How safe is it to do Gorilla trekking in Uganda

How safe is it to do Gorilla trekking in Uganda? Are you interested in trekking mountain Gorillas after Covid lockdown then Uganda is the best place to do your gorilla trek however how safe is it to do Gorilla trekking in Uganda after Covid lockdown, Uganda is one of the safe and best places to do gorilla trekking among the 3 countries where you can only find the endangered mountain gorillas the other countries are Rwanda and DR Congo? Due to the outbreak of Covid-19 which affected global travel and various tourism activities this also forced the gorilla tourism activities to be suspended and for the last four months there has not any gorilla tourism activities taking place in any of these countries given the fact these are primates which share more than 97% of DNA with humans and this makes them very susceptible to get the virus with this suspending the trekking activity has kept them away from the virus. How safe is it to do Gorilla trekking in Uganda

Eco Adventure Safaris is ready to book for you your gorilla trekking trip in both Rwanda and Uganda following the set health and safety guidelines to ensure all our clients are safe during their travel. We do have Gorilla safari packages available for gorilla trekking in Rwanda ranging from VIP Gorilla tours, budget, mid-range to luxury contact us here for more details and we will book for you your gorilla trek in Uganda or Rwanda accordingly.

Where is Gorilla trekking done in Uganda?

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, both national parks are located in the southwestern parts of Uganda which can be accessed from Entebbe/Kampala and from Kigali, Rwanda. For easy accessibility of the parks for short gorilla treks we recommend you start your trip in Rwanda given the fact the drive time here is only 4-5 hours drive compared to the 8-9 hours drive from Kampala/Entebbe.

How safe is to do Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is very safe given the fact it is one of the major tourist activity in the country it is given a lot of attention, well organized and with enough security to make sure all tourists visiting the mountain gorillas are safe all through their trek. Given the fact gorilla tracking in Uganda is done in the Bwindi which is a forest and Mgahinga which is a mountain both sharing the border with DR Congo and Rwanda respectively many tourists tend to fear to go for the gorilla trek with fear of attacks from wild animals and terrorists, as noted this is a highly respected activity both national parks are very well monitored by the tourism police and the park rangers to ensure there are no intruders or terrorist then as well during your trek you are accompanied by two park rangers who are well equipped with AK-47 guns to scare away wild animals in case you meet them then as well guard you in case of any uncertainties while in the forest. Before your head out in the forest for gorilla trekking there is always an advance team that goes to the forest first to find out where a given mountain gorilla group spent a night then during your trek you are guided by this team following that trail until you meet the mountain gorillas.

Why book do your gorilla trek in Uganda compared to other countries

Uganda is much safer, accessible and affordable compared to Rwanda and DR Congo, the gorilla trekking permit in Uganda costs USD700 per person per trek for Foreign Non-Residents, USD600 for East African Residents and USD70 for East African Citizens, Rwanda gorilla permit costs USD1500 per person per trek and DR Congo gorilla permit costs USD400 per person per trek giving you a one hour encounter with the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.

Safety and health measures to follow during your gorilla trek in Uganda

The existing gorilla tracking rules and guidelines will remain in force to prevent any human-to animal transmissions.

Tourists who during the briefing are observed to be sick shall not be allowed to go for the trek. These include tourists with signs flu, and those who report having diarrhea and stomach upsets, malaria etc

Due to the reported side effects of putting on masks for long periods and in high altitudes, the number of breaks during the tracking shall be doubled to give tourists time to breathe fresh air. During these breaks, social distancing should be observed

Rules and regulations for gorilla trekking in Uganda

BEFORE YOU SET OUT:

• Do not visit the gorillas if you have a cold or other infectious illness.
• Minimum age for tracking is 15 years
• Human waste should be buried 30cm (12”) deep
• Maximum number of visitors is eight persons per gorilla group

WHEN YOU ARE WITH THE GORILLAS:

• Maintain a 7m (21ft) distance from the gorilla
• Smoking, eating and drinking are not permitted on the tour
• If you must sneeze or cough cover your face and turn away from the gorillas, as they can catch coughs and colds from humans
• Visits are limited to one hour per gorilla group per day
• Do not use flash photography.

Where to stay during gorilla trekking in Uganda

Lodges in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park will depend on which sector you are booked in for your trek these include; In Rushaga, you can stay at Rushaga Gorilla camp, Four Gorillas Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge, Nsongi Camp, Icumbi Gorilla Safari Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge, Gorilla Valley Lodge and Karungi Camp. In Nkuringo you can stay at Nkuringo Bwindi gorilla lodge, Clouds Mountain gorilla lodge or Lake Mutanda Resort, all these lodges are close to the start point of Gorilla trekking in Nkuringo. In the northern part, in Buhoma sector you can stay at Buhoma Lodge, Bwindi Lodge, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Ride 4 a Woman among others, In Ruhija you can stay at Trekkers Tavern Cottages, Agandi Eco Lodge, Gift of Nature Lodge, Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge, and Broadbill Tented Camp among others.

Lodges near Mgahinga Gorilla National Park include Lake Chahafi Resort, Gahinga Lodge, Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge, Kisoro Travelers’ Inn among others.

What is the Best time for Gorilla Trekking in Uganda?

The best time to do gorilla trekking in Uganda is during the drier months of January, February, June to early September, this is makes it easier to travel to the park, it easy for the treks given the fact the forest is not too muddy and gives a clear view of the mountain gorillas given the vegetation cover is not too much high grown, however sometimes, the rainy season is considered better to go for a Gorilla trekking as there is a lot of food growing because of rain and mountain gorillas can clearly be spotted in the forest with a short walk given the fact they tend to move shorter distances looking for food, then as well the rainy season happens in the low season which has no crowds and treks are done by few tourists giving you privacy.

Contact us here to book gorilla trekking in Uganda

+256740829909

info@ecoadventuresafaris.com