Luxury gorilla safaris in Uganda are exclusive tours that offer a combination of high-end accommodation and excellent wildlife experiences, particularly mountain gorilla trekking and habituation. Mountain gorilla trekking is carried out in Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park while gorilla habituation is currently done in Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
These luxury gorilla safaris are designed to meet the interests of tourists with a dream of meeting primates that are said to be close relatives to humans. Mountain gorillas are said to share more than 98% DNA with humans. To see the mountain gorillas in Uganda, you must visit Bwindi or Mgahinga National Parks with a valid gorilla permit from Uganda Wildlife Authority at a given cost.
The cost of gorilla safaris in Uganda
The cost of gorilla safaris depends on a number of factors, including the mode of transport used, accommodation type, number of people on the safari, and the gorilla permit bought. Uganda has gorilla trekking permits, which are used for 1 hour and gorilla habituation permits which come with 4 hours around mountain gorillas that are semi-habituated.
Gorilla trekking permits cost $800 for foreign non-residents, $700 for foreign residents, $500 for Rest of Africa, and UGX300,000 for citizens of East African member States. Gorilla habituation permits cost $1500 for foreign residents, $1000 foreign residents, and Rest of Africa while citizens of East African member states pay UGX750,000.
Tourists who are interested in seeing mountain gorillas on their luxury safaris must contact registered and licensed tour companies to purchase permits on the travel dates. Uganda Wildlife Authority is the government agency that sells gorilla permits, and it sells to only licensed tour operators. What tourists need to do is book a safari with a tour operator and let them do all the payments for the permits.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda
Gorilla trekking in Uganda is carried out in Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Mgahinga is the smallest gorilla park in the world, with only one mountain gorilla family while Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park hosts the highest number of mountain gorillas with the highest number of mountain gorilla families habituated.
Mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda takes place every day and is carried out by tourists who have gorilla permits. Early on the morning of trekking, all trekkers must travel to the sector headquarters for a briefing from the rangers. These teach the dos and don’ts of the activity for the safety of mountain gorillas and trekkers. Each mountain gorilla family is trekked by 8 people who are led by armed ranger guides.
After the bringing, trekkers with excess luggage and those who want to be carried on sedan chairs may hire porters. Trekkers are transported to the starting point of the trek where they are left to head in the jungle with armed ranger guides. Inside the jungle, different trekking trails are used to search for where the mountain gorillas could be, and as they do so they get an opportunity to meet several wildlife species and other forest attractions.
When the mountain gorillas are spotted, trekkers are given 1 hour to be around the members. This comes with an opportunity of learning about their habits because everyone is allowed to ask trekkers as many questions as they want. Trekkers get an opportunity to take photos, and recording videos for future memories. After spending quality time with the mountain gorillas, trekkers are asked to move away from the mountain gorilla family and let the members continue with the day to day activities.
After spending good time with the mountain gorillas, as you trek out of the jungle, you will meet forest mammals, primates, birds, and water sources. You will be awarded trekking certificates, and later you may join your driver guide to transfer you to the lodge or your next destination.
The most appropriate for luxury gorilla safaris in Uganda
For most travelers, the best time to visit Uganda for luxury gorilla safaris is the driest season of the year. June to September and December to February are the best times to carry out trekking because they have little or no rainfall and plenty of sunshine. The trekking trails are dry and easier to walk through which makes gorilla searching, and the vegetation is short with nice views of the mountain gorillas and other attractions.
Tourists can still carry our luxury gorilla safaris in Uganda if when they get time. They should however, know that March to May and October to November have plenty of rainfall which makes the trekking trails muddy and slippery, vegetation is tall with unclear views of some of the mountain gorillas, and the roads to the park tend to be muddy.
Accommodation on a luxury gorilla safari in Uganda.
Bwindi and Mgahinga National Park have some of the best accommodation facilities where tourists can stay at and feel the value for their money. Tourists visiting Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park book accommodations near the sectors they are trekking. The best accommodation types include Nkuringo Bwindi Lodge, Mahogany Springs Lodge, Gorilla Leisure Lodge, Bakiga Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Kaara Gorilla Mountain Lodge, Four Gorilla Forest Camp, Buhoma Lodge, and Kiho Gorilla Safari Lodge, to mention but a few.
The mode of transport
To get to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park or Mgahinga National Park for safaris, you need to use air or road transport. These two national parks are located in the south-western Uganda which is about 9 to 10-hour drive from Entebbe. Air transport is the quickest way for tourists to get to these national parks.
By air transport, there are airline companies such as Aerolink Uganda that have flights to different areas in the country including national parks. Tourists who hate traveling for long distances can fly to Kihihi airstrip in the northern sector of Bwindi or Kisoro airstrip for those visiting the southern sector of Bwindi and Mgahinga. From these airstrips to the lodges takes a short time, depending on the nature of the roads.
Road transport is the most commonly used means of transport by tourists on gorilla trekking safaris. The journey is long but very affordable and comes with great views of different attractions along the way. From Entebbe/Kampala, tourists drive through Mpigi, Masaka, Lyantonde, Mbarara, Ntungamo, and Kabale or Kisoro to the park.
