Planning a gorilla trekking holiday for your family in Uganda and Rwanda

Are you organizing a family vacation that includes gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda? Prioritize booking the gorilla permits. In Rwanda and Uganda, gorilla trekking vacations are only available to those who are at least 15 years old. Planning how many days you want to spend on a gorilla safari vacation in Rwanda or Uganda is the best course of action.

While a two-day gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda is appropriate, a three-day gorilla safari in Uganda is the minimum duration. Let’s say you want to mix gorilla trekking with other pursuits, such as game drives, birding safaris, chimpanzee trekking, etc. If so, you should think about when you and your family will go on your African safari.

Planning a gorilla trekking vacation with the family is a great way to make memories that will last a lifetime. Mountain gorillas are a perfect representation of human families, with the dominant silverback serving as the head of the family.

When you go on a gorilla safari vacation, I’m confident you’ll encounter a family member who looks like you. It is simpler to be assigned to the same gorilla family to travel with if you reserve the gorilla trekking permits for the whole family in advance. Because the process for assigning gorilla families is dependent on factors like age and physical fitness, this is only occasionally guaranteed.

What is a vacation that include gorilla trekking?

You can spend an hour with a fully habituated gorilla family in the wild while on a gorilla trekking vacation. You need to have a Rwanda Development Board or Uganda Wildlife Authority gorilla permit.

A gorilla permit: what is it?

A gorilla permit is a card or paperwork that grants you access to trekking locations. Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are two of Uganda’s gorilla trekking sites. Tourists can reserve 152 gorilla permits for Uganda’s 19 gorilla families every day.

Volcanoes National Park is Rwanda’s gorilla habitat, and 15 families are available for tourists to reserve. You can reserve 96 gorilla permits in Rwanda per day.

How can a family gorilla trekking vacation in Rwanda and Uganda be organized?

Determine the Best Places in Uganda to Go Gorilla Trekking
Impenetrable National Park in Bwindi

There are several gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to which you may be assigned.

What are the 18 gorilla families who have reservations in four separate locations, each with a different kind of lodging?

The Buhoma area in the north, the Ruhija area in the east, the Rushaga area, and the Nkuringo area in the south are the areas that are used to get gorilla permits for the Bwindi forest.

Chimpanzees, black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, L” Honest’s, and other primates are among the approximately nine additional species of primates that inhabit this biosphere reserve.

Over 350 different bird species, including endemics of the Albertine Rift, can be found at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, making it a great place for any avid birdwatcher. Birders’ paradise in the Ruhija section of Bwindi forest, particularly at Mubwindi wetland. Among the birds you might see are the Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, African Hill Babblers, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, and Mountain Masked Apalises.

Park in Mgahinga National

The smallest Ugandan national park, Mgahinga, is only 33.7 square kilometers in size, although it does have some mountain gorillas. The Nyakagezi family is the only gorilla family that is accessible to tourists.

Due to the gorilla family’s history of relocating to Rwanda, obtaining permits was difficult. The Nyakagezi gorilla family’s existence determined the sale of the gorilla permits.

The list now includes about 115 bird species that have been identified in Mgahinga National Park, but it is anticipated to grow as the area has not received much attention from ornithologists.

Other primates that are of interest to primatologists include olive baboons, black and white colobus, golden monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and red-tailed monkeys in Mgahinga National Park.

Three unique mountains—Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhavura, and Mountain Sabyinyo—backdrop Mgahinga National Park. An 8-hour return hike to one of these mountains is a good way to gauge your level of fitness.

In the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda

With 15 gorilla families available for tourists, this park is Rwanda’s only gorilla trekking destination. Rwanda’s northwest contains Volcanoes National Park. Rwanda gorilla permits are sold and governed by the Rwanda Development Board.

Five volcanoes—Mountain Karisimbi, Mountain Bisoke, Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhavura, and Mountain Sabyinyo—backdrop the landscape of Volcanoes National Park.

Other primates, such as olive baboons, grey-cheeked mangabeys, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, golden monkeys, and blue monkeys, can be found in Volcanoes National Parks.

Enthusiastic birdwatchers can see a range of bird species, including endemics of the Albertine Rift, while gorilla trekking. Alpine Chat, Malachite Sunbird, Montane Double-collared Sunbird, Rwenzori Turaco, Handsome Francolin, and more bird species can be found in Volcanoes National Park.

Get a permit to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda.
Because gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda requires participants to be at least 15 years old, take their age into account when reserving gorilla permits for your family.

How to Reserve Gorilla Permits

Ask the Uganda Wildlife Authority or a recognized travel agency, such as katland Safaris, about the availability of gorilla permits. If you want to go gorilla trekking, you must have a tentative or confirmed day in mind.

We urge our clients to buy their gorilla permits as soon as possible if there is a positive availability. This is because they only have a maximum of eight gorilla licenses per gorilla family and sell out quickly due to great demand worldwide.

Since gorilla permits are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, none are guaranteed without payment in advance.

in your gorilla permits, include personal information such as your country, date of birth, expiration date, and the full names of your family members as listed in your passport.

After you finish the gorilla walk, these details are put to your certificate and utilized for record-keeping.

Determine How Many Days the Family Will Spend on the Gorilla Trekking Vacation
The minimum duration for gorilla trekking in Rwanda is two days during a gorilla safari vacation. The minimum duration for a gorilla trekking expedition in Uganda is three days.

Five-gorilla trekking, six-gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, eight-gorilla, chimpanzee, wildlife safari, and other activities are available.

The number of days you have scheduled to spend in the forest will determine how long your family’s gorilla safari vacation lasts.

To create an unforgettable experience, we at katland Safaris customize gorilla safari packages to meet the needs of our customers. We recognize that for the majority of visitors to Africa, gorilla trekking is at the top of their bucket list, and we want to make it an unforgettable Africa Safari experience that fits within your budget.

For many families, taking travels together creates enduring memories.

Make reservations for lodging for the gorilla trekking expedition.
You must make reservations for lodging inside or near the trekking park when you get a gorilla permit. The lodging options available for the gorilla trekking vacation are categorized as luxury, mid-range, and cheap. The best deal for lodging on a family vacation would be to reserve a family room or adjacent rooms.

You must schedule lodging near the locations where your gorilla permit is registered if you plan to do gorilla trekking in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Due to its enormous size, this park is divided into four areas: Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Nkuringo. You have to drive at night to make it to the early morning briefing when you spend the night somewhere else. Because of the frequent rains in this area, logs can occasionally block off the roadways or make them slick, making this extremely dangerous.

Due to great demand, these parks’ lodgings are completely booked throughout the busiest months of June, July, August, September, December, and January. Your family’s lodging must be reserved in advance.

Depending on your destination, you can reserve a variety of lodging options for gorilla trekking, such as:

Clouds Lodge is the lodging option for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Gorilla Safari Lodge, Rihija Safari Lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge, Bwindi View Bandas, Engage Lodge, Gorilla Forest Camp, Trakker’s Tarven, and Broadbiil Camp

Accommodations at Mgahinga National Park include Majambere Iwachu, Kisoro Tourist Hotel, Traveler’s Inn, Gahinga Lodge, and Mgahinga Gorilla Triangle.

Accommodations in Volcanoes National Park include Hotel La Palme, Kinigi Guest House, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, and Hotel Mille Collines.

Make Transportation Reservations for Gorilla Trekking
You and your family should be aware of the mode of transportation you intend to employ for the gorilla trekking expedition. Depending on your financial situation, you can either take the road or the air.

You can rent a safari car or safari van for your family to go by road; it should be roomy and cozy enough to accommodate all of your belongings. Because of the volcanic road conditions in the Virunga region, you will need to rent a 4×4 wheel drive car with a window seat for at least everyone. You need a comfy car for the rough roads, whether you’re in Rwanda or Uganda.

Air transportation for the whole family to go gorilla trekking

Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi to Kihihi Airstrip or Kisoro Airstrip are the destinations of daily domestic flights in Uganda. You must reserve additional seats in advance of your Ugandan gorilla safari vacation if you require them.

Gorilla Safari offers charter flight services from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip.

To go to Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park from the airport, you need to reserve a transfer car.

There are charter flights to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park from Kigali airport.

Reserve flights to Rwanda or Uganda internationally. It can be really stressful to plan a vacation trip with family in advance. To ensure that no one is left behind if they are a member of the gorilla trekking group, you must purchase your airline tickets in advance.

To make sure you have everything you need to enter the bush, it is advisable to go to Rwanda or Uganda before the start of the gorilla safari. Make sure that everyone in the family has their gorilla trekking equipment ready. Buy some gorilla trekking equipment from the nearby malls if you still need it.

When Is The Best Time For The Family To Reserve Gorilla Permits?

To avoid last-minute hassles attempting to locate availability, you can obtain the family gorilla permits at least six months to a year before the day of trekking. Gorilla permits in Rwanda and Uganda sell out quickly during the busiest travel seasons. June, July, August, September, December, and January are the busiest travel seasons.

What distinguishes Rwandan and Ugandan gorilla trekking?

Whether traveling to Rwanda or Uganda, a gorilla trekking safari is an incredible experience. Standing in front of the mountain gorillas is a life-altering experience that can completely erase the hardships you may have endured to organize the family gorilla safari.

The following are some ways that gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda differs:

The price of a gorilla permit
Gorilla permits in Rwanda cost $1500 per person per hike, whereas those in Uganda cost $800 per person.

The number of families of gorillas
Recently, Rwanda has had 15 gorilla trekking families with 96 gorilla permits, compared to 19 gorilla trekking families with 152 permits in Uganda.

Activities that are optional In addition to Gorilla Trekking

Gorilla trekking in Uganda can be combined with a number of other activities, such as chimpanzee trekking, game drives, white water rafting, sport fishing, exploring the Nile River’s source, and launch trips.

There aren’t many other activities in Rwanda that you may combine with gorilla trekking, such as game drives, chimpanzee trekking, and trips to Rwanda’s genocide monument.

Travel time by car from the airport to the locations of gorilla trekking
It takes roughly three hours to drive over picturesque winding roads from Kigali airport to Volcanoes National Park. It takes roughly eight to nine hours to drive from Entebbe Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park via dusty, uneven country roads.

You can go gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park through Rwanda to cut down on the amount of time you need to drive there. It takes roughly five to six hours to drive there.

What Are Rwandan and Ugandan Gorilla Trekking Dos and Don’ts?

Because mountain gorillas are particularly vulnerable to illnesses like the flu and cough, offer to stay behind if you have one of these contagious illnesses.
To lessen the possibility of spreading an infection through direct touch, keep a distance of roughly 8 meters from the mountain gorillas when you find them.
Garbage dumping in the forest is prohibited because it changes the environment, which is home to mountain gorillas.
During gorilla trekking, avoid spitting on plants or the ground as this could infect the mountain gorillas.
Because of the characteristics of the area where mountain gorillas reside, gorilla trekking is only permitted for youngsters who are at least 15 years old.
All fecal contents should be buried in a 30-centimeter hole and completely covered.
Once you find the mountain gorillas, you are only permitted to spend an hour with them.

New year’s gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda

You must reserve your gorilla permit in advance if you want to spend the New Year hiking gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda. The gorilla permits sell out quickly since this is the busiest time of year for safaris. Making reservations for lodging for the gorilla safari is also essential because there are fewer options available as the new year approaches.

As the year is still very early, meeting the mountain gorillas on New Year’s offers you time to think about your goals. Being silent or speaking quietly in the jungle is a need of gorilla trekking, which gives you time to reflect on yourself.

Volcanoes National Park, Mgahinga National Park, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are peaceful locations where you can only hear the sounds of the jungle. Listen to your inner self and sketch out your goals for the year at the beginning of the new year.

The Virunga region provides a lovely setting for you to plan your life for the upcoming year.

Where in Uganda Can I Go Gorilla Trekking?

