MOUNTAIN GORILLA TREKKING FAQ

Anyone over 15 years of age can buy a trekking permit to visit or trek mountain gorillas, all of the remaining mountain gorillas in the wild reside in the Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and volcano’s mountain ranges along the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo, most tourists visit the mountain gorillas with the assistance of tour operators like Kisoro Tours Uganda. we arranges the necessary trekking/tracking permits in Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo, others things like guides and lodging required for Mountain Gorilla tracking we will do all the bookings for you.

Mountain gorillas is a subspecies of the eastern lowland gorillas, live in mountain forests in only two locations in the world – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in south-western Uganda and the Virunga Mountain range of extinct volcanoes that border the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Rwanda.
According to the census report, there are more than 500 mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, living in 38 distinct social groups/families, 20 of these social groups are accustomed to human presence for either tourism or research. A 2018 survey counted 604 individuals in Virunga Mountain Range this brings the total to 106 in the world.

You must purchase gorilla trekking permits in advance, current cost of gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda is $1500 per person, while in Uganda is $700 and in DR Congo is $500 per person for a one hour viewing in a gorilla group of eight visitors. However we offer a discount on Uganda gorilla safaris during the of month of March April, May and November contact us for more information. We recommend you also hire a porter at an additional cost of $15 per trek, as they will help carry your day pack, assist you trekking when necessary, and it provides additional income to the local community.

Mountain Gorillas trekking is conducted similarly in Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo, very few tourists choose to track mountain gorillas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo these days due to security concerns and services there are not as well organized as before. The mountain gorillas of all in only three countries inhabit similar rugged terrain and have similar habits. Individual mountain gorilla groups/families vary in their accessibility. The regulations and quality of local gorilla guides/trackers is similar in Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo.

Mountain gorilla trekking viewing permit allows you to spend one hour with a habituated gorilla group/family,  Sometimes your guide may allow you a few more minutes, especially if you have had a long trek to reach them and the tourist group is not disturbing to the gorillas, our clients who reach the mountain gorillas are thrilled with the experience, even with the one-hour limit, all our clients are thrilled and report that the effort was worth it.

Officially you are required to keep a 10 mts distance from the gorillas, in practice, the mountain gorillas often violate this rule by coming closer to you as you stand quietly observing or photographing them, It is still helpful to have a telephoto capability on your camera since some animals are shy, and the Silverback may be very protective of the young one. You are not allowed to touch the gorillas.

All wild animals are best considered potentially dangerous and treated as wild animal, but mountain gorillas are not aggressive or prone to be angered by tourists, many people are surprised that the mountain gorillas seem to ignore the tourists in their midst completely, you should not get between a mother and a baby.

There is a minimum age of 15 years for anyone buy a trekking permit to track mountain gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo, park Authorities will check the age of all trekking permit holders against the birth date in your passport.

There are many lodges in Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo offering a range of accommodations, airport transfers and other safari services. Journeys uses a variety of accommodations in the higher comfort ranges, we will help to arrange all your accommodations and transfers. contact us in case you  need more information about Mountain Gorilla Trekking FAQ Frequently Asked Questions

Gorilla tracking can be done any day of the year but some people are comfortable doing it in the dry seasons in the month of June, July, August, September and December, January, February. It can and does rain in every month and the effects of climate change are quite evident in this area of East Africa with seasonal rains being much less predictable and sometimes more intense, all gorilla tracking parties leave around 8:00 am when there is least likelihood of heavy rain, if you happen to be assigned a distant gorilla group/families requiring four or more hours of trekking your chances of returning in the rain increase.

Rwanda is a beautiful, green thriving country known as the land of a thousand hills,  the volcanic soil is very rich and subsistence agriculture produces food year around. The genocide of 1994 is powerfully memorialized in a museum in Kigali and at other sites around the country, visitors are encouraged to partake in these experiences and learn from them. Currently there is no apparent ethnic conflict or significant insurgent or militant activity. There is a dynamic re-building of the social fabric and a commitment to the youth of the country. You might wish to hike to Karisoke where Diane Fossey conducted her pioneering research or take a trek to see Golden Monkeys volcanoes national park, this park has the greatest diversity, other wildlife parks of Rwanda generally do not compare in diversity of species or quality of management with the parks and reserves of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

Travel to Uganda for wonderful cultures, large wildlife parks with few other tourists, and spectacular birding. Uganda may be the best tour/safari country in Africa for a large variety of bird species and great birding tour/safari habitats. Determined birders often see more than 400 species on a 10-12 day Uganda birding safari,  There are also many other species of primates you are likely to see on a mountain gorilla trekking tour or a pure birding watching safari trip, the Rwenzori mountains, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo National Park Kibale Forest National Park, Lake Mburo National Park invite more extended primates game viewing natural walks and hiking. Wetland habitats and Lake Victoria also hold cultural and natural history tour/safari attractions.

There are more chimpanzees than mountain gorillas left in the wild and they survive over a much broader range, The parks authorities of Uganda and Rwanda also monitor Chimpanzee populations and the groups which have been habituated for tourist visitors also require advance purchased tracking permits to visit, two main sites for trekking/viewing chimpanzees in Uganda is Kibale Forest and Kyambura Gorge. You will hike in groups of 8-12 tourists visitors accompanied by a park guide. Close encounters with Chimpanzees seem to be less predictable than with mountain gorillas, though less hiking may be involved visits to the Chimps of Kibale Forest have been more successful than visits to Kyambura Gorge.

1. Purchase your gorilla trekking permits far in advance as possible for you to be sure and a avoid disappointment
2. You will trek with a group of 8 people and guide/trackers, also consider hiring a local person as a porter assistant, even if you are very fit. This adds a great cultural dimension to the experience and is not really expensive its only $15.
3. Prepare for the possibility of rain at any time of year because trekking is done in forests .
4. Wear long sleeves and slacks and bring glove to protect against thistles nettles and thorns.
5. Wear durable hiking shoes, you will be off trail in rough terrain.
6. Expect you might have a long hike, be in the best physical shape you can be.
7. Understand your camera well, Cameras with built-in video are very good, telephoto ability helps.
8. Consider traveling with a companion or friend with whom you will share the lifelong memory of the encounter.
9. Listen to the advice of your guide. Trust that he or she really wants you to get great photos and have the best possible experience.

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