How to plan a gorilla trekking honeymoon in Uganda and Rwanda
Beginning your romantic journey with a gorilla hike in Rwanda or Uganda is an unforgettable experience. The family structure of mountain gorillas is comparable to that of humans, including a hierarchy of authority.
Your honeymoon gorilla trekking safari requires advance planning. Both Rwanda and Uganda provide gorilla trekking, as well as double gorilla trekking and gorilla trekking in Uganda via Rwanda.
The timing of your honeymoon depends on your wedding, so you should prepare beforehand to avoid having a panic attack while looking for the gorilla permits.
Gorilla trekking: what is it?
Following a completely habituated gorilla family and spending just one hour with the primates is known as “gorilla trekking.” Gorilla trekking is restricted to hikers who are at least 15 years old. There are currently 152 gorilla permits available for tourists to observe each day in Uganda, along with 19 gorilla families. There are now 15 gorilla families and 96 gorilla licenses issued daily in Rwanda.
A Gorilla Permit: What Is It?
Gorilla permits are cards or pieces of paper that resemble tickets and provide you the opportunity to go gorilla trekking on a specific day. To reduce disturbance, a maximum of eight gorilla permits per gorilla family are made available for public booking each day, and the fee is per person per day.
Is the Gorilla Trekking Permit Priced?
Foreign nonresidents presently pay $800 per person per trek for a Uganda gorilla permit, while foreign residents pay $700 and East African residents pay 150000 shs.
The current cost of a Rwandan gorilla permit is $1500 per trekper.
The price of the gorilla trekking permit covers park admission, ranger guide costs, a certificate upon completion of the hike, an hour spent with the gorillas, security, assistance for the local people, and support for gorilla conservation.
Energy snacks, lodging, transportation, a packed lunch, and any other personal belongings are not included in the price of the gorilla trekking permit.
Is it possible to purchase the gorilla permit in installments?
Although it is recommended to purchase the gorilla permit in full, the Uganda Wildlife Authority permits 30% and 70% of the total cost to be paid in installments if necessary. This is only applicable if you buy your gorilla permit 90 days prior to the trekking date and top it up 90 days prior to the trekking date.
Can I reschedule my permit to go gorilla trekking?
You can reschedule if you are unable to go on your honeymoon and go gorilla trekking but would like to do so at a later time.
Send a letter to the Uganda Wildlife Authority asking for a new date for the gorilla hike. If you have supporting documentation for your safari, include it.
Your gorilla permits are transferred as requested once they are ratified, although this is contingent on availability for your revised gorilla trekking dates.
Uganda can reschedule the same gorilla permit twice for free, but the executive director must allow a third attempt. The entire cost of the gorilla permit is subject to a 25% fee.
How Can a Honeymoon Gorilla Trekking Safari Be Arranged?
How to Reserve a Gorilla Permit in Rwanda or Uganda
Decide when you and your spouse will go gorilla trekking on your honeymoon. You must decide between Rwanda and Uganda if you want to go gorilla trekking. You may trek gorillas in Uganda through Rwanda and undertake double gorilla trekking in both countries.
Our safari adviser verifies the availability of gorilla permits from the Rwanda Development Board or Uganda Wildlife Authority when you inquire about a safari that includes gorilla trekking on a honeymoon. This is dependent on whether you are going to Rwanda or Uganda. We at Katland Safaris relieve you of the stress of organizing a honeymoon safari that includes gorilla trekking in Africa.
You can also inquire directly with the Rwanda Development Board or the Uganda Wildlife Authority reservation office about the availability of gorilla permits. Be prepared for an irksome voicemail and a lengthy call queue before you get through.
If there are gorilla permits available, we encourage our clients to buy them as soon as possible, especially during the busiest times of the year. June, July, August, September, December, and January are the busiest travel seasons in Uganda. Although there is fierce competition for gorilla licenses during this time, each family is only allowed to have eight gorillas each day.
Add a few more personal facts, such as your country, birthdate, full name as it appears on your passport, and the date of expiration.
Reserve lodging for when you go gorilla trekking.
There are various types of lodging available at each gorilla trekking location in Rwanda or Uganda, depending on your budget. Accommodations for gorilla trekking are divided into three categories: luxury, mid-range, and economical. It is recommended to reserve lodging closer to the destination for the honeymoon gorilla trekking tour.
Clouds Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge, Gorilla Forest camp, Ruhijah Gorilla Lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge, Mahogany Springs, Lake Kitandara Tented Camp, and Gorilla Resort are just a few of the lodging options available in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Gahinga Lodge, Majambere Iwachu, Community Camp, Mountain Gahinga Lodge, Mutanda Lake Resort, and more lodging options are available in Mgahinga National Park.
The Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Hotel La Palme, and Kinigi Guest House are just a few of the lodging options available in Volcanoes National Park.
Which kind of transportation is appropriate for my gorilla trekking honeymoon trip in Rwanda or Uganda?
Ugandan Road Transport
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is accessible by a variety of routes, some of which include
The quickest way to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is from Kampala to Ntungamo, then to Rukungiri, Kihihi, and finally to Buhoma. The 390-kilometer travel from Kampala to Rukungiri is followed by an 82-kilometer connection to Buhoma.
Ruhija to Buhoma to Kabale to Kampala. The 414-kilometer journey from Kampala to Kabale is followed by a 95-kilometer connection from Kabale to Ruhija and finally to Buhoma. A 4×4 wheel drive vehicle is recommended due to the bad state of the road.
