Gorilla Trek in Uganda

GORILLA TREKKING IN UGANDA

Gorilla Trekking in Uganda is a once-in-a-lifetime safari experience offering an unparalleled opportunity to witness the last remaining wild mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Visit the mountain gorillas as a stand-alone trip, as an extension of your big 5 safari in Africa or as part of a Uganda Safari.

Gorilla trekking can be done in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the last remaining wild mountain gorillas in the world are found. Guided by seasoned experts, navigate dense forests on a hike to observe gorilla families in their native environment. As a species on the endangered list, the success of conservation efforts is gradually contributing to the resurgence of gorilla populations.

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WHAT IS GORILLA TREKKING

Quite simply, you put on your hiking boots, and your rain jacket and head into a dense primordial rainforest in search of these incredible gorillas. Guided by an experienced team, through the ancient forest which is full of life, in search of a gorilla family for a rare opportunity to watch them exist in their natural habitat.

Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a dense rainforest that is, well, Impenetrable! Expect Muddy, steep hillsides, a hike of 1 – 5 hours each way depending on which family you have been assigned, and spend one glorious hour with the gorillas. General rules of gorilla trekking:
– Maximum 1 hour with the gorillas
– Stay 7 meters or more away from them
– Always move slowly
– If you need to sneeze or cough, turn away from them and cover your mouth
– Do not eat or drink around them
– If you are ill with a virus do not visit them
– If they pass you do not reach out to touch them
– Always listen to your head ranger and guiding team

ABOUT GORILLA TREKKING

Gorilla families have their territories. Some are on the lower slopes and a fairly easy hike to get to. Others are much higher up and you could easily hike for four hours before finding the family. And then back again. You often end up walking out of the forest in a different area from where you started, but your head guide has the phone number of your safari guide or hotel driver, so he drives to collect you.

You can ask for a gorilla family that is easier to get to than others, however, it is suggested that you have some level of fitness for this gorilla trekking. A bit of fitness is required for the lower slopes but if you have prepared and are able to do some serious hiking up the mountain, the reward is spectacular as there are more clearings to see the astonishing landscape. Some seriously unfit people have made it, they hire two porters – one to push and the other to pull you up the mountain!

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Read: Where to stay in Bwindi Forest while Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

Enjoy a wildlife adventure of a lifetime

Our director, Michelle, shares an eight-day Uganda exploration, including Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi and a visit to Kibale National Park’s chimpanzees.

MY GORILLA TREKKING IN UGANDA

The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda is one of only a few areas in the world where Mountain Gorilla Trekking is possible. Mountain Gorillas are also found in Uganda’s Magahinga National Park, Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga National Park. I spent an incredible 8 days in Uganda where I went Gorilla Trekking at Bwindi, and visited the Chimpanzees of Kibale National Park and took a boat cruise in QUeen Elizabeth National Park.

An early morning flight saw me soaring over the green hills of Uganda in a Cessna Grand Caravan, from Entebbe south towards Kisoro Airstrip, one of 2 airports providing access to Bwindi. I was met by my local guide, in an aging, but capable 4×4. We set off towards the mountainous area of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The scenery around every turn was breathtaking, giving me clarity on why Uganda is fondly known as the Pearl of Africa. Nowhere else in Africa have I uttered the words – “oh wow”; “look at that”; “can we stop” “so beautiful” – so many times and around so many corners. Within 2 hours of being on the ground in Bwindi, I was in love with this verdant green, achingly beautiful and desperately poor country.

We wound our way up in altitude, on muddy tracks, bypassing locals pushing bicycles laden with sacks of coal, green bananas, cassava roots, and more. Some had small mopeds, equally laden. It rains regularly in this part of Uganda, making the roads all the more slippery. I was told that the seasons in Bwindi are defined by lots of rain or a little bit of rain! Not rainy or dry like in most countries! Uganda is on the equator so most of the country is warm and even all year round, Bwindi however is cool to cold, with the altitude ranging from 1,190 to 2,607 meters or 3,904 to 8,553 ft.

Children waved as we passed, shouting Mzungu! Mzungu! And holding their little hands out, either for sweets or money. A Mzungu according to Wikipedia is: Literally translated mzungu means “someone who roams around” or “wanderer.” The term was first used in the African Great Lakes region to describe European explorers in the 18th century, apparently because they moved around aimlessly. The word mzungu comes from Kiswahili, where zungu or zunguka is the word for spinning around on the same spot. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mzungu

Uganda is a fertile, beautiful but poor country. What I found interesting is that the population was spread out, with most of the population in rural areas. In South Africa, you can drive for miles without seeing a settlement, but in Uganda, small farms, villages, and little towns were a constant. Most people grow bananas, pineapple, cassava root, Irish potatoes, and of course coffee. Tea Plantations are also found in Uganda. The locals love their coffee but also sell it to small merchants who combine the small batches from the same area and sell it to bigger merchants in Kampala.

