Nothing will prepare you for the profound impact spending time with mountain gorillas will have on you. Watch mothers cradle their young, toddlers tumble about in the forest, and family members pick leaves lovingly from one another’s coats. Revel in the privilege of witnessing these familial interactions, so similar to our own ways.
Gorilla trekking experience can be done in Uganda at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park, in Rwanda at Volcanoes National Park and in DRC at Virunga National Park for Mountain gorillas and at Kahuzi Bienga National Park, for the low land gorillas.
The gorilla trekking permit costs 1500 dollars in Rwanda, 800 dollars in Uganda and 400 dollars in DRC, per person.
How the Gorilla trek goes by!
After your breakfast at the lodge, your guide will be right there, to pick you up from your lodge, for briefing at the park headquarters’, for briefing and group allocation and you will later set off, for the search in the jungle, to allocate the gorillas.
We take you by jeep where you will reach in the park, and later on take a nature walk to lesser known spots in the forest. The remote spots less frequented by tourists draw more wildlife and the winged ones. The secluded trails through the thick foliage and undergrowth are also more exciting as they let you experience the forest as it is- untamed, unpredictable and far removed from all human contact. A minimal level of fitness is required, such that you will be in full gear to hike at great energy.
You’ve trekked through a magnificent forest. Your park rangers turn to you, and finally, you catch your first glimpse. Babies swinging playfully from branches, – just like human children, mothers chewing lazily on bamboo, the silverback keeping a close eye on a quarrelsome black back. You have one precious hour with these iconic primates, and you’ll soak up every second of it. And you will have an ample moment of interaction, one on one, eye to eye, and if lucky, shoulder to shoulder with these great apes, as you meet them in their natural setting.
The trek can last for 2 – 6 hours, depending on the gorilla movements, and your fitness level. This is always looked at as a one or two lifetime moment, where you come face to face with the gorillas. The experience is magical, I have no words to describe it. An hour will be allocated for you, such that you’re able to stay calm in their presence, take as many photos of your choices, and video clips as well.
While the trek length is quite unpredictable beforehand, the time spent with the Gorillas is quite strict and practically un-negotiable. Travelers on a tracking tour spend exactly one hour with the gorillas once the ranger finds them. During this time, you can observe the gorillas’ behavior, learn about their family compositions and take as many photos as possible.
Because most of the gorillas families in park are used to human presence (a process called gorilla habituation), they will not runoff. Not only that, if they feel comfortable with your company, they might even get closer to you and play around you.
But one hour is not enough to get a complete picture of a gorilla’s morning behavior. Fortunately, for those wanting to see more, there are gorilla habituation tours. For this experience, visitors spend up to 4 hours with the gorillas and get a closer encounter with these animals and observe them in a more personal way. The gorilla habituation experience is only done in Rushaga, at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, and the permit costs 1500$ per person.
Later you will descend, meet your guide and return to your cottages, for a lunch – retreat.
Looking for a truly adventure gorilla trekking safari experience? At One More Adventure Safaris you can get up close to the gentle giants, the wildlife and people. Just by getting in touch with our sales team, you will be already on your way, experiencing a lifetime safari moment
Besides the gorilla trekking, there is much to see and discover at One More Adventure Safaris.
You can as well as book the gorilla habituation experience, which is only done in Uganda at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or combine the gorilla trekking experience with other primate habituation experience.
Once you start a trip planned by One More Adventure Safaris, you fall into the One More Adventure rhythm. No request is too small, neither complicated, we curate the entire trip with you, from start until when you meet your interest and budget at hand. Our rapport with the local guides and continuous assessment of your interests and needs demonstrated the diamond standard of all safari specialists. We are also available outside working hours when a couple of things needs to get done.