Introduction
Uganda is a landlocked country located in East Africa, it is bordered by Kenya in the East, Tanzania in the south, and Rwanda in the southwest, Democratic Republic of Congo in the west and South Sudan in the north, and if planning for a gorilla trekking safari to Uganda is an amazing activity that only takes place in the misty forests of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. While one tracks gorillas in their natural environment, you have to be well equipped with trekking shoes, have a good health because trekking will encompass climbing great heights and slopping relatively steep slopes. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is always combined with game viewing in the national parks that Uganda boasts with. Travelers come from different parts of the world to come to Uganda and do gorilla trekking, some tourists who come to visit countries like Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda end up doing gorilla trekking in Uganda’s Mgahinga or Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
Uganda has the largest number of the remaining gorilla population and this has granted Uganda a top position due to increasing number of mountain gorillas now that Uganda celebrates 26 gorilla families of which 25 gorilla families are found in Bwindi and 1 gorilla family found in Mgahinga gorilla national park. Gorillas in Uganda are highly treasured because they are endangered species, when one visits one of the parks for gorilla experiences, there are other activities that you have to encounter to make your package a complete one, you expect to enjoy bird watching since these national parks are a haven of birds, these parks have been gifted with the indigenous Batwa tribe and these have been the masters of the forests since time memorial, therefore, when you visit Uganda for gorilla trekking experiences, expect to meet these people who have so much to share with you, they have ancient songs, dances, ancient storytelling, naming among other interesting norms of Batwa people.
Anyone interested in tracking gorillas has to book a gorilla trekking permit through a local tour company, you have to choose any tour company that you will trust and they will plan your trip perfectly. You can track gorillas when you depart from Kampala to either Bwindi or Mgahinga which takes you about 9hours drive with stopovers at the Equator and Mbarara where you will have to lunch, you can also hire a domestic flight which takes about 2hours from Entebbe/Kajjansi to Kihihi then be picked by a hotel van to your accommodation and then next day you will be in position to track gorillas very well. One can also track gorillas in Uganda from Rwanda through Katuna border then connect to Kabale and proceed to either Bwindi or Mgahinga gorilla national park and this takes about 2:30hours to arrive to your destination. Most travelers have chosen Uganda over Rwanda because Uganda has cheaper gorilla permit than that of Rwanda and also Uganda has got 2 national parks where to track these primates which give you a higher chance to meet gorillas. Uganda’s top notch security in tourist destinations has given it a leading tourist choice to her parks. Uganda has got two seasons and conducive climate which favors tourists to reach to different parts of the country to embrace the beauty of Uganda’s national parks.
One cannot talk about tourist attractions in East Africa and skip Uganda, Uganda has over 10 national parks and 12 game reserves which all have different experiences to the clients. Uganda boasts for her extra ordinary experiences ranging from culture, beautiful sceneries, the rolling rangelands and plains, unique animals and birds that are only endemic to Uganda. The price for a gorilla permit in Uganda has gone high by $100 that is from $700 to $800 per person. When planning to track gorillas in Uganda get excited as you will meet our closest cousins which live in the forests. Uganda has got over 20 primates of which 13 day walking primates (diurnals) and 7 species which are nocturnal, for instance chimpanzees in Kibale forest national park, Budongo forest, Kyambura gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda is gifted with unique golden monkeys which can be traced in Mgahinga gorilla national park.