Gorilla Safaris in Uganda - Short Gorilla Safaris

With a minimum of 400 Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park alone, the Gorilla Safaris and tours in Uganda are by no means ordinary. Besides Bwindi, the country features another gorilla destination – Mgahinga Gorilla National Park which is part of the Virunga Massif straddling across Uganda Rwanda and Congo with 480 Mountain Gorillas.

The Short Gorilla Safaris in Uganda are unique packages designed with consideration to the limited travel time and affordability. It can be noted that due to increasing work, school and family demands, the time available for the youth and other middle aged groups is relatively low compared to the seniors that are able to take on long vacations. Besides the time factor, the finances for taking long trips are always not readily available especially among student and volunteer groups but can be comfortable to gather a little they have and spend a day with the Gorillas in the mist.

The Short Uganda gorilla trekking safari tours range from 1 day to 5 Days depending on the starting and end point.  1 day gorilla safari to Bwindi is always arranged from Kabale, Lake Bunyonyi, Kisoro and Kihihi and would preferably consider tracking in the nearest gorilla trekking region. 2 Days Gorilla Safari in Uganda can be conducted with pick up and drop off in Kigali which is a relatively shorter distance to either Bwindi or Mgahinga compared to Kampala. However, the 2 Days Gorilla Trip can also commence from Kampala and end in Kigali.

The most popular short Uganda gorilla tour is 3 Days which commences and ends in Kampala / Entebbe and offers great encounters including a stop at Uganda Equator crossing Kayabwe to explore the geographical divide between the southern and northern hemisphere, traditional lunch stop at the famous Igongo Cultural Center where you can as well tour the largest private cultural museum in Uganda, Mountain Gorilla Trekking in any of your preferred regions of Bwindi or even Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and eventually  a thrilling relaxation at Lake Bunyonyi dubbed the lake of a thousand Islands with a local dugout canoe or boat ride experience.

The travelers interested in exploring beyond the Mountain Gorillas can take up 4 or 5 Day Gorilla and Wildlife Safari trips which always extend to Lake Mburo or Queen Elizabeth National Park for Wild game viewing including the tree climbing lion sights in Ishasha sector and the fascinating Kazinga Channel boat cruise. On 5 Days, the Primate enthusiasts can consider Chimpanzee trekking / Habituation in Kibale National Park before proceeding to Bwindi Impenetrable for Mountain Gorilla Trekking.

The guides, the quality of vehicles and lodges (depending on the category selected) are always the best thus capable for generating lasting memories.

Uganda Safari Lodges - Gorilla Valley Lodge Bwindi

In the lush Afro montane Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – the icon of Uganda Gorilla Safaris, private proprietors have come up with a range of facilities including accommodation to serve the visiting groups and the Gorilla Valley Lodge  is one of them.

It actually sounds very exciting to learn that at about 3 meters, you are already in the home of the critically endangered Mountain Gorillas! This makes the stay at Gorilla Valley Lodge a home sharing moment with these unique species.

Gorilla Valley Lodge is a midrange facility serving the mid market travelers on gorilla safaris and tours in Uganda tracking the region of Rushaga to the South of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.  Rushaga sector is a popular region gifted with seven habituated groups (though two are still undergoing habituation) – making it the only region in Bwindi with the highest number of habituated gorilla groups. These include; Nshongi which was the first to be habituated in the region and the largest group ever been habituated, Kahungye, Busingye, Mishaya, Bweza, Bikingi and Bushaho.

Accommodation here is presented in twelve (12) self contained / en suite rooms each equipped with a private terrace with the views of the forest and solar water heaters. The medium sized rooms feature comfortable beds that can be configured as Single, double and twin.   Unlike many other lodges that offer accommodation in cottages, Gorilla Valley Lodge has rooms.

The lodge enjoys a majestically set restaurant with panoramic views of the forest on one side and the community on the other side. The guests are lost in the spacious restaurant building housing the well stocked bar and featuring a double sided fire place to the comfort of the guests seated in the two restaurant sections. It is indeed a fascinating evening experience chilling in the hills of Bwindi after a long day Mountain Gorilla trek generating ultimate Uganda gorilla Safari memories.

Gorilla Valley Lodge is accessed via Kabale following Kisoro road before branching off to  join the rough section heading to Rushaga. It can also be accessed from Kisoro via Rubuguri if the guests are coming in from Rwanda on Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safari. It is close to Rushaga ranger post – the starting point for gorilla trekking.

THE GORILLA FAMILIES OF RUHIJA – KYAGULIRO - UGANDA GORILLA SAFARI NEWS

To the East of the Uganda gorilla trekking safari site of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the region of Ruhija, there thrives a notable gorilla group called Kyaguliro.
Kyaguliro Gorilla group features a fascinating history which is an attraction of itself. It can be noted that following the group’s habituation in 1999, Kyaguliro never received the visitors on gorilla safaris in Uganda like other habituated gorilla groups because it had been set aside for research conducted by Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology.