Impenetrable National Park in Bwindi
Mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, L’Hoest’s, black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, and blue monkeys are among the roughly ten primates that inhabit this environment. The extensive list of plants and animals has grown over 30,000 years.

More than 300 tree species, 88 moths, 51 reptiles, 350 bird species, 310 butterflies, and other flora and wildlife may be found in Bwindi Forest.

You must be aware of the location of your gorilla permit reservation in order to go gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The Buhoma area, Ruhija area, Rushaga area, and Nkuringo area are the four divisions of this enormous national park.

You must first be aware of where your gorilla permit is booked in order to make reservations for lodging when gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This reduces the possibility of waking up in the middle of the night to drive from one location to another in order to attend a briefing.

Park in Mgahinga National
The far southwest of Uganda is home to Mgahinga National Park. Because it receives fewer visitors, this forested national park is one of Uganda’s still-unexplored national parks. Some of the world’s most renowned mountain gorillas can be found in Mgahinga National Park. Currently, just one gorilla family is accessible to the general public. The Nyakagezi gorilla family, which has a history of straying into Rwanda, is housed at Mgahinga National Park.

Booking gorilla permits for Mgahinga National Park used to be difficult because it depended on the mountain gorillas’ presence.

Other primates found in the park include olive baboons, black and white colobus, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, golden monkeys, and grey-cheeked mangabeys.

This park’s rocky mountains, such as Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Sabyinyo, and Mountain Muhavura, provide a stunning backdrop. You can hike for roughly eight hours back and forth in a single day.

Where in Rwanda Can I Go Gorilla Trekking?

The National Park of Volcanoes
Volcanoes National Park is located in Rwanda’s northwest. Currently, there are 15 completely habituated mountain gorilla families in this park that are accessible for gorilla trekking.

Because of the five mountains that make up this park, its topography is steeper and more volcanic. Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Bisoke, Mountain Muhavura, Mountain Karisimbi, and Mountain Sabyinyo are some of these mountains.

More primates, including olive baboons, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus, golden and blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and others, can be found at the Volcanoes National Park, according to primatologists.

Volcanoes National Park is home to more than 300 bird species, including endemics of the Albertine Rift. You can combine Rwandan birdwatching with a double gorilla trekking experience during this safari vacation.

The Handsome Francolin, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Malachite Sunbird, Kivu Ground Thrush, White Tailed Blue Fly Catcher, and other birds can be seen in Volcanoes National Park.

How and Where Do I Reserve Rwandan and Ugandan Gorilla Permits?

Uganda gorilla permits can be purchased on your behalf by an authorized tour operator, however they are sold by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

The Rwanda Development Board oversees and sells Rwanda gorilla permits. These gorilla permits can also be purchased via a recognized travel agency.

The process for reserving gorilla permits
Since January 1st is always New Year’s, you might ask the Uganda Wildlife Authority or a tour operator if gorilla permits are available. You can make reservations for your gorilla walk based on the number of gorillas.

The Rwanda Development Board and Uganda Wildlife Authority lists are used by our safari consultant to verify availability. One of the authorized businesses with access to the list of gorilla permits in Rwanda and Uganda is katland Safaris.

We urge our clients to buy their gorilla permits as soon as possible when the availability of permits is confirmed. This is because their first-come, first-served policy causes them to sell out quickly.

Without payment, none of the gorilla permits are obtained.

Provide personal information such as the passport’s full name, nationality, birthdate, and expiration date.

How Much Does It Cost To Get A Gorilla Permit In Rwanda And Uganda?

For treks in Uganda, the cost of a gorilla permit is $800 per person, $700 per person, and 300,000 shs for citizens of East Africa.

The cost of a Rwandan gorilla permit is $1500 per trekper.

It’s crucial to reserve your gorilla permit in advance, particularly during the busiest times of the year, which are June through September and December through January. In Rwanda and Uganda, this is the busiest travel time of year. The majority of service providers, including lodging and driver guides, raise their rates at this time of year.

What Does It Cost To Get A Gorilla Permit In Rwanda And Uganda?

An hour with the mountain gorillas, park admission costs, security throughout the trip, assistance for the protection of the mountain gorillas, support for the local people, and a certificate upon completion of the journey are all included in the price of a gorilla permit.

What Does the Gorilla Permit Cost Exclude?

Porter, beverages, snacks, transportation, gratuities, and other personal belongings.

you relieve you of the hassle of organizing this safari package, katland Safaris helps you put together your gorilla trekking package.

We’ve been planning safaris in Uganda and Rwanda for more than ten years, and the feedback we’ve received from customers has helped us keep improving. We have excellent working relationships with lodging establishments, and where appropriate, we may obtain lower rates for our customers.

Can I get Rwandan and Ugandan gorilla permits for the new year in installments?

The simplest way to make sure you don’t forget to top up your gorilla permit is to pay for it in full.

30% and 70% of gorilla permit installments are accepted in Rwanda and Uganda, respectively. Installment gorilla permit purchases are only available to visitors who buy their permits 90 days prior to the gorilla trekking date.

Remember to renew your gorilla permit ninety days prior to the gorilla trekking date, or else you risk being penalized.

What Month Is Best For Buying Rwandan And Ugandan New Year Gorilla Permits?

It is preferable to buy your permit for January 1st at least 6 months in advance because the New Year is a joyous celebration that many people prepare for as early as the beginning of the year.

Due to the high demand for gorilla safaris throughout the holiday season, permits are only available for a maximum of eight gorilla families per day.

Not even on the ground, last-minute gorilla permits for the new year are difficult to obtain since they might wish to create memories that will last all year. Gorilla trekking offers the opportunity to spend time with some of the world’s few remaining mountain gorillas, making it more than just a typical monkey safari experience.

Can I reschedule my gorilla permit for Rwanda or Uganda for the new year?

Both Rwanda and Uganda have rescheduling policies that allow for the rescheduling of gorilla permits.

You must send a letter to the Rwanda Development Board or the Uganda Wildlife Authority asking to reschedule your gorilla permit. If you have a gorilla trekking date in mind, explain why you would like to change it. To support your request, include some details.

Upon approval, your gorilla permit is rescheduled to the date of your choice, subject to availability.

Take note
Two free gorilla permit rescheduling times are accepted by Uganda. Only the third time, with a 25% penalty, does the executive director approve.

Rwanda charges for the rescheduling of gorilla permits.

Between Rwanda and Uganda, which country is the best for gorilla trekking in the new year?
You forget the hassles of planning a gorilla safari in Rwanda or Uganda the moment you are in front of the mountain gorillas.

Additional elements to take into account while comparing gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda are as follows:

The price of a gorilla permit

Gorilla permits in Rwanda cost $1500 per person per trek, whereas those in Uganda cost $800 per person every trek.

The quantity of gorilla families

Rwanda has 15 gorilla trekking families with 96 gorilla licenses thus far, compared to 19 gorilla families in Uganda with 152 gorilla permits.

Other Things to Do Along With Gorilla Trekking

Chimpanzee trekking, game drives, exploring the Nile River’s source, white water rafting, and other activities are among the many activities available in Uganda that can be combined with gorilla trekking.

In addition to gorilla trekking, Rwanda offers a few additional optional activities, such as chimpanzee trekking, Rwandan cultural tours, and visits to the Kigali Genocide Memorial.

Travel Time Between Airport and Gorilla Trekking Locations

While it takes roughly three hours to drive from Kigali Airport to Volcanoes National Park, it takes over nine hours to go from Entebbe Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park.

Rwanda offers gorilla trekking in Uganda; it takes roughly five to six hours to get from Kigali to either Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Since both nations are part of the East African community, you can enter them using an East African visa. You can enter Uganda from Rwanda by crossing the Gatuna or Cyanika borders.

How Challenging Is It to Gorilla Trek in Rwanda or Uganda?

The terrain where gorilla trekking takes place is volcanic, with lush vegetation covering the slopes and plateaus. Due to the deep canopy’s restricted ability to let sunlight through, the earth becomes extremely damp and soggy during the intense rainy seasons.

The intricate system of waterways occasionally overflows, creating muddy paths that are difficult to traverse. Even the fallen vegetation’s rotting materials could make the path slick. It would be ideal to have safari boots to prevent injuries to your feet.

Finding the mountain gorillas on the slopes where they occasionally eat or relax is made easier if you are somewhat fit.

Bring the appropriate gorilla trekking equipment to keep you safe from the severe forest conditions and to support you during the entire walk.

How to Act While Trekking with Gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda

To avoid giving the mountain gorillas the impression that you are ambushing them, stay close together when you find them. The mountain gorillas become agitated by this and might go into hiding.
Following the coronavirus pandemic, it is crucial to wear a mask and sanitize your shoes before beginning the gorilla journey.
It is not permissible to spit on plants or the ground because you could infect the mountain gorillas.
Volunteer to stay behind if you have a contagious illness, such as the flu, COVID-19, or a cough, to prevent the mountain gorillas from contracting it. They might die horribly as a result.
To avoid spreading any infectious diseases to the mountain gorillas, keep a distance of approximately 8 meters when you are in close proximity to them. Retrench gradually without appearing suspicious as they get closer.
Avoid using a spotlight when photographing mountain gorillas since it could frighten them. New events in their presence frighten them.
Ask the ranger guide for help digging a hole approximately 30 cm deep and covering it completely if you need to defecate.
Because you could not understand what you are saying, it is prohibited to provoke and imitate mountain gorillas.
Be at least 300 meters away from the mountain gorillas if you want to feed or smoke in front of them. Because mountain gorillas are wild creatures that must forage for food, this will lessen the likelihood that they will take it from you and become dependent on you.
Gorilla trekking is restricted to hikers who are at least 15 years old.
Once you find the mountain gorillas, you get an hour to spend with them.

New Year’s Gorilla Habituation Experience In Uganda

A once-in-a-lifetime African safari experience is going on a gorilla habituation safari in Uganda’s hazy, beautiful woodland on New Year’s Day. You have time to think about the year’s outlook while on the gorilla habituation safari for the new year. Gorilla habituation in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park gives you plenty of leisure and a refreshing environment to sketch your ideal life in the coming year. In the company of researchers and habituators, you get to spend more time with a family of semi-habituated mountain gorillas.

The southern region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda is where gorillas acquire habituation. For this safari excursion, two gorilla families have been reserved thus far. The researchers and trackers are only permitted to have a maximum of four tourists with them.

Gorilla Habituation Experience: What Is It?

A gorilla habituation safari is an excursion in which you spend four hours with a family of semi-habituated mountain gorillas.

Researchers and trackers employ a technique called “gorilla habituation” to acclimate a family of wild mountain gorillas to people without changing their natural characteristics. This is what happens before a gorilla trekking family is formed. Because it relies on how the gorilla family reacts to human presence, the length of gorilla habituation is uncertain. It could take up to two years for gorillas to become habituated.

To take advantage of this experience, you must have a gorilla habituation permit.

A Gorilla Habituation Permit: What Is It?

The gorilla habituation permit is a Uganda Wildlife Authority card that serves as a ticket for access to a gorilla safari and is imprinted with a visitor’s information.

Only four gorilla habituation licenses are now available for public booking in Uganda, despite the Uganda Wildlife Authority selling permits daily. Eight gorilla permits are now available for gorilla habituation in Uganda.

How Much Does It Cost To Get A Ugandan Gorilla Habituation Permit?

Foreign nonresidents must pay $1500 per person per trek for a gorilla habituation permit in Uganda, while foreign residents must pay $1000 and East African residents must pay 750,000shs.

To prevent last-minute scrambling to get a gorilla habituation permit, you can reserve one for New Year’s at least six months in advance. Last-minute New Year gorilla permits are difficult to obtain because of fierce competition, particularly during the final quarter of the year.

What Does the Price of a Gorilla Habituation Permit Include?

Security during gorilla habituation, researcher and ranger guide fees, four hours of mountain gorilla tracking, a 24-hour park entrance charge, local community support, and gorilla conservation support are all included in the price of Uganda gorilla habituation permits.

