Katland Safaris Official Safari News Blog.

Thank you for visiting the official blog of Katland Safaris. Over the course of this blog, we will keep you apprised of all the most recent facts on tourism in Uganda, as well as new developments and information regarding gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda. In the event that there is any increase or modification in the prices of gorilla permits, accommodations, and any other factors that might have an impact on gorilla tourism

Katland Safaris Official Safari News Blog.

April gorilla trekking

Bwindi safari activities 2024-2025.

Great gorilla trekking in Uganda is in store for 2024 and 2025, and this piece will focus on safari activities in Bwindi, the home of almost half of the world’s mountain gorillas. When planning a trip to Uganda, one of the top destinations to see habituated mountain gorilla families is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Virunga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda’s Mgahinga National Park, and Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park are all great places to see mountain gorillas. Even though mountain gorillas are the main attraction in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, there are plenty of other things to do there that will keep you occupied for days. Listed here are just a few of the many Bwindi safari activities available to you.

 

As an option for your Bwindi safari, you may go gorilla trekking.

Gorilla trekking is a popular activity in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. When the first gorilla family became accustomed and allowed visitors in 1993, the program began. Because they were the first gorilla family to be habituated, the Mubare gorilla family in Buhoma, northern Bwindi, is a must-visit for anybody interested in the history of gorilla trekking in the formidable and impenetrable Bwindi.

Bwindi safari activities 2024-2025.

A gorilla permit, which is required for gorilla trekking as part of a Bwindi safari, costs USD800.00 for nonresident foreigners and USD700.00 for working permit holders. In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, visitors from East Africa may spend shs300,000 to spend an hour in the company of mountain gorillas. In order to help you pick the perfect choice for your gorilla safari trip in Uganda, Katland Safaris is obligated to detail all Bwindi safari activities.

 

Habituation encounter with gorillas as part of Bwindi Safari

Gorilla habituation in the southern section of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park permits you to see and photograph a family of habituated mountain gorillas for up to four hours, in contrast to the one hour allowed during gorilla trekking.

An individual must pay USD1500.00 for non-resident foreigners and USD1000.00 for working-permit foreigners in order to see a gorilla family during habituation; the maximum number of persons permitted per visit is four. If you are planning a gorilla safari vacation in 2024 or 2025, and would want more information about the habituation experience and the activities offered by Bwindi, you can get in touch with Katland Safaris.

 

Bwindi safari activities include hikes through forests and to waterfalls

As one may expect from a tropical rainforest, the scenery along any given path in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is quite breathtaking. The Uganda Wildlife Authority has laid up a network of routes across the forest that visitors may use to explore the area’s top attractions.

Forest treks at Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo, and Rushaga, among other areas of Bwindi, provide excellent opportunities to see a wide variety of birds, trees, bushes, and monkeys. The experience is quite breathtaking, since the majority of the pathways are adorned with picturesque waterfalls. As an additional Bwindi safari activity, you might go on a village stroll in one of the nearby communities.

You may have a better understanding of the locals and how they are indirectly benefitting from gorilla tourism by visiting the communities around the forest. We are certain that you will want to extend your stay in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park after reading our description of the activities available on a safari there.

New gorilla families in Bwindi, Christmas and Katwe groups

Katwe gorilla family, Katwe gorilla group, Buhoma

2025 best chimpanzee trekking spots in Uganda.

If you are planning a trip to Uganda in 2025, you should definitely go chimpanzee trekking. It’s second to gorilla tracking as an unforgettable primate trekking experience. Where can one go to go chimpanzee trekking in Uganda in 2025? We’ll do our best to find out in this post.

 

Kibale Forest national park

For 2025, our top pick for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda would have to be Kibale National Park. Several habituated populations of chimpanzees call this national park in southwestern Uganda home. Your chimpanzee trip in Kibale National Park may also reveal eleven other primate species. One of the top chimpanzee trekking destinations in Uganda for 2025–26, Kibale National Park also offers a variety of woodland species for birdwatchers.

If you are interested in hiking habituated chimpanzees, Kibale National Park offers three different sessions. The sessions begin in the morning, continue in the middle of the morning, and end in the evening. Due to rising demand, the Uganda Wildlife Authority added a third session to Kibale National Park, which had previously just two.

2025 best chimpanzee trekking spots in Uganda.

You may spend an hour in the company of chimpanzees in Kibale for $300.00 per person. For those with a little more disposable income, there is the option of a chimpanzee habituation experience, which lasts for a whole day and costs only USD220.00 per person. Katland Safaris is the place to go if you want all the info.

 

Budongo forest reserve

Budongo Forest is the second-best place in Uganda to go chimpanzee trekking in 2025. Visitors to the Kaniyo Pabidi portion of Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park may go on a trekking adventure with chimpanzees. One may hike in the morning or afternoon with chimpanzee licenses for Budongo forest, which cost USD150.00 per person. Combining a visit to Murchison Falls with a wildlife drive or river boat will give visitors more time to see the chimpanzees in Budongo Forest.

