Mountain Gorillas Trek

One of the exciting tourist activities in the entire Africa is mountain gorilla trekking. This is an exciting encounter that involves trekkers penetrating the virgin jungles to search for the world’s most endangered apes.

Mountain gorillas are giant human-like creatures that belong to the family of Apes. A gorilla is said to be the largest primate in the world weighing about 390 pounds for males and about 240 – 250 for the females. The unique thing about mountain gorillas is that they have the same emotions as humans, they laugh when happy and when hurt they cry. Research shows that 98.5% of their DNA is similar to that of humans.

These creatures are so amusing that the habituated gorillas can use sign language to interact with people. The good thing that makes it easy to trek the mountain gorillas is that they live in groups called families which usually last for 20 years. A mountain gorilla can live up to 54 years. Gorillas are interesting and spectacular primates that one shouldn’t miss seeing them during their safari to Uganda.

Mountain gorillas are declared to be among the highly endangered animal species that need to be conserved with serious concern and they are on the red list of IUCN. In the entire world they are estimated to be only around 850 individual mountain gorillas with half of them inhabiting Bwindi Impenetrable national park in Uganda.

In the entire world there are only three countries that are homes to these endangered mountain gorillas. Because mountain gorillas mostly stay in volcanic slopes that are covered with dense jungles, they can be seen and trekked within the Virunga range of mountains shared by the three countries of Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Virunga massif has ranges that spread among these countries, in Uganda gorillas are found on Mount Gahinga ranges, in Rwanda they are in Volcanoes national park and in the DR Congo they are in the Virunga national park.

Note that in Uganda, there are two national parks that offer this amazing adventure of gorilla trekking, these parks include; Bwindi Impenetrable forest and Mgahinga gorilla national park all located in the south western part of Uganda.

Despite all these countries, Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo having the same mountain gorilla species they still charge different prices for gorilla trekking permit.

In Uganda gorilla trekking permit is at $600 for foreign tourists, $500 for foreigners who are residents and 250,000 Ugandan shillings for east African Citizens. These permits in Uganda are inclusive of park entry fees which is either Bwindi impenetrable national park or Mgahinga gorilla national park, experienced and professional ranger guides, one hour interaction with gorillas and an exciting tangible gorilla trekking certificate after the experience.

In Rwanda, the price of a gorilla permit is $1500 regardless of nationality. This is because Rwanda is positioning herself as an up market tourist destination for the high class travelers. Some of the offers that Rwanda has for the trekkers include; 30% discount on permits for tourists that visit all other 3 Rwandan national parks for 3 days, and during low season, that is, October - November, March and May.

Rwanda also offers 15% discount on conference guests who choose to visit the gorillas either before or after a MICE event. The other discount is $15000 for private mountain gorilla trekking which is for an entire family and having a personalized tour guide service.

The other gorilla promotional offer in Rwanda is $30000 for the minimum of three visitors who are interested in trekking for three consecutive days. Also known as the “Behind the Scenes” experience.

In Democratic Republic of Congo, a gorilla permit goes for $400 for foreign non-residents, foreign residents and other east African citizens while Congolese citizens pay $150 for the same adventure.