As a result, Kyaguliro became a sample unit for all the Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park noted to be a minimum of 400 individuals and the details gathered from these studies helped considerably in the world of Mountain Gorilla Conservation.

Zeus was the main Silverback at the time of habituation and reigned up to  August 2004 when the Silverback Rukina took over leading the Kyaguliro gorilla group up to April 2015 when it passed away.  Rukina became so famous during his reign and ruled for 11 years before dying 31 years of age. He was among the iconic members that would mesmerize the Uganda Gorilla Safari undertakers when the Kyaguliro gorilla group was eventually opened up for tracking.

Following the death of Rukina, Kyaguliro Gorilla family was taken over by Rukara but the infighting has marked the group since then. The Silverback Mukiza has even attempted to snatch some members and start a new family but his plans are still in vain.

Apparently, Kyaguliro along with Bitukura and Oruzogo are three habituated gorilla groups available for tracking in the Ruhija region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Twenty four (24) Mountain Gorilla permits exist for the travelers interested in taking gorilla safaris to Uganda.

Best Way to travel to Bwindi Forest National Park - Flying to Bwindi

Today, the Gorilla trekking safaris to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park can be less-hectic because besides driving from Kampala to this Park, one can always fly to and from Bwindi impenetrable forest national park for gorilla tracking.

Traveler on a Uganda safari can choose to fly from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi airfield to Kisoro air-strip. Additionally there are planes that may as well be chartered to the grass Kayonza airstrips in kihihi.
                                                                                                                                  
Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is served by 3 airfields:  Kihihi, Kayonza for the northern section of the park and Nyakabande in Kisoro for mountain gorilla trackers within the southern area of the park.

One can use scheduled or charter flight with Eagle air, Aero link Uganda, Ndege ya ju among others.
There are always daily flights with morning flights departing at around 7:30 am at Entebbe airport and afternoons one departs at 12:30pm.

This also means that if one is just arriving in Uganda and departing for Bwindi impenetrable forest national park on that same day, you must have arrived there before afternoon for you to catch that afternoon flight otherwise; you will have to fly the next day.

From Entebbe international airport, it takes about 2 hours to get to Kihihi airstrip or Kisoro airfield depending on the section of the park one will be tracking the mountain gorillas from.
When flying from Bwindi impenetrable forest national park to Entebbe international air-port, the flight departs in the morning at 9: 00 am and in the afternoon at 2pm daily.

How to book for those internal flights
Prime Uganda safaris and tours limited is willing to handle all internal flight booking for persons willing to fly to Bwindi for gorilla tracking. The company will check the availability of the flight for the clients on the particular planned date and make provisional booking and then later confirm with full payment with a discounted rate since they are booking through an agent.

When the travelers arrive at the air strip, one of our guides will be waiting for him with a car ready to drive to the safari lodge in this park where he will be staying. The guide will take you throughout your trip, guiding on what to do, how and when to do that particular activity.
While flying back to Entebbe international airport, our safari guide will transfer you to the air-strip and to board back.

Gorilla Tracking Areas of Uganda - Wild Gorilla News

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park stands as the Uganda’s second Mountain Gorilla refigium and thus another destination for Gorilla Safaris in Uganda. A minimum of 400 Mountain Gorillas thrive in Bwindi National Park while the remaining 480 Mountain Gorillas dwell in the Virunga massif comprising of Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Congo’s Virunga National Park and Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park features one (1) habituated Mountain Gorilla group named Nyakagyezi which has a history of crossing the border to Democratic Republic of Congo but now well settled in the volcanic highlands of the Uganda side making its exploration certain while planning Uganda gorilla safaris and tours.
Because of this border crossing issue, the gorilla permits of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park were booked on ground at the Uganda Wildlife Authority Office in Kisoro as they would have recent information about whether the Gorilla group is on the Ugandan side or not. But following the years of  stability, these gorilla permits have been included in the Uganda Wildlife Authority Reservation System and can as well be booked at the Headquarters along Kiira Road Kamwokya Kampala.
The tracking activity starts at 8am with briefing and the start point can be Ntebeko Visitor Centre or the Muhabura side depending on the direction of the Mountain Gorillas. The travelers on gorilla trekking safaris and tours in Uganda must be aware that Mgahinga is marked by three Volcanic Mountains namely; Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo and as a result, the treks can involve traversing steep and challenging landscapes depending on the location of the Gorilla group.
Besides Mountain Gorilla Trekking, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park also presents other exciting activities including; golden monkey tracking where Uganda’s only troop of golden monkeys is explored, Batwa Heritage trail and Volcano Climbing.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is 519km around 10 hours drive from Kampala and can as well be accessed from Kigali Rwanda and Queen Elizabeth National Park. Car hire services in Uganda Rwanda can be sought out for those interested in reaching the destination by road while Kisoro Airstrip is 14km from the park and scheduled daily morning flight from Entebbe exists operated by Aero link Uganda.