What Does the Price of Gorilla Habituation Permits Not Include?

Porter charge. A porter is someone who assists you with carrying your belongings throughout the gorilla hike and provides encouragement when needed. Advice, accommodations for gorilla habituation, and any other personal belongings.

katland Safaris will help you customize your gorilla habituation package and arrange for the rental car, lodging, driver guide fees, and other safari amenities that enhance this experience. For more information on the gorilla habituation experience in Uganda, get in touch with us.

Does a Gorilla Habituation Permit Cost Enough?

A gorilla permit costs $1500 per person, but it’s well worth the price. According to a census conducted by American primatologist Dian Fossey in the 1980s, mountain gorillas were on the verge of extinction. You get to help save them. Due of their predicament, mountain gorillas are now listed as one of the world’s most endangered primates.

Four hours of additional time spent with the mountain gorillas is yours to enjoy. In order to provide trekkers with information after the gorilla family is officially confirmed for gorilla trekking, researchers may ask you to record notes based on your observations.

There is ample time for four hours spent with the mountain gorillas if you are interested in recording and taking pictures of them. You have enough room to capture the most amazing photos and unique moments of the mountain gorillas, even if only a maximum of four people are permitted to accompany the team of habituators.

A once-in-a-lifetime experience worth investing your hard-earned cash in is gorilla habituation.

During Habituation, How Aggressive Are Mountain Gorillas?

Despite having semi-habituated mountain gorillas, gorilla families that are open for gorilla habituation are the most violent. Despite their frightening attitude, mountain gorillas are peaceful in the wild. Mountain gorillas are physically distinguished by their dark coats, deep brown eyes, and knuckle-to-knuckle gait.

Seeing the mountain gorillas is frightful and can make you feel a little more energized, but you must not display this emotion. In front of the mountain gorillas, you might appear suspicious. These primates pay close attention to everything you do because they are afraid of space invaders.

Mountain gorillas can hoot, bang their chests violently, walk on one foot, drag grass about them, and do a lot more when they’re upset.

Note that no one has ever been assaulted by mountain gorillas in the history of gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation. To fully enjoy your time with the mountain gorillas, you must adhere to the guidelines provided by the researchers and trackers during the briefing.

When Do You Go Back After Habituating a Gorilla?

Since gorillas are highly mobile primates with nothing limiting them in the wild, it is difficult to determine the return period from habituation. Even the time it takes to find the mountain gorillas varies depending on many forest conditions, such as how close the food source is. While some visitors have been fortunate enough to track mountain gorillas in just two hours, others have gone farther.

Mountain gorillas may have to relocate to the deeper forest ends if they fight, which would prolong the time it takes for them to get habituated.

If you need to track the mountain gorillas from the slopes, you will have to hike on the slick ground during the intense rainy season.

Tracing the gorillas becomes challenging when a member of the gorilla family, particularly the dominant silverback, dies.

It takes a certain amount of patience to get through the gorillas’ habituation process. You can reach the slopes and the deep valley where the mountain gorillas might be by using your fitness level alone.

How Much Does a New Year’s Gorilla Habituation Safari Cost?

Depending on the package you select, the gorilla habituation safari expenses might range from luxury to mid-range to low-cost.

Because gorilla habitat permits are so expensive, you should think of them as an essential expense on this Ugandan safari.

When calculating the cost of gorilla habituation, other elements are taken into account.

The Length of Time Spent on Gorilla Safari

The cost of a gorilla safari increases with the number of days because service providers charge by the day.

Travelers on the Gorilla Habituation Tour

Group travel with Gorilla Safari allows you to split some expenses, such as gas, driver guide fees, and car rental. As a lone traveler on a gorilla habituation safari, you are responsible for all safari expenses.

The number of things you can do in addition to gorilla trekking

The cost of a safari increases with the number of activities you include in addition to gorilla trekking in Uganda, such as game drives, white water rafting, and chimpanzee trekking.

When to Make a Gorilla Habituation Safari Reservation

Since the new year is Uganda’s busiest travel season, most service providers demand exorbitant prices.

How secure is the experience of gorilla habitat?

Because each group of tourists visiting the gorilla habitat is accompanied by a qualified ranger, the area in which the mountain gorillas reside is safe. To preserve peace and order in and around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the ranger guides collaborate with other Ugandan security services.

You should be mindful of your personal safety and avoid going into the forest without a ranger guide to accompany you. Keep in mind that not everyone who lives in a forest is accustomed.

You should never let strangers into your lodge room because they might be pickpockets or thieves.

For your time in the forest, dress comfortably in the appropriate gorilla habituation gear.

How to Travel by Road to Bwindi’s Gorilla Habituation Experience Area

The route from Kampala to Kabale to Nkuringo is an option. A 414-kilometer travel from Kampala or Entebbe to Kabale is followed by a 105-kilometer drive to the Nkuringo region. This region is located in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s southern part. The travel from Kabale to the Nkuringo region takes about four hours.

About 80 kilometers from Kabale, near the village of Kisoro, some tourists spend the night. You may drive 35 kilometers in 1 and a half hours from Kisoro town.

AIR

Domestic flights to Kisoro depart daily from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip. You can then rent a shuttle car to get to your lodge.

If necessary, charter flights are offered from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip.

How Does the Gorilla Habituation Experience Go?

Expect some wild behaviors from the mountain gorillas, such as hooting at you and withdrawing into the deeper forest, as they are semi-habituated. Observe the instructions provided at the briefing and the advice of the experts based on the mountain gorillas’ behavior.

If the mountain gorillas spend their time here grazing and relaxing, you might have to go to the messy plateaus and ridges.

There is little sunlight able to reach the deep, hazy canopy of Bwindi Forest.

Because the Bwindi forest is a tropical rainforest with significant humidity, expect rain at any time of year.

As many tourists as possible can follow a group of habituators, you share your gorilla habituation adventure with other travelers.

What Are Uganda’s Gorilla Habituation Guidelines?

The following rules were implemented in order to save the mountain gorillas.
Going on a gorilla habituation trip is prohibited for anyone who has a contagious illness. Because mountain gorillas’ DNA is roughly 96% that of humans, you could infect them.
When you find the mountain gorillas, keep close to them rather than around them. They feel ambushed when surrounded.
Keep a distance of roughly 8 meters from the mountain gorillas once you’ve found them. in order to reduce the possibility of infecting these primates.
Before beginning the gorilla journey, clean your shoes and put on a fresh mask when you see the mountain gorillas.
Flash photography is prohibited due to the possibility of frightening the mountain gorillas. Unknown events in their environment terrify these primates.
It is prohibited to provoke or imitate mountain gorillas since you do not comprehend their message.
The mountain gorillas might be enticed to eat from you if you smoke or dine in front of them. They must not be dependent on human sustenance because they are wild creatures.
To reduce the possibility of spreading viruses to these gentle giants, if you must cough or sneeze, do so away from the mountain gorillas.
Request that the ranger guide dig a hole for you that is at least 30 cm deep and completely bury everything.
The forest where mountain gorillas live and feed is changed when trash is dumped there. Even indecomposable trash can be consumed by forest inhabitants, which will ultimately result in their demise.
Spitting on plants or the ground is unsanitary and can spread diseases and germs to mountain gorillas.
Because of the characteristics of the environment in which mountain gorillas reside, gorilla habituation is only permitted for individuals who are at least 15 years old.
Avoid creating noise that could frighten the mountain gorillas. Strange sounds in their environment terrify these primates.
When you find the mountain gorillas during the gorilla habituation experience, you are only permitted to spend four hours with them.

What Can I Bring on a Habituation Safari with Gorillas?

Boots from Safari
Foldable safari hat
Warmers, such as a jacket or shawl
Toiletries
Repellant for insects
Gloves for gardening
Khaki and tan colored safari convertible pants and shirt
A duffel bag
A shoe bag
Water bottle that folds up
Additional batteries
Charger and travel adapter
A camera, some stockings, and some flip-flops
A few additional garments
Emergency medicine in a first aid kit
lightweight, water-resistant bag
If it suddenly starts to rain, have a poncho or raincoat.
A flashlight
If you need to make purchases on-site, you’ll need some hard cash to convert to local currency.

New Year’s gorilla and chimpanzee trekking in Uganda and Rwanda

Trekking with gorillas and chimpanzees in Rwanda and Uganda is a chance to expand your horizons this year. The peace and quiet of the Virunga region allows you to relax and forget about the hectic events of the previous year.

You may escape the bustle of the cities by spending some time in the peace and quiet of the chimpanzee habitats in Rwanda and Uganda. As you establish strategies, you can organize your hopes for the coming year and schedule time for yourself.

Because this is a holiday season and there is a cap on the number of permits sold per activity, make sure to reserve your gorilla and chimpanzee permits from Uganda and Rwanda well in advance. In Rwanda and Uganda, a gorilla family may only purchase a maximum of eight gorilla licenses per day. Each troop may only purchase a maximum of six chimpanzee hiking licenses per day.

All members of the gorilla trekking party must be qualified for the activity and receive a gorilla and chimpanzee permit. In Rwanda and Uganda, gorilla trekking is restricted to those who are at least 15 years old. Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda and Uganda is restricted to those who are at least 15 years old.You must be aware of the locations for gorilla and chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda and Uganda.

Where in Rwanda and Uganda can I go gorilla trekking?

In Rwanda
The only gorilla trekking habitat in Rwanda is Volcanoes National Park, which is situated in the northwest of the nation. There are perhaps fifteen gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park that are available for reservations.

Other primates found in this park include olive baboons, vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, golden and blue monkeys, and others.

Volcanoes National Park, which is home to more than 300 bird species, including Albertine endemics, is the only place in Rwanda to go birding. Archer’s Robin-Chat, Rwenzori Turaco, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Dusky Crimsonwing, and other birds are among the ones you might be able to recognize.

The park is beautifully framed by the stunning landscape that the five Virunga Volcanoes have produced. Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhavura, Mountain Bisoke, Mountain Karisimbi, and Mountain Sabyinyo are among these highlands.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda

The foggy Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwest Uganda is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna that have gathered throughout time. Approximately 18 gorilla families, including nearly half of all mountain gorillas worldwide, reside in this virgin woodland.

Over 310 butterfly species, 51 reptiles, 88 months, 300 trees, 10 primates, and 350 bird species—seven of which are on the IUCN Red List—are among the species that have been documented in this park thus far.

The diverse range of vegetation in Bwindi Forest, which includes lowland forest at elevations of roughly 1160 meters and Afromontane vegetation over 2700 meters, is astounding to the expanding list of wildlife and flora.

Park in Mgahinga National

One of the most striking parks is Mgahinga National Park, which is situated on the flanks of three volcanoes: Mountain Muhavura, Mountain Gahinga, and Mountain Sabyinyo. The Nyakagezi gorilla family is the only gorilla family now available for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park.

Since the Nyakagezi gorilla trekking family used to stray into Rwanda, gorilla trekking in this park has only ever been verified on the ground. Permits for Mgahinga National Park can be reserved in advance, and this gorilla family is now residing in Uganda.

In addition to golden and blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, black and white colobus, olive baboons, and others, Mgahinga National Park is a primate’s paradise.

Gorilla trekking in this park offers you two chances to spot a variety of birds, including endemic Albertine species. There are now 115 bird species known to exist in Mgahinga National Park, but more are anticipated to be added, according to ornithologists.

It is worthwhile to attempt the 8-hour climb back to the summits of Gahinga, Muhavura, and Sabyinyo. You may take in the breathtaking views of Mgahinga National Park’s recently added forest cover.

Chimpanzee trekking locations in Rwanda and Uganda
In Rwanda
National Park Nyungwe

The sole chimpanzee trekking habitat in Rwanda is Nyungwe National Park. Cyamudongo is another chimpanzee trekking habitat on the park’s edge. Expect some wild behavior from the semi-habituated chimpanzees at Nyungwe National Park.

