The Uganda Adventure Safaris: Gorilla Trekking, Honeymoons, Vacations, and Holidays

Our Uganda Adventure Safaris – Gorilla Safaris in Africa is a ground tour operator in Uganda offering all the potential Uganda travel packages and safaris in Uganda.

Uganda Travel Safaris offers the lifetime experience of Uganda gorilla safaris, Uganda budget wildlife trips, and Uganda Life Adventures. We lead in planning organised Uganda gorilla tours and Uganda wildlife Safari packages. So we design most of our packages to meet your lifetime expectations.

We offer Tailored Safaris and Various memorable, affordable holiday packages with competitive pricing for our Travellers. Our clients choose to travel with us repeatedly because we provide such exceptional value. Furthermore, they frequently recommend our services to others, which reflects the high quality of our safari experiences.

Our gorilla safari packages lead to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and Include Wildlife Safaris in Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, and Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Submit your Inquiry

---

Daily Tours – Short Safaris (Instant Bookings)

Long Days Safaris – (a Week+++ Trips)

View More Featured Safaris

Uganda Adventure Safaris: Best Uganda Tour Operators Today, Every Day

Uganda Adventure Safaris offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience with Uganda gorilla safaris, Uganda budget wildlife trips, and Uganda Life Adventures. We lead in planning organised Uganda gorilla tours and Uganda wildlife Safari packages. We design most of our packages to meet your lifetime expectations.

How We Trend the Lead

We at Uganda Travel Safaris Ltd offer tailored safaris and a range of affordable holiday packages at excellent prices. Because we provide such memorable experiences, our travellers return to us time and again. Furthermore, they frequently recommend our services to others, helping us grow through their positive experiences.

Our Uganda Adventure Safaris & Gorilla Safari packages lead to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and include Wildlife Safaris in Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, and Queen Elizabeth National Park.

---

Quick Information Guide on Gorilla Trekking

Where to Trek Mountain Gorillas in Uganda

Uganda features two protected national parks famous for these endangered primate species. When you visit, you can expect to explore Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in the western part of the country. Consequently, these areas remain the most popular destinations for mountain gorilla tours.

Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

The government gazetted the Park in 1991 to specifically protect the rare and endangered mountain gorilla. This Park sits along the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the Kanungu District. Because of its unique location and protected status, it remains a vital sanctuary for these famous primates.

UNESCO ranked Bwindi Impenetrable National Park as one of the world’s premier gorilla trekking destinations. Furthermore, the Park has held UNESCO World Heritage status since 1994 for its remarkable ecological diversity.

Bwindi offers travellers an exceptional experience with mountain gorillas, as the Park is home to 35 known groups. However, researchers have only habituated 17 of these groups for tourism.

Bwindi covers an area of 321 square kilometres and features four distinct sectors for gorilla trekking and habituation. These areas include Nkuringo, Buhoma, Rushaga, and Ruhija. While the Nkuringo sector hosts two gorilla groups, the Rushaga sector specifically offers the gorilla habituation experience. Consequently, travellers in Rushaga spend four full hours with a gorilla family once they locate it.

According to the gorilla rules and standards in Uganda for both Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, the law recommends a maximum of 8 people per hour per gorilla family.

Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park,

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the smallest national Park that covers the smallest area as compared to Uganda’s national parks. Although Mgahinga is the smallest national Park in Uganda, it occupies a large portion of the Virunga massif and the conservation area.

The Virunga Massif also includes Virunga National Park in Congo and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. While all three parks harbour endangered species, each country individually manages its own portion of the massif. Furthermore, these nations have intentionally conserved these specific areas to ensure the continued protection of the mountain gorillas.

Uganda currently hosts 18 habituated gorilla groups, with 17 residing in Bwindi and only one inhabiting Mgahinga National Park. This specific group, known as the Nyakagezi group, has recently settled permanently within the Park boundaries. Consequently, they are now much easier to trek, despite their past notoriety for frequently crossing the borders into Rwanda and Congo.

It is important to note that mountain gorilla trekking can be a bit difficult, especially in Bwindi’s impenetrable national Park, as it requires hiking and climbing over rough, steep terrain. You will have to go deeper into the forest to locate and trek these gorilla groups in the wild, as the trekking becomes a fascinating and adventurous activity in the African wild.

On the other hand, some gorilla families in Bwindi have settled near the Park headquarters. Consequently, you might spend less than two hours locating them, meaning intensive hiking isn’t always necessary for every group. Because trackers in Mgahinga easily locate the gorillas, the activity does not require participants to be exceptionally physically fit.

The Gorilla Trekking Experience in Uganda

Your gorilla trekking experience in Uganda always begins with a mandatory briefing at 8:00 AM at the Park headquarters. During this session, rangers will guide you through the essential rules and safety protocols before you start the trek. At the same time, you must book your trekking permits well in advance to secure your spot. Therefore, we strongly advise organising your tour through a professional operator who can handle the logistics and ensure you enjoy a seamless adventure in Uganda.

