Uganda Safari Gorilla
The Bwindi forest is a very thick lush tropical forest on steep sided slopes and so tracking the mountain gorilla can be a lot harder going than in Rwanda. It is far more challenging because of the hills and can take anywhere between 3 and 10 hours in total, from start to finish. On the odd occasion, one is lucky enough to find the gorilla quickly, particularly if they are on the lower slopes. Access to the Nkuringo group is on a very steep trail.
The Gorillas in Uganda, live in the areas of Bwindi which has four habituated families with 32 permits now available per day. Three of the families are in Buhoma, namely Mubare, Habinyanja, and Rushegura and one in Nkuringo, called the Nkuringo group. This particular group, is difficult to track.
UGANDA GORILLA SAFARI OVERVIEW
Day-1: Arrival at Entebbe and drive to Mbarara
Day-2: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Day-3: Interaction with the Mountain Gorillas
Day-4: Drive to Mbarara
Day-5: Depart
UGANDA GORILLA SAFARI ITINERARY
Day-1:
Arrival at Entebbe airport and transfer to Kampala for lunch before departing to Mbarara. We will drive through the Equator, Masaka, and then continue to Mbarara town. Detailed briefing. Dinner and overnight at Lake View Hotel. .Day-2:
After early breakfast we will proceed to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest NP, home of the endangered mountain gorilla. We will stop on the way to have our packed/picnic lunch. Dinner and overnight at Gorilla Forest Camp or Lake Kitandara Safari Camp.Day-3:
After an early morning breakfast, we will be transferred to the national park headquarters for a briefing by the guides before departing on the hike in search for the Great Mountain Gorillas. The excursion in a thick rainforest and the interaction with the mountain ape, provide a wonderful life experience. After returning to the lodge, have the rest of the day free for relaxing. Dinner and overnight at Gorilla Forest Camp or Lake Kitandara Safari Camp.Day-4:
After an early breakfast we will depart to Mbarara. We will pass Ntungamo, and we will stop to have our packed/picnic lunch. Mbarara district is known for the Ankhole cattle (long horns. Dinner and overnight at Lake View Hotel.Day-5:
After breakfast we will depart to Kampala. We will pass Masaka and the Equator before arriving to Uganda's capital city. After lunch you will be transferred to Entebbe airport for your departure flight.End of services
Mountain Gorilla Permits
Gorilla tracking permits are limited to 8 permits per gorilla family per day. In Rwanda, 56 permits are available per day and in Uganda, 32. Mgahinga has 8 per day.
Permits cannot be reserved and as such, have to be bought and paid in full on date of booking. As such, there may be 24 permits available for a specific date when you make an enquiry and the next day, all permits may be sold.
As such, once you have decided on your date of tracking, if permits are available we will request full payment for the permit. If by the time the funds are cleared the permits have been sold out, we will give a full refund. Once the permit is bought and secured, there is a 100% cancellation penalty.
Gorilla Trekking: Frequently Asked Questions
According to Reuters news,the 2018 census estimates the number of mountain gorillas at 1004 in total (Virunga and Bwindi combined).
Gorilla Safari Video