Uwinka is home to Nyungwe National Park’s headquarters. Nyungwe National Park is roughly 230 kilometers from Kigali Airport, and it takes five hours to get there.

The Angola Colobus, Mona monkeys, blue monkeys, Dent’s Mona monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, silver monkeys, olive baboons, and other primates can be found in Nyungwe National Park.

With over 283 bird species—27 of which are endemic—and a large population of Albertine Rift endemics, Nyugwe Forest is a popular destination for avid birdwatchers on Rwanda Safari. The Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Mountain Masked Apalis, Red Collared Mountain Babbler, Kivu Ground Thrush, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Red Throated Alethe, and other species may be seen at Nyugwe National Park.

Kibale National Park in Uganda

Uganda’s primate sanctuary is Kabale National Park, where the chimpanzees are the main attraction. It is estimated that Kibale National Park is home to more than 1500 chimpanzees. This park offers two chimpanzee trekking sessions: one in the morning at 08:00 and one in the afternoon at 1500.

Other primates that call this park home include potatoes, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, L’Hoests, black and white colobus, and bush babies.

There are currently 325 bird species and over six Albertine Rift endemics included on this park’s constantly growing bird list. When visiting Kabale National Park, birdwatchers choose to visit the Bigodi wetland in Magombe swamp. The Yellow Spotted Nicator, Yellow-Rumped Tinkerbird, Little Greenbul, Blue Breasted Kingfisher, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Crowned Eagle, and other species may be found at Kibale National Park.

Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Kyambura Gorge

Chimpanzee trekking in the 100-meter-deep Kyambura Gorge is an exciting experience. Kyambura Gorge was created by the erosion of the River Kyambura, which empties into the Kazinga channel. During the rainy season, you must prepare to hike on slick terrain and wet your chimpanzee trekking equipment.

Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge takes place every day between 0800 and 1400 hours.

In Murchison Falls National Park, the Kaniyo Pabidi Forest

Kaniyo Pabidi Forest is roughly 8 kilometers from Kichumbanyombo Gate when traveling via Masindi Road. Giant ironwood and mahogany trees make up this chimpanzee habitat. Keep an eye out for other primates, such as olive baboons, vervet monkeys, and grey-cheeked mangabeys.

Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Periphery: Kalinzu Forest Reserve

On the edge of Queen Elizabeth National Park is this forest. Despite its reputation for chimpanzee research, demand may permit tourists to engage in chimpanzee trekking here during the busiest times of the year.

The Chimpanzee Sanctuary on Ngamba Island

Chimpanzees that have been rescheduled from snares, abandoned, orphaned, and unable to return to their communities reside on Ngamba Island. This sanctuary was established to raise awareness of amazing species and the importance of their delicate habitat among tourists, the local population, and the general public.

There are two visiting sessions every day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. You can use the feeding platform to participate if feeding time is available. Observe how the chimpanzees illustrate the concept of survival of the fittest through their feeding drama.

How to Reserve Permits for Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trekking in Rwanda and Uganda
Decide on the dates you want to hike with chimpanzees and gorillas. You can get advice from our tours expert on the best days and how to carry out these activities. Chimpanzee and gorilla trekking cannot be done on the same day since gorilla trekking takes a full day.

Our safari adviser looks through the permit lists of both Rwanda and Uganda when you ask about the availability of gorilla and chimpanzee permits in those countries.

We recommend that you get your gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits in advance, if there are any available. This is due to the fact that they sell out quickly, particularly during the busiest times of the year when demand for primate safaris in Rwanda and Uganda is highest.

What is the cost of purchasing a gorilla permit for Rwanda and Uganda?

For foreign non-residents, Uganda gorilla licenses cost $800 per person per trip; for foreign residents, they cost $700 per person each trek; and for East African citizens, they cost 300,000 shs.

For foreign non-residents, Rwanda gorilla licenses cost $1500 per person per trek; for foreign residents, they cost $500; and for East African residents, they cost $300.

What does the price of a gorilla permit include?

In Rwanda and Uganda, the cost of a gorilla permit covers park admission fees, ranger guide costs, security for gorilla trekking, assistance with gorilla conservation, support for the local people, and an hour with the mountain gorillas.

Tips, transportation to gorilla locations, porter fees, lunch, and any other personal belongings are not included in the cost of a gorilla permit.

How Much Does It Cost to Get a Chimpanzee Trekking Permit in Rwanda or Uganda?

Permits for Ugandan chimpanzees vary in price depending on the location. Currently, chimpanzee permits in Kibale National Park cost $300 per person per hike for non-resident foreigners, $250 for natives, and 150,000 shillings for East African residents.

Take note Park entrance fees are included in the price of Kibale National Park.

The current cost of a Rwanda Chimpanzee trekking permit is $90 per person per trek.

Chimpanzee trekking permit inclusions in Rwanda or Uganda
Chimpanzee conservation, ranger guide costs, security during chimpanzee trekking, community support, and an hour spent with the primates

Transportation to the location, gratuities, porter fees, food, and any other personal belongings are not included in the Chimpanzee Trekking Permit for Rwanda or Uganda.

When is the best time to reserve a trekking permit for chimpanzees and gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda?

Gorilla permits must be obtained six months in advance, and chimpanzee permits must be obtained three months in advance, particularly during the busiest times of the year, which are June through September and December through January.

Which of Rwanda and Uganda Offers the Greatest Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trekking Safaris?

In Rwanda or Uganda, you can get closer to the giant African primates by combining gorilla and chimpanzee trekking. You learn the distinction between chimpanzees and mountain gorillas throughout this tour. The experience of hiking with gorillas and chimpanzees in Rwanda or Uganda is enchanting no matter where you go.

The following are some distinctions between chimpanzee and gorilla trekking safaris in Rwanda or Uganda:

The quantity of gorilla permits

While Rwanda has 15 gorilla trekking families with 96 gorilla permits, Uganda has roughly 19 gorilla trekking families with 152 gorilla permits available to the public every day.

Numerous activities that can be combined with trekking for chimpanzees and gorillas

You can combine your primate safari with a variety of other activities in Uganda, such as sport fishing, wildlife drives, white water rafting, and viewing the Nile River’s source. There aren’t many options in Rwanda to go along with this primate safari, such as game drives in Akagera National Park or city tours of Kigali.

How much a gorilla permit costs

Gorilla permits in Rwanda cost $1500 per person per hike, whereas those in Uganda cost $800 per person.

While Rwandan chimpanzee permits currently cost $90 per person each trip, Ugandan permits vary in price depending on the region.

Travel time from the airport to the gorilla trekking locations

It takes roughly nine hours to drive from Entebbe Airport to either Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and three hours to drive from Kigali Airport to Volcanoes National Park.

How to Act When Going on a Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trek in Rwanda and Uganda

When you see the mountain gorillas or chimpanzees, keep around 8 meters away from them because they can contract human illnesses such the flu, cough, COVID-19, and others.
Before going on chimpanzee or gorilla trekking, offer to stay behind if you have a contagious illness.
Chimpanzee trekking requires participants to be at least 15 years old, whereas gorilla trekking requires participants to be at least 15 years old.
If you must defecate, dig a hole that is at least 30 centimeters deep and completely cover it.
When you find chimpanzees or mountain gorillas, don’t use flash photography.
You are only permitted to spend an hour with the chimpanzees or mountain gorillas, so try not to upset them.

Reasons To Visit Kibale National Park

With industrialization and global warming sweeping the globe like wildfire, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find pristine places like Kibale National Park. One of the few remaining tropical rainforests where chimpanzees and other primates can find a home is Kibale National Park.

There are currently approximately 1500 chimpanzees known to roam the Kibale Forest. To engage in chimpanzee trekking or habituation, a permit card is required.

Birdwatching in Kibale National Park is a rewarding experience because over 325 bird species, including endemics of the Albertine Rift, find refuge in this tropical rain forest.

Kibale National Park is home to about 15 other primate species, including red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, and olive baboons, which can be observed during a guided primate walk through the jungle.

In Kibale National Park, what should one do?

Trekking chimpanzees With the most habituated chimpanzees in East Africa, Kibale National Park is Uganda’s largest chimpanzee trekking habitat. A chimpanzee trekking permit can be obtained from the Uganda Wildlife Authority or via a travel agency such as katland Safaris.

The day hiking with chimpanzees begins early, typically between 8:00 a.m. and 1500 p.m. Your trip will be more pleasurable and unforgettable if you have the proper chimpanzee trekking equipment, such as safari boots, convertible pants, long-sleeved shirts, and others.

What Is The Price Of A Kibale National Park Chimpanzee Permit?

For foreign nonresidents, each Chimpanzee permit costs $300; for foreign residents, it costs $250; and for East African residents, it costs 150000shs.

The following is included in the price of a Kibale chimpanzee trekking permit:

Park admission costs.
costs for ranger guides.
Spending an hour with chimpanzees.
Safety when walking chimpanzees.
assistance from the local community.
support for chimpanzee conservation.
Transportation, gratuities, porters, and any other personal belongings are not included in the price of the chimpanzee trekking permit for Kibale National Park.

Is it possible to reschedule my Kibale National Park Chimpanzee Trekking Permit?

The Uganda Wildlife Authority must grant authorization for you to reschedule the cost of the chimpanzee trekking permit for Kibale National Park.

Send a letter to the Uganda Wildlife Authority asking for a date adjustment for the chimpanzee expedition. If at all possible, provide proof to support this.

Your chimpanzee trekking permit is transferred to the new date based on the current availability status after it has been authorized.

You must top up the Chimpanzee Trekking Permit before rescheduling if it still has to be done.

Can I buy the Kibale National Park Chimpanzee Permit in installments?

Chimpanzee trekking permits can be purchased in installments from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, but only if the permits are purchased 90 days before to the trekking date. 30% and 70% down payments are available for the Chimpanzee trekking permits for Kibale National Park.

Ninety days following the trekking date, you must remember to renew your partially paid chimpanzee trekking permits.

There is a penalty for noncompliance.

Experience of Chimpanzee Habituation in Kibale National Park
Join a group of researchers and habituators as they trace and follow a semi-habituated chimpanzee colony in the wild as part of Kibale National Park’s Chimpanzee Habituation Experience. This allows them to acclimate to human presence without changing who they are.

To participate in this activity, it would be ideal to acquire a Uganda Wildlife Authority chimpanzee habituation permit.

You get up early and follow researchers and habituators as they follow the chimpanzees during the chimpanzee habituation experience, often known as CHEX. You might see them just leaving their nests or de-nesting. To preserve recollections of your encounter, you take notes, observe the chimpanzees going about their daily lives, and snap pictures of them.

A troop of habituated chimpanzees may be followed by up to four gorilla permits. You have four hours to spend with the chimps once you find them.

What Is The Price Of A Kibale National Park Chimpanzee Habituation Permit?

It costs $300 per person per trek to obtain a chimpanzee habituation permit for Kibale National Park. To avoid last-minute anxiety when checking for availability, you can reserve the chimpanzee permits in advance. However, each group is only permitted to have a maximum of four chimpanzee habituation permits per day.

What Does Kibale National Park’s Chimpanzee Habituation Permit Include And Not Include?

The following is included in the price of the Kibale National Park permit:

a price for the researcher.
charge for ranger guides.
safety during the habituation period of chimpanzees.
conservation for chimpanzees.
Spending four hours with chimpanzees.
assistance from the local community.
Park admission costs.
The expense of transportation during chimpanzee habituation, gratuity, porter, and any other personal belongings are excluded.

Can I buy permits for chimpanzee habitat in installments?

For chimpanzee licenses purchased ninety days prior to the habituation date, the Uganda Wildlife Authority accepts installment payments. The ideal way to enjoy this experience is to pay in full for your chimpanzee habituation permit, however depending on your situation, you may choose to pay in installments.