Buhoma, Kabale, Kanungu, and Kampala. It takes 414 kilometers to drive from Kampala to Kabale, and another 150 kilometers to drive to Kanungu and Kanyantorogo.
Get to Mgahinga National Park by car.
Kisoro to Kabale to Kampala. After traveling 414 kilometers from Kampala to Kabale, it’s an 80-kilometer trip through a twisty road to Kisoro. Continue 14 kilometers to the Mgahinga National Park’s Ntebeko main gate.
Travel to the National Park of Volcanoes
Along the road that gives Rwanda its nickname, “land of a thousand hills,” the drive from Kigali Airport to Volcanoes National Park takes almost three hours through lush flora on the slopes of the serried hills.
Air Travel
You can reserve a seat on one of the daily domestic flights to Kihihi or Kisoro from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi airstrip in Uganda. The duration of the flights is approximately one and a half or two hours, respectively. Due to the airstrips’ distance from either Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you will need to rent a transport vehicle.
Entebbe airport and Kajjansi airstrip both offer charter flight services.
Volcanoes National Park is accessible by charter from Kigali airport.
When is the ideal time to reserve a gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda or Uganda for a honeymoon?
Although gorilla trekking is available year-round in Rwanda and Uganda, visitors prefer the dry season, which runs from June to September and December to January. The majority of forest inhabitants can be active in the light and comfortable woodland environment.
To avoid scrambling to get a gorilla permit at the last minute, book it at least six months to a year in advance. Although there is a limited amount, gorilla permits for the busiest travel season in Uganda sell out quickly.
Since it is the only way to demonstrate commitment to going on this safari, no gorilla permit is reserved without payment.
Can I get last-minute gorilla permits in Rwanda or Uganda?
There is little prospect of last-minute permit availability because of the high demand for gorilla permits, particularly during the busiest times of the year, which are June through September and December through January.
There is a greater likelihood of last-minute gorilla trekking permit availability during the slow travel months of March, May, April, and November, but this is not a certainty. Depending on the regulatory agencies, there may even be more opportunities for cheap gorilla permits in Rwanda and Uganda during the off-peak months.
Which Country Is Best for Gorilla Trekking Between Rwanda and Uganda While on Honeymoon?
The experience of seeing mountain gorillas is unparalleled, whether you choose to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda. You forget whatever difficulties you may have had organizing the gorilla trekking safari when you experience this thrill. The following are some distinctions between gorilla trekking experiences in Rwanda and Uganda:
The price of a gorilla permit
Rwandan gorilla permits currently cost $1500 per person per trip, whereas Ugandan permits cost $800 per person per trek.
Park fees, one hour of gorilla viewing, security, assistance for the local people, gorilla support, and other expenses are all included in the price of gorilla permits.
The number of families of gorillas
There are currently 15 gorilla families and 96 gorilla licenses in Rwanda and 19 gorilla families and 152 gorilla permits available for tourists in Uganda.
Travel time from the airport to the locations of 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 or Mgahinga National Park.
Other things to do in addition to gorilla trekking
In addition to gorilla trekking, Uganda offers a range of other activities, such as chimpanzee trekking, game drives, visiting the Nile River’s source, white water rafting, bird watching, cultural experiences, and more. There aren’t many things in Rwanda that can be combined with gorilla trekking, such as visiting a genocide memorial, trekking with golden monkeys, or trekking with chimpanzees.
The topography of places to go gorilla trekking
Gorilla hiking in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is more difficult than in other places, despite the fact that the Virunga region is primarily volcanic. In Rwanda, where the geography of Volcanoes National Park includes five volcanoes—Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhavura, Mountain Bisoke, Mountain Karisimbi, and Mountain Sabyinyo—you should expect to hike further in order to find the mountain gorillas.
NOTE:
Because it only takes roughly 6 to 7 hours to drive from Kigali Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park, you can go gorilla trekking in Uganda through Rwanda.
This drive takes less time than the eight to nine-hour travel from Entebbe airport to Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
In Rwanda or Uganda, is gorilla trekking safe?
Every couple wants to return home safely after their honeymoon, and gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda is a safe option.
Because each party is led by an armed ranger guide in case of an attack, the ranger guides offer protection during the gorilla trekking adventure. In the event that some pruning is required, a second ranger guide will hold a machete to clear the path for you.
The rangers use radio call services to stay in touch with people at headquarters so that backup requests may be made more quickly in the event that they are needed.
To maintain law and order, additional Rwandan or Ugandan security forces surround the gorilla trekking locations.
All visitors must be mindful of their personal safety and refrain from granting outsiders who they do not know access to their rooms.
avoiding street food if you want to experience regional cuisine. An unsettled stomach could prevent you from going gorilla trekking.
During gorilla trekking, when can you find the mountain gorillas?
The current conditions in the woods determine how long it takes to find the mountain gorillas. It has been stated that some visitors spot the mountain gorillas within two hours of starting their trip, while others may take up to three quarters of the day to do so.
Since mountain gorillas are unrestricted in their movement, the ranger guide takes the trekking group to the trail where they were last spotted the day before.
The time it takes to find the mountain gorillas is also influenced by the pace of other hikers. To ensure that no one is left behind in the woods, the ranger guide keeps up with the slowest hiker. For this reason, you need to be somewhat fit in order to undertake gorilla trekking more quickly.
To enjoy the gorilla trekking adventure on your honeymoon, you will need to be patient and considerate of other competitors.