Explore Travel Africa Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

Read: Adventure in Kibale National Park while Chimpanzee Trekking in Uganda

BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK

Finally, the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park towered in front of me and along with it, my lodge for the 2 nights I was there, the lovely Gorilla Safari Lodge. A warm Ugandan welcome awaited me at Gorilla Safari Lodge which was the first stop on my Uganda Safari. After checking in, I was escorted to my chalet. Built into the rainforest, the balcony overlooked tall trees and green vegetation. An early night was on the cards so that I could be fresh and ready for my Uganda gorilla trekking experience. Gorilla Safari Lodge is in an enviable location in the Rushaga area, one of a few places where you can see the Uganda Gorillas, at just a few minute’s drive away from the start.

Top Tip: Try to stay close by if you can afford it, otherwise your day starts with a long drive!

My guide dropped me at the briefing point in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest before 8 am, armed with my camera, packed lunch and water. As I walked towards the head ranger to listen to the dos and don’ts for the day, the forest had already surrounded me. Tall trees, bird sounds, a few primate noises and more. You can feel that you are walking through an ancient forest.
At the morning briefing, they check that your permit is correct and that you are not under 15 years of age. At this point, you are assigned your guide and tracking team who have been paired with one of the habituated mountain gorilla families. This team will generally trek to the same family of gorillas, ensuring they know the temperament and habits of their gorilla family. The team is made up of an advanced pair who went into the forest before daybreak to the last known sighting of the gorilla family, our head guide and with her, two more trackers who walk in front and behind you, both carrying rifles.

I chose to hire a porter to carry my day pack with water, lunch and my camera. I also used one of the walking sticks they provided. And a strong hand to help you when you need it! My porter was a lady who lived a 3-hour walk away. This meant that she had left her home in the dark at 5 am to walk to the start with the hope of being picked and earning some much-needed money for her family.

Top Tip: Hire a porter and inject some desperately needed cash into the local economy

MOUNTAIN GORILLAS

Our group of 6 were assigned the Mishaya Family of gorillas who love the lower slopes of Bwindi. I had only been given 2 weeks’ notice before flying to Uganda, so I was happy with a slightly easier walk. Mountain gorillas are family units, with clear structure and dynamics. Mishaya is a large Silverback with a smaller family who broke away from the original large Nshongi gorilla group in 2010. He took up home in this Rushaga area of Bwindi, prompting officials to start developing a gorilla trekking point from Rushaga.

And off we went. The forest is ancient, damp and filled with life. We saw a few monkey species and lots of birds as we walked. We received a call from the advance team to say that Mishaya and his family had been located and were conveniently heading in our general direction. Scrambling up steep ravines, ambling along winding forest paths and soaking up the tranquillity of the surrounding forest was an inspirational experience on its own.

Before long, it was time to meet the Mountain Gorilla Family. I could hardly contain my excitement as we left everything but our cameras and the timer were set. We had one hour to spend with the family and did not waste a second. Our tracking team located the gorillas at the bottom of a narrow ravine, feeding and moving at a sedate pace.

Mishaya, The Silverback

The ravine was steep, the forest thick, but we had some great views of Mishaya the Silverback gorilla, a glimpse of a youngster, two female gorillas and other juveniles. Mishaya was in full view, chilling in the bush and eating. It was a truly breathtaking moment. The sheer size of the Silverback caught me by surprise, at a height of around 6 feet tall.

The gorilla family was nonchalant at these tourists snapping pictures at them and continued to forage. The gorillas would eat a bit then amble on to the next spot and forage some more. We followed them for the whole hour which went by so fast and the guiding team all but dragged us out of there. We made our way back to our packs, found a convenient fallen tree to sit on and enjoy our lunch, and relived that amazing experience. I walked back to the main briefing centre with the group where we received a certificate to prove we went Gorilla trekking and headed back to Gorilla Safari Lodge for a well-earned G&T and to put my feet up.

Spending time with the mountain gorilla family was one of the most surreal and intense moments of my life. Nothing can prepare you for the sheer size of the silverback gorillas, his gaze as he looks directly at you, their obvious family bonds and their human-like mannerisms, emotions and behaviour.

Gorilla Trekking in Uganda lived up to and exceeded any expectations I had. It was an incredible experience.
I dream about going back and wish that I had a second chance to visit with the gorillas. I tell my clients that if they can afford a second gorilla permit, they should go twice! You are allowed to pay a nominal park fee and take a walk along the main road through the park, which is a good way to enjoy the forest at your own pace, and on an easier path.

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