A penalty will be imposed if the top-up is not completed within ninety days of the habituation date.

Kibale National Park birdwatching
A variety of rainforest birds can be seen in Kibale National Park, a vast biosphere national park. This tropical rainforest is home to about 335 different kinds of birds, and the main road near the Kanyanchu Visitors Center is the greatest place to go birdwatching.

A Ugandan birdwatcher’s paradise, the Bigodi sanctuary in Magombe Swamp is located just outside Kibale National Park. Birds like the endangered grey-headed Olive-back, Black-crowned Waxbills, Green-backed Twin Spot, Black and White Mannikin, and others can be seen from the observation tower and boardwalk.

Observing primates at Kibale National Park
During a primate walk, you can see approximately 13 different species of primates that call Kibale National Park home. Other primates, such as L’Hoest’s, potato, red colobus, blue, black and white, grey-cheeked mangabey, olive baboons, bush infants, and red-tailed monkeys, may be seen in addition to chimpanzees.

To guide you through this primate search, you will require an accompanying ranger guide.

Nature Trail and Cultural Heritage
Visitors can follow the two to six-day trails through the forest on this former long-distance walk. This hike begins in Sebitoli or the Kanyanchu Visitor Center and ends there. In places like Kikoni, Nyakalongo, and Nyaibanda, you can spend the day exploring the forest and come out in the evening to spend the night.

You can engage with locals, particularly those from the Bakiga and Batooro cultures. To assist you with lifting your things, you can hire porters. A porter is someone who helps you carry your things in the woods for a reasonable fee. The local community uses these cash to assist their family, thus this is the most direct approach to help them.

Activities for Kids in Kibale National Park

Kibale National Park offers kid-friendly activities because children under the age of 15 are not permitted to go chimpanzee trekking there. Children are led on a one to two-hour forest walk by trained instructors. In as little time as possible, the kids learn about ecosystems and the people that live there.

Youngsters engage in games and artistic pursuits like batik creation, cyanotype, photography, and pond dipping.

Hiking in the Forest in Kibale National Park

You investigate the park’s habitats while on the woodland stroll.

through the grassland, swamp, riverine forest, and tropical rainforest; keep an eye out for the various birds and primates that the forest is home to. Around 1400, the Elephant Wallow marks the end of this forest, which begins at the Kanyanchu Visitor Center.

Reservations are required for this hike.

What Time of Year Is Best For Kibale National Park Safari Reservations?

Although safaris in Kibale National Park are available year-round, the dry season is the best time to visit because of how vibrant the forest is. Other fascinating primates are fascinating to meet, and the chimpanzees are active in the wild.

In Uganda, the months of June, July, August, September, December, and January are often the busiest travel times during the dry season. During the dry season, Kibale National Park’s trails are easier to see because there is less overgrown vegetation to block your path.

Discounted rates from service providers are more likely to be available during the wet season, which is March, April, May, and November and corresponds to the slowest travel times in Uganda. For people who have a limited

budget, take advantage of the off-season, and, if available, seize the chance for a discount.

In Kibale National Park, how much does a safari cost?

There are three price ranges for safaris in Kibale National Park: premium, mid-range, and cheap. You must get the required permits if you plan to engage in chimpanzee trekking or habituation. As previously stated, the expense of each chimpanzee permit affects every budget.

The following variables affect the price of safaris in Kibale National Park:

Days spent at Kibale National Park
The cost of the safari increases with the number of days spent in Kibale National Park. The majority of service providers charge daily fees for things like lodging and car rentals.
It’s time to reserve your safari in Kibale National Park.
Because of the great demand worldwide, safari package prices are high during the busiest months of June, July, August, September, December, and January. Discounts are occasionally given by service providers during off-peak hours.
Activities available at Kibale National Park
Because each activity in Kibale National Park has a distinct fee, the cost increases as you engage in many activities there.
The safari package you select for your tour of Kibale National Park
The price of a premium, mid-range, or low-cost safari package varies since the inclusions and exclusions vary. The cost of the safari increases with the number of inclusions.

Is it safe to visit Kibale National Park?

A skilled group of rangers and wardens look after the animals at Kibale National Park. They work to raise local residents’ understanding of the importance of protecting chimpanzees in their natural habitat.

To maintain peace and order in and around Kibale National Park, other Ugandan security agencies conduct operations there.

If you want to go into the forest for any activity, you must be careful about your personal safety and look for an escorting guide. Primates and other wild creatures, such as enormous forest hogs and forest elephants, can be found in this rainforest. It might not be a good idea to face these by yourself because they are not accustomed.

Unknown individuals might not have the best interests of you in mind, so don’t let them into your room.

Keep any transactions involving significant sums of money out of the spotlight to avoid drawing the attention of thieves.

What Should You and Should Not Do When Visiting Kibale National Park?

Chimpanzees are wild animals that should rely on the forest rather than human food, hence they shouldn’t be fed. You should be at least 300 meters away from the chimpanzees if you want to eat or smoke.
Since chimpanzees are quite prone to human infections, offer to stay behind if you have the flu, a cough, COVID-19, or anything else.
It is not a good idea to provoke or imitate chimpanzees since you might need to be aware of what you are saying.
It is safe to enter Kibale Forest National Park with a guide. Seek for a ranger guide if you want to go on a woodland stroll.
Chimpanzee trekking and habituation experiences are only permitted for those who are at least 15 years old. This is due to the fact that during chimpanzee trekking or habituation, all participants are expected to adhere to certain standards, which may be more difficult for a youngster younger than this to obey.
Ask the ranger guide to dig a hole for you that is at least 30 cm deep and completely cover it when you need to urinate.
When taking pictures, avoid using a flashlight. Chimpanzees are easily frightened by odd things that happen around them.
When you find chimpanzees, avoid encircling them. They can feel like they’ve been ambushed.
No throwing trash or littering into the forest, which is home to chimpanzees and other forest inhabitants.
To reduce the possibility of transferring any germs to the chimps, stay approximately 8 meters away from them once you have located them.
You have four hours to spend getting used to the chimpanzees and one hour to hike them after you find them.
As a response to the coronavirus pandemic, masks are required for chimpanzee trekking and habituation experiences.

Planning a Gorilla trekking safari on Christmas in Rwanda and Uganda

One of the most amazing African holiday experiences is spending Christmas with the mountain gorillas in Rwanda or Uganda.

Giving the mountain gorillas good news for Christmas is a unique experience. Christmas is a time to celebrate and make memories that will last till the next year. In order to remember each other of this event, you can go gorilla trekking on Christmas with family or friends.

The holiday season is Christmas. Booking gorilla permits for Rwanda, Uganda, or both during this season is great because vacation demand is at its highest.

Obtaining gorilla permits is a need for organizing a Christmas gorilla trekking expedition in Rwanda or Uganda. You must comprehend the meaning of a gorilla permit and the need of obtaining one prior to planning a gorilla safari.

What is the permit for gorillas?

A gorilla permit is a card or document that serves as a one-hour admission ticket for gorilla trekking once you’ve found the mountain gorillas. Even though an hour might not seem like much, it is worth going to view mountain gorillas in the wild as opposed to those housed in captivity. You have to find a family of habituated mountain gorillas in the wild in this seek-and-find game.

How much do gorilla permits cost during the Christmas season?

A gorilla permit in Rwanda costs $1500 for foreign visitors, $500 for foreign citizens, and $300 for inhabitants of East Africa.

Foreign nonresidents must pay $800 per person for a Uganda gorilla permit, while foreign residents must pay $700 and East African residents must pay 300,000 shs.

What does the price of a gorilla permit include and exclude?

The following is covered by the gorilla permit fee:

Park admission costs.
costs for ranger guides.
safety when trekking for gorillas.
assistance from the local community.
support for conservation.
a certificate for finishing the gorilla trek.
The mountain gorillas for an hour.
Tips, snacks for the gorilla hike, a packed lunch, and any other personal belongings are not included in the price of the gorilla ticket.

To arrange a gorilla safari package for Rwanda or Uganda, get in touch with katland Safaris. Wherever feasible, we offer free, pertinent advice and customize your Africa Safari itinerary to meet your needs.

When Is the Best Time To Reserve A Rwandan Or Ugandan Christmas Gorilla Permit?

It’s a great idea to get your gorilla permit ahead of time for Christmas. Booking your gorilla permit is possible at least six months to a year prior to Christmas Day, which falls on December 25 of each year.

By the final quarter of the year, both accommodations and gorilla permits for the holiday season are completely booked.

Keep in mind that gorilla trekking is only available to kids who are at least 15 years old if you are taking a family vacation over the Christmas break. A youngster under this age may find the misty Virunga jungle and its terrain uncomfortable. A child under the age of fifteen may find it difficult to follow the gorilla trekking safari restrictions.

Reserve lodging for use on the Christmas gorilla trek in Rwanda or Uganda.
The lodging you intend to utilize on the gorilla safari is the next step after obtaining the gorilla permit. This is because there are fewer lodging options available when Christmas or the holiday season approaches due to increased demand.

You must be aware of the region in which your gorilla permit is reserved if it is in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. Your gorilla permit can be reserved in four different locations of Bwindi Forest: the Buhoma area, the Ruhija area, the Rushaga area, and the Nkuringo area.

Since the roads linking the various regions are somewhat distant and subject to local weather conditions, it is advisable to spend the night closer to the areas where your gorilla permit is reserved. To be permitted to go gorilla trekking, you must arrive early for the briefing.

Those who engage in gorilla trekking more than once are required to attend the briefing on each gorilla trekking day. You must be informed about what to expect on each journey because mountain gorillas are not all the same and have mood swings.

Gorilla trekking safari accommodations are categorized as luxury, mid-range, and budget.

Gorilla Safari Lodge, Mahogany Springs, Gorilla Forest Camp, Bwindi View Bandas, Silverback Lodge, Ruhija Gorilla Lodge, Nkuringo Safari Lodge, Clouds Lodge, Gorilla Resort, Trekker’s Tavern, Chameleons Lodge, and other accommodations in the impenetrable national park of Bwindi

Accommodations in Mgahinga National Park include Mutanda Lake Resort, Majambere Iwachu, Mgahinga Gorilla Triangle, Gahinga Lodge, and Community Camp.

Accommodations in Volcanoes National Park include the Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Hotel Mill Collines, Hotel La Palme, Hotel Muhavura, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, and Kinigi Guest House.

Where to go on a Christmas gorilla trip

In Uganda
Uganda’s most notable mountain gorilla habitat is Bwindi’s inaccessible national park, which spans roughly 327 square kilometers. At the moment, 18 gorilla families are completely acclimated and available for booking by the general public. In the southern region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, two gorilla families are available for gorilla habituation experiences.

Only 152 gorilla permits are made available for public booking each day, and demand is highest during the festive season, so you must reserve your Uganda gorilla permits in advance.

Other nine primate species, such as chimpanzees, blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, black and white colobus, L’Hoest’s, potato, and others, can also be found in the Bwindi forest.

More than 350 bird species, including endemics of the Albertine Rift, can be found in the Bwindi forest.

Park Mgahinga National

There is currently only one gorilla family, the Nyakagezi, in Mgahinga National Park, which is renowned for its breathtakingly wild landscape. It was difficult to reserve gorilla permits in advance since the Nyakagezi gorilla family used to stray into Rwanda.

Mgahinga gorilla permits can be reserved in advance, subject to availability, as this gorilla family has been residing in Uganda for a considerable amount of time.

The park is home to a variety of other primates, such as olive baboons, vervet monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, golden monkeys, black and white colobus, and blue monkeys.

With ornithologists confirming approximately 115 bird species, including Albertine endemics, as park inhabitants, the Mgahinga forest’s bird list continues to grow.

In the Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda

The only place in Rwanda where mountain gorillas may be seen is Volcanoes National Park, which is located in the country’s northwest. In Rwanda, there are just 15 gorilla families that are officially accessible for gorilla trekking.