 

An ecotourism location at Karinzu and the kyambura gorge

In western Uganda, you may find the Chambura gorge and the Karinzu ecotourism park, two of the best spots to go trekking with chimpanzees. A day permit to enter Chambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park costs USD100.00, whereas an hourly pass to Karizu costs USD100.

 

We have compiled a list of the top places in Uganda to go chimpanzee trekking in 2025. To learn more about chimpanzee trekking in Uganda as well as other wildlife and community activities, get in touch with Katland safaris.

Christmas gorilla family, Nkuringo gorilla groups.

The Christmas gorilla family is the newest gorilla group to have been fully habituated and made themselves available for gorilla trekking, according to the latest news from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. In the Nkuringo area of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park you may find the Christmas gorilla family.

Nkuringo and Rushaga form the vast southern region of the UNESCO-recognized Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The introduction of the Christmas gorilla family has increased the total number of habituated mountain gorilla families in Nkuringo to four, according to credible sources in Uganda, Wildlife Authority. In the past, there was only one gorilla group in the Nkuringo area; however, three groups have since emerged. (Nkuringo, Bushaho, and Holi).

 

Subject: Family of Christmas gorillas

The Christmas gorilla family, as mentioned before, lives in the Nkuringo area, which is in the southern portion of Bwindi. Nkuringo is now home to three habituated gorilla groups, including this third mountain gorilla family, making it an ideal location for gorilla trekking.

Ground reports and the Uganda Wildlife Authority both indicate that there may be as many as nine individuals in a single family of Christmas gorillas, with six of those members being the most often seen on treks.

A silverback named Christmas serves as leader of this gorilla group, which also includes one blackback, three females, and a newborn. Katland Safaris is a dependable tour operator in Uganda and Rwanda; they can help you get gorilla permits for the Nkuringo area if you’re interested in hiking with the Christmas gorilla family.

 

The holiday gorilla family’s effect on Nkuringo permits

With the addition of the Christmas gorilla group as a new gorilla family to Nkuringo, the number of gorilla permits that may be reserved and booked each day has increased. Nkuringo is one of the top areas to walk habituated mountain gorillas from 8 to 16 and currently 24.

Christmas gorilla family, Nkuringo gorilla groups.

Safaris Across Africa offers guided gorilla treks to Nkuringo, where visitors may see the Christmas gorillas, the Bushaho gorillas, and the Nkuringo gorillas in their natural habitat. Note that in order to trek with the Christmas gorilla family, one must first get gorilla permits for the Nkuringo area, and then, on the day of the journey, one must specifically request to travel with the Christmas gorilla group. This is due to the fact that trekkers are allowed to choose their own gorilla family based on their interests, physical health, and the time available on the day of the trip.

 

Bwindi permits and the Christmas gorilla family

There are now more gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, including the Christmas gorilla group (Nkuringo) and the Katwe gorilla family (Buhoma). Additionally, there are more gorilla permits available for booking and trekking mountain gorillas in Bwindi.

There are now seventeen gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, up from fifteen before, and 136 gorilla permits are available every day because to the addition of these two groups. Every gorilla family can only be visited for one hour, and no more than eight persons may do so in a single day.

 

Getting to the Nkuringo area for a Christmas gorilla hike

This new gorilla family calls the Nkuringo area home. One may reach the Christmas gorilla group from Entebbe or Kampala by driving via Mbarara, Kabale, and Nkuringo. Alternatively, one may fly into Kigali Airport and then move to Nkuringo by car, which takes around 5-6 hours.

To reach Nkuringo, one may use either the Chanika or Katuna border. Scheduled flights departing from Entebbe International Airport and landing at Kisoro Airstrip are available every day for anyone interested in traveling to the southern region of Bwindi. Due to the local climate and elevation. The Kisoro Airstrip is our usual destination for our early journey.

 

Places to Stay in the Nkuringo State

The most dependable and trustworthy lodges in Nkuringo are Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge and Nkuringo Bwindi Lodge, both of which are within a 5-minute drive from the beginning site of treks with the Christmas gorilla family or other gorilla groups. There are a number of lodges in the Rushaga area where tourists may stay.

From Rusdhaga to Nkuringo, the journey takes about 45 minutes. If you book any of these gorilla safari packages with Katland Safaris, they will arrange for your transportation to and from Nkuringo, accommodation, and gorilla permits. Extending from Entebbe, there are three-day gorilla safaris; a five-day journey that includes chimpanzees is also an option.

Combining a gorilla habituation experience with a trip with a Christmas gorilla family is another option to consider while in Nkuringo. You get the opportunity to spend a maximum of four hours in the company of habituated mountain gorillas via the gorilla habituation experience. Exclusive to the southern region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, this encounter involves two gorilla families that have been set aside for it.

