in the east African region including Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya.

Bwindi the home of Mountain Gorillas-Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda- Bwindi Imentrable forest.

Discover Bwindi the home of Mountain Gorillas. Bwindi impenetrable forest derives its name from a local phrase.  “Mubwindi bwa Nyinamukari” which originally referred to the Mubende Swamp in the South Eastern part of the park. The story behind the name goes back to many years ago when a family migrating northwards from Kisoro found themselves standing at the end of the seemingly impenetrable forest. It’s believed that the parents asked the spirits of the forest for guidance on how to go through it and were told to sacrifice their beautiful daughter Nyinamukari So as to go through the forest without mishap. The family decided that they should not go back South and therefore threw their daughter in the water to drawn and finally went safely through the forest. When the news of sacrifice spread, people begun to avoid the swamp calling it Mubwindi Bwa Nyinamukari.

Discover Bwindi the home of Mountain Gorillas.

The Bwindi the home of mountain gorillas is regarded to be one of the most biologically diverse forests in the whole of Africa. It’s a true rain forest spread over a series of steep ridges and valleys that form the eastern edge of the Albertine Rift valley.

Bwindi forest National Park is a true definition of a beautiful wild jungle. But what makes Bwindi Impenetrable National park special, is the fact that it’s home to slightly more than half of the world’s remaining population of mountain gorillas and an estimated number of 408 individuals live in trees within the forest.

Given the focus on gorilla tracking in the four locations of Buhama in the North west, Ruhija in the East, Rushaya in the South and Nkuringo in the South West,  it may come as a surprise to learn that Bwindi harbors at least  120 species of mammals, 11 types of primates including, Red tailed monkeys, Black and white colobus monkeys,  olive baboons, L’etoest and blue faced monkeys and a healthy population of chimpanzees.

Bwindi the home of mountain gorillas is also home to a total of 350 bird species, remarkably high figure compared to other National Park check lists.  These include a few water associated birds, the African green broadbill,  White bellied Robin chat, Frazier’s owl white tailed blue flydather and so much more.

Booking a Gorilla Trekking Safari to Bwindi Impenetrable National park with Katland Safaris not only gives you an opportunity to encounter  cultures of the Batwa living around the park, it gives you the opportunity to spend time with some of the few remaining giants of the jungle and closest relatives to mankind, the Mountain Gorillas of Bwindi.

Amazing Facts About Mountain Gorillas -Mountain Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda- Budget Gorilla trekking safaris.

The most amazing facts about Mountain Gorillas is, gorillas share a 98% DNA with the humans. Globally, gorillas in their natural habitat are found in three countries and these countries includes, Rwanda, Uganda and Congo with Uganda having almost half of the entire remaining population of the mountain gorillas.

In Uganda, these amazing creatures can be trekked in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national game park and in Mgahinga gorilla national park all found in the south western part of Uganda on the boarders of Rwanda and Congo. In Rwanda, the mountain gorillas can be trekked in the Virugas, part of Volcanoes national park in the northwest part of Rwanda.

Amazing facts about mountain gorillas.

The gentle giants are shy and strong. A mountain Gorilla will never chase you when you look into its eyes however if threatened, they can be aggressive, they beat their chests and roar.

Female Gorillas produce at the age of 10years they carry 1 to 2 babies in the womb and go through a gestation period of 8 and a half months bearing 2 to 6 off springs in a life time.

Mountain Gorillas are mainly herbivores – they feed mostly on Bamboo shoot, leaf plants, fruits.

Adult Mountain Gorilla can feed to about 30kg a day.

Mountain Gorillas share almost the same DNA with human beings 98%.

Gorillas build nests on both trees and ground the nests are built out of leaves and branches.

The hair grows in a greyish color on their back as they age this defines their name silverback. The silverback is in charge of all activities of the family and fathering the children.

The leaders and aged Mountain Gorillas are called silverbacks and the male silver back is in charge of leading families which includes females and young ones.

Mountain Gorillas can live in a group of up to 30 members including females and young ones.

The silverback will fight to protect the family as well as the mother will fight to death to protect her young ones.

Mountain Gorillas are intelligent they use communication methods including sounds.

Gorillas have a nose print such as human finger prints which is used to identify members of the family.

Feel free to contact us for any information concerning trekking mountain gorillas in both Uganda and Rwanda.