Other primates found in this park include olive baboons, grey-cheeked mangabeys, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus, golden and blue monkeys, and more.

Volcanoes National Park is home to over 300 species of birds, including endemics of the Albertine Rift.

How Can I Reserve a Gorilla Permit in Rwanda or Uganda for Christmas?

Gorilla permits must be reserved at least six months to a year in advance for the holiday season. This is due to the fact that they sell out quickly—even before the year’s last quarter—due to strong global demand.

You must choose whether you want to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda when you reserve a gorilla permit for Christmas.

Determine how many other individuals you want to go gorilla trekking with and how many times you can go gorilla trekking on different days.

Our safari adviser looks for availability from the Rwanda Development Board permit list or the Uganda Wildlife Authority when you inquire about gorilla trekking during the Christmas season. One of the authorized businesses with access to this list is katland Safaris.

We urge customers to buy their gorilla permits as soon as availability is confirmed because they sell out quickly. Although gorilla trekking permits are purchased on a first-come, first-served basis, no gorilla permits are reserved without payment.

Reserve transportation to gorilla trekking locations.
By road

Road transportation is available to Uganda’s gorilla trekking locations via routes such as:

To the Impenetrable National Park of Bwindi

Travel from Kampala to Ntungamo, Rukungiri, Kihihi, and Buhoma

Nkuringo to Kabale to Kampala

Kabale, Kampala, Kanungu, and Buhoma

National Park Queen Elizabeth to Kihihi to Buhoma

To the National Park of Mgahinga

Kabale, Kisoro, Ntebeko, Kampala

To the National Park of Volcanoes

Musaze to Volcanoes National Park from Kigali

By Air

Uganda offers daily domestic flights to Kihihi or Kisoro from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi airstrip.

Charter flights to Kihihi or Kisoro are offered from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip.

Charter flights to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park are offered from Kigali airport.

To what extent is the Gorilla Trekking Adventure challenging?

Know that the terrain of this region is rough, with elevations resembling plateaus or ridges covered in tangled foliage, whether you choose to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda. You must trek because mountain gorillas occasionally eat from the slopes. When it rains, the path may become slick and wet due to the water logging, resulting in marshy conditions. The thick canopy of the forest reduces the amount of sunlight that reaches the ground.

Safari boots that can endure such conditions are necessary because the route might occasionally become damp due to flooding caused by the thick network of rivers.

Trekking to the locations where the mountain gorillas might be spending the day or relaxing requires a certain level of fitness.

How Much Does a Gorilla Safari Cost in Rwanda or Uganda Around Christmas?

Luxury, mid-range, and budget packages are used to package gorilla safaris in Rwanda and Uganda. The price of gorilla permits is the same for both Rwanda and Uganda, regardless of whether you want to embark on a gorilla tour.

A gorilla permit in Rwanda costs $1500 per person per trek, whereas in Uganda it costs $800 per person every trek.

The following elements are taken into account while determining the price of the gorilla safari packages:

When scheduling a gorilla safari over the holiday season, service companies charge exorbitant fees because of the high demand.

The volume of Christmastime gorilla trekking travelers

The cost of the gorilla safari decreases with the number of participants. You bear the full cost of the safari if you are traveling alone.

Other pursuits in addition to gorilla trekking

The cost of a safari package rises when additional activities like game drives, chimpanzee trekking, birding, fishing, and others are included.

Which country in Rwanda and Uganda offers the finest gorilla trekking over Christmas?
The experience of encountering mountain gorillas is remarkable, whether you are gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda. Some visitors claim that you are able to forget about whatever hardships you may have had in getting ready for this Christmas vacation.

The distinction between Rwanda and Uganda as the top destinations for gorilla trekking over the Christmas season can be highlighted with

The price of a gorilla permit
A gorilla permit in Rwanda costs $1500, whereas one in Uganda costs $800 per person.

The number of families that go gorilla trekking
There are two gorilla habituation experience families and 19 gorilla trekking families in Uganda.

Activities that can be added to gorilla trekking
There are further optional activities available in Uganda, such as wildlife drives, chimpanzee hiking, white water rafting, and visiting the Nile River’s source. Game drives, chimpanzee trekking, and visits to genocide memorials are among the few extra activities available in Rwanda to combine with gorilla trekking.

The duration of the travel from the airport to the locations for gorilla trekking
While it takes roughly eight to nine hours to drive from Entebbe airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park, it takes three hours to go from Kigali airport to Volcanoes National Park.

Things to Bring to the Gorilla Trekking Safari Packing List for Christmas

A wide-brimmed safari hat to shield your hair from the raindrops that fall from the trees.
Binoculars for an excellent view of birds and animals with fur.
Apply sunscreen on your skin to prevent sunburns and while traveling to the gorilla trekking locations.
If you need to give your possessions to a porter, pack them in a backpack. It also needs to be waterproof.
Packing several long-sleeved shirts and convertible pants would be ideal. Clothing should be packed in dirt-friendly colors, such as Khaki. Having more clothing to change into after gorilla trekking would be ideal.
A raincoat to protect yourself in the event of unexpected downpours while in the forest.
Steer clear of vivid hues like black, blue, and white since they can draw stinging insects that could cause injury to your body.
Gorilla trekking snacks are necessary because breakfast is eaten too early to last the whole journey.
A camera to capture memories of your Christmas vacation in Africa, whether it’s in Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
In the event that you require an in-person transaction, some hard cash to convert into local currency.
In the event that one battery falls low, there is a backup fully charged battery.
Use insect repellent since stinging insects in the woods can cause skin damage.
A first aid kit should be kept on hand in case you have a recognized ailment or require immediate medical attention.
Toiletries, in case they are not provided by the lodge. Since certain skins are quite sensitive, you must feel at ease with them.
Energy nibbles to munch on during pack activities, like as game drives.

Why to do Uganda gorilla safaris starting in Kigali Rwanda

Recently, going gorilla trekking in Uganda via Kigali airport has become a popular safari activity. Because you may enter both Rwanda and Uganda with an East Africa visa, you can enjoy safari experiences in both countries.

You can enter two East African nations with the East African visa without having to reapply. In addition to being neighbors, Rwanda and Uganda are members of the East African community.

It takes five to six hours to drive from Kigali airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park, which crosses the Cyanika or Gatuna border.

It may take eight to nine hours to drive from Entebbe Airport to either Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Stopovers at national parks, such as Lake Mburo National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale National Park, and others, help reduce this travel.

Where in Uganda Can I Go Gorilla Trekking?

Impenetrable National Park in Bwindi

The 327 square kilometer Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in southwest Uganda. With a substantial fauna and flora that includes about 51 reptiles, 88 months, 300 trees, 350 bird species, 10 monkey species, including mountain gorillas, and others, this refugia forest is thought to have existed for more than 30,000 years.

About 18 gorilla families reside in four regions of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: Rushaga and Nkuringo, the Ruhija, and Buhoma. The southern portion of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is designated as a reserve for two gorilla habituation families.

To plan lodging for gorilla trekking or habituation in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you must be aware of the location of your gorilla permit reservation. This will save you from having to drive late at night to get to a gorilla trekking briefing somewhere else.

In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you can reserve a variety of lodging options for a gorilla safari, including

Among these are Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge, Mahogany Springs, Bwindi View Bandas, Clouds Lodge, Gorilla Forest Lodge, Engage Lodge, Nkuringo Safari Lodge, Ruhija Gorilla Lodge, and Gorilla Safari Lodge.

Park in Mgahinga National

Mgahinga National Park is located in Uganda’s far southwest. Nyakagezi is the name of the only fully habituated mountain gorilla family in the park. In the past, this family of gorillas would migrate into Rwanda. This explains why pre-booking a gorilla permit for Mgahinga National Park was so difficult.

Mgahinga National Park is home to the mountain gorillas, who are available for reservations through the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

It is possible to trek the park’s three unique volcanoes, Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhavura, and Mountain Sabyinyo, every day. These feature a variety of lovely vegetation zones that are uncommon to see up close.

Other primates found in Mgahinga National Park include Olive Baboons, Vervet Monkeys, Golden Monkeys, Grey Cheeked Mangabeys, Blue Monkeys, and others.

Starting in Kigali, How to Reserve a Gorilla Permit in Uganda
Uganda’s gorilla permit sales and regulations are handled by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Your gorilla permit can be reserved via the Uganda Wildlife Authority or through a tour company such as katland Safaris.

Decide how many persons you want to travel with and the day you want to go gorilla trekking in Uganda. As you describe the wonderful sensations you had when you find the mountain gorillas, the more the better.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority listing must be checked by our safari adviser to see if gorilla permits are available.

The safari consultant will contact you once the answer is affirmative. Since there can only be a maximum of eight gorilla permits per gorilla family, we advise our clients to buy their permits as soon as possible. However, only 152 gorilla licenses are issued daily in Uganda.

You must submit personal information such as your full name as it appears on your passport, date of birth, nationality, and expiration date once your gorilla permit has been properly obtained. These serve as documentation, and some are included to your certificate upon completion of a habituation safari or gorilla trekking.

What Is The Price Of A Ugandan Gorilla Permit?

The cost of a Uganda gorilla permit is 300000 shs for East African residents, $700 for foreign residents, and $800 for foreign nonresidents each trek.

The optimum time to buy a gorilla permit is at least six months in advance because they sell out quickly, particularly during the busiest times of the year, which are June through September and December through January. Finding gorilla permits at the last minute at the busiest time of year is difficult.

Finding last-minute gorilla permits is more likely during the off-peak months of March through May and November, while it is not a given.

What Does the Price of a Uganda Gorilla Permit Include And What Does It Not?

The following is included in the price of a Uganda gorilla permit:

Park admission costs.
safety when trekking for gorillas.
charge for ranger guides.
fee for gorilla conservation.
assistance from the local community.
a certificate following a gorilla hike.
Transportation to the gorilla safari destination, gratuities, porter fees, snacks, a packed lunch, and any other personal belongings are all excluded from a gorilla permit.

Are Gorilla Permit Instalment Purchases Accepted in Uganda?

Although paying in full for your gorilla permit in Uganda is the ideal option, there are situations in which you may be able to pay in installments.

If you reserve your gorilla permit at least 90 days before to the day of trekking, the Uganda Wildlife Authority will allow you to pay 30% or 70% in installments. Before the 90-day gorilla trekking day, you must top up. To avoid being penalized, please top up your gorilla permit.

Due to their limited supply, gorilla permits in Uganda are offered on a first-come, first-served basis; yet, demand for them is high globally.

How Much Does a Rwandan-Uganda Gorilla Safari Cost?

The price of the gorilla safari is categorized as budget, midrange, and luxury. A gorilla permit, which costs $800 per person each trek, is necessary for each.

When calculating the cost of a gorilla safari, several elements are taken into account.

The number of participants in the gorilla safari and the price per person decrease as more sign up.

The cost of the gorilla safari goes up as the number of days increases.

Due to the increased demand for safaris, the gorilla safari packages are more expensive during the peak season.

In addition to gorilla trekking, other activities like wildlife drives and chimpanzee trekking are more expensive.

Is a Gorilla Safari in Uganda Worth the Price?

Although it may appear pricey, the Uganda safari through Rwanda is well worth the money. Some extinct primates thought to have existed during the time of the dinosaurs are the mountain gorillas.

Only the Virunga region, which includes Rwanda, D.R. Congo, and Uganda, is home to mountain gorillas worldwide. By the 1980s, mountain gorillas were in danger of going extinct, according to the population census. American primatologist Dian Fossey reported at the time that there were roughly 300 mountain gorillas. Because of this, mountain gorillas are now considered to be among the world’s most endangered animals, and one way to raise money to help their conservation is through gorilla trekking.

You support the local communities surrounding the mountain gorillas when you get a gorilla permit and go gorilla trekking. Twenty percent of the money made from gorilla safari sales is donated to the local community each year. They use these revenues to promote community projects like the establishment of schools and health facilities, rather than hunting the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.