Get in touch with Katland Safaris, a dependable tour provider for Rwanda and Uganda, if you would like more details on the Christmas gorilla family or any of the other groups found in the Nkuringo area. When it comes to safari reservations and TripAdvisor reviews, Katland Safaris comes highly recommended. For budget-friendly vacations to Rwanda and Uganda that include gorilla trekking, contact us.

Gorilla and Uganda safaris from South Africa.

From South Africa, it is very feasible to arrange safaris to Uganda that include the gorillas. When visiting East Africa or perhaps Africa as a whole, gorilla trekking via Uganda is still the way to go. Uganda is a tiny East African nation with the world’s biggest concentration of mountain gorillas, who call the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park home.

To this day, hiking for gorillas in Uganda is the safest and least expensive option. Gorilla permits in Uganda are still priced at USD800 (2024–2025), but might go up or down depending on if the Uganda Wildlife Authority changes its tariffs, making it the best alternative after Rwanda, where the price went up from USD750 to USD1500.

 

An annual influx of visitors to Uganda comes from a variety of places, including South Africa. When it comes to arranging gorilla and Uganda safaris from South Africa, a number of travel providers in the country are collaborating closely with their Ugandan counterparts. Both individual customers and tour companies may rely on Katland Safaris to plan and execute their gorilla and Uganda safaris from South Africa.

 

Safaris to Uganda and Gorillas from South Africa

Safaris to Uganda and the gorillas from South Africa are a great idea for several reasons. Of the three nations where gorilla trekking is possible—Uganda, the Congo, and Rwanda—Uganda is still the safest and most cost-effective option. Gorilla trekking has been banned in this section of the large and big nation owing to instability, yet it is true that the Democratic Republic of the Congo provides the lowest gorilla permits.

Because of this, our only choices are Uganda and Rwanda. Now that the price of a Rwandan permit has jumped from USD750 to USD1500, the only nation where you can go gorilla trekking without breaking the bank is Uganda. The number of gorilla families in Uganda has been raised from 15 to 17 due to the growing demand for gorilla trekking. This rise follows the successful habituation of two groups—the Katwe group in Buhoma and the Christmas gorilla family in Nkuringo.

 

From South Africa, go on a gorilla and Uganda safari (flights)

From South Africa, you may conduct gorilla and Uganda safaris at any time of year or month. Those planning a safari to Uganda or the gorillas from South Africa have a few airline options to choose from. Rwanda Air and South Africa Airways are two of the most well-known airlines that connect the two countries.

Gorilla and Uganda safaris from South Africa.

You will reach your destination in either Rwanda (Kigali International Airport) or Uganda (Entebbe International Airport) after a four-hour trip. Get in touch with Rwanda Air, South Africa Airways, or Katland Safaris if you want to know more about the prices and deals on tickets.

Our flying safaris to Bwindi and other national parks are an option for South Africans landing in Entebbe for gorilla and Uganda safaris. If you would rather not endure the lengthy trip from Entebbe to either Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga, a fly-in safari is the way to go.

From Entebbe International Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Katland Safaris will take care of all arrangements for scheduled and charter flights. One might pick from sample fly-in safaris that we offer. For those who are just interested in gorillas, we offer a 3-day flying safari.

However, for those who would want to see mountain gorillas as well as other animals in Queen Elizabeth National Park, we offer a 5-day flying safari that includes game. Combining a Bwindi gorilla safari with a visit to Murchison Falls or Kidepo Valley in northeastern Uganda is another option available on safaris with Katland.

Enjoy game drives, boat cruises, and chimpanzee trekking (in Kibale) on one of our many road excursions to national parks including Bwindi Impenetrable, Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo, Kibale, and Murchison Falls. all safari guides are highly skilled and informed about the culture, flora, and animals of Uganda, and we always travel in 4×4 vehicles for all road adventures.

Choose between a three-day gorilla trek from Entebbe or a five-day safari that includes gorillas and games. Our 5-day gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, or longer itineraries, may be more to your liking.

Katland Safaris may arrange for a vehicle to transport you from Kigali to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park if your aircraft lands in that city. After crossing the border into Uganda from Rwanda, we will continue on to either the eastern or southern sections of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Ruhija, Nkuringo, or Rushaga, respectively), passing via the Chanika or Katuna boarders.

It may be necessary to get an East Africa tourist visa for USD100 in order to visit both Rwanda and Uganda simultaneously, allowing for easy movement between the two countries and back again. You have the option to purchase your East Africa tourist visa either online or upon arrival at Kigali International Airport.

From our base in South Africa, we will take care of all the necessary preparations for your gorilla and Uganda safari. All of your travel arrangements, including lodging, transportation to and from the airport and national parks, payment of park fees (where required), and gorilla permits, will be taken care of by us.

Take a look at our Safari bookings and Trip Advisor ratings to see why Katland Safaris is still one of the best Rwanda and Uganda trip operators. Uganda safaris may be planned from three to twenty-one days, or even longer, upon request. Feel free to shoot us an email with any queries you may have, and one of our safari designers will be happy to help.

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