Nkurigo Gorilla Trail - Bwindi Gorilla News

Nkuringo Gorilla Group is one of the remarkable Mountain Gorilla families thriving in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park well habituated for encounter on gorilla safaris and tours in Uganda.

Having undergone the normal habituation process from 1997 to 1999, Nkuringo Gorilla group took long to receive the Uganda gorilla safari tour undertakers until the year 2004 since the gorilla family had changed its home range following the habituation.

The history of the area states that this Mountain Gorilla group used to thrive in the out-skirts of the present day park around seventy (70) years ago but due to increase in human population that led to forest encroachment, the Gorilla group was pushed to the interior of the protected forest. However, because of this history, Nkuringo Gorilla group after habituation started to dwell in its ancient home range that was now community land spending around 85% of its time there.

This definitely resulted into human wildlife conflict as the Mountain Gorillas would raid crops in the community which also explains why the group took long to open for tourism. To settle the conflict, an Environmental Impact Assessment was undertaken and a buffer zone was established in 2003 with the local people close to the park selling off their land. The buffer zone stretched to 350m in width and 12km in length along the park borders. Uganda Wildlife Authority owns 200m from the park border where it undertakes adaptive management practices while the remaining is co-owned with the community under their body Nkuringo Conservation and Development Foundation (NCDF) where community livelihood improvement activities are undertaken but in line with the Mountain Gorilla Conservation programme. This buffer zone can be viewed while on gorilla trekking safari in Uganda.

Nkuringo Gorilla Family possessed sixteen (16) members in 2004 when it was eventually opened for tracking among which included; Nkuringo – the then Silverback, Kirungi, Safari, Christmas, Africa, Kwitonda, Kisoro, Kasotora, Mama Christmas, Samehe, Bikingi, Posho,   Rafiki,   Karibu and Bahati. Some of these profound members have unfortunately been lost including; Bikingi and Kisoro that left in 2005 and 2009 respectively and Nkuringo which died in 2008.  However, the group has received new born and it apparently features 19 members under the leadership of Safari as explored on Uganda gorilla tracking safaris.

Tracking the Nkuringo Gorilla Group is still ranked the most strenuous of all the gorilla group treks in the whole of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park as it at times forages high up the steep hill accessed by traversing the another steep hill and narrow valley amidst very dense vegetation.

TIPS FOR A PERFECT GORILLA SAFARI TO MGAHINGA – UGANDA GORILLA NEWS

Gorilla News |

Before taking on your gorilla safari tour in Uganda, we invite you to get briefed more about these amazing creatures with their interesting facts.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is considered to be one the most satisfying activities done by tourists in Mgahinga national park. This park has only one habituated gorilla family known as “Nyakagezi” originally consisting of 9 family members, 2 silver backs, 3 female adults, 2 infants and 2 juveniles.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda can some if the times be tiring and occasionally cover the whole day as the guide takes you through this amazing world and also giving you information on their ecology and wild behavior. There is a good chance of spotting these gorillas of Mgahinga national park however success is never guaranteed as these creatures are wild animals, never fixed in their daily routine and finding them requires a guide with extra skill, experience as well as luck.

For the travelers on Gorilla Safari in Uganda, before setting of for the actual gorilla trekking activity, the guide will always suggest how long this activity may take. However while moving do not hesitate to ask the guides to slow down their pace in case they are moving so fast or if you need to rest. This guide will not leave you behind.

The daily routine of a mountain gorillas in Uganda includes foraging early in the morning and have a rest during the late morning and midday. In the late afternoon they forage before they rest at night. The mountain gorillas leave their sleeping nests at 6am in the morning except when it’s too cold, that’s when they stay up their nests.

Uganda Gorillas don’t have discrete territories and instead they roam in home ranges. When the sources of food are sparse, the ranges between groups also become larger and when there is abidance of food the distance between home ranges become shorter.

Gorillas get infected with most of the diseases suffered by human beings as well. It is for this reason that Uganda safarivisitors to these gorillas are advised to keep a distance. Respiratory diseases suffered more especially pneumonia are the most frequently causes of deaths of most mountain gorillas.

The gorillas basically live on ground and almost 20%of their day time in trees. They climb trees either to play or harvest fruits and rarely jump from branch to branch due to their weight.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda can be physically demanding, so be prepared well enough. These Gorilla facts prepare you for this safari activity and give you guidance on conservation of the Mountain Gorillas in Mgahinga national park. Please read these Gorilla facts before your tour to Uganda.