Apart from gorilla trekking, what else can I do in Uganda?

Community Visits to Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Around Uganda’s gorilla trekking locations, you can discover more about the local way of life. Communities like the Buhoma hamlet can be toured while in Bwindi’s impenetrable National Park. You can visit a banana beer brewery, a traditional healer, and a blacksmith, among other places. You may witness the traditional healer, homestead, blacksmith, and other items when visiting the Nkuringo community.

The Batwa, who were forced to leave Mgahinga National Park for conservation, can be seen there.

A local Mutwa guide leads the Batwa route, showing you some of the activities that took place in the forest before to their eviction in the 1990s. In their performances, they demonstrate their wild life, gather fruits, make fire from wood, and harvest honey.

A visit to the Garama cave, which is located near the northern edge of the park and just below the plateau, is a must-do while in Batwa. After they raided the Bafumbira’s farmlands, this cave served as a hideaway.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Birdwatching

It’s fantastic to go birdwatching in Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Numerous birds, including endemics of the Albertine Rift, can be found here. Birds such as the Rocky Masked and Chestnut Throated Apalises, Western Green Tibkerbird, Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Batis, Rwenzori Hill, Collared Apalis, Cinnamon Chested Bee Eater, and others may be recognized.

To get the most out of your safari in Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you need a qualified and experienced birding guide.

Trekking with Chimpanzees

You can hike chimpanzees in Kibale National Park or Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park after gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. A chimpanzee hiking permit must be reserved through the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Given that chimpanzees include almost 98% human DNA, it is important to observe the guidelines for chimpanzee trekking.

It takes around four to five hours to drive from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to Queen Elizabeth National Park and then to Kibale National Park. It takes roughly six hours to go to Kibale National Park, so you can see the chimps either before or after gorilla trekking. The closest relatives of humans can be found in the animal kingdom.

Queen Elizabeth National Park Game Drives

You may be able to see a variety of species during an early morning or late afternoon game drive at Queen Elizabeth National Park, including topis, waterbucks, bushbucks, elephant herds, cape buffalo herds, and tree-climbing lions.

You can recognize many of the wild species that inhabit this wonderful park by following their trails.

Murchison Falls National Park Game Drive

Murchison Falls National Park, which is divided by the River Nile, offers game drives. Animals such as giraffes, waterbucks, bushbucks, oribi, lions, hartebeest, and others can be seen on the park’s northern borders. The best wildlife track with more opportunities for animal drama is Buligi.

In Queen Elizabeth National Park, begin your cruise.

As you take in the riverine fauna, the Kazinga Channel Queen Elizabeth National Park launch cruise is incredible. Numerous untamed creatures spend a portion of their day bathing and drinking by the channel banks. You might see lions, elephants, cape buffaloes, waterbucks, bushbucks, and other wild creatures.

Look for the glistening ice-capped summit of the Rwenzori peaks, which serve as Queen Elizabeth National Park’s backdrop on a clear day.

Murchison Falls National Park Launch Trip

The most thrilling yet spectacular excursion in Murchison Falls National Park is sailing to the falls. Savor the freebies along the banks and refresh your thirst while observing the natural species that live by the river. The Nile River’s shoreline is also home to a variety of birds.

Watch the River Nile as it squirms through a small bend that is only 6 meters wide, then erupts with vigor and a foggy appearance.

Trekking Through Rwenzori

Hiking atop Mount Rwenzori for roughly seven days on the way back is a good way to evaluate your fitness. Savor the various flora zones that make up the fauna on this mountain’s slopes. Mountaineering on Rwenzori is an option, as is gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Go to Lake Bunyonyi

The deepest lake in Uganda, Lake Bunyonyi, is located in Western Uganda and is open for visits. Locally, the word “bunyonyi” means “small birds,” which is appropriate given the abundance of birds that call this lake home.

There are several islands in this lake that you can visit by boat to take in the beautiful surroundings. The punishment island, where girls who became pregnant outside of marriage were abandoned and drowned or killed while attempting to return to the mainland, is the most notable island.

You can swim in Lake Bunyonyi’s water since it is devoid of bilharzia. For some cool moments, zip-line across this lake.

How to book chimpanzee habituation permits in Uganda

How to reserve licenses for chimpanzee habituation in Uganda. The chimpanzee habituation experience is the best option if you want to spend more time with the chimpanzees than the one-hour hiking. You accompany a group of researchers and habituators into the field to monitor a group of semi-wild chimpanzees during chimpanzee habituation. You have four hours to spend with the chimpanzee after you find them during the chimpanzee habituation.

However, because to their semi-habituated nature, these chimpanzees may exhibit a variety of wild behaviors, such as hooting and hiding. These chimpanzees still require complete acclimatization to human existence. Chimpanzee habituation must occur before a chimpanzee trekking community can be confirmed.

You can practice chimpanzee habituation in Murchison Falls National Park’s Kaniyo Pabidi forest and Kibale National Park in Uganda. To see these human relatives, a chimpanzee habituation permit must be reserved.

You must first comprehend what chimpanzee habituation experience is in order to book chimpanzee habituation licenses in Uganda.

Chimpanzee Habituation Experience: What Is It?

Similar to CHEX, the Chimpanzee Habituation Experience is an expedition in which you accompany researchers and habituators as they follow a troop of semi-habituated chimpanzees to acclimate them to human presence without changing their character.

You could be asked to write down some information about the chimpanzees during the habituation process. The knowledge gathered from these observations will be useful to future chimpanzee trekking tourists.

How to Reserve Permits for Chimpanzee Habituation

Decide when and where you want to go on a chimpanzee habituation safari in Uganda.

Our safari adviser will check the Uganda Wildlife Authority list for permission availability when you inquire about your chimpanzee habituation experience.

We recommend that you pre-purchase your chimpanzee habituation permit as soon as possible, if any are available. There can be no more than four tourists per troop every session with these permissions.

Due to strong demand worldwide and limited supply for conservation, these chimpanzee habituation permits sell out quickly, especially during the busiest times of the year.

According to Uganda Wildlife Authority regulation, these chimpanzee habituation licenses are issued on a first-come, first-served basis, and none are held without payment.

How Much Does a Habituation Permit for Ugandan Chimpanzees Cost?

Each area has a different price for the Uganda habituation permit. However, the permit fee for Kibale National Park is presently 150000 shs for East African residents, $300 per person every session for foreign nonresidents, and $300 per person per trip for foreign residents.

What Does the Price of the Kibale National Park Chimpanzee Habituation Permit Include?

The following is included in the price of a chimpanzee habituation permit:

Park admission costs.
ranger guiding service.
support for chimpanzee conservation.
assistance from the local community.
An armed ranger guide provides security.
fee for the researcher.

What Does the Price of the Kibale National Park Chimpanzee Habituation Permit Not Include?

Transportation, lodging, the porter charge, snacks, and any other personal belongings to the chimpanzee habituation site.

If you require help booking accommodations, transportation, and driver guides that promote chimpanzee habituation experiences. katland Safaris relieves you of this stress by organizing all of your safari needs within your spending limit. We take great satisfaction in our more than ten years of expertise planning client safaris to several East African nations, which has earned us positive evaluations on travel websites such as TripAdvisor, SafariBookings, and others.

When Can I Schedule a Habituation Experience with Chimpanzees?

All year long, the Chimpanzee Habituation Safari is open. However, the dry season—typically June, July, August, September, December, and January—is preferred by the majority of visitors. This is because it’s thought that the forest experiences less humidity during that time.

Open space makes it easier to see the chimpanzees and other monkeys that live here. Throughout the dry season, the forest is more alive. Because there is less foliage encroaching on the paths, even the trails are easier to navigate.

Discounted rates from service providers such as lodging facilities, car rentals, and others are more likely to be available during the wet season, which is often March, April, and May. You can take advantage of this if you have a tight budget.

Does a Chimpanzee’s Habituation Experience Make It Aggressive?

Chimpanzees visited during chimpanzee habituation are peaceful despite being semi-habituated. You must pay attention to the researchers in your team and adhere to the guidelines provided at the briefing. By then, they have some experience with these chimps and are aware of how to respond to the majority of their characteristics.

Avoid encircling the chimpanzees as this agitates them; it is prohibited to make noise in the woods because chimpanzees are afraid of strange things that happen nearby; Avoid making fun of or imitating the chimps because you might not understand what they are saying.

How long does it take for chimpanzees to become habituated in Uganda?

Because of the various forest conditions that determine the chimpanzees’ hanging out area, the time required to complete the Chimpanzee Habituation Experience relies on how long it takes to locate the animals. Within two hours, some visitors were able to find the chimpanzees, while others took longer.

It can take longer to track chimpanzees if they go to a different eating place.

The losers of conflicts between the chimpanzee communities are forced into hiding.

For individuals practicing chimpanzee habituation, it can be difficult because the chimpanzees feed from up the trees during the intense rainy season.

It could take longer than usual to complete the chimpanzee habituation experience with a slow group. To ensure that no one is left behind in the woods, the ranger guides keep up with the slowest visitors.

How Secure Is It to Habituate Chimpanzees?

Chimpanzee habituation in the wild is an amazing experience, but it is only available to well-trained Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers and park wardens.

It is imperative that you attend the ranger guides’ briefing at the Kanyanchu visitor center for Kibale National Park on the day of chimpanzee habituation. The rules of chimpanzee habituation and some of the characteristics you might anticipate during this experience are explained to you.

Because you can get lost in the bush when practicing chimpanzee habituation, stay close to the team you are traveling with. The ranger guide keeps up with the slowest visitor, but everything else remains the same.

Since you have no idea what you are saying, avoid making fun of or imitating the chimpanzees when you are in front of them.

To maintain peace and order, the park security works in tandem with other Ugandan security services.

You should be mindful of your personal safety by avoiding consuming street food that might lead to digestive issues. It is forbidden for anyone who has a contagious illness, such as dysentery, to engage in chimpanzee habituation. Since chimpanzees are the closest humans have to wild animals, they are particularly vulnerable to human infections.

Because the forest contains additional inhabitants that are not accustomed to human presence, such as enormous forest hogs and forest elephants, only enter the area with an accompanying ranger guide.

What Distinguishes Chimpanzee Habituation Experience From Chimpanzee Trekking?

In chimpanzee trekking, you follow a troop of completely habituated chimpanzees and spend an hour with them; in chimpanzee habituation experience, you follow a troop of semi-habituated chimpanzees and spend four hours with them.

For Kibale National Park, chimpanzee trekking permits cost $300 per person each trip, and chimpanzee habituation experience permits cost $300 per person per trek.

A maximum of six tourists per troop is permitted for chimpanzee trekking, and a maximum of four tourists are permitted for chimpanzee habituation.

For the morning session, the chimpanzee habituation experience begins early, between 0530 and 0630, which may allow you to see the chimpanzees as they de-nest. In the morning, chimpanzee trekking usually begins around 8:00 a.m.

Is it possible to buy the Ugandan Chimpanzee Habituation Permit in installments?

Purchases of 30% and 70% installment chimpanzee habituation permits are accepted by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Only individuals who buy their chimpanzee permits 90 days prior to the habituation date are affected by this. Don’t forget to top up 90 days prior to the habituation date.

You are subject to a fine if you neglect to renew your chimpanzee permit.

To reduce the possibility of forgetting to top up, it is preferable to buy your chimpanzee habituation experience permit in full.

Does Uganda Allow Chimpanzee Permit Rescheduling?

If you follow the steps below, you can reschedule your permission for chimpanzee habituation.

Note: Before rescheduling, you must top off your chimpanzee permit if you bought it in installments.

Request a new date for your chimpanzee habituation permit in writing to the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Put the date you want to transfer your chimpanzee permit here. If you have any supporting documentation, include it with your request.

