The rare endangered mountain gorillas are only found in two East African countries (Uganda and Rwanda) and one central African country (D.R Congo) which also borders the two countries (Uganda and Rwanda).
The following are some of the tips you should put more emphasis on before going for the gorilla tracking tours in any of the three countries;
The first tip you should consider before having a gorilla tour is to identify the countries where the gorilla tours take place from.
In this you should then select your final destination for Mountain gorilla tours after you have identified the countries however there are only three countries in the whole world where the tracking of these rare endangered primates takes place and these countries are Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.
After selecting a country of your wish where your safari for the Mountain gorillas will take place from, you will then need to know the cost of the gorilla permit and this will awaken you such that you become aware of the cost of the gorilla permit in that particular country you will have chosen.
The cost of a gorilla permit in those three countries differs from each other due to various issues in those countries.
A gorilla permit in Democratic Republic of Congo is the cheapest in all of the three countries and it costs US$ 400 on usual days but it turns to US$ 200 during low seasons of April to May and mid October to mid-November.
A gorilla permit in Uganda costs US$ 600 and in Rwanda it costs US$ 1500 however if you visit more than one Park in Rwanda, you will be given a discount and you will only pay US$ 1050 or if you are to held a conference or seminar in Rwanda you will also be given a discount and you will only pay US$ 1275.
You need to know the Parks of your selected country which protects the rare endangered mountain gorillas plus its accessibility and accommodation.
Uganda has the most suitable Park for gorilla tours which is called Bwindi impenetrable forests national park protecting almost 500 gorillas which is almost half of world’s population and gorilla tracking in this park is done in four sectors (Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija and Nkuringo) consisting of 14 habituated gorilla families and it has the oldest gorilla family called Mubare which stays in Buhoma sector of the Park.
Uganda still has another Park for gorilla tours which is known as Mgahinga national park which consists of one gorilla family called Nyakagezi and the Park is made up of over 100 Mountain gorillas.
Therefore, Uganda is the only country in the whole world comprising of two mountain gorilla tracking national parks which are all found in western Uganda however other Parks include Volcanoes National Park which is found in the north-west of Rwanda and it consists of 11 habituated gorilla families with over 200 gorilla individuals.
Volcanoes National Park is just a two- and half-hour drive from the capital of Rwanda (Kigali city) making it the easiest gorilla park to be accessed and it is accessed through the good tarmac roads.
Another gorilla tracking Park is called Virunga national park in Democratic Republic of Congo bordering Mgahinga in Uganda and Volcanoes in Rwanda.
You also need to identify the accommodation in your chosen Park because your tour will be more rewarding if you stay in good lodges and hostels while on your safari.
Bwindi national park has some good accommodation like; Buhoma lodge, Chameleon hill lodge, Clouds lodge, Silver back lodge, Engagi lodge, Bakiga lodge, Buhoma haven lodge and others well as in Mgahinga include; Mount Gahinga lodge, Amajambere Iwacu community camp, Mucha hotel, Kisoro travelers rest hotel and others.
Accommodation in Volcanoes national park include; Bisate lodge, Virunga lodge, Kwitonda lodge, Mountain gorilla view lodge, Bishops house, Jack Hanna’s guest house and others plus Bukima tented camp, Lulimbi tented camp and Mikeno lodge in Virunga National Park.
You have to search for the best tour companies which are reliable and can offer good services to you during your tour such as the Nature Adventure Africa Safari Limited which will do all your bookings plus purchasing for you the gorilla permit in each country you may want and also provide you with good vehicles like Prado, Land cruiser, V8, VX and many others according the kind of safari you may want (it can be luxury or not).
However, you are always required to have a visa and an immunization chit that clarifies that you are not sick such that you don’t spread the diseases to the gorillas.
You should also know some of the rules and regulations of the gorilla tracking Parks which include; tracking is recommendable for individuals above 15 years of age, a group of 8 individuals is allowed to track, you should only spend one hour with the gorillas, maintain maximum silence and stay calm while tracking the primates, do not smoke and eat from the park and many others.
Advance booking is also essential; since many tourists invade Africa for gorilla tracking and other activities, you are always reminded to book for your trip at least 3 weeks earlier before you go for it and to ensure the tour company that you are serious.
You may pay a deposit such that you can be totally confirmed and to avoid inconveniences because if you delay, permits might game off when you haven’t got yet or you may remember to book when the vehicles are all booked by other clients thus antagonizing your trip.
3 comments