How To Prepare For Gorilla Trekking in Uganda & Rwanda.

Choose your gorilla’s location.

By now you should be considering the location best for your gorilla trekking expedition. Whether your choice is to hike gorillas in Rwanda or Uganda, both places have amazing opportunities. Your decision will mostly rely on your budget, availability of gorilla permits, and holiday schedule, however.

The gorilla permit essentially sets the budget for a gorilla trekking expedition, a document permitting you enter the gorilla restricted area with armed rangers and a professional tracker on foot.

At $1500 per, a gorilla permit in Rwanda more than triple that of Uganda; finding a quality place to stay is almost exactly more expensive there. Furthermore, the gorillas of Rwanda are readily accessible from the international airport (approximately a two-hour drive), therefore saving you travel costs between the airport and your hotel.

Rwanda only has one tiny gorilla park, Virunga National Park, near the foot of the Virunga mountains, nevertheless, with few gorilla permits on hand. Preparing a gorilla trekking expedition in Rwanda on your intended dates might be rather difficult with less permits on hand daily.

Uganda, on the other hand, is much more reasonably priced and has really decent options for lodging, permits, and two gorilla parks providing more than one approach to spend time with mountain gorillas.

About a 10-hour trip, the international airport is situated far from the gorilla parks; two tiny regional airports two hours’ drive from the gorillas. Still, the lengthy trip gives seasoned explorers amazing sights and time to enjoy traveling over the countryside if you’re not in a rush.

Should you be ready for gorilla trekking in either Uganda or Rwanda, our excellent assessment of the two countries and which one provides the better experience should aid you.

Choose the date of your trip.

It makes perfect sense if you take your vacation in Africa depending on the days you are free from work or demanding chores at home. While you may hike gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda any time of year, we advise you to be ready for your trip depending mostly on the travel calendar of the location, which is dictated mostly by the weather conditions, availability of permits and lodging.

Most visitors believe the optimum period for gorilla treking in Uganda and Rwanda is the dry seasons of January, February, and June through early September. Living near the equator in tropical woods, gorillas may rain any time of year and compromise your experience.

Getting ready for gorilla trekking in the dry months increases your likelihood of not having a rain during your trip. The roads are drier, hence the climb over uneven ground will be much easier.

Every visitor will be rushing for the few gorilla permits and suitable lodging as the dry seasons indicate their peak season in the gorilla locations. Some visitors choose the wet seasons in order to benefit from low season discounts. Whichever time you choose to get ready for gorilla trekking, be sure it fits your trip plans and won’t compromise your experience.

Look for a nearby travel agent.

Many do-it-yourself travelers who allude to the excitement of planning such long-distance trips by themselves have come from the great availability of knowledge on the internet. Still, many visitors would not like the difficulty of negotiating the travel difficulties of far-off, underdeveloped areas.

Getting ready for gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda will drain all your resources and leave little for the adventure. Use a licenced local tour operator such as Katland Safaris as your buffer against unanticipated events and save all your efforts for the trip.

We have compiled all the data required for your local tour operator in Uganda and Rwanda selection. Spend some time weighing the material presented.

Selecting a Local Tour Operator to Management Your Uganda Safari

Selecting a Tour Operator for Gorilla Trekking Safari in Rwanda

Get ready your expectations.

Your expectations on your trip will most certainly be shaped by internet articles, anecdotes and evaluations from friends and past guests. If you have already chosen your location, located your operator, and booked your trip at this stage, steer clear of information sources most likely to provide skewed information. Particularly political networks broadcasting 5–10-year-old material unrelated to the situation of things now.

Reviews you perused guided you in selecting the location and booking the desired dates for travel. Now that you’re all in, it will be crucial to avoid these channels, empty your expectations and maintain open contact with your local tour operator to help to create your next trip.

Check your physical condition and degree of fitness.
For several hours in a day, you will be traveling at great elevations across steep, rugged terrain where no cars can pass. While anybody who can walk may hike gorillas, it is advised to have some reasonable physical fitness to have a fantastic experience.

At least three months before your vacation, check into your local gym, schedule morning and evening runs, and stretch your muscles. At the end of the day, when you should be savoring conversational nights at the resort, this will enable you walk hours without muscular aches.

Mountain gorillas are prone to human disease as they share over 98% of human DNA. So, if you exhibit any symptoms of infectious sickness, you will not be let into the forest. If you have the flu, coughing, or a coronavirus, postpone your travel.

See your doctor to be sure you get the immunizations for malaria, COVID-19, yellow fever, and Hepatitis. Entry into Uganda might call for your COVID-19 vaccination or a negative 72-hour test result.

Early on, compile your packing list.
Given that you will be spending time in mountain rainforest freezing high altitudes, mornings and nights will be really chilly events. Make sure your packing list contains something to keep you warm throughout the late and early hours; possible items to include are a sweater, warm socks, neck scarf, warm gloves and so on.

Trekking in deep, muddy, rainy wooded steep hills will occupy you many hours. Dress sensibly then for the climb to the gorillas.

To prevent thorns pricks to your skin, light pants and a long-sleeved shirt should be on your packing list; waterproof light-weight hiking shoes and a light-weight jacket will help to keep your feet and body dry; and a waterproof backpack will hold food, tools, and other dry items. If you want to dress in short trousers and a t-shirt, you only need bug repellent.

Anything else you may want to take will be based on your judgment; otherwise, we have a packing list ready for some reading through.

What Should You Bring on a Gorilla Trekking Trip?

Start getting ready for gorilla treking right now.
Start your gorilla trekking preparations with Katland Safaris, a reputable and licenced local operator with a lot of experience organising safaris in Uganda and Rwanda.

The experience is the same whether you select Uganda or Rwanda; preparing logistics may be difficult in both countries even if it deffers nothing. You will need our knowledge to schedule your transportation, put you into reasonably priced accommodation, and get your permits for appropriate travel dates.