Your chimpanzee habituation permit is moved based on availability after it is approved.

You are permitted to reschedule two free chimpanzees for the same permit by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

The executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority must give his or her consent if you want to reschedule for the third time. There is a 25% fee.

How Old Must Be To Experience Chimpanzee Habituation?

Chimpanzee habituation is only permitted for those over the age of fifteen. This is because a child under this age may not be able to tolerate the amount of time you spend in the forest looking for the chimps.

You must speak quietly when looking for chimpanzees, but for a child younger than this, it can be difficult to tolerate due to the sometimes-provocative character of the chimps.

The chimpanzees may appear to be afraid of a youngster younger than this, but you should not be afraid because this could make you appear suspicious to the chimps, which could cause them to hide.

What Rules Apply to Ugandan Chimpanzee Habituation Experiences?

When you find the chimpanzees, stay around 8 meters away from them. Since they are wild animals, you may infect them or they could infect you. This is among the potential safety measures you can implement.
If you contract a contagious disease such as the corona virus, the flu, cholera, etc., offer to stay behind. Since their DNA is almost 96% that of humans, these animals are vulnerable to this infection.
The chimps can be tempted to take it from you if you eat or smoke in front of them. Chimpanzees should naturally seek their food and not rely on human assistance, therefore please do not feed them. Eat approximately 300 meters away from them if you want to.
Since the time needed to locate the chimpanzees is still being determined, children under the age of 15 are not permitted to participate in chimpanzee habituation experiences because they may not be able to endure the harsh conditions in the wilderness or prolong their stay in the forest.
Because other forest inhabitants could hurt you or lead you to go lost, only go into the forest with a park ranger.
Ask the ranger guide to dig a hole at least 30 cm deep and completely conceal the waste if you want to take a long call.
It is prohibited to make noise in the outdoors when looking for chimpanzees. They are extremely sensitive primates that get frightened by strange noises in their environments.
Flash photography should never be used when hiking chimpanzees since it can frighten these magnificent primates. Chimpanzees are frequently frightened by strange things that happen nearby. The chimpanzee might be forced into the more remote areas of this tropical jungle as a result.
Although it has never happened in Uganda’s history of chimpanzee trekking, it is prohibited to provoke the primates because doing so could trigger them to become violent. It’s also feasible. Chimpanzee mimicry is prohibited because it could convey strange messages. These primates are extremely sensitive, particularly to the actions of those who are intruding on their territory.
Once you find the chimps, you are only permitted to spend an hour with them.

Tracing the history of gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda

Following Dian Fossey’s 1980s mountain gorilla population census survey, which estimated that there were 300 mountain gorillas in the globe, the idea of gorilla trekking safaris was born. One of the most endangered primates in the world was the mountain gorilla.

In order to lessen hostility between people and mountain gorillas and raise money for their conservation, gorilla trekking was established.

Nothing was done to promote gorilla trekking in the 1980s because of political unrest in various African nations, including as Rwanda and Uganda.

What Is Uganda’s Gorilla Trekking History?

In Uganda, gorilla habituation began in the 1990s in the impenetrable national park of Bwindi. The process of acclimating a family of wild gorillas to human presence without changing their character is known as “gorilla habituation.” Depending on how long the gorillas take to adjust, it is still unknown how long it will take to acclimate a family of wild gorillas to human presence. It could take up to two years for gorillas to become habituated.

The process of gorilla habituation takes time.

The Mubare gorilla family became accessible to the general public in 1993. Ten members make up this gorilla family, and there was formerly a dominant silver. The gorilla family is headed by the dominant silverback. He is entitled to all females, defends the family, and discovers new feeding grounds.

Additional gorilla families, such as the Rushegura Group in 302 and the Habinyanja Group in 1998, were made accessible for hiking. The rest is history.

There are currently 19 gorilla families in Uganda that are available for reservations and reside in either Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The southern region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda is another location where gorillas can be habituated. The gorilla habituation experience is an adventure in which you accompany a group of researchers as they follow a family of semi-habituated gorillas to assist them adjust to human presence without changing their natural behavior.

There are now two gorilla habituation families available for reservations in Uganda, and a team of habituators and researchers may bring up to four visitors.

What is Rwanda’s Gorilla Trekking History?

The Albertine National Park, which was administered by Belgian Colonial Authorities, was created in 1929 by extending Volcanoes National Park, the site of gorilla trekking, far into Rwanda.

Dian Fossey, an American primatologist, conducted research on mountain gorillas in Rwanda in 1967. She established the Karisoke Research Center, where she constructed snares to capture forest residents, protected mountain gorillas from people who slaughtered them, and much more.

About 300 mountain gorillas were found to reside in the Virunga region following a census she and her team conducted in the 1980s. As a result, the world began to recognize the predicament of mountain gorillas as one of the most endangered primates.

By 1985, unidentified assassins had brutally slain Dian Fossey at her residence.

When the Rwanda Genocide occurred in 1994, the country’s civil instability intensified. Many Rwandese lost their lives during the 100 days of ignorance. As Volcanoes National Park turned into a battlefield, the majority of the mountain gorilla conservation efforts came to a complete halt.

With the reopening of Volcanoes National Park to tourists in 1999, gorilla trekking was once again possible.

There are currently 15 gorilla families in Rwanda that are accessible for gorilla trekking.

Gorilla trekking: what is it?

Following a completely habituated gorilla family in the wild and spending just one hour with them is known as “gorilla trekking.” The gorillas are accustomed to being around people.

To participate in this expedition, it would be ideal to have a gorilla trekking permit; however, only eight people are permitted per hike per day.

Where in Rwanda and Uganda can I go gorilla trekking?

In the Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda

The only place in Rwanda where mountain gorillas can be found is Volcanoes National Park. There are now 15 gorilla families in this park that are accessible to tourists. Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhabura, Mountain Karisimbi, Mountain Bisoke, Mountain Sabyinyo, and Mountain Gahinga are the five volcanoes that make up the park’s topography.

Other primates found in the forest include blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, red-tailed monkeys, golden monkeys, and black and white colobus.

This forested National Park is home to a variety of birds, including endemic Albertine species.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda

Ten refuge woods, including Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, are thought to have survived Africa’s ice age. It is estimated that this ecosystem has existed for more than 30,000 years. About ten primates, including mountain gorillas, L’Holst’s, Pottos monkeys, blue monkeys, chimpanzees, olive baboons, black and white colobus, and others, are among the diverse fauna and flora that call it home.

This park is home to more than 350 species of birds, seven of which are listed on the IUCN Red List. This region is home to a number of Albertine endemic birds.

Park in Mgahinga National

This habitat, which is roughly 33.7 square kilometers in size, is the smallest gorilla trekking area. In this park, only one gorilla family—Nyakagezi—is presently accessible to tourists.

Other primates found in this park include vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, golden monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, black and white colobus, and others.

Hiking any one of the three unique volcanoes that make up the park’s topography—Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhavura, and Mountain Gahinga—offers breathtaking views.

Which of Rwanda and Uganda Is the Best Place to Go Gorilla Trekking?

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to encounter some of the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas is gorilla trekking. Standing in front of the legendary mountain gorillas is an experience that cannot be equaled, whether you are gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda.

The following factors distinguish Rwanda from Uganda as the top destinations for gorilla trekking:

The price of a permit for gorilla trekking
A gorilla permit for Rwanda costs $1500 per person, whereas one for Uganda costs $800 per person.

The duration of the travel from the airport to the locations for gorilla trekking

It takes roughly three hours to drive from Kigali Airport to Volcanoes National Park, and eight to nine hours to drive from Entebbe Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The quantity of open gorilla trekking families

Rwanda has 15 gorilla families available for public reservations, whereas Uganda has 19 gorilla trekking families and two gorilla habituation families available for tourists.

Activities that can be added to gorilla trekking
Rwanda offers less safari chances to interact with gorilla trekking than Uganda, which offers more extra safari activities.

When is the ideal time to reserve a permit for gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda?

Although gorilla trekking is possible throughout the year in Rwanda and Uganda, travelers typically choose the dry seasons of June, July, August, September, December, and January.

Securing your gorilla permit at least six months or a year in advance is safe because this is also the busiest time of year for tourists. During this time, service providers have more choices, such as lodging options, to utilize when gorilla trekking.

Due to competition from other safari activities for expert driver guides, vehicle rental, and other services, gorilla safari packages are expensive during this peak season.

If you want to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda but have a tight budget, you can pick the off-peak months. There is minimal competition for gorilla permits, and there is also the possibility of receiving services at a reduced cost.

During the low season, there is a greater opportunity of going gorilla trekking alone or with a small group of other trekkers.

Is Trekking with Gorillas Dangerous?

Because mountain gorillas are timid creatures who hardly ever fight with people, gorilla trekking is safe. There have never been any reports of visitors being assaulted by mountain gorillas in the history of gorilla trekking.

To find the mountain gorillas, you must abide by the gorilla trekking guidelines that are explained during the briefing and the ranger’s informational sessions.

Even if the mountain gorillas are accustomed to humans, try to avoid upsetting them. They still exhibit the characteristics of wild creatures. Since wild animals must find their own food and are not dependent on human support, it is even illegal to feed mountain gorillas.

Mountain gorillas have a spy network that serves as informers for the Dominant Silverback because they are sensitive to outsiders in their immediate area.

What is the duration of the Gorilla Trekking Safari?

Since mountain gorillas are untamed creatures that roam freely in the wild, the best time to locate them is still up in the air. In two hours or more, you might find the mountain gorilla. Finding the mountain gorillas depends on a number of variables, including

The closeness of their food

In the event of conflict with another family of gorillas

When the silverback in charge is daring

The wet season is the current weather state. Sometimes the trails are impassable due to their slick surface.

The rest of the trekkers’ number one.

What Are the Guidelines for a Rwandan or Ugandan Gorilla Trekking Safari?

Due to the nature of this activity, which may require hiking to reach the mountain gorillas, the gorilla trekking age limit is 15 years of age and up.
Whenever you are around mountain gorillas, try not to move. Because it makes the mountain gorillas feel that their visitors are ambushing them, it is not permitted to surround them when you are meeting them. They might hide if they become irritated.
It is essential to wear a clean mask before to encountering the mountain gorillas. Sanitizing your shoes before entering the jungle is the best course of action. Steer clear of bare-handed contact with foliage since this could infect the mountain gorillas.
Let’s say you contract a contagious illness, such as the flu, COVID-19, or a cough. In order to prevent spreading this sickness to the extremely vulnerable mountain gorillas, you might have to volunteer and remain behind.
It is prohibited to eat or smoke within 300 meters of gorillas because the smoke may eventually make the animals unwell or even cause them to steal your food and become dependent on you. Since they are untamed creatures, they have to look for nourishment.
Since the mountain gorillas are accustomed to being around people for that brief period of time, you are only permitted to spend an hour with them when you first meet them. You must later let them go to their everyday activities on their own.
To allow the forest to flourish in its natural environment, littering is prohibited there. Throughout their lives, mountain gorillas eat leaves. Throwing non-biodegradable materials like drink cans and plastic wrap can change the forest’s composition over time.
Since mountain gorillas are typically frightened of new things in their environment, please refrain from using flash photography when shooting pictures. In order to avoid creating conflict among the gorillas, the camera must also be soundproof.
To reduce the possibility that the forest inhabitants may exhume anything, ask the ranger guide to dig a hole for you that is about 30 cm deep and then cover it well. Try to avoid spreading viruses to the mountain gorillas because they can be curious at times.
The vegetation is contaminated by spitting, which could spread human diseases to the mountain gorillas. It’s not hygienic either.
The family may go into hiding if you provoke the mountain gorillas when you find them. Primates that are extremely sensitive and aware of their surroundings include mountain gorillas.
The maximum distance allowed to be distant from the gorillas is eight meters. This will lessen the likelihood of contracting an infection. If they come near you, back off gradually so they won’t notice your movements.