While both parks are famous for mountain gorilla trekking, travellers can also include a unique experience on their Uganda safari. Specifically, Bwindi and Mgahinga are the only habitats in Uganda where the rare golden monkey is found. Consequently, you will not find these vibrant primates anywhere else in the country’s national parks.

The Batwa, who originally lived within the Park forest, inhabit the surrounding areas. However, the government later resettled them outside the national Park, where they transitioned to a modern lifestyle. As the shortest people in the world, the Batwa formerly thrived as fruit gatherers and hunters. Because their traditional culture remains so fascinating, you should not miss the opportunity to visit a Batwa community during your gorilla tour.

There are also other activities like mountain climbing, exploring the Batwa caves, and bird watching, and you will be in a position to spot other forest mammals.

The cost of gorilla trekking is the same for both national parks, as a gorilla permit costs $800 per person. The permit includes entrance fees and gorilla trekking. However, if you are planning to travel in the next year, 2025, 2026, 2027, or 2028, there are some changes that a traveller needs to note: the gorilla trekking permit will increase from $700 US dollars to $800 US dollars per person by July 2024.

Where to Stay while on a Gorilla Trekking Safari

There are different Startup sectors in Bwindi’s impenetrable national Park, each with Accommodation options ranging from budget to mid-range to luxury lodges, where you can choose to stay while on a gorilla trekking tour in Uganda.

Our selection includes premier accommodations such as Gorilla Safari Lodge, Bakiga Lodge, and Buhoma Lodge. Furthermore, you can choose from Trekkers Tavern, Rushaga Gorilla Haven Lodge, or Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge. We also offer stays at Gorilla Mist Camp, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, and Rushaga Gorilla Camp. Ultimately, we offer many more lodges, both established and upcoming, beyond this list, to ensure you find the perfect fit for your Safari.

There are a few lodges that can let you access Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, such as Travellers Rest Hotel, Mutanda Lake Resort, Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge, Mucha Hotel, Chameleon Hill, and many more.

How to Access the Gorilla National Parks for Trekking in Uganda?

From Kampala via Mbarara to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, it is an 8-9 hour drive Park. From Queen Elizabeth National Park via the Ishasha Sector, the drive takes 3-4 hours. All are using a 4×4 Road Transportation. To access Mgahinga National Park from Kampala via Kabale-Kisoro, the distance is about 510km, and the drive takes about 8 hours.

However, a traveller can also choose to use Air Transportation (Aerolink Uganda) from Entebbe Airport to Bwindi via Kihihi Airstrip or Kisoro Airstrip.

Gorilla Trekking Packages for Uganda Adventure Safaris

Gorilla Trekking: Frequently Asked Questions

Gorilla Trekking Uganda Cost

While planning your Uganda gorilla trekking safari, you may wonder exactly what your quoted total cost covers. Therefore, please note that we include the following essential items in all our Gorilla Safaris to ensure a seamless, worry-free experience.

• Gorilla Trekking Permit – $800 per person per trek. Furthermore, we normally include this fee in the total price of our Gorilla Safaris to ensure a seamless booking process for you.
• Accommodation and meals – The cost of lodging is also a major factor in determining the total cost of your tour. There are three categories of lodges: budget, mid-Range, and luxury, each with its own price range. We offer en-suite lodges for all our gorilla safaris, ensuring your comfort throughout the trip. Furthermore, we book these accommodations specifically according to the sector where your gorilla trekking will take place to minimise your travel time.
• Transport in a 4×4 safari vehicle – We provide four-wheel-drive safari vehicles equipped with sufficient fuel, a professional driver/guide, and drinking water.
• All activities on the itinerary: We usually include the cost of all scheduled activities in your total price unless we explicitly state they are optional. Consequently, you will only pay extra for those items we have clearly priced as additional add-ons.

Gorilla Trekking Uganda From Kigali

The drive from Entebbe to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park takes over 8 hours, and the price of Rwanda Gorilla trekking permits is twice that of Uganda (USD 1500 vs USD 800). A new trend has emerged: tourists arrive in Kigali and drive to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for gorilla trekking. The driving time from Kigali to Bwindi is four to five hours. It allows you to spend less time on the road while enjoying lower rates for the same gorilla safari experience.

What To Pack (Required)

To fully enjoy your gorilla trek, here are some of the things you need to pack and come with for the gorilla safari: Hiking Boots, poncho, camera and accessories, energy snacks, long-sleeved shirts and trousers, insect repellent, hat, and walking stick.

Gorilla Trekking Minimum Age

Uganda sets the minimum age for gorilla trekking at 15 years. Consequently, children under 15 cannot participate because the trek often proves too strenuous for them. Furthermore, younger children may lack the maturity needed to handle themselves safely during potential incidents with the gorillas.

Affordable Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

At Gorilla Safari Bookings, we offer several affordable trip options for gorilla trekking in Uganda. You can send us an inquiry, and we will get back to you with quotes tailored to your requirements. We design our tours to fit every traveller’s budget.